Danielle Thomas joined the St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) in November 2020 and currently serves as the Senior Vice President / Chief Operating Officer. She launched her career in public service in New York City over twenty years ago as a social worker serving low-income families with children with special needs and individuals that were both homeless and HIV-positive.

After graduating law school, Danielle worked for Legal Services Alabama in Huntsville, Alabama, providing civil legal representation to low-income clients, before transitioning to the Huntsville Housing Authority (HHA) as the Director of Public Housing Operations. There, she helped the agency maintain a High Performer designation from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for 9 years before joining the SPHA team where she oversees the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV), Asset Management, and Resident Services departments.

Danielle joined the HAI Group Board in May 2025 and is excited at the opportunity to play a larger role in serving the affordable housing industry. She is a graduate of New York University School of Law, received her Master of Social Work degree from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College in New York, and received a B.S. in Family Studies from the University of Maryland at College Park. Danielle is an active member of several affordable housing industry groups and the Alabama State Bar.