Heather Zenone

Assistant Secretary for Policy

Heather Zenone leads policy, government affairs, and grants teams, working collaboratively to advance legislative, regulatory, and funding strategies that improve outcomes for Marylanders.

Heather brings over 20 years of experience in child welfare, juvenile justice, anti-trafficking, behavioral health, and Medicaid reform at national, state, and tribal levels. She has held key roles, including Senior Advisor to the Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans and Representative Karen Bass, driving systemic child welfare transformation.

A foster care alumna and advocate for equity and inclusion, Heather is a graduate of UC Berkeley and UC Berkeley School of Law.