HUD NAMES ELISE MCCONNELL AS ALBUQUERQUE FIELD OFFICE DIRECTOR

FORT WORTH - U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Regional Administrator C. Donald Babers today announced that Elise McConnell has been named as the Field Office Director (FOD) for the Albuquerque HUD Field Office. Ms. McConnell, who has been the Acting Field Office Director since November 4, 2010, officially assumed her duties on March 27, 2011. As Field Office Director, she will be responsible for delivering the Department's programs and services to customers throughout the state of New Mexico.

"We're excited to have Ms. McConnell on the Region VI team to coordinate program delivery to our partners and customers in New Mexico," said RA Babers. "Her experience as Acting FOD and as the Director of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity in Albuquerque, coupled with her commitment to client service, has ably prepared her for her new role."

Ms. McConnell began her career with HUD in 1996 as an Equal Opportunity Specialist in the HUD Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) in the Fort Worth Regional Office. In 2004, Ms. McConnell was selected to work for FHEO's Office of Systemic Investigations, which investigates systemic and complex fair housing issues that may have a nation-wide impact. In January 2007, she was named as the Director of FHEO in the Albuquerque Field Office.

Previous to HUD, Ms. McConnell worked for the Government Accountability Office(GAO) for eight years in Washington, D.C. Previous to that, she worked in Fort Worth for the First Texas Council of Camp Fire.

Ms. McConnell completed HUD's Emerging Leaders Program in the spring of 2005. She received both a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in public affairs from the University of Texas at Austin. She is married to Philip McConnell and has three grown sons.

"I am very excited about leading the Albuquerque Field Office," said Ms. McConnell. "I enjoyed my years in Fair Housing, but am now looking forward to implementing the Secretary's goals of strengthening and promoting livable, sustainable communities throughout New Mexico."

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