Governor Landry Announces New Appointments to the Board of Supervisors, Board of Regents, and State Police Commission

Baton Rouge, LA - Today, Governor Jeff Landry announced the following appointments to serve on the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors, the Board of Regents, and the State Police Commission.  

- Robert L. “Skeeter” Salim, Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System
- Khader Samer F. Shamieh, MD, Board of Regents
- James M. “Jim” Kowalski, Lieutenant General, USAF (Retired), State Police Commission

“Skeeter, Samer, and Jim provide a unique background and skillset that will be incredibly useful to each of the boards they will serve. I’m looking forward to the leadership they will provide as we continue our mission to reform our education system and make our communities safer for all,” said Governor Jeff Landry. 

“I am honored by Governor Landry’s confidence in me to serve on the Board of Supervisors for the UL System. Louisiana has the opportunity to turn our state around and that starts with transforming our education system. I am thankful for this opportunity and am eager to get to work with the rest of the board,” said Skeeter Salim. 

“Being appointed by Governor Landry to serve on the Board of Regents is a responsibility I do not take lightly. By making Louisiana a top destination for higher learning, I want to ensure that my kids have the opportunity to stay home for their education.  We have a lot of work to accomplish, and I am ready to work alongside Chairwoman Cordell and the rest of the board to bring much needed change to Louisiana’s education system,” said Dr. Samer Shamieh. 

“The opportunity to serve on the State Police Commission is a privilege, and I thank Governor Landry for his trust in me. I look forward to finding new ways to recruit and develop our state police force, as we continue our pursuit for a safer Louisiana,” said Lt. Gen. Jim Kowalski, USAF Ret.  

Background: 

Robert L. “Skeeter” Salim

Born in Natchitoches, Louisiana, Robert attended Northwestern State University (NSU) in Natchitoches. After graduation, he attended Loyola Law School in New Orleans where he graduated and was later admitted to the LA State Bar. In 1990, Robert formed ROBERT L. SALIM, APLC and practiced personal injury, product liability, and mass torts. In 2012, Robert joined with Barrett Beasley to form Salim-Beasley, LLC. He is involved in numerous mass torts and has been appointed to the PSC in both Plavix and Transvaginal Mesh MDLs. Robert has represented attorney generals from around the United States in various consumer fraud cases. He has represented California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Hawaii, Arkansas, Indiana, Illinois, and New Mexico. He ventures with firms in states all over the country, including Illinois, New York, Florida, Texas, California and many others to provide the strongest representation possible to successfully litigate against pharmaceutical giants. 

Khader Samer F. Shamieh, MD

Dr. K. Samer Shamieh, MD is a Minimally Invasive Spine surgeon who grew up in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Dr. Shamieh played tennis for the nationally top-ranked LSU Tigers and completed his medical degree/Orthopaedic Residency from Louisiana State University-Shreveport.  Dr. Shamieh then went on to finish a Neurosurgical/Orthopaedic Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery training program at The Spine Institute of Arizona. He was appointed Legislative Chairman for Louisiana Orthopedic Association and serves as Chairman of the Board/Chief Medical Officer of AVALA Hospital. 

Lieutenant General James M. “Jim” Kowalski, USAF (Retired)

General Kowalski was commissioned in 1979 through the ROTC program at the University of Cincinnati.  He held a variety of operational commands, including a bomb squadron, an operations group, a bomb wing, an and an air control wing over his 35-year career. In January 2009 he led the organization and activation of the Air Force’s first new major command in 27 years and subsequently served as the second Commander of Air Force Global Strike Command headquartered at Barksdale AFB Louisiana. His last assignment was Deputy Commander of U.S. Strategic Command. 

Following military service, Kowalski was a vice-president for the Northrop Grumman Corporation.  He supported the company’s portfolio of defense systems including the B-2, B-21, and the Minuteman III and Sentinel ballistic missile systems.  In 2023, he retired from Northrop Grumman and now advises on management and defense issues.