Jennifer Cannistra is the Executive Director of the National Health Law Program, where she leads a national legal nonprofit dedicated to protecting and advancing health rights for low-income and underserved individuals. She brings deep experience in federal and local government and a long-standing commitment to health justice.

From 2021 to 2025, Jen served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF), where she led a $26 billion portfolio advancing child and family well-being. In that role, she drove cross-cutting initiatives addressing behavioral health, homelessness, social determinants of health, and health equity, and led policy, regulatory, and strategic planning efforts across the agency.

Before joining ACF, Jen held leadership roles in the District of Columbia government, where she led teams focused on behavioral health and homelessness and worked across agencies to improve access to services for residents with complex needs.

Earlier in her career, Jen worked on the Affordable Care Act in the Obama Administration at the White House and at HHS. She led the HHS regulations and policy office, helped implement coverage expansion and consumer protections, and played a key role in advancing the ACA’s nondiscrimination provision. She also led the Health Care Community Discussion initiative, engaging more than 9,000 Americans in shaping health reform and grounding policy in the lived experiences of families across the country.

Jen received her A.B. from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs, her M.Sc. from Oxford University, and her J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she served as Vice President of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau and represented low-income clients facing eviction.

Outside of work, Jen enjoys running, exploring new places with her family and friends, and cheering at her boys’ soccer games.