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Marie DesOrmeaux Centanni is a veteran strategic communications consultant whose expertise draws from her unique experience in the often-dueling worlds of journalism, issue advocacy, and public affairs.

In 2025, she became the Executive Director of Governmental and Alumni Affairs at her alma mater, the University of Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ at Lafayette, in addition to serving as CEO of the Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ Lafayette Alumni Association. Prior to joining Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ Lafayette, she consulted with elected officials, economic development organizations, and issue advocacy groups for 17 years through her Lafayette-based firm, Centanni Communications. On behalf of her clients, she lobbied before the State Legislature, managed political campaigns, and led public outreach campaigns for major legislative efforts. She has helped more than 60 leaders win their seats in elected office.

Centanni holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from The University of Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ at Lafayette, where she was honored as Homecoming Queen, and a master’s degree in Legislative Affairs from The George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management in Washington, D.C.

An award-winning journalist, Mrs. Centanni began her career as a reporter and anchor at KLFY in Lafayette and as Capitol Correspondent for WAFB in Baton Rouge. She also served as Communications Director for Arkansas Congressman Mike Ross, the Washington, DC-based USA Rice Federation, and Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco. Since 2012, she has facilitated the Leaders for A Better Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½'s state-wide Leadership Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ program.

In her civic life, she has served on the boards of the Lafayette Downtown Development Authority, One Acadiana, the Community Foundation of Acadiana, and the Petroleum Club of Lafayette. She served as president of the Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ Lafayette Alumni Association and Downtown Lafayette Unlimited. She is a graduate of Leadership Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½, was honored in 2014 as one of Acadiana’s Women Who Mean Business, and was named one of Acadiana’s Top 20 Under 40 for 2016.

She is married to Lafayette Assessor Justin Centanni and lives in Lafayette.

M. A. in Legislative Affairs, 2004
Graduate School of Political Management
The George Washington University 

B.A. in Mass Communication, 2000
University of Â鶹¹û¶³´«Ã½ at Lafayette