WASHINGTON—Today, The Heritage Foundation welcomes John Gibbs as the Director of the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies. The Roe Institute focuses on domestic economic policy, including housing, regulation, trade, and financial markets. 

Heritage president, Dr. Kevin Roberts, welcomed Gibbs to the team, stating: 

“I’m happy to announce the appointment of John Gibbs as the Director of the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies. The Heritage Foundation is known for helping Heritage members, elected officials, and their staff understand how solid economic policy increases flourishing for all Americans. As socialist ideas gain momentum on the Left, John’s extensive senior-level experience will bring additional conservative resources to the fight against economic policies that hurt American families.” 

With more than 20 years of leadership experience across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, John most recently served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research (PD&R) at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). As HUD’s in-house think tank, PD&R drives the agency’s research and policy agenda, and in this role, John led efforts to evaluate the economic impact of major housing policy initiatives.

John Gibbs remarked on his appointment: 

“I am honored to be named the Director of the Roe Institute at the venerable Heritage Foundation. In addition to leveraging my strong background in housing policy to make Heritage a leader in that critical area, I look forward to working with the great team at Heritage to move the needle on economic policy to support meaningful work and flourishing families.”

During the first Trump administration, John served as Acting Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development at HUD, overseeing an $8 billion annual budget supporting programs focused on homelessness, community development, and disaster recovery. His background includes a master’s degree in government from Harvard and a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Stanford.