Tony Hebert

Tony Hebert serves as HUD's Acting Chief Data Officer in the Office of Policy Development and Research. Before this role, he directed data analytics and technology management in HUD's Office of Field Policy and Management. Over his 23-year career at HUD, Tony led initiatives in numerous program areas across data analytics, systems management, program evaluation, disaster recovery, subsidized housing, and community development.

Tony spearheaded HUD's disaster operations in the field for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria and played a pivotal role in developing and implementing the Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP) after Hurricane Katrina. DHAP provided long-term housing solutions for more than 37,000 displaced survivors. He also led teams assisting the Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) during HUD receiverships to reoccupy public housing communities and provide supportive services for displaced public housing families after Hurricane Katrina. He earned HUD Secretary and Gears in Government Awards in 2009, 2018, and 2019 for these efforts. He also received a Secretary's Award for Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program Management in 2006.

In 2002, Tony was a visiting fellow at the Urban Institute and Family Justice / La Bodega de la Familia, where he explored prisoner re-entry issues in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) properties. Based on this work he authored "The Invisible Tenant: Living in Federally Assisted Housing after Prison" in 2005, which examines the challenges faced by formerly incarcerated individuals seeking housing in federally assisted programs. Tony began his HUD career in 2001 as a Presidential Management Fellow (PMF).

Before joining HUD, Tony worked extensively in community development, public health, and youth programs across Native American reservations in the Dakotas, rural communities in Appalachia, and public housing developments in Florida. He directed the Participatory Development Program (PDP) at the University of Tennessee's Community Partnership Center (CPC), a HUD and Ford Foundation-funded initiative recognized as a HUD national best practice in 2000. During this period, Tony also participated in the NSF-funded Cultural Anthropology Methods Program (CAMP) at the University of California, Irvine, where he focused on innovations in social science research methods.

Tony holds a PhD and MA in Anthropology from the University of Florida, a BA in Anthropology from the University of North Dakota, and professional certificates in analytics, emergency management, economic development, project management, and gerontology.