Greta J. Harris is a nationally recognized leader in affordable housing and community building. For more than three decades, she has dedicated her career to creating equitable economic opportunity and building high-quality communities where individuals and families can truly thrive. Her work has helped finance, develop, or oversee nearly $1 billion of investments — capital that has transformed lives and strengthened modest-income communities across the country.

As President and CEO of Better Housing Coalition (BHC), the Richmond, VA region’s largest nonprofit affordable housing developer, Greta has led a period of extraordinary growth since joining the organization in 2013. Under her leadership, BHC has expanded its business lines, fortified its financial foundation, and dramatically scaled its community impact. Today, BHC owns and manages about 2,000 affordable homes across 23 communities and serves 3,000 residents each year. Through strategic partnerships, innovative financing structures, and an unwavering commitment to resident-centered development, Greta has established BHC as a defining voice in affordable housing and community development throughout Virginia and beyond.

Before BHC, Greta spent nearly 17 years with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), one of the nation’s preeminent community development organizations. As Vice President, she provided strategic and managerial oversight to local offices across the South and Midwest. In her earlier role as Senior Program Director for Virginia LISC, she supported community organizations that collectively developed more than $250 million in real estate investments throughout Central Virginia.

A values-driven executive and entrepreneur, Greta has built a career around transforming traditional nonprofit organizations into mission-centered enterprises — institutions that balance deep social impact with long-term financial sustainability. Her expertise spans real estate development, investment strategy, corporate governance, organizational leadership, talent management, government relations, and risk management.

Greta currently serves on the Board of Directors of Markel Group, a Fortune 300 global holding company, where she sits on the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and previously served on the Audit Committee. She also serves on the boards of the Greater Washington Partnership, Housing Partnership Network, The Richmonder, the Richmond Jazz Society, and the Virginia Redistricting Commission. She previously served eight years on the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors, where she championed institutional excellence, equity, accessibility, and strategic governance.

Her leadership has earned widespread recognition, including the 2025 Richmond Humanitarian Award from the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, the 2024 Virginia Tech Alumni Distinguished Service Award, the 2023 Virginia Business Women in Leadership Award, and the 2021 NeighborWorks America Practitioner of the Year Award, the Ruth Coles Harris Leadership Institute, 2021 Leadership Award as well as other recognitions including Richmond Magazine’s Bold Women Award, the YWCA Outstanding Women Award, the Richmond Times-Dispatch Person of the Year, the Virginia Tech Black Alumni Association Philanthropist of the Year Award, and Equality Virginia’s Outstanding Virginian Award.

A sought-after speaker, Greta brings compelling perspective to conversations on affordable housing, economic mobility, nonprofit leadership, corporate governance, and community development. She is widely respected for her ability to align public, private, and philanthropic partners around lasting solutions that strengthen communities and expand opportunity for all.

Greta holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Virginia Tech and a Master of Science in Architecture and Urban Design from Columbia University.