After a long, stressful day, you can find Jim Brandt running at University and City Park lakes in a T-shirt and shorts. Brandt, who is president of the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, comes here to unwind and relax. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love his job. “I love the challenge—and it is often a challenge—of showing that facts, data and objective research can lead to better decision making on public policies,” he says. “And I love the intersection of politics, policy research and civic engagement, particularly in Louisiana.” Of course, Brandt might be one of the few people who feel this way about Louisiana politics — given the state’s reputation for governance that has historically been less than forthright. But the North Dakota native who calls Baton Rouge home is committed to Louisiana as a “work in progress.” So he’ll keep showing up, keep being persistent and, like the values he espouses, never give up. Even if he has to run a little more. To read the full Q&A with Brandt, click here. Here is a sample:
What was your first job?
Growing up on a farm, I began work on the farm as soon as I could walk. My first real job (at age 13) was selling shoes at a Kinney’s store in Denver.
