Director
A.D. Rachel Pierre serves as the Director of the District's Department of Human Services (DHS), leading a workforce of 1,500 employees and a budget exceeding $900 million. Confirmed by the DC Council in October 2025 following two terms as Interim Director, she brings more than 20 years of experience across nonprofit and government leadership to the role, with a career-long focus on housing access, youth services, and community-based support.
Rachel joined DHS in December 2020 as Administrator for the Family Services Administration, where she led efforts to expand housing access, strengthen youth-services infrastructure, and launch the Peer Case Management Institute. As Director, she is leading the District's TANF reforms to put the program on a more sustainable footing, including the development of DC's first TANF Hardship Policy Working Group to protect vulnerable households through the transition. She has also guided the District's response to new federal SNAP work requirements under H.R. 1 and continues to expand workforce pipelines connecting DHS customers to job training and employment, including a new shared-housing pilot for young adults exiting transitional housing.
Rachel’s career began as a child welfare social worker, followed by senior leadership roles including Chief Operating Officer at Pathways to Housing DC and a senior management position at Lutheran Social Services. That frontline foundation continues to shape how she leads: with an emphasis on practical outcomes for residents over process for its own sake.
Rachel holds a bachelor's degree in finance from James Madison University, a Master of Social Work from Howard University, and an MBA from the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business.
A Ward 4 resident, Rachel is the mother of a college graduate, Kya, and a devoted pet parent to her dog, Milo. Outside of work, she enjoys boxing, kickboxing, and spending time outdoors with loved ones.