Meet the Director

For more than a decade, Joan Serviss has been a leader in the fight to end homelessness in Arizona and an advocate for safe, affordable housing for all Arizonans. Joan has more than twenty years of experience in coalition building, state and federal policy work, and community organizing.

Governor Katie Hobbs appointed Serviss as Director of the Arizona Department of Housing in December 2022. In her current role, Joan is responsible for ensuring affordable housing is available for all Arizonans. She oversees programs established to create, preserve, and invest in affordable housing statewide.

Prior to her role with ADOH, Serviss served for more than ten years as the executive director of the non-profit Arizona Housing Coalition, a statewide organization leading in the efforts to end homelessness by advocating for affordable homes. While leading a prior statewide homelessness association, she successfully led a merger with the Arizona Housing Alliance to form the combined Arizona Housing Coalition. Joan has also served as executive director for the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans and a research analyst for the County Supervisors Association, analyzing legislation at the federal and state level for its impact on association members.

Serviss has served on the boards of the FEMA Emergency Food & Shelter Program and the Maricopa County Continuum of Care. She has also served as a committee member on Arizona Governor Doug Ducey’s Goal Council on Affordable Housing.

Joan was recognized as the Arizona Capitol Times 2020 Public Policy Leader of the Year and as one of their 2022 ‘Power 12’ Leaders in Housing.

Serviss is a graduate of Arizona State University with a master’s degree in Public Administration.