FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 9, 2025
Build Baton Rouge Names Marlee Pittman Miller as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
BATON ROUGE, LA — Build Baton Rouge is pleased to announce the appointment of Marlee Pittman Miller as its new Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. In this role, Miller will oversee the organization’s daily operations and lead strategic initiatives focused on revitalizing underutilized and blighted areas across East Baton Rouge Parish.
Miller brings nearly a decade of experience in community development, federal grants management, and public-private partnerships. She has consistently focused her work on aligning public investment with the priorities of neighborhoods and residents.
Most recently, Miller served as Director of the Office of Community Development for the City-Parish of East Baton Rouge. There, she administered over $47 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Treasury.
Under her leadership, the department reduced audit findings by over 75% and grew to a team of 13. Her tenure supported the creation of over 800 units of affordable housing, infrastructure improvements, a $10 million homelessness initiative, and a fresh food access program in North Baton Rouge. She also authored the parish’s first CDBG Disaster Recovery Action Plan.
Earlier in her career, Miller served as Director of Community Development at Mid-City Redevelopment Alliance and supported recovery efforts following the 2016 floods in East Baton Rouge Parish. In the Mayor-President’s Office, she led the city’s first housing and neighborhoods planning process.
“Marlee’s impact on Baton Rouge is already profound—and she’s just getting started,” said Deidre Deculus Robert, CEO of Build Baton Rouge. “Her integrity, leadership, and deep understanding of this city make her uniquely positioned to help move our mission forward. We are thrilled to have her on our executive team.”
Rodney Braxton, Chair of the Board of Build Baton Rouge, echoed the enthusiasm: “Marlee brings a powerful combination of vision, experience, and proven results. She understands how to turn policy into action, and action into lasting change. Her appointment marks a major step forward for Build Baton Rouge and for the communities we serve.”
Miller is a Truman Scholar and Scoville Peace Fellow, holding a BA from Louisiana State University, along with advanced certificates in Urban Planning from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design and Real Estate Finance from MIT’s Center for Real Estate. Her leadership will be instrumental in accelerating Build Baton Rouge’s mission to catalyze investment and revitalization in throughout the parish.
About Build Baton Rouge
Build Baton Rouge (BBR), also known as the East Baton Rouge Redevelopment Authority, was established in 2007 to revitalize underinvested areas and promote equitable development throughout the city. To date, BBR has facilitated the creation of more than 860 affordable housing units, awarded $5.6 million in below-market-rate financing, and led transformative projects such as the Florida Corridor Plan, Plank Road Eco Park, and Electric Depot.