Nicole Barnes, Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative
Native New Orleanian, Nicole Barnes joined the Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative team as Executive Director in March 2012. Ms. Barnes has dedicated thirty years to working in affordable housing and community development and small business development. Before joining Jericho Road, she served as Local Area Director of the Builders of Hope (BOH) New Orleans office where she oversaw organizational operations. Prior to BOH, she served at the Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) for seventeen years. During her tenure at HANO, she held various senior leadership roles, including Vice President of Homeownership Programs, Deputy Director of Client Services, Director of HOPE VI Community Supportive Services Program (CSS), Executive Director of the HANO Resident Loan Corporation, and Program Director of Economic Development and Training Programs for Tulane/Xavier National Center for the Urban Community Division of Public Housing.
Nicole also serves as President of the Board of the Louisiana Association of Affordable Housing Providers (LAAHP) and Vice Chair for the Board of Governors for the Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance (GNOHA). Ms. Barnes has been appointed to the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas Advisory Council to serve as one of two representatives from the State of Louisiana. She holds a B.A. degree in Political Science from Xavier University of Louisiana and a Master of Public Administration from Southern University of Baton Rouge.
She has both a passion for serving low-income families and a great understanding of the myriad of housing issues that working families encounter. Her extensive experience in both the governmental and non-profit sectors provides for a unique perspective and understanding of complex housing policy. She is widely recognized for her passionate advocacy and dedication to addressing the systemic inequities that have stymied asset and generational wealth building in communities of color.