Skip to main content

Pamela Hughes Patenaude

Former Deputy Secretary, Housing and Urban Development

Headshot of Pamela Hughes Patenaude

Pamela Hughes Patenaude is an accomplished real estate, housing policy, and disaster recovery expert with a four-decade record of success as an executive in government, the nonprofit sector, and the private industry. Patenaude is an Independent Director of loanDepot, Inc. (NYSE: LDI) and a member of the Audit Committee. Patenaude is an Independent Director for Target Hospitality, Corp. (NASDAQ: TH) and is Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and a member of the Audit Committee. Additionally, Patenaude serves on the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity International as well as the Board of Directors for the Bipartisan Policy Center. Patenaude is a Trustee and Vice Chairman of the Home Builders Institute (HBI). Patenaude is also a Social Impact Advisory Board member for the Center Creek Housing Funds. Patenaude is the Principal of Granite Housing Strategies, LLC, serving as a strategic advisor for clients engaged in real estate development, affordable housing, and disaster recovery management. Patenaude is the recipient of the 2022 Housing Visionary Award for the National Housing Conference.

Patenaude served as an Independent Director of CoreLogic, Inc. (NYSE: CLGX) and was a member of the Audit, Compensation, and Strategic Planning and Acquisition Committees. Patenaude served as the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). As HUD’s Chief Operating Officer, Patenaude managed the day-to-day operations of the $52 billion cabinet-level agency with a diverse portfolio of federal housing and community development programs. Patenaude oversaw 7,000 employees located in sixty-five offices nationwide. During her time at HUD, Patenaude provided oversight for an unprecedented $37 billion in disaster funding for the long-term recovery efforts in Puerto Rico; Texas; Florida; Hawaii; U.S. Virgin Islands; California; North Carolina; and South Carolina.

Prior to rejoining HUD, Patenaude served as the President of the J. Ronald Terwilliger Foundation for Housing America’s Families, a national nonprofit, education, and research organization dedicated to illuminating America’s affordable housing crisis. Previously, Patenaude was the Director of Housing Policy for the Bipartisan Policy Center, where she successfully led a 21-person commission to present a new direction for national housing policy. Patenaude also served as Executive Vice President of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and Founding Executive Director of the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing.

Earlier in her career, Patenaude served as Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development at HUD, where she administered more than $8 billion in housing and community development funds. She also played a significant role in the Department’s efforts to rebuild the Gulf Coast region following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita by providing direct oversight of $17 billion in disaster recovery funds. Patenaude also served as the Assistant Deputy Secretary for Field Policy and Management at HUD.

A New Hampshire native, Patenaude worked as State Director and Deputy Chief of Staff for U.S. Senator Bob Smith. Patenaude also served as the Director of the New Hampshire Small Business Development Center. She began her career in housing and community development at the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority.

Patenaude earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Saint Anselm College and a Master of Science degree in Community Economic Development from Southern New Hampshire University. Patenaude was the first recipient of the CoreLogic EPIQ Impact Award and was honored as one of Housing Wire magazine’s “2013 Woman of Influence”. Patenaude received the Saint Anselm College Alumni Award of Merit in 2006.