Rick M. Garcia has over 25 years of leadership experience ranging in the fields of government, nonprofit and private sectors across the nation. He most recently served as the Regional Administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Region VIII in the administration of President Barack Obama. In addition, Rick was designated as Senior Policy Advisor to HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan on Sustainability representing the field offices. He also served as HUD liaison to the Denver Metropolitan’s Regional Air Quality Council which advised the Governor and the General Assembly on Environmental Protection Agency’s air quality standards.

In 2010 Rick was appointed to his role as HUD Regional Administrator, where he oversaw the delivery of HUD’s homeownership, affordable housing, community development, fair housing, and Native American housing programs on behalf of HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. He directed the management of HUD’s regional office in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana.

Previously in his career, Rick was elected to the Denver City Council in June 2003. He focused on economic revitalization, access to new transit projects and business development in the city during his tenure. He was recognized in 2006 by the Hispanic Contractors of Colorado and the Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as Government/Community Advocate of the Year.

Rick has also been an RTD Board Commissioner. During his tenure, he brought the necessary stability and credibility to the RTD board to get voter’s to successfully pass the FasTracks initiative.

He has also served as State Director of Small Business Development in the Office of Former Governor Roy Romer while managing his business development career with the E. W. Hahn Company of San Diego, CA. While living in Pueblo, he also worked for the Pueblo Economic Development Corporation.

Some of Rick’s honorary service to government include, being appointed as a former Board Chair of the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) and serving as Vice Chair of the NEWSED Community Development Corporation. Rick is also a founding Community Advisor to the University of Colorado’s Latino/a Research and Policy Center. Garcia also served as a board member and as chair of the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG). He served as co-chair of a newly formed Foreclosure Task Force designed to look at the growing problem of home foreclosures and abandoned properties.

Rick has a Master of Public Administration Degree from the Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business administration from Columbia College.