Jennifer L. Porter was appointed to serve as Director of the Office of Victim Services by Mayor Muriel Bowser in February 2023. In this role, Director Porter provides leadership and coordination of District funded programs that serve crime victims, prevent crime, and improve the administration of justice for victims, offenders and youth. OVSJG also provides policy making expertise, advice, and counsel to the Executive on evidence-based practices that respond to, intervene in, and prevent violence. 

Director Porter holds a degree in Biology from Howard University; a Master of Public Health from The George Washington University, Milken Institute, School of Public Health and is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist. Prior to this role Mrs. Porter served as the Executive Director of the Office of Women’s Policy & Initiatives. Where, as the Bowser Administration’s chief advocate for women and women’s issues she collaborated with local and national nonprofit organizations and public agencies to address the needs of women. Prior to her appointment Jennifer led a public health career in government relations and adolescent health advocacy at Children’s National Health System. In that role she advocated for legislation, health policy and community resources that improve the health and wellbeing of our nation’s youth. As a clinical researcher Jennifer’s research focused on a range of adolescent sexual health issues including economic influences of medical adherence for HIV positive adolescents, structural barriers to HIV prevention for youth and pregnancy prevention outcomes. 

Mrs. Porter has held several volunteer leadership positions in local, regional and national community service organizations that support and empower women. She served as chair of the District of Columbia, Commission for Women; and has serves on the National Policy Advisory Group for Girls Inc and has served on the planning advisory committee for the National Health Policy Conference. In her spare time, she is a lecturer at The George Washington University, Milken Institute, School of Public Health. 
 
Jennifer’s excellence in service and professionalism has been commended being named an AcademyHealth 2017 National Population Health Scholar. Jennifer was named among the National Minority Quality Forum’s 2018 National 40 under 40 Leader’s in Minority Health, and most recently she received the George Washington University, Milken Institute School of Public Health’s Distinguished Alumni Award the 950 Alumni Award in 2021.