Dawn Luke Arnold

Mrs. Dawn Luke Arnold is Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer at Invest Atlanta and oversees its Community Development, Finance, Information Technology, Human Resources, Operations, and Investment Services departments. Prior to her current position, Dawn served as Senior Vice President of Community Development and was responsible for providing leadership and strategic direction in the successful execution of a shared vision of comprehensive community development, quality affordable housing, and economic growth in the City of Atlanta’s ten Tax Allocation Districts. Mrs. Arnold also served as the Managing Director of Housing Finance for five years and was responsible for overseeing the successful implementation of $650M in pivotal affordable housing programs, which served to provide viable housing solutions for Atlanta’s workforce, seniors, disabled, and individuals confronted with homelessness. During her tenure with Invest Atlanta, Dawn also managed and operated the Authority’s multifamily and single-family Housing Bond Portfolio of approximately $2 billion and more than 30,000 units of housing.

While Invest Atlanta has traditionally been known for its role in financing large scale commercial real estate development projects, Mrs. Arnold has been given the opportunity to assist in redefining the agency’s mission and provision of services. With her leadership, Invest Atlanta expanded its operations to include a comprehensive approach to building vibrant communities, growing a strong economy, and increasing economic prosperity through the generation of more than $7.5 billion in capital investment over the past 7 years.

Mrs. Arnold earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from Spelman College and an MBA in International Business from Georgia State University. She currently serves as President of the Board of Directors for the National Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies (NALHFA), President/Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Atlanta Land Trust, President of the Formation Board of the Southwest Atlanta Partnership, Inc., Mayoral Appointee to the City of Atlanta Housing Commission, and is a member of the Board of Directors of Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. (ABI), Invest Atlanta Partnership, Inc. (IAP), Atlanta Business League (ABL), and the Enterprise Community Partners Advisory Board. She is currently an active member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), HomeFirst Allocation Committee, Women’s Affordable Housing Network, Freddie Mac’s Affordable
Housing Advisory Council (AHAC), Cornerstone’s Standards Advisory Committee, National Association of Professional Women (NAPW), and the Atlanta Women’s Foundation – Women in the Boardroom.

Mrs. Arnold is a member of Leadership Atlanta’s Class of 2020 and has also been selected as one of the Urban Land Institute’s Inaugural Women Leadership Initiative Leaders (2020), Atlanta Magazine’s 500 Most Powerful Leaders (2021, 2022), Virginia Union University’s Community Service Award Honoree (2021), Bisnow 2019 Power Woman, Rolling Out Magazine’s Top 25 Women in Atlanta 2014, Cambridge’s Who’s Who Among Professional Executives, ULI Atlanta Center for Leadership Class of 2014, Member of Regional Leadership Institute Class of 2015 and Atlanta Business League’s Top 100 Women of Influence 2016. Additionally, Mrs. Arnold is a member of Elizabeth Baptist Church and an active participant in community service activities including her service as a volunteer mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters and President of the Henry McNeal Turner High Class of 1990 Alumni Association.