Lucy Cortez is Chief Operating Officer at Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Berks, a premier economic development organization serving the City of Reading and Berks County. The 501(c)(3) non-profit is a community development financial institution that provides affordable housing programs and initiatives to expand small business loan opportunities. Since 1977, Neighborhood Housing Services goal is to facilitate and provide affordable housing programs and has expanded to small business funding initiatives that develop opportunities for the people of Berks County.

Joining NHSGB in 2022 Lucy oversees the organizations operations, community engagement and small business development initiative. Her 35 years of banking experience and dedication to supporting small business owners will help build the organization’s small business presence and makes her an invaluable member of both Neighborhood Housing Services and the business community. She previously worked as Vice President at Community First Fund overseeing their small business lending activity in Berks, Chester and Montgomery Counties, Meridian Bank and the Pennsylvania Department of Banking as an Enforcement Officer in their compliance divisions, where she utilized her skills as a Certified Fraud Specialist (CFS), Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMLS) and Certified Mortgage Examination Manager (CMEM).

Lucy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Albright College and a Master of Science degree in Economic Crime Management from Utica University. She has served as Board Chairperson for the Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Berks and the Pennsylvania Home Lending Coalition. She presently serves as Treasurer for Berks Latino Workforce Development, the Assistant Director on the Alvernia University Financial Lending & Innovation Collaborative, Alvernia Innovation Sub-Committee, and is a Board Director with the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance.