ERIKA POETHIG APPOINTED DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH

WASHINGTON - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan announced today that President Barack Obama has appointed Erika Poethig as Deputy Assistant Secretary for HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research (PD).

Poethig currently serves as the associate director for housing in the program on Human and Community Development at the John D. and Catherine T. Mac Arthur Foundation, one of the largest foundations in the United States. As associate director, Poethig focuses on regional policy and practice, housing policy and research, and on the $150 million special initiative for the preservation of affordable housing.

Donovan said, "Erika Poethig's policy work is well-respected within the housing industry and we are confident that she will bring her fresh ideas and knowledgeable insights to HUD through this extremely crucial time in the housing market."

Prior to joining the MacArthur Foundation in 2001, Poethig was the assistant commissioner for policy resource and program development at the City of Chicago's Department of Housing. While at the Department of Housing, Poethig directed the department's city, state and federal policy agendas; oversaw staff with policy and research responsibilities as well as program evaluation and program development. She also developed the Chicago Mayor's campaign to prevent foreclosures, and stabilize communities and city support for a state-issued tax credit for donations to not-for-profit organizations developing affordable housing. Poethig also previously served as the associate project director of the Metropolis Project, which resulted in the creation of the Chicago Metropolis 2020 agenda for regional leadership, a compilation of major issues faced by the Chicago metropolitan area.

Poethig's other accomplishments include becoming a member of Phi Beta Kappa while attending the College of Wooster, participating in the Fulbright Scholar program at the University of Vienna and holding a master's degree in public policy with concentrated coursework in urban poverty and inequality from the University of Chicago.

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