On the eve of signing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, President Biden has appointed Mitch Landrieu as senior advisor to lead the implementation of this landmark bipartisan law.
In this position, Landrieu will direct the largest and most comprehensive infrastructure investments the nation has seen in decades. Independent experts confirm these efforts will create millions of well-paying, union jobs, strengthen America’s global competitiveness, improve supply chains, and help address long-term inflation.
As part of the President’s team, Landrieu will play a central role in delivering transformative projects: rebuilding roads, bridges, and rail; making historic upgrades to ports and airports; expanding mass transit; ensuring access to clean drinking water; advancing clean energy and climate resilience; and connecting every American to high-speed internet.
When Mitch Landrieu became Mayor of New Orleans, the city’s recovery from Hurricane Katrina had stalled. He quickly accelerated progress, launching more than 100 projects and securing billions in federal funding to rebuild roads, schools, hospitals, parks, and other vital infrastructure—helping transform New Orleans into one of the nation’s great comeback stories. During his tenure, he also chaired the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the leading bipartisan organization representing mayors nationwide, and was named Public Official of the Year by Governing Magazine in 2015. Landrieu gained national recognition for uniting communities and making racial equity a central focus of his leadership.
As Louisiana’s former Lieutenant Governor, Landrieu also brings experience in state-level leadership and a strong ability to collaborate with governors and state officials. In addition, his well-established relationships with both business and labor leaders will be critical to succeeding in this new role.
“I’m grateful to the President and honored to take on the responsibility of coordinating the largest infrastructure investment in decades,” said Mitch Landrieu. “This effort will depend on strong collaboration across government, with state and local leaders, as well as with business and labor partners, to create good-paying jobs and rebuild America’s foundation for the middle class. We will also ensure these historic investments advance the President’s priorities of fighting climate change and promoting equity.”
Biography
Mitch Landrieu served as the 61st Mayor of New Orleans from 2010 to 2018, taking office while the city was still recovering from Hurricane Katrina and grappling with the BP Oil Spill.
During his tenure, New Orleans became known as one of America’s great comeback stories. He was named Public Official of the Year by Governing in 2015 and was recognized as “America’s top turnaround mayor” in a 2016 Politico survey of mayors. Landrieu also served as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
He rose to national prominence for his bold decision to remove four Confederate monuments in New Orleans—a move that earned him the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award. In his memoir, In the Shadow of Statues: A White Southerner Confronts History, Landrieu reflects on his personal journey and the broader struggle to confront race and institutional racism in America.
In 2018, Landrieu founded E Pluribus Unum, a Southern-based initiative dedicated to advancing America’s promise of justice and opportunity for all by addressing racial and economic divisions. Before his tenure as Mayor, he served two terms as Louisiana’s lieutenant governor and spent 16 years in the state legislature. Landrieu and his wife, Cheryl, live in New Orleans, where they raised their five children.