Andy Kopplin

Andy Kopplin (born Nov. 15, 1966) is the former chief of staff to Louisiana Governors Mike Foster (Republican) and Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (Democrat). He has also served as Executive Director with the Louisiana Recovery Authority.
He ran in the to fill seat which was vacated by retiring congressman Richard Baker. However, he finished fourth of five in the Democratic primary on March 8, 2008. This defeat ended his campaign for the seat.
Following very closely on the heels of his primary defeat, Kopplin was hired as the Executive Vice President of Growth Strategy and Development for Teach For America.
Teach For America (TFA) touted his experience as the founding executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) as beneficial to his post. "Under Kopplin’s leadership, the LRA developed the strategy and built the bipartisan coalitions that more than doubled congressional appropriations for Louisiana’s rebuilding, from $13 billion to $28 billion. The LRA also produced visionary community and regional rebuilding plans and led the charge for important political reforms like the state takeover of the failing New Orleans school system."
On May 4, 2010, the mayor of New Orleans, Mitch Landrieu, appointed him first deputy mayor and chief administrative officer, the highest appointed position in New Orleans.
Kopplin is a graduate of Rice University, a 1986 Harry S. Truman Scholarship winner and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
His son, Zack Kopplin, is a prominent advocate for the teaching of evolution in Louisiana.

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