KEYNOTE LUNCHEON: JOURNEY TOWARD PLANNING EQUITY AND THE ROLE OF EQUITY IN ALL POLICIES, PARTICULARLY HOUSING

Verónica R. Soto is a Director within the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Recovery Programs serving first as the National Emergency Rental Assistance Program Director and currently as the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Program Director overseeing over $350 billion in pandemic relief funds.  She formerly served as Director …

Verónica R. Soto is a Director within the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Recovery Programs serving first as the National Emergency Rental Assistance Program Director and currently as the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Program Director overseeing over $350 billion in pandemic relief funds.  She formerly served as Director of Neighborhood and Housing Services Department at the City of San Antonio and as Director of Community and Human Development at the City of El Paso, Texas. She was formerly the Executive Director of the El Paso Downtown Management District. In her 25+ year career in the planning, community and economic development field, Ms. Soto has held positions with the US Department of Commerce (DC), the City of New York (NY), the City of Sunland Park (NM) and the City of El Paso (TX). Ms. Soto was a 2005 Knight Fellow in Community Building and served as President for the state of Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association in 2011. She served as a Director of the Texas Lyceum for six years. She is a graduate of Harvard College and Princeton University.