Heena Patel is director of communications and marketing at Northern Virginia Family Services (NVFS), a role she assumed in February 2026. She leads the organization’s marketing, communications, and brand strategy, guiding integrated campaigns that elevate NVFS’s impact across Northern Virginia and strengthen engagement with community members, partners, donors, policymakers, and other key stakeholders. Her work focuses on translating complex issues into clear, compelling narratives that inspire action and expand opportunity for the communities NVFS serves.
With more than 15 years of experience in strategic communications, Heena has built and led communications strategies for mission-driven organizations working at the intersection of health, policy, and social impact. Prior to joining NVFS, she served as director of communications at the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University, where she led communications for multiple research centers, elevated global health thought leadership, and organized major policy convenings and initiatives. Earlier in her career, she held senior communications roles at Equal Justice Works and the Society for Women’s Health Research, advancing national advocacy efforts focused on access to justice, health equity, and women’s health research.
Heena holds degrees from the George Washington University and the University of Amsterdam. She now calls Ashburn, Virginia home, where she spends much of her time attempting to keep pace with the boundless energy and excellent negotiation skills of her young daughter.