LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY | Secretary Chuck Carr Brown, PhD.
A DEPARTMENT OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
P.O. Box 4301
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4303
Phone: (225) 219-3953
Fax: (225) 219-3971
Email: officesec@la.gov
Brown possesses a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from the University of Southern Mississippi. He holds a Master of Public Administration from Southern University A&M College and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Public Policy/Environmental Policy from the Nelson Mandela School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Southern University A&M College in Baton Rouge.
Sharafkhani received both his Bachelor's and Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of New Orleans. He has more than 30 years of experience in the environmental field. Sharafkhani has served in various administrative, managerial and technical capacities in solid and hazardous waste, remediation programs, nonpoint source pollution, small business assistance and the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund with LDEQ for more than 26 years. He is a licensed professional engineer in civil and environmental engineering in Louisiana.
Bennett previously worked at LDEQ as an air permit writer from October 2003 to August 2006. She returns to the agency after 10 years as an industry consultant working with agricultural and petrochemical companies. Bennet has extensive experience in environmental regulatory affairs, compliance and permitting. Bennett holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Howard University in Washington, and an MBA from LSU. She is a native of Arnaudville in St. Landry Parish.
As the managerial branch of the Department, the Office of the Secretary facilitates achievement of environmental improvements by coordinating the other program offices' work to reduce quantity and toxicity of emissions, representing the Department when dealing with external agencies, providing legal counsel to the Department, communicating effectively with the public, and by promoting initiatives that serve a broad environmental mandate.