Dora Leong Gallo

Dora Leong Gallo has worked in the community development field for over 30 years. Since 2003, she has served as President and CEO of A Community of Friends (ACOF), a nonprofit affordable housing developer with a mission to end homelessness through the provision of quality permanent supportive housing for people with mental illness. In her role, Ms. Gallo is responsible for executing ACOF’s strategic priorities and advocating for increased affordable housing for those most vulnerable. Under her guidance, ACOF’s portfolio has expanded from Los Angeles and Orange counties to Ventura, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.

Before joining ACOF, Dora worked in local government for 12 years, including various capacities for the City of Los Angeles, such as six years with a city councilmember, and for the Culver City Redevelopment Agency.

Dora currently serves on the Boards of Merritt Community Capital, Enterprise Community Partners, and Community Housing Capital, and is the Board Chair for the National Low Income Housing Coalition.  Additionally, she actively participates in numerous policy working groups and is a member of the Supportive Housing Alliance, an advocacy group of supportive housing developers in Los Angeles County.

Ms. Gallo currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Enterprise Community Partners and the National Low Income Housing Coalition. In addition to serving on numerous policy working groups, she is a member of the Affordable Housing Advisory Council of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco and the Supportive Housing Alliance, an advocacy group of supportive housing developers in Los Angeles County.

Dora received her Master in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration from the University of Southern California.