Another top administrator at Louisiana’s environmental agency leaves his post

By Wesley Muller
Contributing Writer

(lailluminator.com) — A top official at the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality has transferred out of the agency, marking the latest of at least five high-level departures from what current and former employees have described as a toxic workplace under Secretary Aurelia Giacometto.

Undersecretary Christian Griffiths packed up his personal effects and walked out of the office last week, apparently without notice, according to current and former employees with knowledge of the situation. LDEQ’s communications office confirmed Griffiths’ transfer to the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP).

“We are blessed to have many talented individuals at LDEQ,” the agency wrote in an emailed statement. “We realize there will always be a need for dedicated public servants, and therefore are supportive when new opportunities arise for their growth and development. We thank Christian Griffiths for his service to this great State, and wish him the best of luck in his new role at GOHSEP.”

Griffiths, who could not be reached for comment, is the second undersecretary and the fifth high-ranking executive to depart LDEQ in the nearly eight months since Giacometto was put in charge of the agency. His exit comes as the state Legislative Auditor’s Office investigates the workplace culture under Giacometto.

Griffiths had previously applied for a position with GOSHEP when Landry first took office, The Times-Picayune|The Advocate reported Wednesday. He and GOSHEP director Jacques Thibodeaux had crossed paths during their time with the Louisiana National Guard.

Giacometto, a former Donald Trump administration official appointed by Gov. Jeff Landry, has come under scrutiny for her management style and questionable use of taxpayer money on out-of-state trips.

When Giacometto’s chief of staff, Stacey Holley, resigned in June, the governor told The Advocate the string of resignations was a symptom of bureaucratic resistance to his secretary’s mandate for pro-business changes.

It’s unclear if Landry still holds that view now that the agency’s foremost business executive has also left. The governor’s office declined to comment on the matter Wednesday afternoon.

Griffiths managed LDEQ’s Office of Management and Finance. He previously served as a high-ranking officer in the U.S. Army and Louisiana National Guard. His biography on LDEQ’s website lists him as an alumnus of Jesuit High School and the University of New Orleans.

Aside from Griffiths and Holley, other resignations include former LDEQ Undersecretary Chandra Pidgeon, who left in March after a few short weeks of being hired, complaining of Giacometto’s harassment of staff. Chief of Staff Justin Crossie and Communications Director Meagan Molter also left the department.

This article originally published in the September 9, 2024 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.