Former Fish and Wildlife Service Director Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto’s groundbreaking and rocky tenure as Louisiania’s top environmental regulator has now ended with her move to a Washington-based law firm.
Appointed in November of 2023 as the first Black female secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Giacometto was dogged throughout her time in Baton Rouge by staff departures, low department morale and highly critical media accounts of her leadership.
Republican Gov. Jeff Landry announced Giacometto’s departure Friday, praising her accomplishments that he said included a 2.5 percent reduction in the department’s fiscal 2026 budget, which Landry described as savings of more than $5 million.
“Aurelia prioritized environmental improvements to our air, land, and water, while also keeping a focus on the jobs and businesses that often suffer from red-tape and over-regulation,” Landry said in a statement. “We are grateful for her actions to improve the Department and wish her the best in her next endeavor.”
