BPC Welcomes Pamela Hughes Patenaude to Board of Directors
Washington, DC – The Bipartisan Policy Center today announced that Pamela Hughes Patenaude, former deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, has joined the organization’s board of directors.
Patenaude previously served as 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 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 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.
“Pam Patenaude is well known for her dedication to housing, community development and public policy,” said former U.S. Senator Bob Dole. “I am confident the Bipartisan Policy Center will once again benefit from Pam’s wisdom and expertise gained from her three-decade career in government, nonprofit and private industry. As co-founder of the Bipartisan Policy Center, I am delighted to welcome Pam back to BPC as a member of the board of directors.”
“Pam is a true public servant,” said Jason Grumet, president of BPC. “Her recent experiences at HUD and decades of experience in housing policy will be invaluable as BPC develops actionable bipartisan solutions to help families through the current crisis.”
“Pam Patenaude is one of the most effective leaders in both the public and private sectors I have observed, said former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Henry Cisneros, a BPC board member. “Her experience covers the wide sweep of housing, small businesses, economic development, public governance, and executive management. I have watched her leadership skills bring people together from different partisan, professional and personal backgrounds to solve problems. She will be an immense asset on the board of BPC.”
“I am pleased to rejoin the Bipartisan Policy Center in this new governance role,” said Patenaude. “I look forward to working with Jason Grumet and members of the board of directors as BPC aligns strategies to navigate the post COVID-19 public policy arena. Innovative public policy solutions will be vital to reignite economic growth in America.”
A New Hampshire native, 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.