LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY | Secretary Aurelia S. Giacometto
A DEPARTMENT OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
MAILING ADDRESS:
P.O. Box 4301
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4301
PHYSICAL ADDRESS:
LDEQ Headquarters – Galvez Building
602 North Fifth Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Phone: (225) 219-3953
Fax: (225) 219-3971
Email: officesec@la.gov
Secretary
Aurelia S. Giacometto
Aurelia S. Giacometto became the Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) in January 2024. Secretary Giacometto received her Bachelor of Science in biology from Howard University, her Master of Science in molecular genetics and animal science from Purdue University and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Kentucky College of Law.
Secretary Giacometto is an attorney, biologist and conservationist. She was director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and CEO of the nonprofit the International Order of T. Roosevelt. Her education and experience allow her a wide and unique perspective on Louisiana’s culture and environmental issues.
Deputy Secretary
Jordan DesHotels
Jordan DesHotels was named Deputy Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) in April 2024.
Jordan has a robust background that spans numerous international military engagements and corporate management, focusing on strategic planning, operations and logistics oversight in various high-stakes environments. In the corporate sector, he established his foundation with the upstream side of oil and gas environmental compliance in the Gulf of Mexico before transitioning to energy services and land-based waste management. He has demonstrated significant acumen in business development within the environmental side of the oil and gas service industry. His accomplishments include spearheading revenue growth from initial stages to multi-million-dollar levels, formulating and executing numerous long-term contracts and enhancing operational processes to achieve rapid growth rates.
He graduated from Loyola University in New Orleans and received a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a minor in History. He is now in the last semester of completing his Master of Business Administration from Loyola.
Jordan is a resident of New Orleans and a ninth-generation Cajun who is happily married to a Texan. He is a Life Member of VFW Post 8973 and serves on the New Orleans EMS Foundation Board.
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.