Sandra Thompson appointed as director of Federal Housing Finance Agency

Appointed by President Jow Biden, Sandra L. Thompson was recently sworn into a five-year term as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA).

Thompson will head the agency responsible for serving as regulator and conservator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as well as the Federal Home Loan Bank System regulator.

Additionally, the FHFA is responsible for overseeing the $7.5 trillion mortgage finance market.

“As a seasoned financial regulator, I understand how critical a time it is to serve in this role,” Thompson, who previously served as the FHFA’s deputy director of the Division of Housing Mission and Goals (DHMG), said. “I am committed to ensuring our nation’s housing finance systems and our regulated entities operate in a safe and sound manner. There is a widespread lack of affordable housing and access to credit, especially in underserved communities of color.”

Through regulated entities, Thompson said it is FHFA’s duty to ensure that all Americans have equal access to safe, decent, and affordable housing.

Before joining FHFA, Thompson worked at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) for over 23 years in various leadership capacities, most recently as Director, Division of Risk Management Supervision.

While with the FDIC, Thompson spearheaded the agency’s examination and enforcement program for risk management and consumer protection at the height of the financial crisis while also leading the FDIC’s outreach initiatives in response to a crisis of consumer confidence within the banking system.