Dana Bartolomei (Class of 2013) discovered her passion for urban planning during her first year of a bachelor’s degree at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN, drawn to the city’s complex history and the persistent patterns of residential segregation that continued to shape inequitable outcomes. As an undergraduate urban studies major, she gained early hands-on experience through an internship with a community organization renovating a 60-unit affordable housing complex near campus.

Following her bachelor’s and several years in Washington, D.C., where she advanced from staff assistant to communications director in Representative Dave Loebsack’s office, Dana decided to pursue a master’s degree to turn her growing policy experience into lasting impact. She chose the University of Iowa’s School of Planning and Public Affairs (SPPA) for its interdisciplinary training and commitment to community-centered solutions. At SPPA, her experience was refined and focused, preparing her to create policies and plans that drive measurable change.

Equipped with specialized training from SPPA, Dana returned to Washington to join the National Housing Trust, stepping into the emerging intersection of affordable housing and climate policy. Her coursework in affordable housing finance and her participation in the India Winterim course on eco-sensitive housing, led by Associate Professor Jerry Anthony, directly caught the attention of NHT’s CEO. Dana went on to lead efforts aligning utility energy efficiency programs with the needs of multifamily affordable housing, collaborating with state agencies and advocating for sustainability in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit properties.
In 2021, she became Senior Housing Policy Specialist at the National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA), focusing on Congressional Affairs for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs such as HOME, Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance, Section 202, and Section 811. This was a full-circle moment, as she had interned with NCSHA during her time at SPPA.

Today, Dana supports the U.S. Department of Energy and HUD’s Better Buildings Multifamily Initiative through her work at ICF. Based in Austin, Texas, she provides technical assistance to multifamily organizations nationwide, helping reduce energy use and emissions while advancing equitable, sustainable housing solutions.