Loyola University New Orleans Welcomes Deidre Deculus Robert to Vice President, General Counsel and Director of Government Affairs

NEW ORLEANS — Loyola University New Orleans has named Deidre Deculus Robert Vice President, General Counsel and Director of Government Affairs, bringing an accomplished Louisiana attorney, executive and public servant to the university’s senior leadership team.

Robert’s distinguished career spans higher education, federal and state government, law, public policy, and community and economic development. Through her service in Louisiana and Washington, D.C., she has developed strong relationships with government officials, institutional leaders and community partners across the state and nation. Those relationships, combined with her understanding of government and public policy, will help Loyola strengthen partnerships, advance institutional priorities and engage key stakeholders at the local, state and federal levels.

Most recently, Robert served as president and CEO of Build Baton Rouge, where she led the organization’s work to advance equitable investment, neighborhood revitalization and economic development in Louisiana’s capital city. Her career has also included significant leadership roles in state government and public service, giving her broad experience working at the intersection of law, policy, government and community development.

Robert previously served as general counsel for the Southern University System, where she advised university leadership on legal, governance and institutional matters. She also served as an adjunct law professor at Southern University Law Center, giving her firsthand understanding of both the opportunities and responsibilities that come with serving a university community.

“Deidre is an extraordinary leader whose career reflects the very values at the heart of Loyola’s mission: service, justice, integrity and a commitment to the common good,” said Loyola University New Orleans President Xavier A. Cole. “She brings tremendous legal expertise and executive experience, as well as a deep understanding of Louisiana and strong relationships extending from Baton Rouge to Washington, D.C. Those relationships, coupled with her ability to bring people and institutions together around a shared purpose, will be tremendous assets to Loyola as we continue to expand our reach and impact.”

As Vice President, General Counsel and Director of Government Affairs, Robert will serve as a key strategic adviser to President Cole and university leadership, providing counsel on legal, governance and institutional matters while helping Loyola navigate an increasingly complex higher education landscape. She will also help strengthen Loyola’s relationships with government leaders and other key stakeholders at the local, state and federal levels.

“I am honored to join Loyola University New Orleans, an institution whose Jesuit and Catholic mission so closely reflects the values that have guided my life and career,” Robert said. “My work in law, public service, higher education and community development has always been grounded in a commitment to justice, service and creating opportunities for people and communities to thrive. Returning to higher education at this stage of my career is especially meaningful, and I look forward to serving the Loyola community while helping the university navigate the opportunities ahead and strengthen its impact in New Orleans, Louisiana and beyond.”

Throughout her career, Robert has demonstrated a commitment to using institutions as catalysts for opportunity and community impact. Her broad experience across higher education, government, law and economic development brings Loyola a leader who understands not only the legal and regulatory environment facing universities today, but also the important role higher education institutions can play as civic partners in their communities.

Robert said Loyola’s Jesuit and Catholic mission and its emphasis on faith, service, justice and responsibility to others, were among the qualities that drew her back to higher education.

Her appointment comes as Loyola continues to strengthen its partnerships throughout New Orleans and Louisiana while expanding the university’s reach and impact regionally and nationally.

Robert will officially join Loyola University New Orleans on September 1, 2026.