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NEW ORLEANS — Councilman Oliver Thomas and The New Orleans City Council recently honored Dr. Deshanda Firmin, former chief administrative officer of St. John the Baptist Parish, for her tireless efforts to foster regional cooperation and collaboration for the businesses and residents of the Parish.

As Dr. Firmin always says,” The region is stronger and better with a safe, prosperous, and economically strong St. John the Baptist Parish!”

Thomas said he appreciates Dr. Firmin and all of her efforts to strengthen her Parish and the Greater New Orleans Region as a former CAO and now as a businesswoman.

Firmin resigned from the CAO position in late 2022 to focus on the next steps of her law career. She attended law school at Loyola University in the evenings while overseeing the administrative functions of the parish, working on historic projects such as the West Shore Levee, and navigating the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Ida. Before stepping into public policy in 2020, she previously worked in the private sector for more than 20 years with a background in healthcare and management.