NEW ORLEANS – The Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Agency – East (SLFPA-E) is pleased to announce the recent promotion of Ryan Foster, P.E., to Director of Engineering. Foster has been with the SLFPA-E for over 10 years and has served in many roles throughout the engineering department, including most recently Engineering Manager.
Additionally, Foster served as Interim Executive Director of the Lake Borgne Basin Levee District (LBBLD) for 10 months in 2017-2018. During this time, he initiated several pump station improvement projects while working alongside Levee Maintenance. When Foster first joined the SLFPA-E, he was one of only two engineers. Since then, he has helped expand the Engineering Department, which now consists of 10 engineer positions, three GIS positions, and several permit specialists.
In his new role as Director, Foster manages a $7B+ infrastructure system and leads a multidisciplinary team responsible for inspections, repairs, compliance, and emergency response. He oversees all engineering, maintenance, operations, and permitting functions related to levee and flood protection systems across the East Bank of Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Bernard Parishes.
System improvements and maintenance will continue to be Foster’s top priority to ensure the infrastructure performs as designed. He also looks forward to continued collaboration with local, state, and federal partners on future enhancements that will help address challenges like sea level rise and ever-changing landscape of Southeast Louisiana.
Foster holds a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Civil and Environment Engineering from the University of New Orleans and is licensed as a Professional Engineer (P.E.) in Louisiana and Mississippi. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and has also represented the FPA-E during two I-STORM conferences in Europe, as well as participating in several local events.
About the Flood Protection Authority – East
The Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority – East (SLFPA-E) is the regional agency responsible for safeguarding more than 1.5 million residents across Orleans, Jefferson and St. Bernard parishes from hurricane storm surge and flooding. Established in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to bring stronger oversight and accountability to the region’s levee system, the authority manages a $7 billion network of levees, floodwalls, gates and pump stations.
Its multidisciplinary team of engineers, maintenance crews, and emergency responders works year-round to ensure the system performs as designed, with responsibilities ranging from daily inspections and repairs to coordinating storm response with local, state and federal partners. SLFPA-E also oversees permitting, compliance and system improvements to meet evolving challenges such as sea level rise and land loss, while advancing public safety and resilience for Southeast Louisiana.