Donna J. Gambrell. Donna J. Gambrell has served as Director of Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) since November 26, 2007. The CDFI Fund’s mission is to increase economic opportunity and promote community development investments for underserved populations and in distressed communities in the United States. Since its creation in 1994, the CDFI Fund has awarded more than $1.4 billion to CDFIs, community development organizations, and financial institutions through its programs. In addition, the CDFI Fund has allocated more than $30 billion in tax credit authority through the New Markets Tax Credit Program. Under the leadership of Ms. Gambrell, the CDFI Fund has seen significant growth, more than doubling funding under its flagship CDFI Program.
Ms. Gambrell has overseen the implementation of several new programs which have broadened the CDFI Fund’s ability to support small business financing, affordable housing development, and financial education, including the CDFI Fund's Capacity Building Initiative, which has increased training and technical assistance opportunities for CDFIs nationwide through a variety of focused training series.
Prior to the CDFI Fund, Ms. Gambrell spent 16 years at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation from 1991 to 2007. In her most recent position, she served as Deputy Director for Compliance and Consumer Protection where she was responsible for overseeing the FDIC’s national compliance bank examination, community affairs, consumer affairs and deposit insurance education programs. During her tenure at the FDIC, and at the request of former FDIC Chairman Donald E. Powell, she served 18 months in the Gulf Coast Region, working on rebuilding initiatives in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which struck the region in 2005.
Ms. Gambrell worked on site in Louisiana and Mississippi spearheading partnerships among financial institutions, government agencies and community-based organizations to promote community and economic development in areas devastated by the hurricanes, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. Prior to joining the FDIC, Ms. Gambrell worked at the Resolution Trust Corporation (1989-1991), the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation (1987-1989), and the U.S. Government Accountability Office (1979-1987).
Ms. Gambrell holds a B.S. Degree from Towson State University in Baltimore, Maryland, and an M.S. Degree from New York University.
In 2009, Ms. Gambrell was the recipient of Woodstock Institute’s Community Reinvestment Award for her steadfast leadership in community and economic development.
