Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mel Watt appointed Janell Byrd-Chichester as chief of staff.

Most recently, Byrd-Chichester served as partner in the law firm Mehri & Skalet in Washington, D.C. from 2010 to 2014 in their fair housing, lending and consumer protection practice.

In addition, she was co-managing attorney for the Cochran Firm’s Washington, D.C. office from 2002 to 2009 and has held positions with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the North Carolina Central University School of Law.

“Janell brings a broad array of talent, experience and knowledge to the FHFA leadership team and I am pleased to have her aboard,” said Watt.  “We look forward to working with her to support the Agency’s goals of ensuring safety, soundness and liquidity in the nation’s housing finance markets.”