Ventura Simmons is currently on detail serving as Acting Chief of Staff at U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General (HUD OIG), a position he has held since April 2023. He initially joined HUD OIG as a Senior Counsel to the Inspector General in the Front Office.

Before his current role, Mr. Simmons was with HUD’s Office of General Counsel, where he served as Regional Counsel for Region 2. In this capacity, he was the chief legal officer for New York and New Jersey, the chief civil rights enforcement officer for New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, the Deputy Agency Ethics Official for New York and New Jersey, and the Regional Authorizing Official for releasing records and authenticating documents.

Mr. Simmons joined HUD in 2000 as a staff attorney. His progression at HUD includes roles as Supervisory Attorney-Advisor, Associate Regional Counsel for Housing Finance and Programs, Acting Associate Regional Counsel for Litigation, and Deputy Regional Counsel. Mr. Simmons also completed a detail for the then HUD Deputy Secretary as the Chief Operating Officer’s Chief Business Operations Advisor.

Mr. Simmons' educational background includes graduating from the HUD-Department of Interior Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program and the Partnership for Public Service’s Excellence in Government Fellowship Program. Additionally, he completed the HUD Coaching Program, becoming a certified executive coach.

Beyond his roles at HUD, Mr. Simmons has experience as an Adjunct Professor of Law at New York Law School. Prior to joining HUD, he was an associate at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, worked at various small, midsized, and large law firms, and served as a Police Officer with the New York City Police Department.

Mr. Simmons holds a Bachelor of Arts from the City College of the City University of New York, a Juris Doctor from New York Law School, and a Master of Science from the London School of Economics and Political Science.