National Coalition for the Homeless Congragulates New USICH Executive Director Barbara Poppe

Washington, DC – The National Coalition for the Homeless extends its best wishes and congratulations to Barbara Poppe for her appointment as the new Executive Director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH). For the past 15 years she has served as executive director of the Community Shelter Board in Ohio, which allocates over $12 million annually to support homeless programs and services in Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio.

 “Barbara Poppe will provide important leadership at the Council, as it develops its plan to end homeless” said Neil Donovan, executive director of the Coalition. “Her experience at the local level will surely support the Council’s ongoing efforts to engage cities and states. Barbara is joining the Council at a critical time for the Council and America’s homeless. President Obama’s new management agenda will greatly support the work of the Council, directing agency leaders to set priorities, demonstrate progress in achieving defined goals and explain performance trends. In an attempt to break down intra and interagency silos, the president’s performance model is giving cross-program and cross-agency goals as much attention as program-specific ones.”           

The Coalition looks forward to working closely with Barbara Poppe, in her new role, and will work tirelessly to support her through the involvement of homeless men and women – in first person voice and representation – in the work of the Council.