Dee Budgewater

Dee Budgewater, Member

Dee Budgewater is President and Chief Executive Officer of Lighthouse Louisiana, an NIB associated agency with two locations in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Lighthouse Louisiana manufactures various disposable paper products, deck swabs for federal and commercial customers. The organization also provides a wide variety of low vision and rehabilitation services to foster independence for people who are blind or low vision.

Ms. Budgewater was previously Vice President of Baton Rouge services for Lighthouse Louisiana. In that position, she provided operational and strategic support by leading Lighthouse operations for the Greater Baton Rouge service area. In addition to the existing operations at its Flannery Road facility and community services, Ms. Budgewater launched the downtown Baton Rouge service center location in November 2021, the only location of its kind in Baton Rouge specifically serving the sensory disability community. She also implemented the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Project serving as Project Director.

Before she joined Lighthouse in 2021, Ms. Budgewater was Deputy Executive Commissioner at Texas Health and Human Services Commission where she provided strategic direction and oversight for more than 40 service programs, managed 700 employees and nearly a $3 billion operating budget. Before moving to Texas, Ms. Budgewater retired after 27 years from the Louisiana Department of Health serving in many executive leadership roles.

Ms. Budgewater is an ordained minister, a certified public manager, and a member of the Urban League of Louisiana, the Women’s Council of Greater Baton Rouge, the National Black MBA Association, the International Society of Female Managers, and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Echo Alliance. She has served as a committee member on the Texas Correctional Managed Healthcare Committee, a member of the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities, a support executive for the Texas Council on Family Violence, a member of the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council, and a board member of Louisiana Assistive Technology Access Network.

Ms. Budgewater received a bachelor’s degree in business administration in health/health care administration and management from Western Governors University in 2021, an apostolic ministry degree from EIWTC Bible College in 2016, and studied business administration at Louisiana State University.