Deputy Assistant Secretary of Population Affairs and Director Office of Adolescent Health
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Population Affairs
Jessica Swafford Marcella, M.P.A. is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs (OPA) and Director of the Office of Adolescent Health at HHS. OPA advises HHS on issues including sexual and reproductive health, quality family planning,and adolescent health and administers the Title X family planning program, the evidence-based Teen Pregnancy Prevention program, and the Embryo Adoption Awareness program. Ms. Marcella 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. Ms. Marcella holds a bachelor’s degree in human biology from Stanford University and a Master of Public Administration from The George Washington University.