Toby O’Berry has been selected to lead the Polk County Housing Trust Fund as its new Executive Director. He will continue the Trust Fund’s work to increase collaboration, expand partnerships, and lead strategic planning that results in more affordable and accessible housing options in Polk County. O’Berry, who has worked in finance, real estate, and housing for 20+ years, currently serves as the Director of Iowa Homeless Youth Centers and Associate VP of Transition Services at YSS (Youth and Shelter Services). Prior to shifting his focus to the nonprofit sector, he developed skills critical for the PCHTF Executive Director role working as a real estate portfolio analyst for Principal Financial Group in Des Moines and in corporate real estate for Morgan Stanley in New York City.
O’Berry grew up in Ames, learning about property management from a very young age, as his family owned and managed residential real estate. He earned his degree in Management with a minor in Economics from Luther College and followed that with an MBA specializing in finance and real estate from the University of Denver in Colorado. O’Berry lives in Des Moines and serves on the Board of Directors for United Way of Central Iowa and Orchard Place, as well as the Directors Council for Homeward Iowa.
O’Berry will join PCHTF June 5, 2023, and follows Eric Burmeister who has served as Executive Director for 12 years and will be retiring June 30th.