Jessica Barret Simpson

Jessica Barrett (JB) Simpson is the Bureau Chief Data Officer for the Bureau of Administration at the U.S. Department of State, a role she has held since Feb. 2024. In this capacity, she is responsible for enhancing the Department’s use of data as a strategic asset, thereby fostering efficiency and effectiveness in its operations.

She previously served as Deputy Chief Data Office for Governance and Strategy at the U.S. Department of Education, where she served in various roles for nearly 15 years. As DCDO, her responsibilities included data strategy and governance, oversight of information collections, and fostering an agency-wide data culture.

Simpson’s prior roles include serving as a program officer for higher education grant programs in the Office of Postsecondary Education. Her efforts focused on enhancing performance reporting and program evaluations. Additionally, she contributed to improving the student loan borrower experience while working in the Office of Federal Student Aid. Recently, she successfully managed the Next Gen Digital and Customer Care program, a modernization initiative encompassing the StudentAid.gov website, contact center applications, communications, and an AI-driven virtual assistant.

Simpson holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from New York University and a B.A. in Intercultural Studies.