PROVIDENCE, RI — On Nov 21st, Governor Dan McKee appointed Deborah J. Goddard to serve as Secretary of the Rhode Island Department of Housing.

Goddard has more than 40 years of housing experience in the private and public sectors. She currently leads the Massachusetts-based DJ Goddard Consulting, which advises and provides organizational and process analysis for public, quasi-public, and nonprofit agencies.

Prior to this role, Goddard served as the Executive Vice President for Capital Projects at the New York City Housing Authority from 2016 to 2019, where she oversaw $3 billion of construction builds and helped advance the agency’s energy and sustainability programs.

"Deborah Goddard is a deeply committed and accomplished housing professional whose work has benefitted people from all backgrounds,” said Governor Dan McKee. “Housing affordability and availability in Rhode Island have never been more important than they are right now. I am confident Deborah’s knowledge and experience will guide the Department to achieving our housing goals.”

From 2014 to 2016, Goddard was the Managing Director for Policy and Program Development at MassHousing, where she supported initiatives to enhance utility rebates for multifamily housing, created a new model for supportive services in elderly housing, and launched cost savings for energy and water conservation investments.

Prior to that role, she served as General Counsel to the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, where she oversaw the regulatory infrastructure of the Commonwealth’s affordable housing zoning law, housing preservation legislation, and fair housing policy.

In a statement, Goddard said:

“Secure, safe, and affordable housing creates the foundation for positive outcomes in education, health, and economic prosperity. With this principle in mind, my career has been dedicated to creating and preserving housing opportunities across the income spectrum, for the unhoused, for renters and homeowners, alike, with attention to equity. So, I am honored and excited to have this opportunity to advance a housing agenda for Rhode Island that is inclusive, comprehensive, and transparent.

"That said, I am very aware of the persistent headwinds that we face in this arena, but they are not unique to Rhode Island nor are they new. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Department of Housing and sister agencies, with elected officials and partners throughout the public and private sectors to achieve success despite the challenges.

"I thank Governor McKee for his confidence in me, for his commitment to addressing the housing needs and aspirations of all Rhode Islanders, and for his ongoing endorsement of the role of the Department of Housing as a part of his cabinet.”

Goddard holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, and a Doctor of Law degree from Boston College Law School. She was awarded a Loeb Fellowship in 2002 from Harvard University to support a year of independent study.

Her name has been submitted to the Rhode Island Senate for advice and consent.