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28 HUD OFFICIAL SWEARS IN DAMON SMITH, GENERAL COUNSEL Damon Smith has been sworn in as General Counsel of Housing and Urban Development. e Senate, on August 11, confirmed Smith by unanimous consent. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman issued the oath of office to Smith during a ceremony at HUD's headquarters. Smith most recently served as a Senior Advisor to HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge. Before joining HUD in 2021 as Principal Deputy General Counsel, Smith served as Senior Director of Advocacy and Counsel at the Credit Union National Association (CUNA). He also held several roles at HUD during the Obama-Biden administration, including Senior Counsel and Acting General Counsel. "We congratulate our former colleague on his Senate confirmation," CUNA President/ CEO Jim Nussle said. "Damon was a trusted voice for credit unions during his time at CUNA, and I have no doubt that HUD will be benefit from his expertise." According to a nomination announcement from the Biden admini stration in June, Damon provided legal and policy guidance on a range of programs and activities and set the department's litigation strategy and regulatory agenda during the Obama administration. Before his government service, he taught property and local government law as an associate professor at Rutgers-Camden Law School and a visiting professor at the American University Washington College of Law. Smith began his legal career as a real estate associate at Arnold & Porter in Washington, D.C. and worked prior to law school as an urban planner in East St. Louis, Illinois and St. Louis. e department in the past several months has added several key members including Deputy Secretary Todman in June. Since Secretary Fudge was sworn in last March, HUD has added a number of new staffers, a start to filling a staffing shortage that the Secretary addressed during her first week on the job. Movers & Shakers Got something to share with us? Send it to Editor@DSNews.com. Freddie Mac announced that Dionne Wallace Oakley will serve as the company's SVP, Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and Chief Diversity Officer (CDO). In this role, Wallace Oakley will be a member of the company's senior operating committee and will report directly to Michael DeVito, Freddie Mac CEO. "It is with great pleasure that we announce Dionne Wallace Oakley as our next head of Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer," said Michael DeVito, CEO of Freddie Mac. "Ms. Wallace Oakley has extensive experience across the insurance and financial services industry, and she will be at the forefront of many very important initiatives for the company, including talent acquisition, leadership development and our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. I thank Angela Locke for her dedication to our company by serving in an interim role for the past seven months." Wallace Oakley brings over 20 years of human resources experience to Freddie Mac, most recently serving as executive vice president, human resources and strategy at Erie Insurance. In this role, she oversaw human resources, strategic communications, strategy, and privacy. She also spent more than two decades at State Farm Insurance where she progressed through multiple positions and disciplines ranging from underwriting, public affairs, auto claims and human resources. "I am excited to join Freddie Mac at this critical moment for the company and our country," said Wallace Oakley. "I'm looking forward to supporting Freddie Mac's strong culture and talented workforce as we seek to address important issues of diversity, equity and inclusion we face as a nation. I'm also pleased to contribute to the company's mission of making home possible for millions of homeowners and renters from every background." Wallace Oakley earned a bachelor's degree in marketing and business from Delaware State University and master's in human resource development from Towson University in Baltimore. She is active in the community, a member of the Delta Sigma eta Sorority, Inc. and a member of the HR Policy Association, the lead public policy organization of CHROs. "I am excited to join Freddie Mac at this critical moment for the company and our country." —Dionne Wallace Oakley, Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Diversity Officer, Freddie Mac S P O T L I G H T P R O F I L E G O V E R N M E N T Freddie Mac Names Dionne Wallace Oakley as Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Diversity Officer