DCHFA names new Chief Financial Officer, Melissa Lee

/EIN News/ -- Washington, D.C., May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On May 19, 2025, Melissa Lee began her tenure as the chief financial officer (CFO) at the District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA). “Melissa is a committed and dynamic professional that will bring a level of passion and purpose to the work we do in affordable housing in the District of Columbia.  I am confident that under Melissa’s leadership the Agency will continue sound financial management practices and stewardship. I am also incredibly excited to leverage her expertise in the deployment of capital through our Hagans Impact Investments (formerly the Housing Investment Platform) as we grow the next generation of diverse development professionals in the District,” stated Christopher E. Donald, executive director and CEO of DCHFA. “I look forward to joining DCHFA to contribute to the impactful work of investing in the preservation and growth of affordable housing in the District,” said Melissa Lee, chief executive officer, DCHFA. Lee assumes the role of CFO following the retirement of the Agency’s former chief financial officer Steve Clinton. 

Lee is a finance professional with over two decades of expertise in financial management, investment management and treasury management across multiple industries. She has delivered a range of finance activities at organizations that include Amtrak, Pepco Holdings, Inc., and Chevy Chase Bank (acquired by Capital One in 2009). Previously, Lee oversaw a $2+ billion real estate portfolio at the Maryland State Retirement & Pension System with the responsibility for advancing the asset class strategy through the deployment of capital into domestic and global private real estate funds.

Formerly, she served as the Director of Treasury Operations at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), where she executed the organization’s cash, debt, and investment strategy, including issuance and compliance on over $1 billion in tax-exempt bond, private loan, and line of credit activities.  In addition, she served as a Trustee on several of WMATA’s Retirement Plans. Most recently Lee served as the Chief Financial Officer at Planned Parenthood of Maryland where she directed the organization’s accounting and revenue cycle management activities.

In addition to her track record as a finance executive with several large companies, Lee also founded and served as Managing Principal of Lee Squared Consulting Group, LLC, where she delivered financial strategies for small businesses and community-based organizations, including advisory and compliance activities for Low Income Housing Tax Credit portfolios and Community Development Block Grants.

Lee has been committed to the affordable housing industry not only through her vocation, but she has also served as a Commissioner on the District of Columbia Housing Authority Board. She holds an MBA from George Washington University, a BBA in Finance from the University of the District of Columbia, and the Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) designation from the Association for Financial Professionals.

The District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency is an S&P AA- rated issuer, serving Washington, D.C.’s residents for 45 years. The Agency’s mission is to advance the District of Columbia’s housing priorities; the Agency invests in affordable housing and neighborhood development, which provides pathways for D.C. residents to transform their lives. We accomplish our mission by delivering the most efficient and effective sources of capital available in the market to finance rental housing and to create homeownership opportunities. The Agency operates from a core set of values: Leadership*Excellence*Community Focus*Integrity*Collaboration *Innovation

 

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• Melissa Lee, Chief Financial Officer, DCHFA

Yolanda McCutchen
                    DC Housing Finance Agency 
                    202-777-1650
                    ymccutchen@dchfa.org
                    
                    Keme Arigbe
                    DC Housing Finance Agency 
                    202-777-1618
                    karigbe@dchfa.org