Democrat Trae Welch was elected to the Metropolitan Council representing District 1 in 2008. District 1 covers the northern part of the parish and generally runs north of a line that includes Heck Young Road, Lavey Lane, Petit Road, Comite Drive, Dyer Road, McCullough Road and Denham Road.

Trae Welch is a Democrat who currently serves as Zachary City Prosecutor and practices law in Zachary. He is a former Baker Councilman and former member of the Baker Planning/Zoning Board. He and his wife, Lynn own and operate the Jack and Jill’s Children Boutique in Zachary. They have a two year old son, Quaid. 

 

                                          Legislative Aide is Lisa Rioux.

 

 

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The Honorable Ulysses Addison
Metropolitan Council District 2

 

Date of birth: August 21, 1961

 

Party: Democrat

 

Education: Attended Southern University

 

Experience: Lobbied Louisiana Legislature on behalf of City Parish

 

Occupation: Marketing research and governmental relations specialist

 

Elected: November 2000

 

 

 

 

 

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A life-long resident of Baton Rouge, Chandler attended St. Aloysius and Catholic High School. He obtained his BA in business administration from LSU and juris doctorate from Tulane University Law School. Chandler is married to the former Mimi Palfrey and they are the proud parents of 3 boys: Chandler (age 16), William (age 14), and Thomas (age 12). Chandler and William attend Catholic High and Thomas is a student at St. George Catholic School. He and his family are members of St. George Catholic Church.

Chandler is active in many civic and faith-based organizations and devotes over 200 hours annually in his law practice of nearly 20 years to helping indigent clients.

Legislative Aide is Danielle Ourso.

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The Honorable Scott Wilson
Metropolitan Council District 4

Republican Scott Wilson was elected to the East Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council in November 2008 and assumed office on January 2, 2009. He represents District 4 which includes much of Central and Greenwell Springs.

A Baton Rouge native, Scott is a graduate of Redemptorist High School and earned a degree in Business Administration and Finance from LSU.

Scott is employed by Derashnie Enterprises, an intermodal trucking company specializing in containerized cargo transport throughout the South. He currently serves as Vice President, managing the company's day-to-day business operations including 23 employees.

As a local small business owner, Scott understands the challenges faced by local employers and employees alike -- a perspective he can drawn upon while serving on the Council. Also, Scott brings a wealth of business experience to the table which he has pledged to use to ensure hard-earned taxpayer dollars are never wasted.

Scott has been married to the former Joanie Brocato for 16 years. They have two children -- son Connor, 10, and daughter Parker, 7. They are members of St. Alphonsus Catholic Church.

Kathy Kelly is the Legislative Aide for District 4 .

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Metropolitan Council District 5

Ronnie Edwards is the first female to be elected to represent and serve the constituents of the Baton Rouge Metro Council District 5 seat. She has over 37 years experience as an administrator in local and state government, business and industry. Executive Director of Urban Restoration Enhancement Corp. (UREC) since 1992. UREC is a local and state certified CHDO (Community Housing Development Organization), has an annual budget and assets exceeding 2.0 and 3.0 million respectively. UREC was certified by the LA Association of Nonprofit Organizations as a Standards For Excellence agency in 2005 and received the NAACP’s Outstanding Community Service Award the same year.

Ronnie serves as President of the Board of the Baton Rouge Apartment Association, provides oversight services to the LA Housing Community Development Collaborative and Greater Baton Rouge Community Economic Development Coalition. She is a current board member of LANO, the LA Housing Alliance and is an advisor on a number of Metro Commissions and Task Forces. (Including the East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Airport and Long Term Recovery Committee’s Advocacy Chair.) A licensed Realtor, Certified Apartment Manager and Dale Carnegie Graduate with further studies at both LSU, Southern. Mrs. Edwards holds a B.S. in Management from the University of Phoenix.

An alumna of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber’s ’98 Greater Baton Rouge Leadership Program, the Police Department’s Citizens Academy and YWCA’s Dialogue on Race. Mrs. Edwards is also a graduate of the University of Arkansas Community Development Institute, Co-Founder of the Mickens Road Property Owners Association and Member of Life Changers Christian Center and New Pilgrim Baptist Churches for 27 and 10 years respectively. A Ministry Development Institute Graduate and Instructor for Biblical Profiles and Crown Financial Ministries classes.

Married 37 years, mother of 2 and grandmother of 3, Mrs. Edwards is a 2007 recipient of the Baton Rouge Chapter of The Link’s, Inc. LA Role Models Award and EFA’s Trailblazer award, 2009 recipient of the Rising Tide Award from PREACH.

Legislative Aides are Stephanie Brown & Bea Gransberry.

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Metropolitan Council District 6

On November 4, 2008 Donna Collins Lewis was selected by the citizens of District 6 to serve as their new voice on the East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council.

As a member of the Metro Council, Donna’s mission is to assure representation for all District 6 constituents, and to work with the Mayor and her colleagues to assure that Baton Rouge truly becomes one of America’s next great cities.

Her goal is to create a climate that will inspire and encourage citizen involvement. Donna has been selected by her colleagues on the Metro to serve as a board member for the Capital Area Transit System and the Capital Regional Planning Commission.

Donna brings Twenty-Years of experience in public service to the Metro Council. She has worked as a Housing Administrator for Urban Restoration Enhancement Corporation, managed a Lease/Purchase Homeownership Program for New Hope Community Development Corporation and served as a Resident Initiative Coordinator for the Baton Rouge Housing Authority. Most recently, as the Housing Program Manager for the Louisiana Family Recovery Corps, Donna has traveled the state of Louisiana connecting families and communities with the resources necessary to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Donna believes that homeownership and community involvement equals stronger, safer neighborhoods. She has participated in homebuyer and credit education programs that assist families living at or below the poverty level to realize the American dream of owning their own home.

Donnas’ community involvement has included chairing the Racial Justice Committee as a member of the YWCA, member of the EBRP Long Term Recovery Committee, Board Chair for RîZ Up Louisiana and original board member of Urban Restoration Enhancement Corporation. She also volunteers her time on many community service projects across the city. Donna’s passion to serve comes from her mother, a single parent who raised four children on a meager income while walking to work at night.

Donna is married to Clifford S. Lewis, her greatest cheerleader, encourager and supporter. She is the mother of three and grandmother of nine. She is a member of Star Hill Church where she serves on the Ministry Leadership Team and facilitates a woman’s Sixty Minutes (Sunday School) Class.

Councilwoman Collins-Lewis’ Legislative Aide is Pamela Smith.

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C. Denise Marcelle is a lifelong resident of District 7, and has been involved in many community service organizations that serve the District. She is a 1977 graduate of Capital Senior High School and is currently enrolled at Southern University studying Criminal Justice. She attended LSU to become a licensed Notary Public on December 6, 2000. Denise currently works as a legal assistant to Attorney Gail Horne Ray, where she has been employed for over 25 years.

Denise is the founder of the SOS House, a non-profit rehabilitation program for women and their children. She became a licensed Ordained Minister in 2001 at Disciples Outreach Ministry where she continues to serve on their staff.

Denise has been involved with the following Community Service Organizations:

M.A.P. I.T. (Making A Positive Impact Together – Former chairperson

Gus Young Non-Violence

Gus Young Action Committee – Secretary

Women on the Move for Christ

Ladies of Purpose – Vice-Chairperson

Juneteenth Committee

Nehemiah Society – Former Treasurer

Denise is the mother of two (2) and grandmother of six (6). She received the 2007 Polaris Award and the BREC Trailblazer Award in 2007.

Legislative Aide is Dawn Brazier.

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Elected to his first term in 2000 and re-elected, on October 4, 2008, for a 3rd and final 4-year term beginning January 2, 2009 to the EBR Parish Metropolitan Council, Mike Walker serves the citizens of District 8 which includes a number of the more established neighborhoods in the Baton Rouge area. Mike’s priorities have continued to be to improve area infrastructure, encourage economic development and insure the security of all residents. He relies on his background in City-Parish government and business to accomplish these goals.

Mike had already worked as one of the top officials in City-Parish government having served as Chief Administrative Officer for Mayor-President "Woody” Dumas from 1972 to 1976. Also during the Dumas tenure, he worked as Assistant Director of the Mayor-President’s Council on Youth Opportunity from 1978 to 1980.Mike served 3 previous Clerks of Court as their Personnel Coordinator and as Training Officer for the 19th Judicial District Court coordinating the activities of 300 employees.

Mike served 3 previous Clerks of Court as their Personnel Coordinator and as Training Officer for the 19th Judicial District Court coordinating the activities of 300 employees.

Mike has long been active in the community. In 1973, he was one of the original signers of the Council on Aging Charter and served as its first Chairman of the Board and again served in that capacity from 2002 to October, 2004. He has also served as first President of the 10-parish Agency on Aging, on the Personnel Board of BREC, on the Alcohol Beverage Control Board, as a Past-President of the Southeast Florida Civic Assn., as a former member of the Board of Election Supervisors, as a former member of the EBR Parish Republican Party Executive Committee (Vice-Chairman 1998 to 2000), as Chairman of the EBR Council’s Finance & Executive Committee and Capital Improvements Committee and spearheaded a fund-raising committee to support the BR Symphony.

Presently, Mike serves as Mayor Pro-Tempore, as Mayor Kip Holden’s appointee to the Capital Region Planning Commission and on the East Baton Rouge Parish Audit & Employee Benefits Committees.

Mike is a graduate of Broadmoor High School in Baton Rouge. He attended Louisiana Tech and LSU majoring in Political Science with a minor in History. Mike and his wife, Marie, reside in River Oaks Subdivision and have 3 grown children.

Councilman Walker's Legislative Aide is Zona M. Pickens.

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The Honorable Joel Boé
Metropolitan Council District 9

Joel Boé recently began serving his first term as your District 9 councilman on January 2nd, 2009. District 9 is located in the southeast portion of East Baton Rouge Parish and is bordered on the east by the Amite River and Bayou Manchac and on the west by Pecue Lane, Stumberg, Jones Creek, and O’Neal Lane.

My wife and I are life long residents of Baton Rouge and have resided in the Southeast portion of Baton Rouge for over 10 years. As a graduate of Bethany Christian School in 1994, I moved on to graduate from the LSU School of Engineering with a Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management in 1998, and with a full time job, later went on to graduate from the LSU Executive MBA Program in 2006. I am employed as a Project Manager with Performance Contractors, Inc. and have been with them since 1998. We work exclusively in the private sector executing construction projects in chemical plants and refineries primarily in the Southeast portion of the United States.

I love the quality of life that District 9 provides my family and so do the great residents of District 9. As the fastest growing district in our Parish we will be faced with many challenges and opportunities that will help to shape and mold a future for our children. Many things have already been set in motion to help improve our traffic woes, those of which, we will begin to see progress in the coming months and the number of orange barrels you pass daily will begin to increase dramatically.

Please stand with me as we help take District 9 and the rest of East Baton Rouge Parish to the next level.

Liz Alch is the Legislative Assistant for District 9.

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Tara Wicker is a lifetime resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She has a Masters Degree in Public Administration with an emphasis in Public Policy Analysis. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science. Tara served in the Office of the Mayor President for the City of Baton Rouge as Assistant Chief Administrative Officer for 3 ½ years. For six years she worked as a Program Officer and Community Organizer for the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, establishing Community Development Corporations (CDC’s) and other community revitalization efforts here in Baton Rouge. In addition Tara served as Executive Assistant for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge. Tara is a dedicated and passionate christian and community activist who believes strongly in the value of the family unit. She has lived and worked in District 10 her entire life and career. A few of her achievements include the following:

Community and Leadership Involvement

Chairman of East Baton Rouge Council on Aging (COA)
Selected as a Pew Civic Entrepreneur
Co-Chair of Mayor’s Commission on Revenue and Expenditures (MCORE)
Former Board Member of Mid-City Redevelopment Alliance
Coordinated the development of the Plan to End Chronic Homelessness
Semi-Finalists – Do Something Brick Award
Selected Baton Rouge Business Report Top 40 Under 40
Co-Coordinator of Smart Growth Task Force
Former Board Member of Habitat for Humanity
Member of Residential Living Task Force – Plan Baton Rouge
Children’s Coalition Board Member
Women’s Council of Greater Baton Rouge
Former Board Member Baton Rouge Area Sports Foundation
Former Board Member Baton Rouge Convention & Visitors Bureau
President of Mid-City Community Association
Past Vice-President PTO – South Blvd.
Past President PTO – Shiloh Early Learning Academy
Former Mayor Representative for Downtown Dev. District Commission
Co-Founder Community Builders, Inc.
Founder of "Transformations” Healthy Lifestyle System

Accomplishments

Established for City of Baton Rouge:

1st Blight Elimination Ordinance
Task Force to End Chronic Homelessness ("Roadmap to Restoration”)
Mayor’s Youth Advisory Commission
Mass Transportation Task Force
Mayor’s Campaign Against Breast Cancer
Served as Advisor for Hope 6 project (Baton Rouge)
Get Fit Campaign
"Good News” Baton Rouge Talk Show
City of Baton Rouge representative for McKinley High Restoration Project
Emerging Small Business Network
Neighborhood Housing Network
Mayor’s Blight Elimination Team
Neighborhoods-In-Action Project

Special Interests

Tara’s special interests include Business and Personal Image Consulting; Healthy Lifestyle Coaching; Leadership and Organizational Development Training; Strategic Planning; Business Advertising; and Public Speaking.

Tara has been married for 15 years to Michael Wicker, former State Trooper and Minister. She is the mother of four: Tya, Trinity, Michael, and Mya.

Councilwoman Wicker Legislative Aide is Ralph Johnson.

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Louisiana Chapter of the American Planning Association

 

 

Government Street Amenities Committee

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Councilman Rodney "Smokie” Bourgeois, a Republican member of the Metropolitan Council serving District 12.

Councilman Bourgeois' Legislative Aide is Deanna Goux.