CED Program Leadership
The CED Program Leadership team provides guidance and operational management for the CED Program and staff.
Christina Clark, Division Director
Christina.Clark@acf.hhs.gov | 202-401-5399
Christina Clark is the Director for the Division of Community Discretionary and Demonstration Programs (DCDDP). She has over 16 years of experience working on programs targeted to alleviate causes and conditions of poverty for individuals and families, including 10 years of experience supporting Native American tribes and tribal nonprofits with federally funded social and economic development projects.
Christina studied Applied Economics at the Ohio State University. She is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, having served just over two years in Costa Rica working on rural community development projects. She is passionate about contributing to opportunities that lift children and families out of poverty.
Thom Campbell, Senior Advisor
Thom.Campbell@acf.hhs.gov | 202-401-5455
As a Senior Advisor in the Division of Community Discretionary and Demonstration Programs in the Office of Community Services (OCS), Thom works to increase the economic stability and mobility of families and communities with limited resources through OCS’s discretionary programs: Community Economic Development, Rural Community Development, Diaper Distribution Demonstration and Research Pilot, Medical-Legal Partnerships Plus, and Affordable Housing Supportive Services Demonstration.
Thom has worked in a variety of offices in HHS since 2003. Most recently, as the Director of the Office of Innovation, Collaboration, and Excellence in the Administration for Community Living, Thom worked to maximize the independence, well-being, dignity, and health of people with disabilities, their families, and their caregivers. He spent 4 years as the Director of Strategic Innovation in the Office of Child Support Enforcement, and for 9 years before that, Thom was a program manager in OCS, where he started his HHS career. Before coming to HHS, Thom worked as a nonprofit advocate with the YMCA of the USA.
Thom began his career on Capitol Hill, serving as legislative staff for two members of Congress. Thom is an active member of OPM’s Federal Coaching Network as an executive and leadership coach helping individuals work through growth opportunities in their teams, offices, and careers. Thom is an Associate Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation and a graduate of the Federal Internal Coach Training Program. Thom grew up in Middle Tennessee and has a B.S. in Political Science from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and an M.A. in Politics from New York University in Manhattan. He lives in the Washington DC metro area.
Patrice West, Program Operations Branch Chief
Rhonda.West@acf.hhs.gov | 202-401-5999
Patrice West is the Program Operations Branch Chief within the Division of Community Discretionary and Demonstration Programs (DCDDP), Office of Community Services (OCS). She oversees the a team of program specialists who are responsible for the Community Economic Development (CED) program and the Rural Community Development (RCD) program.
Prior to joining CED, Patrice was an Energy Assistance Program Specialist for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) within OCS. She has over a decade of experience within the federal government, with demonstrated success managing complex programmatic operations for federal entities.
Over the course of her career, Patrice has gained extensive experience managing programs, including monitoring and providing technical assistance to improve program deficiencies. Patrice earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from George Mason University. In her leisure time, Patrice enjoys traveling, photography, and spending time with her family.
Jessica Hale, Program Evaluator
Jessica Hale is the Program Evaluator for the Division of Community Discretionary and Demonstration Programs (DCDDP) where she oversees research and evaluation activities for the division’s portfolio of grant programs. Prior to joining DCDDP, she led evaluation technical assistance for grant recipients and supported the development and implementation of research and evaluation studies at AmeriCorps Seniors.
She has also led research and technical assistance efforts at the Employment and Training Administration, where she developed the agency’s research plan, conducted research, developed products to support evidence use, and worked on evaluation studies for workforce development programs. Jessica holds a B.A. in Political Science and an M.P.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Ph.D. in Public Affairs from Indiana University Bloomington.