Rudy Soto

Rudy Soto is the Executive Director for the National American Indian Housing Council. Before that, Rudy served as the presidentially appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary of USDA’s Office of External & Intergovernmental Affairs and USDA’s Rural Development State Director for Idaho. In these roles, Soto was instrumental in facilitating significant investments in housing, infrastructure, broadband, community development, and small businesses.

Prior to this, Soto's experience included serving as a Legislative Director for the National Indian Gaming Association and as a legislative staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he specialized in energy, environment, agriculture, and tribal affairs. Additionally, he worked for the Western Leaders Network, a nonprofit organization of local and tribal elected officials across the Interior West dedicated to protecting public lands, water, and air.

Born and raised in Nampa, Idaho, Soto is a proud member of the Shoshone Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation and a veteran of the United States Army National Guard. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Portland State University.

The National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC) is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1974 to support Tribal housing entities in their efforts to provide safe, decent, affordable, and culturally appropriate housing for Native communities. NAIHC provides Tribes and Tribally Designated Housing Entities (TDHEs) with training and technical assistance in developing and operating Tribal housing programs. NAIHC provides an array of communication for topics such as advocacy efforts to influence policy development and legislation impacting housing development in Indian Country. NAIHC is a member organization comprised of over 300 members who represent about 475 tribes and tribal housing organizations.