Jessica Marcella

Jessica Swafford Marcella, MPA is a distinguished expert and proven strategist in adolescent health, reproductive health, rights, and justice. As a co-founder of Triple Dividend Partners, a mission-driven consulting firm partnering with clients to improve health and well-being for the next generations, and a partner at the Arch Collaborative, a strategic initiative bridging key stakeholders to resist escalating threats to women’s rights and gender equality globally, Jess leverages more than 20 years of experience and deep public health connections to help organizations navigate policy, politics, and operations.

Previously, Jessica served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs and Director of the Office of Adolescent Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a senior executive service presidential appointment by the Biden-Harris administration. In her role, she led national initiatives in family planning and evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention, while also advising the administration on key reproductive and adolescent health issues. She played a pivotal role, overseeing the nation’s family planning program (Title X) and the evidence-based Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) program. Additionally, Jessica led gender equity, human rights, climate, and public health priorities within the HHS Office of Global Affairs.

She began her career on Capitol Hill before moving into the nonprofit sector and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Biology from Stanford University and a Master of Public Administration from The George Washington University. Jessica lives in Washington, DC with her husband and two children.