Phyllis Mouton is leaving Baton Rouge Community College after 18 years to take on a new role with One Acadiana, the economic development organization for the nine-parish Acadiana area formerly known as the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce.
Effective Feb. 1, Mouton will be vice president of governmental affairs for One Acadiana, in charge of directing the development and execution of its government relations strategy, including advocacy efforts, lobbying and coalition building.
“In her new role, Phyllis will spend the majority of her time cultivating strong working relationships with policymakers at all levels and engaging stakeholders from across the region to mobilize support for issues important to Acadiana’s business community,” says One Acadiana President and CEO Jason El Koubi in a news release.
Mouton’s departure is not only a blow to BRCC, where she most recently served as special assistant to the chancellor for government relations, but the Baton Rouge community, where she has served in many prominent business, education and nonprofit roles.
Mouton was Secretary of Labor under former Gov. Buddy Roemer. She is a former president of the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge and she’s served on the boards of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, Foundation for East Baton Rouge School System, Capital Area United Way, Greater Baton Rouge Chamber (now the Baton Rouge Area Chamber), Baton Rouge Technology Council, Public Affairs Research Council and Volunteers in Public Schools.
In 1999, Mouton was among Business Report’s annual Influential Women in Business honorees, and she also was on the magazine’s community panel of judges that selects its annual Business Award and Hall of Fame honorees.
But for Mouton, the move is a homecoming and a new challenge. The chamber rebrand to One Acadiana occurred just last year, with the agency embarking on a new five-year regional economic development program.
“I am delighted to return to Lafayette and join One Acadiana’s dynamic team,” reads a statement from Mouton, who was previously elected the first female chair of the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce. “I look forward to collaborating with One Acadiana staff and members; local, regional, state and national government leaders; education and economic development officials; investors and community leaders from our nine parishes.”
