Governor-elect Jeff Landry announced new Louisiana Department of Health Leadership assignments with Ralph Abraham, DVM, MD serving as secretary. Landry also appointed David Matlock, Secretary of Department of Children and Family Services.
Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, Ralph Abraham, DVM, MD
Secretary Ralph Abraham, DVM, MD is a practicing family medicine physician in Richland Parish and a former three-term congressman for Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District and former first lieutenant in the Army National Guard. Dr. Abraham has a DVM from LSU School of Veterinary Medicine and practiced veterinary medicine for 10 years before earning a MD, at LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport. Abraham served on humanitarian missions for Free Burma Rangers in Burma, Syria, Iraq and Ukraine and has volunteered on humanitarian missions in Afghanistan and the Amazon. He is a fixed-wing and helicopter pilot who currently flies reconnaissance missions for the Coast Guard Auxiliary, is a mission pilot for the Air Force’s Civil Air Patrol Green Flag Program, a certified flight instructor, and works with Pilots for Patients – an organization that provides free air transportation to patients needing treatment.
Secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services, David Matlock
David Matlock is a Shreveport native with a B.A. from Louisiana State University in Shreveport and J.D. from Baylor University. He served as judge since 1994 and chief judge of the Juvenile Court for Caddo Parish from 1999-2023. His juvenile court programs during tenure include Juvenile Drug Court, Family Drug Court, Juvenile Mental Health Court, Truancy Court, Sex Trafficking Community Response Team, Specialized Victims Intensive Unit, onsite drug treatment clinic for children, S.T.A.R education program, and the teen court program.
Other LDH assignments include:
Deputy Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, Pete Croughan, MD
Pete Croughan, MD is an Internal Medicine physician with a background in health policy and state-level administration. He grew up in Crowley, Louisiana before heading to Yale University, where he majored in History of Science and Medicine. He then worked in health policy research at PolicyLab at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, before heading to UCSF for medical school, where he served as president of the student body. In 2017, he took time away to work as Policy Director for the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), where he spearheaded a statewide cancer strategy, analyzed state funding of graduate medical education, and led development of the Hepatitis C pharmaceutical payment subscription model. In 2018, he became Chief of Staff for LDH secretary, Rebekah Gee, MD, where he was responsible for policy development, quality improvement, communications, external affairs, and legislative strategy. In 2020, he returned to clinical practice to complete an internal medicine residency, with a concentration in primary care, at Massachusetts General Hospital. Since completing this training, he has worked as an addiction medicine physician at the Acadiana Area Human Services District in Lafayette and his hometown of Crowley, where he cares for patients with substance use disorders.
Under-Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, Michael Harrington
Michael Harrington is a former CEO/COO of adult/pediatric tertiary and community health services, including post-acute services with over 25 years of service in for-profit and not-for-profit health systems
Chief of Staff of the Louisiana Department of Health, Drew Maranto
Drew Maranto is a former congressional staffer, campaign advisor and small business owner based in Baton Rouge. He has worked with three of Louisiana’s U.S. Senators, serving in a number roles including Deputy Chief of Staff, Campaign Manager and Senior Advisor. Maranto has master’s degree in public administration from Louisiana State University.
Executive Counsel to the Louisiana Department of Health, Nick Gachassin III
Nicholas Gachassin III has provided counsel and guidance to health care providers and health care businesses, including hospitals, physicians, home health and hospice agencies, federally qualified health centers, and ambulatory surgery centers. He has also advised community hospitals and service district hospitals on the purchase and lease of facilities, advised physicians on the sale of the practice and employment with hospitals, and advised physician investors on the development of new health care real estate ventures. He has served as outside general counsel to several hospitals in Louisiana, executive vice president and general counsel for LHC Group, Inc., and currently serves as Gachassin Law Firm’s managing partner, general counsel and corporate secretary for Sanara MedTech, Inc.. Mr. Gachassin is a graduate of Tulane University, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law and has a LLM in health care law from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
