Executive Leadership
Jeff Hild
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary
Jeff Hild is the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, performing the delegable duties of the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). He was ACF’s chief of staff from 2014 until 2017, and was most recently a deputy assistant secretary in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Legislation at HHS, covering the human services portfolio, including ACF.
View full bio on Jeff HildSenior Leadership
Jennifer Cannistra
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy
Jennifer Cannistra is the deputy assistant secretary for policy at the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She joined ACF in February 2021 and also served as the acting assistant secretary in early 2022.
Larry Handerhan
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Management
Larry Handerhan currently serves as the deputy assistant secretary for management supporting ACF's strategic goals and management priorities. He first joined the Administration for Children and Families as chief of staff and senior advisor in January 2021.
View full bio on Larry HanderhanDebra Johnson
Deputy Assistant Secretary for External Affairs | Acting Director, Office of Regional Operations (ORO)
Debra Johnson is the deputy assistant secretary for external affairs and acting director for Office of Regional Operations (ORO) at HHS’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF). She joined the Biden Administration in February 2021 and is in charge of ACF’s stakeholder outreach, also serving as the political leadership over ACF’s Office of Regional Operations.
View full bio on Debra JohnsonBen Goldhaber
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration, Office of Administration (OA)
Ben Goldhaber serves as the deputy assistant secretary for administration for the Administration for Children and Families.
View full bio on Ben GoldhaberKevin Duvall
Chief Technology Officer
Kevin Duvall is the chief technology officer at ACF. In this role via the Office of Administration, Duvall provides leadership and strategic direction to technology and innovation delivery at ACF.
View full bio on Kevin DuvallRebecca Jones Gaston, MSW
Commissioner, Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF)
Rebecca Jones Gaston is the commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF), at the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ACYF manages the Children’s Bureau and the Family and Youth Services Bureau.
View full bio on Rebecca Jones Gaston, MSW
Patrice H. Kunesh
Commissioner, Administration for Native Americans (ANA)
Patrice H. Kunesh, of Standing Rock Lakota descent, is the commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans. In her role as Commissioner, she serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Native Affairs and as Chair of the HHS Intradepartmental Council on Native American Affairs.
View full bio on Patrice H. Kunesh
Katie Hamm
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Early Childhood Development, Office of Early Childhood Development (ECD)
Katie Hamm serves as the deputy assistant secretary for the Office of Early Childhood Development (ECD). She first joined ACF as associate deputy assistant secretary for early childhood development in February 2021.
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Lauren Supplee
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning, Research and Evaluation, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE)
Lauren Supplee is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning, Research and Evaluation at the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). In this role, she serves as head of ACF’s Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE).
View full bio on Lauren Supplee
Larry Sandigo
Chief of Staff
Larry Sandigo is the chief of staff at the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at HHS. He previously served as a senior advisor to the ACF assistant secretary, with a focus on child and family well-being.
View full bio on Larry Sandigo
Aysha E. Schomburg, J.D.
Associate Commissioner, Children's Bureau (CB), Administration on Children, Youth and Families
Aysha E. Schomburg, J.D., is the associate commissioner in the Children’s Bureau in the Administration on Children, Youth and Families. Schomburg joined the Biden Administration in March 2021 after serving as the senior administrator for program oversight for New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services.
View full bio on Aysha E. Schomburg, J.D.Kimberly A. Waller
Associate Commissioner, Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB), Administration on Children, Youth and Families
Kimberly A. Waller serves as the associate commissioner for the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) in the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, located within the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
View full bio on Kimberly A. WallerRuth Friedman, Ph.D.
Director, Office of Child Care (OCC)
Ruth Friedman, Ph.D., is the director of ACF’s Office of Child Care. She was previously a child and family policy consultant, including work as a senior advisor to ACF’s Office of Head Start on the development of Head Start early learning outcomes framework, and the overhaul of the Head Start program performance standards.
View full bio on Ruth Friedman, Ph.D.Tanguler Gray
Commissioner, Office of Child Support Services
Tanguler Gray serves as the commissioner of the Office of Child Support Services at the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
View full bio on Tanguler GrayStacie Burgess
Director, Office of Communications (OC)
Stacie Burgess is the director of the Office of Communications at ACF. Prior to joining the Biden Administration in November 2023, Burgess was Fenway Health’s first vice president of communications.
View full bio on Stacie Burgess
Dr. Lanikque Howard
Director, Office of Community Services (OCS)
Dr. Lanikque Howard is the director in the Office of Community Services. She provides leadership and oversight of over $12 billion annually in mandatory and discretionary grants through a multitude of social service and community development programs.
View full bio on Dr. Lanikque HowardAnn Flagg
Director, Office of Family Assistance (OFA)
Ann Flagg serves as the director of the Office of Family Assistance. Prior to her appointment in the Biden Administration in July 2022, she served as the senior director of policy and practice at the American Public Human Services Association.
View full bio on Ann FlaggShawndell Dawson
Director, Office of Family Violence and Prevention Services (OFVPS)
Shawndell N. Dawson is the director of the Office of Family Violence Prevention and Services (OFVPS), which addresses domestic violence as a public health issue and strives to partner with the continuum of social service agencies families often turn to for help.
View full bio on Shawndell DawsonKhari Garvin
Director, Office of Head Start (OHS)
Khari Garvin is the director of the Office of Head Start at the Administration for Children and Families. Joining the Biden-Harris Administration in March 2023, Garvin served as the president and CEO of the United Way of Greater Greensboro in North Carolina, leading the mission to end generational poverty in the Greensboro metro area.
View full bio on Khari GarvinNatalie Grant
Director, Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response (OHSEPR)
Natalie Grant joined the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) as director of the Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response in November, 2018. In this capacity, she oversees the U.S. Repatriation Program, disaster human service emergency management and continuity of operations missions for the agency.
View full bio on Natalie GrantAmanda Barlow
Director, Office of Legislative Affairs and Budget (OLAB)
Amanda Barlow is the director of the Office of Legislative Affairs and Budget (OLAB).
View full bio on Amanda BarlowRobin Dunn Marcos
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Humanitarian Services | Director, Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)
Robin Dunn Marcos serves as the deputy assistant secretary for humanitarian services and the director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
View full bio on Robin Dunn MarcosKatherine Chon
Director, Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP)
Katherine Chon is the founding director of the Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) and senior advisor on human trafficking at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). OTIP is responsible for developing strategies and implementing programs to prevent trafficking, increase victim identification and access to services, and strengthen the health and well-being of survivors.
View full bio on Katherine ChonRegional Leadership
Elaine Zimmerman
Regional Administrator, Region 1
Elaine Zimmerman is the Region I Administrator for the Administration of Children and Families, representing the six states of New England. Her agency oversees work in child support, child care, refugee resettlement, child welfare, TANF, youth homelessness and runways, family economic stability, early childhood development, as well as innovations, cross-sector work and entrepreneurial practices.
View full bio on Elaine ZimmermanAlfonso Nicholas
Regional Administrator, Region 2
Alfonso Nicholas is the regional administrator for the Administration and Families (ACF) in Region 2. The region includes New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and eight federally recognized Tribal Nations. In this capacity, he leads ACF's strategic initiatives and priorities to promote the economic well-being of children and families in the region.
View full bio on Alfonso NicholasChad Sawyer
Regional Administrator, Region 3
Chad Sawyer serves as the regional administrator (RA) for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in Region 3, which includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and seven federally recognized tribal nations.
View full bio on Chad SawyerJacqueline Mull
Regional Administrator, Region 4
Jacqueline “Jacque” Mull serves as the southeast (Region 4) regional administrator for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in Atlanta, Georgia representing Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
View full bio on Jacqueline MullAngela Green
Regional Administrator, Region 5
Angela Green serves as the regional administrator for the Administration for Children and Families’ Region 5. In this capacity, she oversees the high-priority human services initiatives of the agency, administrative leadership and support for ACF’s Chicago staff and human service emergency planning, preparedness and response.
View full bio on Angela GreenLaKesha Pope Jackson
Regional Administrator, Region 6
LaKesha Jackson has more than 20 years of experience working on behalf of youth and families in multiple systems of care. As the Region 6 regional administrator (RA), Jackson is responsible for leading ACF’s strategic initiatives and priorities in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
View full bio on LaKesha Pope JacksonBarbara Lacina
Regional Administrator, Region 7
Barbara Lacina is the regional administrator (RA) for the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in region 7 (Kansas City, Missouri) which includes the states of Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri, as well as nine federally recognized Tribal Nations.
View full bio on Barbara Lacina
Nikki Hatch
Regional Administrator, Region 8
Nikki Hatch serves as the regional administrator (RA) for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) for Region 8, which includes Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.
View full bio on Nikki HatchPete Weldy
Regional Administrator, Region 9
Pete Weldy joins the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) with extensive experience working to advance the welfare, health, and happiness of children and families across the country. As the Region 9 regional administrator (RA), Weldy is responsible for leading ACF’s strategic initiatives and priorities in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
View full bio on Pete WeldyJody Becker
Regional Administrator, Region 10
Jody Becker, MSW, PhD, is the Region 10 regional administrator for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), headquartered in Seattle, WA. As the regional administrator, she serves the States of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington and 272 federally recognized Tribal Nations.
View full bio on Jody Becker