Almost a month after Ewell Smith resigned as the executive director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne has named the current assistant director Kristin McLaren as interim executive director while a search is conducted for a permanent replacement.
McLaren’s career covers both private and public sectors. A graduate of Tulane University with a degree in journalism, she has served on boards and commissions, worked for a state agency and been on the floor of the Louisiana legislature.
Smith resigned after 13-years as head of the agency when state lawmakers shifted oversight responsibility of the board to the lieutenant governor.
The board announced on Tuesday it was accepting applications for a new executive director. According to a job description posted by the Lt. Governor’s office, the executive director functions as the chief executive officer with overall management responsibility for the successful operation of the board, subject to the supervision, control and approval of the Lt. Governor.
