About the Chief of Staff
Jennifer Esparza, Chief of Staff
Maryland Department of Labor
Jennifer Esparza, J.D., is Chief of Staff for Secretary Portia Wu of the Maryland Department of Labor, which connects Marylanders to good jobs; protects workers, consumers, and the public; and fosters economic growth.
Ms. Esparza’s leadership career in public service spans nearly two decades. She previously served as White House liaison to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under the Biden-Harris Administration and as senior advisor for the agency’s deputy secretary. Prior to that, she served eleven honorable years in the United States Marine Corps.
She holds a B.A. in International Studies from the University of Oregon and law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. In law school, she worked with Georgetown’s Criminal Defense and Prisoner Advocacy Clinic, where she taught legal writing skills at the Maryland Correctional Institute for Women in Jessup and represented clients in need before the D.C. Superior Court.