The Faith Center Staff

Vacant, Director

Ben O’Dell

Ben O’Dell is the Senior Advisor at the HHS Center for Faith at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS Faith Center). Ben is a recognized expert on facilitating partnerships between faith-based, philanthropic, and community organizations and government at all levels. Ben’s interest in strengthening local faith-based and community leaders and community engagement principles to religious, community, and government interest has led him to develop deep relationships, knowledge, and expertise on a broad range of issues from strengthening fathers and families to strategies for bringing groups together in collaborative networks. Ben has served at the Faith Center for over twenty years making him one of the longest-standing employees of any faith office across the federal government. Ben received his Master’s degree in Organizational Development and Knowledge Management in 2007 from the School of Public Policy at George Mason University. Ben resides outside of Washington, D.C., with his wife, Kristin, and implements his own personal fatherhood initiatives with their two kids.

Katherine Pacheco

Katherine is the Special Assistant at the Center for Faith (Faith Center) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS Faith Center). In this role, Katherine provides support for the Faith Center as they address its core focus areas with a specific focus on maternal health. Prior to serving in IEA, Katherine worked at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in the Medicare Ombudsman Group where she handled inquiries from Medicare beneficiaries and their representatives involving premium direct billing issues and other Medicare related inquiries and grievances. Katherine has over 20 years of Federal government service, which includes her role as the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Administrator at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) where she also assisted efforts to address communities struggling with responding to disasters. Katherine is bi-lingual in Spanish and loves learning about its culture as well as learning about different cultures. She loves to spend time with her daughter, their two dogs, and traveling to the mountains.

Clintandra Thompson

Clintandra Thompson is the Communications Specialist at the Center for Faith at the U.S. Department and Health and Human Services (HHS Faith Center). She is a communications professional with 20 years of diverse work experience in public relations, website content management, social media management, and audio and video production impacting domestic and international audiences. Prior to joining the team at HHS, she worked at the Atlantic Council, Vietnam Veterans of America, the National Association of Realtors, and others. She was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Senegal focusing on Community Economic Development. She speaks French, Serer, and Wolof. Ms. Thompson is a graduate of Howard University, and earned her Master of International Marketing degree from the University of Maryland, Global Campus.