BATON ROUGE—The Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations (LANO) announces the appointment of Edward Ashworth as Director of the Louisiana Budget Project, a LANO initiative that monitors and reports on state government spending.
Ashworth, former Undersecretary of the Department of Social Services, past Executive Director of the Southern Poverty Law Center and original CEO of the Louisiana Technology Park, has substantial experience in public policy, public/private partnerships, and administration. He will begin as Louisiana Budget Project Director on November 3, 2009.
According to LANO President and CEO Ann S. Williamson, Ashworth’s knowledge and experience in state government and private enterprise will be invaluable to the mission of the Louisiana Budget Project and to the nonprofit sector at large. Said Williamson, “The Louisiana Budget Project’s focus on state spending and its impact on low-income families complements Eddie’s long commitment to public service and social justice.”
Ashworth was the President and CEO of the Research Park Corporation, a public nonprofit corporation established by the state of Louisiana to promote the development of high technology industries and successful public/private partnerships. Under his leadership, the Research Park Corporation developed the Louisiana Technology Park and lead the redevelopment of former Bon Marché Mall into the Bon Carré Business Center.
Prior to leading the Technology Park, Ashworth served eight years with the Southern Poverty Law Center, including four years as Executive Director. The nonprofit Southern Poverty Law Center is dedicated to defending the civil rights of racial and ethnic minorities in the United States.
Ashworth left the Technology Park to serve as Undersecretary of the Louisiana Department of Social Services in 2008. Most recently, Ashworth was President of Strategic Planning for Sides & Associates of Lafayette, LA, serving a variety of government and private interests.
Ashworth holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Alabama and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Birmingham-Southern College.
The Louisiana Budget Project (LBP) has been in operation since 2006. LBP monitors and reports on state government spending and how it affects Louisiana’s low-to-moderate-income families.
Describing the work of the LBP, LANO Vice President for Public Policy, Dr. Alison Neustrom said, “The lives of Louisianans can be improved through a deeper understanding of the state budget and by looking at the big picture of how government spending impacts citizens.”
The LBP encourages citizens to be vocal about budget issues that are important to them. It is committed to providing insight and leadership that inform the policy debate.
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