Dr. Sara Patenaude (she/her) has recently joined the Reinvestment Fund Policy Solutions team as Director for the Southeast Region. This team conducts rigorous research and builds analytic tools that help stakeholders implement effective interventions to achieve equitable outcomes in housing, early childhood education, and fresh food access. In this role, she is the chief designer of strategies to increase Reinvestment Fund’s reach and impact across the region. 

Sara has spent over a decade as an affordable housing researcher, developer, and advocate. Her previous experience includes developing and preserving affordable housing and permanent supportive housing, creating comprehensive city and county housing strategies, and providing input into affordable housing needs for communities across the southeast. Sara has a PhD in Urban History and a Certificate in Planning and Economic Development from Georgia State University, where she studied affordable housing policy. She is a graduate of ULI Atlanta’s Center for Leadership class of 2022.

Sara volunteers her time as Co-Chair of the HouseATL Rental Housing Preservation Working Group, Vice President of Communication for the Atlanta Women’s Affordable Housing Network, Board Member of the Trans Housing Coalition, and Clerk of the Board of Trustees for the Friends School of Atlanta. She also serves as an advisor for community groups advocating for affordable housing and supporting our unhoused neighbors. Sara lives in the City of Atlanta with her wife and son.