2022 Women's Symposium Keynote Speaker
听
Leslie Durham听听
Delta Regional Authority听听
Alternate Federal Co-Chairwoman
___________________________________________________________
Leslie Dandridge Durham was appointed Delta Regional Authority Alternate Federal Co
Chairwoman by President Joseph R. Biden on October 22, 2021.听
Born and raised in Tensas Parish, Louisiana, Durham attended the University of Louisiana
at 听Monroe, and since January 2016 has served as Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards鈥檚
DRA 听Designee. She previously worked for Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco as Director
of 听Renewal Communities and Delta Regional Authority Designee, during which she was named
the 听2007 Louisiana Planning and Development District鈥檚 Person of the Year. Durham is a
double 听graduate of DRA鈥檚 Delta Leadership Institute Executive Academy, both in its inaugural
year of 听2006 and again in 2017, in which she also completed the Authentic Leadership Executive
听Education Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
On 听July 31, 2021, the Louisiana Municipal Association awarded Durham with the LMA President鈥檚
听Award for her years of commitment to Louisiana Local Governments.听
In addition to her role as Louisiana Designee to the Delta Regional Authority, Governor
Edwards 听appointed Durham to serve on the following:听
- Broadband for Everyone in Louisiana (BEL) Commission, Chairperson 鈼� Rural Water Infrastructure Committee (RWIC), Chairperson听
- Rural Revitalization Commission (RRC)听
- 4.9 GHz Spectrum Task Force听
- Jobs for America鈥檚 Graduates Louisiana Board of Directors (JAG-La)听
- Delta Agriculture Research and Sustainability District
