Pizza & Public Affairs: John Bel Edwards

The Pizza & Public Affairs series invites students and faculty from across campus to enjoy free pizza and engage in meaningful conversations with guest speakers, whether a public official, civic leader, public affairs practitioner, or polarization expert. Speakers will share with students how they have achieved successful policy or program outcomes by building coalitions and communicating in a way that bridges division.

Pizza & Public Affairs is part of the Common Ground Project, a collaborative effort between the Reilly Center and the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR) to promote civic engagement, bipartisan dialogue, and trust in democratic institutions.

Faculty: We encourage you to share this announcement with your students and your network!

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John Bel Edwards served as the 56th governor of Louisiana from 2016 until January 2024. In 2008, he was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives, where he represented the people of Amite, Greensburg, Kentwood, and Hammond for eight years before being elected governor. He currently serves as special counsel for Fishman Haygood, focusing on renewable energy and complex legal matters.

During his two terms as governor, he led the state through fiscal challenges and historic crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple natural disasters.

Edwards is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and served eight years on active duty in the U.S. Army, earning Airborne, Ranger, and Jumpmaster status before commanding a rifle company in the 82nd Airborne Division. He earned his law degree from LSU’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center

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