By KEVIN CHIRI

Editor and Publisher

BATON ROUGE – Only two weeks into her new job as parish manager for Terrebonne Parish, Natalie Robottom has moved to a position working for newly-elected Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal.

Robottom was the chief administrative officer for St. John Parish under Parish President Nickie Monica, then ran for election last year to become the new parish president, before losing in that race to Bill Hubbard.

That left Robottom out of a job temporarily, but she was quickly approached with several high ranking positions out of St. John Parish, selecting the position as parish manager in Terrebonne for $81,200 a year.

However that position didn’t last long as Jindal’s office has now hired Robottom as director of the Office of Community Programs. The position pays $87,500 as a base salary, according to Jindal’s Press Secretary Melissa Sellers, but with other perks and benefits, it will bring the total package to over $100,000 a year.

Robottom said it was a hard decision to leave Terrebonne Parish so quickly, since she felt very comfortable in that new role for Parish Preisdent Michel Claudet. But she said that Jindal’s office apparently contacted Claudet and impressed upon them their need for Robottom in Baton Rouge.

“Michel was sorry to see me go, but said he understood,” Robottom said. “And I hated to leave Terrebonne. But this new position with Governor Jindal gives me the chance to work with so many areas that are important to me—the disabled, elderly and speech programs for kids—just to name a few. And I can reach so many more people throughout the state with this position.”

Robottom will answer to Luke Letlow, who is the special assistant to Jindal, and will help coordinate and communicate many programs administered by the governor’s office.

Some of the programs Robottom will oversee will be The Delta Regional Authority, Disability Affairs, Drug Policy Board, Environmental Education, Governor’s Program on Abstinence, Indian Affairs, Elderly Affairs, Oil Spills, Renewal Communities, Safe and Drug Free Schools, Statewide Interagency Coordination Council, and Statewide Independent Living Council.

“Natalie is a qualified and experienced individual with a passion for her work. The many community programs in our state serve as an important connector to communities throughout Louisiana and work to reach out to our children to help provide them the tools they need to succeed,” Jindal said.

Robottom had initially gone to work in Terrebonne Parish on January 15, but then was contacted the next day by the governor’s office about the Community Programs position. She accepted the job the week of January 28, and officially began working in Baton Rouge this past week on February 7.