Pamela Hughes Patenaude, former deputy secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, has joined global homeland security and disaster management consulting firm IEM.

Patenaude – who resigned from HUD in December after 35 years in the housing sector – will assume a new role as senior community liaison for the tech-forward consulting firm.

In her new role, Patenaude will serve as senior advisor for the firm’s housing and disaster recovery projects. The company said she will work with client stakeholders, elected officials, state agency representatives, and disaster victims to help create housing solutions that integrate their varied needs.

Patenaude is likely to be well-suited to her new job.

During her time at HUD, she served as chair of HUD’s Disaster Management Group, overseeing $37 billion in funding for disaster recovery efforts.

Patenaude was also assistant secretary for the Office of Community Planning and Development, managing $8 billion in housing and community development programs and $17 billion in long-term disaster recovery.

Prior to HUD, she was president of the J. Ronald Terwilliger Foundation for Housing America's Families and the former director of housing policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center.

In 2013, she was named a HousingWire Woman of Influence.

“As disasters and emergencies evolve, our response and recovery to these events must evolve as well. We know that a one-size-fits-all solution does not work and that collaborative relationships must be forged to ensure that no one is left behind,” said IEM President and CEO Madhu Beriwal.

“Pam has the diverse and well-rounded expertise to help us craft recovery and housing solutions that work best for each individual community,” Beriwal continued. “This, paired with her intimate understanding of the complex policies that guide our work, will help communities rebuild safer and stronger.”