McCarthy to Take the Helm at Habitat

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville has named Patrick J. "PJ" McCarthy as its next President and CEO, following a nationwide search led by the

board of directors. McCarthy will take over from Danny Herron, who is retiring on December 31, 2026, after 16 years at the helm of the organization.

McCarthy joins the nonprofit after 18 years in affordable housing, mortgage finance, and community development. He most recently served as Vice President of Affordable Lending at Fannie Mae, where he oversaw a $25 billion lending platform aimed at expanding homeownership access in underserved communities nationwide. He also helped build Fannie Mae's national homeownership education platform and has hands-on experience with public-private housing partnerships.

Board Chair Christie Wilson said McCarthy's mix of national housing expertise and operational leadership makes him well-positioned to guide the organization forward. McCarthy also brings local roots to the role, with experience owning and managing Nashville-area real estate, giving him firsthand exposure to the financial literacy, credit, and stability challenges many local families face on the road to homeownership.

McCarthy holds a master's degree in accountancy from the University of Notre Dame and has completed executive programs at MIT Sloan, Harvard Business School, and Babson College. In a statement, he said he's looking forward to building on the foundation Herron established while working with staff, volunteers, and community partners to expand sustainable homeownership across the region.

Herron's tenure was marked by major growth: the organization built more than 500 homes, grew total assets past $90 million, logged over 75,000 volunteer experiences, and expanded its ReStore operations. Highlights included hosting the 2019 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project with Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, and leading community investments like the Parkwood ballfields renovation and Trinity Hills Park.

McCarthy officially steps into the role at the end of the year.