Mayor Betty Alford-Olive currently serves as the Mayor of Bastrop, Louisiana, a position she has held since July 1, 2021. Her leadership is marked by dedication to community development, public service, and progressive growth. She also previously served as Mayor from 2009 to 2013, making history as the first Black female to hold the office.

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Before serving as Mayor, Alford-Olive represented District B on the Bastrop City Council from 2001 to 2009. Her professional career includes serving as a Business Resource Coordinator for the Ouachita Parish School System as part of the Northeast Louisiana Regional Family Literacy Consortium, where she worked to support family education and workforce readiness initiatives.

Mayor Alford-Olive holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Economics from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. She is a Certified Notary Public with a Lifetime Commission and a Certified Parent Trainer through the renowned Father Flanagan Boys Home in Boys Town, Nebraska.

 

Her credentials also include specialized training in Personnel Law.

As a passionate advocate for education and community engagement, she has authored several public relations videos, including one for the State Department of Education on homelessness in Louisiana. She has created and presented professional development plans focused on workforce readiness and delivered business and professional etiquette training across the region.

A seasoned grant writer for over 30 years, she also works as an Independent Business Advisor. Her influence has reached state-level education initiatives, having served on both the Quality Analysis Team and the MCIO Team for program development under the State Department of Education.

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Mayor Alford-Olive is an active member of the Louisiana Municipal Association and serves on the Northeast Economic Alliance Board. She has also served on the Board of Commissioners for Morehouse General Hospital, among numerous other civic and professional organizations.

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Mayor Alford-Olive continues to bring experience, leadership, and a deep commitment to public service as she seeks a second term to build on the progress made and lead Bastrop toward a brighter future.