Michael Herman -

Michael Herman has served as chief executive officer of Chicago House and Social Service Agency, the first HIV/AIDS housing provider in the Midwest, since 2019. As CEO and in his prior role as chief development officer from 2006 to 2014, he has been instrumental in evolving the organization’s services to meet the changing needs of those living with HIV, providing housing and supportive services to families and individuals who may also be impacted by poverty, substance use and mental illness.

Michael has worked with low-income populations for most of his professional career. For nearly two decades, he served as a priest in Latinx parishes across various Chicago neighborhoods, including Little Village, Tri-Taylor, Humboldt Park and Logan Square. During this time, he became a prominent affordable housing advocate and is currently working with the Chicago Funders Together to End Homelessness to explore uses of the Affordable Requirements Ordinance to produce housing for those in need.

Prior to his initial tenure with Chicago House, Michael was a leader with the Balanced Development Coalition from 2001 to 2006. He also served as vice president of development at Kohl Children’s Museum from 2014 to 2019. Since returning to Chicago House, he has focused on expanding housing for HIV populations on the West and South sides of the city, recently completing construction on a rehab project in West Englewood to house families living with HIV. In addition, the organization is acquiring three properties formerly operated by Heartland Housing in North Lawndale and, this year, was awarded an IHDA commitment of $10.5 million to build new affordable housing in East Garfield Park.

Michael holds a bachelor’s degree from Loyola University and a master’s from the University of St. Mary of the Lake.

He is a native of Chicago’s Southwest Side and, for more than 25 years, has been a resident of the Rogers Park neighborhood, where he lives with his husband and teenage son.