About Rowdy

Rowdy Gaudet is an experienced leader in the areas of executive management, community resilience, and committed service, and has focused his career on helping organizations innovate, improve their performance, and achieve their missions.

Professionally, Rowdy works as Vice President of Mission Integration at Franciscan High School, a private, Catholic school located in North Baton Rouge focused on educating young people of limited economic means to become men and women of faith, purpose, and service. Through this role, Rowdy provides strategic leadership to the school and integrates gospel values and Franciscan charism and identity into all facets of school life, including strategic planning, operations, mission achievement, cultural activities, and decision-making.

Prior to joining Franciscan High School, Rowdy worked as Managing Director for Louisiana-based management consulting firm Emergent Method and was responsible for working with both private and public-sector organizations to achieve their business goals, as well as expanding Emergent Method’s strategic and crisis communications, community resilience and disaster recovery practices.

Additionally, from 2017 to 2020 Rowdy served as the Assistant Chief Administrative Officer for East Baton Rouge Parish, overseeing such critical areas as public works, homeland security, community development, public safety, and as lead on affordable housing and blight elimination efforts. In this capacity he managed strategic operations for several City-Parish departments, developed solutions to tackle the blight issues challenging Baton Rouge, purposed over $170 million in place-based investments, served as the Mayor’s liaison to the Restore Louisiana Flood Recovery Task Force, and led community beautification efforts.

Some of his most notable accomplishments include working to secure over $2 billion in transportation and drainage infrastructure investments, restructuring the parish’s community development programs, implementing the parish’s first Bike Share program, leading the City-Parish efforts in securing a $30 million Choice Neighborhood Initiative grant, working with housing partners to develop the City-Parish’s first Affordable Housing Strategy, and organizing several community-wide cleanup efforts known as Operation Fresh Start.

Previously, Rowdy has also served as Chief of Staff for the State of Louisiana’s Disaster Recovery Unit, overseeing a team of people implementing over $14 billion in recovery and resilience investments in Louisiana. He also has previous experience in legislative affairs and emergency management.

He is very active in local organizations, including currently serving as a member of the board of directors for the Capital Area YMCA and Visit Baton Rouge. Gaudet received a bachelor’s degree in communications from McNeese State University, a Master of Business Administration from Louisiana State University, and holds two Executive Education Certificates from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government.

He and his wife Wendy have been married for over 16 years, and they have four beautiful children.