Special Session

Jessica Swafford Marcella, MPA, was appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs and Director of the Office of Adolescent Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on May 10, 2021, after over 20 years working to advance sexual and reproductive health. In this capacity, Jess oversees the Office of Population Affairs, which advises on a range of public health priorities, including quality family planning and adolescent health, and administers nearly $400 million in grants to support family planning service provision, primary prevention, and information and education activities through the Title X family planning program, the evidence-based Teen Pregnancy Prevention program, and the Embryo Adoption Awareness program.

She began her career on Capitol Hill before she transitioned to working in the nonprofit sector for organizations including the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy (now Power to Decide), and Medicines360. Jess holds a bachelor’s degree in human biology from Stanford University and a Master of Public Administration from The George Washington University. She lives in Washington DC with her husband, two kids, and dog.