CHRISTOPHER NUNN
COMMISSIONER
Christopher Nunn was appointed Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) in 2017. He leads the State’s community development efforts to support local leaders in their efforts to build strong, vibrant communities. DCA has a broad reach that includes comprehensive planning, safe and affordable housing, downtown development, community infrastructure, and economic development finance.
Prior to DCA, Commissioner Nunn led a regional professional services firm as Chief Operating Officer. In this role, he was responsible for all business aspects of the 150-person firm, including strategic planning and growth. Previously, he spent 15 years as a business consultant with two global firms, Arthur Andersen and Russell Reynolds Associates, focused on strategic planning, operational improvement, leadership development, and executive recruiting.
A native of Perry, Georgia, he graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Emory University with a B.A. in Political Science. He earned his Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Commissioner Nunn serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors at Wesley Woods, and he serves on the Boards of Advisors for the Robert T. Jones, Jr. Scholarship Trust at Emory University and the Center for Family Business at Kennesaw State University. He and his family are also active members of Peachtree Road United Methodist Church.
Commissioner Nunn and his wife, Nancy, have two children and live in Atlanta.
Kyle Hood
Chief Operating Officer
Kyle Hood began serving as the Georgia Department of Community Affairs’ (DCA) Chief Operating Officer in the summer of 2022 after joining the agency as the Division Director for Community Development in 2017. In his current role, Mr. Hood and the administrative team are responsible for managing the day-to-day business operations and support services of the agency’s programs and over 400 employees. These services include external affairs, human resources, marketing, communications, risk management, and information technology, along with facilities and asset management. Prior to joining the team at DCA, Mr. Hood held city and county manager positions as well as helping to direct the economic and workforce development programming at the Georgia Department of Education.
Rusty Haygood
Deputy Commissioner, Community Development and Finance
Rusty Haygood has more than 15 years of experience in the development and oversight of community and economic development financing programs. As Deputy Commissioner for the Georgia Department of Community Affairs’ (DCA) Community Development and Finance Division, he oversees the business processes and policies that implement the state’s community and economic development programs, including DCA’s relationship with the Georgia Department of Economic Development and the OneGeorgia Authority. The Division also includes Planning, Building Codes, Research, Downtown Development and the Georgia Commission for Service & Volunteerism.
Philip Gilman
Deputy Commissioner, Housing Assistance and Development
Philip Gilman returned to the Department of Community Affairs as the Deputy Commissioner for Housing Assistance and Development in March 2023. In this role, Philip oversees multiple divisions critical to addressing housing needs in Georgia. These programs include the Housing Tax Credit program, Housing Choice Vouchers, homelessness prevention, and supportive housing programs. Philip has a decade’s worth of public policy experience, including a prior role at DCA where he served as the Director of Housing Finance. He has experience in city government leadership, with private sector affordable housing development and advocacy, and with several volunteer organizations.
Christy J. Barnes
General Counsel
With over 15 years of combined experience in government consulting and legal affairs, Christy J. Barnes serves as General Counsel for the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. As General Counsel, Attorney Barnes oversees and directs all legal affairs, procurement and records management activities for DCA, the Georgia Housing Finance Authority, and the One Georgia Authority. In addition, Attorney Barnes serves as the agency’s Ethics Officer, Fair Housing Coordinator and Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator.
