Barbara Poppe
Barbara Poppe is the Executive Director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. In this role, Barbara oversees the federal response to homelessness by working with 19 federal agencies to create a national partnership at every level of government and with the private sector to reduce and end homelessness in the nation. In June 2010, Barbara and four Cabinet Secretaries announced Opening Doors, the nation’s first-ever comprehensive federal plan to prevent and end homelessness.
Barbara Poppe has more than 25 years of non-profit experience working on homelessness with housing-related organizations. She was appointed to serve as executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness in October 2009.
Ms. Poppe served as executive director of the Columbus, Ohio-based Community Shelter Board (CSB) from October 1995 to November 2009. CSB is a nationally recognized non-profit organization that creates collaborations, innovative solutions, and invests in quality programs to end homelessness in Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio. Barbara provided visible leadership in achieving community-wide homeless services and prevention objectives. She was responsible for strategic planning and collaborative efforts, private sector fundraising, resource development, effective governmental systems and private sector relationships.
In early 2009, under Barbara’s leadership, CSB was awarded a HUD Rapid Re-housing Demonstration Project to serve families with children. In 2003 Barbara played a lead role in securing a combined federal grant of $3.3 million to fund an innovative project to address chronic homelessness in the Columbus community. It was one of just 11 grants awarded nationwide. Prior to joining CSB, Barbara served as the executive director of Friends of the Homeless, Inc. from June 1990 to October 1995.
Barbara earned a Master’s of Science Degree in Epidemiology from the University of Cincinnati. She has published and presented on various topics related to homelessness and is a frequent national and statewide speaker.
