Jennie Lucca Honored Among Washington’s Most Influential Leaders at the WBJ’s Women Who Mean Business Award Ceremony

The Children’s Inn at NIH CEO was recognized at the annual gala for her decades of impact in the Greater Washington business community

Jennie Lucca, the Chief Executive Officer of The Children’s Inn at NIH, was honored at the Washington Business Journal’s “Women Who Mean Business” Award Ceremony on October 30 at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C. This prestigious recognition honors Lucca’s exceptional two decades of service at The Inn, including her nearly 10-year tenure as CEO, and highlights her pivotal role in fostering a compassionate and supportive environment for families with critically ill children.

Reflecting on the honor, Lucca expressed her gratitude: “I am humbled to receive this recognition from the Washington Business Journal alongside so many inspiring leaders in our area,” she shared. “So much of our success is due to the support of the broader business and philanthropic community here in the D.C. area. It was great to see so many different industries represented by my fellow honorees, many of whom I count as friends and mentors.”

The Women Who Mean Business Awards recognize the D.C. region’s most influential and impactful businesswomen who have made a difference in their communities. Each award recipient was profiled with a video highlight and received on-stage recognition, honoring the unique ways they have shaped their fields and inspired those around them.

Since stepping into the CEO role in 2015, Lucca has been instrumental in navigating The Children’s Inn through some of its most transformative and challenging years. In partnership with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), she led The Inn through a major structural issue with a roof collapse and the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout, Lucca ensured The Inn’s mission of providing “A Place Like Home” for children, teens, and young adults who participate in groundbreaking medical research at the NIH remained strong. Now, she is leading The Inn’s first-ever capital campaign, Building Extraordinary, with the goal of renovating and expanding The Inn to better meet the needs of families today and in the future.

Before her role as CEO, Lucca served as The Inn’s Chief Program and Services Officer, where she was responsible for the daily management of family operations, therapeutic, educational, and recreational programs, and facility operations. Her journey in community and family services began in her home state of Alaska with The Arc of Anchorage, an organization dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities. Since then, her career has been defined by her commitment to developing and managing family support programs in community and healthcare settings. Lucca is passionate about supporting families during times of significant stress, earning her a reputation for compassion, strategic vision, and impactful leadership.

Lucca holds a master’s degree in social work with a focus on policy, planning, and administration from The Catholic University of America and a bachelor’s degree in child psychology from the University of Minnesota.