Melinda Deslatte

Melinda Deslatte is research director at the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana. Prior to joining PAR, Deslatte worked as an Associated Press reporter for 22 years, in North Carolina and Louisiana. As the statehouse correspondent in Baton Rouge, she covered four governors, the Louisiana Legislature, state politics, state policy issues and dozens of disasters.

At PAR, Deslatte produces research that promotes best practices, transparency and accountability in government. She has been teaching at the Manship School since 2023. Deslatte has a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from LSU and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland.