Jersey City Woman Named White House Fellow With U.S. Navy

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Jennifer Onofrio of Jersey City was named this year's White House fellow at the United States Navy.

The White House announced on Monday the appointment of the 2021-2022 class of White House Fellows. The prestigious White House Fellowship program embeds professionals from diverse backgrounds for a year of working as a full-time, paid fellow for White House staff, Cabinet Secretaries, and other senior government officials. In a statement announcing the appointments, White House officials said this year was the most diverse class in the history of the program.

Selection into the program is based on a record of professional accomplishment, evidence of leadership skills, the potential for further growth, and a commitment to service.

Onofrio was the Director of Resource Management & Planning for security and policing at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, where she was responsible for providing financial, analytical, and logistical support to almost 2,400 employees (including over 2,000 police officers) protecting critical transportation assets in the New York City area.

She led a team of 75 employees and controlled an annual budget of more than $700 million. She joined the Port Authority in 2011 as a Leadership Fellow and rose through the ranks in positions of increasing responsibility within the Office of the Chief Security Officer, transforming the department into a data-driven operation.

Prior to her career at the Port Authority, Onofrio worked in criminal justice reform on improving reentry outcomes for incarcerated men and women, evaluating policies and practices in dozens of states across the country. She also taught job readiness and life skills to inmates at Rikers Island. She is a member of the Port Authority’s Ethics Board, their Diversity & Inclusion Steering Committee, and the PAPD Civilian Complaint Review Board. Onofrio is a Truman Scholar who received a B.S. in Liberal Arts from The New School and an M.P.A. from Princeton University.