Sean Gilbert, PHM, SPHM, NCC, NAHRO Fellow

Sean Gilbert is the 2025-2027 NAHRO President as well as the Executive Director of the Tennessee Valley Housing Services (TVHS) where he directs day to day operations of a staff that operates or subsidizes over 1,100 units of affordable housing.

Mr. Gilbert has worked in the affordable housing industry for over 30 years and has converted over 20 properties through the RAD program with more in the pipeline. He has utilized 4% & 9% LIHTC, FHA 223, CITC, AHTF, PBV, PBRA and a wide array of other programs to reposition his housing inventories.

From 2014 to 2020, Mr. Gilbert was the Senior Vice President of Housing for Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC) for seven years. Mr. Gilbert directed the management, maintenance and renovation of KCDC’s Housing and Section 8 Departments. He managed more than 3,600 affordable housing apartments and over 3,800 Housing Choice Vouchers. 

From 1995 to 2015, Mr. Gilbert served as Executive Director of the Housing Authority of Pikeville, KY, where he directed day-to-day operations of a staff that operated or subsidized over 900 units of affordable housing. 

Mr. Gilbert is a past President of the Kentucky Housing Association (KHA). He is a Past President of SERC-NAHRO and multi-term member on the NAHRO Board of Governors. He has served or currently serves on numerous local, state, regional and national committees and boards. He is currently vice-chair of the Tennessee Housing Authority Risk Management Trust Board (THARMT) and has served in a variety of other positions and boards over the years. In 2017, he was recognized with NAHRO’S Emerging Leader Award. In 2019, he was inducted into the KHA’s Hall of Fame. In 2021, he was named a NAHRO Fellow.

Mr. Gilbert is a graduate of Virginia Tech with a BA in Urban Affairs and is a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow. He and his wife Lora have been married for 30 years and his son Trevor is a recent graduate of East Tennessee State University.