Estelle Richman, Senior Advisor to the Secretary

Estelle Richman serves as Senior Advisor to the Secretary for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In this role, Richman provides oversight and management over the intersection between housing and social services, and provides advice on HUD’s budget. Richman previously served as the Acting Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer. 

After more than 30 years of public service, Richman joined HUD from the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare where she served as Secretary of Public Welfare for 7 years. She also served as Managing Director for the City of Philadelphia and previously Director of Social Services for the City of Philadelphia. Other positions held by Richman include the City of Philadelphia's Commissioner of Public Health and Deputy Commissioner for Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services; and Assistant Director with the Positive Education Program in Cleveland, Ohio, a day treatment program for children with behavior problems.

A nationally recognized expert on issues of behavioral health and children's services, Richman has been honored for advocacy efforts by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the American Psychiatric Association and the American Medical Association, among others. She is also the recipient of the 1998 Ford Foundation/Good Housekeeping Award for Women in Government. In addition, the Behavioral Health System named her the winner of the 1999 Innovations in American Government from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.
 

Richman received her master's degree from Cleveland State University.