Preferred Name: Graciela

Last Name: Watrous

Degree String (Type, Year): ('14)

Job Title: Affordable Housing Acquisitions

Company Name: Contour Housing Partners

Bio: Graciela Watrous is an urban policy leader focused on affordable housing and community revitalization. A Brooklyn native, she is dedicated to improving access to opportunity in urban areas. She began her career at Bank of America Merrill Lynch before joining the City of Detroit’s Housing and Revitalization Department under Mayor Mike Duggan. There, she facilitated the sale of city-owned land to private developers, creating hundreds of affordable housing units. After earning her MBA from Harvard, Graciela became VP of Property Strategy at a Softbank-backed joint venture, Reef Technology, then transitioned to her current role as the first employee of an affordable housing acquisition firm in New York City, Contour Housing Partners, where she focuses on preserving affordable properties nationwide. Graciela holds a BA from Stanford and enjoys writing, music, and urban exploration.