Leadership Team

Susana (Susie) Schowen serves as the Secretary of Louisiana Works. She was appointed by Governor Jeff Landry in January of 2024. Prior to joining Louisiana Works, she spent two years as the Vice President of Education at the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, and before that, she was at LED FastStart, the workforce development division of Louisiana Economic Development, for over ten years. Through all these roles, Susie has focused on building coalitions of industry partners, economic developers, and educators to align education and workforce development efforts with the needs of employers and the economy, increasing the prosperity of our people and our communities. She takes a highly innovative and employer-responsive approach, restructuring systems to lift individuals out of poverty while driving economic growth, and measuring success using performance-based models that reward results, not promises. She also works across agencies and with regional partners to identify inefficiencies in the system and better align the delivery of social services with workforce development efforts.

Susie has degrees in chemistry from Wellesley College and Columbia University.

Bennett (Benny) Soulier serves as Chief Liaison Officer of Louisiana Works. A native of Lafayette, Benny brings more than three decades of dedicated public service and workforce development to his role. Mr. Soulier has held multiple executive leadership positions throughout his 21-year tenure at the Louisiana works. He has worked in the areas of workforce development, financial management, personnel, and administrative services. In addition to his many roles, Benny also helps lead LWC engagements with lawmakers, government agencies, and key stakeholders to help drive policy initiatives and secure support for workforce programs. His strategic oversight and commitment to operational excellence contribute to advancing the agency's mission across the state. Before joining the LWC, Mr. Soulier served for 10 years as Board of Director for the Lafayette Parish Workforce Development Board. In this role, he played a key part in shaping local workforce strategies and supporting economic growth in the region.  

Osmar Padilla serves as the Deputy Secretary of Louisiana Works, where he helps lead the transformation of Louisiana’s workforce system to be more connected, data-driven, and results-oriented. His work centers on modernizing the agency’s operations, integrating workforce and social services, and ensuring every program and partnership contributes to the state’s long-term economic competitiveness.

As Deputy Secretary, Osmar drives both statewide strategy and internal organizational improvement—strengthening performance management, project execution, and collaboration across divisions. He partners with employers, educators, and state and regional leaders to align workforce development with Louisiana’s economic priorities and expand opportunity for the state’s people and businesses.

Previously, Osmar served as Director of Workforce Development at Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO, Inc.), where he led the GNO initiative connecting higher education and industry to design workforce solutions responsive to regional demand. 

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Disaster Management and a Master of Science in Workforce Development from Louisiana State University.

Jamie Tairov serves as the Undersecretary at Louisiana Works, where she leads the Office of Management and Finance. Before joining Louisiana Works, Tairov was the Director of Fiscal and Opportunity Policy at the Pelican Institute. In this role, she supported essential reforms in taxation, workforce development, and social safety net programs, criminal justice, and occupational licensure. She recommended reforms to these policy areas by evaluating Louisiana’s laws, regulations, and programs, researching other state policies, identifying national best practices, and collaborating with partners to advance effective free market solutions. Tairov also led Pelican’s effort to annually publish a comprehensive Citizens Guide to the Louisiana Budget.

Before joining Pelican, Tairov worked for the Louisiana House of Representatives, where she supported lawmakers and the public as a budget analyst for the appropriations committee. She was responsible for analyzing the state’s budget for Public Safety and Corrections, higher education, the Department of Justice, and the Judicial branch of government, among others. Jamie also staffed legislative committees, led annual budget hearings, helped legislators draft amendments to budget and subject matter bills, and evaluated executive agency and judicial branch programs. She also worked for Louisiana State University (LSU) for 12 years in various capacities, supporting agriculture and research initiatives.

Tairov is a native of South Louisiana, born and raised in Baton Rouge. She received her Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness as well as master’s degree in Public Administration, both from LSU.  

Brian Blackwood serves as Assistant Secretary at Louisiana Works, where he leads the Office of Workers Compensation Administration. Before his appointment, he served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Louisiana. From 2009 to 2016, Brian defended the State of Louisiana as an employer in claims initiated by injured state workers. Brian was appointed Section Chief of the Workers Compensation Section of the Litigation Division of the Louisiana Department of Justice in April of 2016. As Section Chief, he oversaw all workers’ compensation cases and workers’ compensation subrogation/intervention cases for the State.

Since being admitted to the Louisiana State Bar in 2001, Brian has practiced almost exclusively in workers’ compensation and has had the unique experience of being on both sides of the workers’ compensation claim. Beginning his career as an attorney with Dazet & Associates, LLC, Brian represented injured workers seeking workers’ compensation benefits from their employers.

Brian attended Southeastern Louisiana University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Government with a minor in History. He earned his Juris Doctorate from Southern University Law Center.

James Robert Wooley serves as the Assistant Secretary at Louisiana Works, where he leads the Office of Unemployment Insurance. Robert has played a critical leadership role in managing one of the state's most vital safety net programs. Since joining Louisiana Works in 2020, he has overseen Louisiana's Unemployment Insurance operations through historic challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Under his leadership, the agency developed strategies to address unprecedented claims volume, integrated 1099 workers into the unemployment system, and successfully avoided a legislatively mandated solvency tax by stabilizing the Unemployment Trust Fund.

A seasoned attorney, regulatory expert, and former elected official, Wooley previously served as Louisiana’s Commissioner of Insurance, where he led the Department through the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, implementing emergency measures that protected consumers and stabilized the insurance marketplace. His professional background includes serving as Special Counsel with Adams and Reese LLP, where he developed a national insurance regulatory practice.

At various times during his career, Wooley managed numerous campaigns for statewide and legislative candidates, as well as referendums.

Wooley holds a Juris Doctor from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Northeast Louisiana University, where he graduated magna cum laude. His expertise encompasses disaster management, regulatory control, public policy, organizational leadership, and additional areas.

Jessica Vallelungo serves as the Assistant Secretary of the Office of Workforce Development at Louisiana Works.

Since 2005, Jessica has worked across K-12 education to strengthen career and college readiness programs and build connections between classrooms and careers. After two decades in public education, she transitioned into workforce development, now serving with Louisiana Works, where she focuses on aligning education, training, and employment systems to ensure Louisianians have the support and skills needed for gainful employment.

Previously, Jessica served as Deputy Assistant Superintendent of Career and College Readiness and Executive Director of Jump Start at the Louisiana Department of Education, where she led statewide efforts to connect students with high-demand pathways. Before her state leadership roles, she worked in the City of Baker Schools and St. Bernard Parish Schools in a variety of roles, including Career and Technical Education Coordinator, Dual Enrollment Coordinator, and Digital Media Instructor.

Her vested interest in high-quality CTE programs is deeply rooted in her childhood on the bayous of coastal Louisiana and teenage years surrounded by emerging technology, experiences that continue to shape her commitment to helping every learner find meaningful, future-ready pathways.

James D. Garvey, Jr. currently serves as Executive Counsel at Louisiana Works. Mr. Garvey was elected to the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) in November 2007. He was re-elected to that position in 2011, 2015, and again in 2019, for a total of 16 years of service on BESE. During his tenure at BESE, Mr. Garvey has served as President, Vice-President, and Secretary for several terms. He has served as the Chair of the following committees: State Authorized School Oversight Committee, Recovery School District Committee, and the School Innovation and Oversight Committee.

Mr. Garvey is a former volunteer attorney for the New Orleans Legal Assistance Corporation and is currently the Treasurer for the Metropolitan Battered Women’s Program. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Jefferson Parish Education Foundation, the Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission (JEDCO), and the Committee for a Better Jefferson. He is a current member of the Jefferson Business Counsel.

Mr. Garvey is a former member of the Board of Directors of Teach for America (Greater New Orleans Chapter), the Jefferson Community School, the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce’s Political Action Committee (Chairman), and the Bureau of Governmental Research. He graduated from Loyola University of New Orleans with a Bachelor’s in Accounting in 1987, a Master’s of Business Administration in 1991, and a Juris Doctorate in 1991.

Kaffia Arvie serves as the Director of the Workforce Investment Council and Equal Opportunity Compliance Division within Louisiana Works. With more than 15 years of experience in leadership and public administration, she is dedicated to advancing innovative workforce solutions that strengthen Louisiana’s economy and improve the quality of life for all residents. Her leadership focuses on aligning education and workforce development to ensure every Louisianan has access to opportunity.

Kaffia holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Policy Development. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Psychology with a Specialization in Human Behavior to deepen her understanding of how human dynamics influence public administration. A recognized thought leader, she has been honored by the Intercultural Development Research Association and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation as an Emerging Business Leader.

Outside of her professional work, Kaffia enjoys life in West Baton Rouge Parish with her family