Michele Dauzat
The Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections has promoted Deputy Warden Michele Dauzat to lead David Wade Correctional Center (DWCC).
“Warden Dauzat brings a wealth of knowledge and experience and a unique perspective to the role of head warden of David Wade Correctional Center,” said Jimmy Le Blanc, secretary, Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections. “She has a Master’s Degree in Social Work and extensive experience in mental and behavioral health programming at both the prison operations and executive management level. Her professional qualifications and extensive leadership experience are in alignment with the department’s focus on rehabilitation and reentry and make her the right fit to serve as the next leader of DWCC.”
Dauzat began her career in Corrections in 1999 at Louisiana State Penitentiary in the Mental Health Department and later transferred to DWCC to be closer to family. Since that time, she worked her way up to assistant warden over Treatment and in January 2020 she was promoted to the deputy warden’s position. Since 2014, she has also served as the Department’s PREA Coordinator, leading the agency to successful statewide compliance with the federal PREA requirements for correctional agencies. In total, she brings more than 24 years of correctional experience to her new role.
“I am humbled and grateful for the confidence Secretary Le Blanc has in me to lead David Wade Correctional Center,” said Michele Dauzat, warden, DWCC. “I am fortunate to have worked under and learned from Warden Jerry Goodwin, which has helped prepare me for this day. I am thankful for this opportunity to serve in the capacity as head warden and am committed to the continuation of Secretary Le Blanc’s vision for preparing people for successful reentry back into our communities through the ongoing implementation of criminal justice reforms and the expansion of rehabilitative and educational programming.”
Dauzat replaces long-time DWCC Warden Jerry Goodwin, and assumed her new role on Monday, July 10, 2023. Goodwin announced his retirement last month and will stay on through August to help in the transition of DWCC leadership. Goodwin has given 39 years of service to the state and, with the exception of about eight months that he worked at LTI/Monroe, his career service has all been at DWCC. He has worked his way from correctional security officer through every security job title in the Department of Corrections. Since 2008, has serve as the warden at DWCC and he has also fulfilled the role of Regional Warden for many years, serving as a mentor and providing leadership to the wardens that fell within his region.