Jessie Handforth Kome

Director – CohnReznick Advisory LLC
Based in the Washington, DC area, Jessie Handforth Kome leverages her nearly four decades of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) leadership experience in community development, neighborhood stabilization, disaster recovery, and program innovation to advise government and public sector clients on strategic initiatives.

Experience and credentials

Adept at resolving complex policy issues, developing and implementing program budgets, negotiating grant-management performance metrics, and overseeing major mixed financial/grant performance management IT systems
Key stakeholder for the development, iterating, and launch of the multi-billion-dollar CDBG Disaster Recovery and Neighborhood Stabilization Programs
Extensive experience with the HUD Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), including serving as Director of HUD’s Office of Block Grant Assistance
 
Broad executive-level CDBG experience includes overseeing a multi-billion-dollar portfolio of grant and loan guarantees for community and economic development, affordable housing, Consolidated Plan, and resilience
Oversaw major long-term disaster recovery grant programs including the Section 108 loan guarantee program, lower Manhattan program ($3.483 billion), and Gulf Coast program ($19 billion)
 

Education

Master of Regional Planning, City and Regional Planning – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
 B.A., International Studies – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill  
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