Lynn Ross is the founder and principal of Spirit for Change Consulting, LLC, a boutique consulting firm dedicated to creative solutions for people and places working to serve the common good. She brings over 15 years of experience and passion for housing affordability, city and regional planning, community development, evidence-based policy making and organizational change. Most recently, Ms. Ross directed the $40M Community and National Initiatives program at the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. She also served in the Obama Administration as deputy assistant secretary for policy development at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Past roles include leadership positions at the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing, National Housing Conference/Center for Housing Policy and the American Planning Association. Ms. Ross earned a Bachelor's of Science in community and regional planning from Iowa State University and Master's of regional planning from Cornell University.