Jodie Harris

Industry Leader

Jodie Harris—an economic development industry leader with three decades of experience spanning the public, private, and nonprofit sectors—joined PIDC in June 2023 after nearly two decades serving in various roles in the federal government, including four years as director of the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund).

Bringing more than 30 years of experience in economic and community development, Jodie has dedicated her career to driving meaningful, sustainable, and equitable economic growth, especially in historically underserved communities. As president of PIDC, Jodie works with the organization’s partners at the City of Philadelphia and Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce—along with stakeholders in the business, civic, and philanthropic communities—to drive inclusive economic growth, vitality, and opportunity to every corner and zip code of Philadelphia.

As the head of the CDFI Fund, Jodie successfully ensured the agency fulfilled its critical function of supporting mission-driven financial institutions that take a market-based approach to supporting economically underserved communities across the country. Under her leadership, Harris annually managed an appropriated budget of approximately $300 million, including grant and administrative funding that supports the administration of various economic programs. She also led a team that  administered $3 billion in pandemic recovery funding, the highest level of appropriated grant funding in CDFI Fund history.

Jodie previously served in a variety of roles at the Department of the Treasury, including program manager, senior advisor, and director of community and economic development policy. While her work at the Treasury Department crossed several sectors, Jodie has long focused on initiatives that expand access to capital, with additional experience in community development finance and financial inclusion. Prior to her work in government, Jodie held various roles related to community economic development and empowerment from the very beginning of her career, including as a community development credit analyst with Meridian Bank before expanding her portfolio by working in the private sector as a strategic planning manager at Accenture and serving as a research analyst at the Institute for Education and Social Policy.

Jodie is a native of Philadelphia. She holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and international business from the University of Maryland and has also earned two graduate degrees from New York University: an MBA in finance and management and an MPA in public policy.