Lousisiana Commissioner of Administration Angèle Davis will leave her post Aug. 8 after more than two-and-a-half years as Gov. Bobby Jindal’s chief budget officer. The position involves oversight of daily government operations and development of the governor’s executive budget that is presented to lawmakers at the opening of the annual legislative session.
Paul Rainwater, currently Jindal’s deputy chief of staff, will succeed Davis in the job, which pays $204,000 a year. Kristy Nichols, secretary of the Department of Social Services, will replace Rainwater on the governor’s staff.
Jindal praised Davis’ service in announcing her resignation.
“Angèle led us through some unprecedented budget challenges, and our state is in a better posture today because of her cost-cutting approach and dedication to streamlining government,” the Republican governor said.
Davis said she was resigning to pursue work in the private sector. She served as deputy commissioner of administration under Gov. Mike Foster Jr. and secretary of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism under Gov. Kathleen Blanco before being named by Jindal to her current post in December 2007.
Rainwater has served as executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority established after the hurricanes of 2005 and as legislative director and chief of operations to U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu.
