Team

Karen was appointed as Lafayette Consolidated Government’s Chief Financial Officer in January 2024.  She is a native of Kaplan, Louisiana, and a 2001 graduate of Kaplan High School.  She is a 2005 summa cum laude graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in accounting.  She has been a licensed CPA since 2011.  After graduation from UL Lafayette, Karen went to work for Kolder, Slaven, & Co. LLC (KSC), as a staff auditor.  During her 13+ year tenure there, she specialized in consulting and audits of local governments and non-profit organizations.  Her time at KSC gave her the opportunity to work with many local governments in Acadiana and allowed her to develop a deeply rooted belief in public service and the protection of public funds.  Karen went on to serve as Chief Financial Officer for the City of Broussard from January 2019 until early January 2024.

Michael Soileau was appointed as the Director of LUS Fiber in May 2024. Originally from Mamou, Soileau brings a wealth of experience and an impressive track record in the telecommunications industry to LUS Fiber, having worked for Comcast NBC Universal for more than two decades. At Comcast, he specialized in the broadband and cable television business, honing his expertise in product and service operations. He also served as Senior Vice President of Innovation Communications in the Caribbean where he and the team successfully launched a new fiber network and cellular network. He was responsible for all functional areas including employee management, sales and marketing and public and governmental relations as well as CBS TV2. 

Before joining LUS Fiber, Soileau served as the CEO of O3, a distinguished digital experience consultancy based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At O3, he focused on digital customer experience, strategy, and innovation. 

As an accomplished and results-driven senior business executive, Soileau brings a solid background in product and service operations, paired with a proven aptitude for strategic business development, initiative alignment, and competitive strategy platforms. His progressive, entrepreneurial, and strategic leadership style is complemented by highly-developed interpersonal, data, and analytical skills.

Soileau holds a bachelor’s degree in International Business from the University of Texas at Austin and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Louisiana State University at Shreveport. 

As Director, Soileau is committed to driving LUS Fiber’s mission to deliver cost-effective, high-speed communications services to Lafayette and beyond. Under his leadership, LUS Fiber will continue to uphold its reputation as a pioneer in the industry while enhancing its offerings to meet the evolving needs of all customers.