BATON ROUGE — Gov. Jeff Landry has named State Rep. Julie Emerson his new Chief of Staff, the governor's office said Tuesday.

Emerson, who represents Crowley, replaces Kyle Ruckert, who moved to a leadership position at Landry's Political Action Committee last week. Landry said that Emerson starts next week. 

“Julie Emerson is a proven leader with a deep understanding of Louisiana’s people, our State legislature, and the work that needs to be done to move Louisiana forward,” Landry said in a statement. “Her experience and commitment to conservative reform makes her the perfect person to help lead this administration as we continue fighting for a stronger, safer, and more prosperous Louisiana.”

Emerson was first elected to the state legislature in 2015 and has served three terms as the youngest Republican woman ever elected to the Louisiana Legislature. She most recently served as Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, being the first woman to ever chair a finance committee in Louisiana history.

“The last two years have produced some of the boldest reforms Louisiana has ever seen—reforms that have led us to climb in education rankings, business friendliness, and economic growth. I’m honored to have been a part of many of these reforms as a legislator, and I look forward to continuing to grow Louisiana as Governor Landry’s Chief of Staff,” Emerson said.