Destiny Drake West is a former U.S. Federal Official, military spouse, mother, and founder of the Drake Institute of Women’s Policy, a national think tank dedicated to the advancement of women’s inclusion, justice, and security in the United States. She most recently served as the authority and principal point-of-contact for the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) responsibilities under the Title V Federal Surplus Property for Use to Assist the Homeless program. It is a joint-agency initiative in collaboration with GSA and HHS established to combat the homelessness crisis in America by reallocating federal property to organizations that provide services to people experiencing homelessness. This program is a priority of the Biden-Harris Administration.

Destiny resides in Germantown, Maryland with her husband (Sergeant Brandon West, U.S. Army Retired) and children.

Prior to joining HUD, Destiny served as a Senior Legislative Analyst for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) where she was appointed as the bureau liaison for GAO, OIG, Tribal and Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) related matters, helping to facilitate complex investigations and engagements in response to Congressional inquiries. Destiny also served as primary policy advisor for Federal programs with annual appropriations totaling a combined $100 million dollars.

In 2021, Destiny worked as a Legislative Director in the Maryland State Senate, serving as a senior advisor to eight Maryland State Senators under the leadership of Senator Joanne C. Benson and Senator Obie Patterson. Her responsibilities included shepherding legislation through the senate, managing constituent relations, and facilitating Senate Delegation hearings, briefings, and leadership meetings. Destiny was also responsible for assisting with the local COVID-19 response, serving as the Senate Delegation’s primary point of contact for the Prince George’s County Executive’s office and the Prince George’s County Health Department in efforts to ensure that county residents, particularly those residing in hard-to-reach and underserved communities, had access to health care services (COVID-19 testing and vaccinations).

Destiny’s policy experience also includes serving as a policy advisor in the office of Congressman Alcee Hastings, legislative officer for Prince George’s County Executive, Angela Alsobrooks, and a board director (Chair of Communications) for the Women’s Democratic Club of Montgomery County.

For her leadership, Destiny has received several congressional awards, including a Certificate of Recognition from Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and a Certificate of Special Recognition from Congresswoman Maxine Waters.

She was born in Dallas, Texas and raised in the Oak Cliff area where she spent most of her childhood living in public housing. Her neighborhood was plagued with drugs, crime, and violence. At the time of her birth, both of her parents were suffering from untreated and undiagnosed substance use disorders. Destiny’s family relied on food stamps and welfare because they did not have access to true economic opportunity. Statistically, families like hers do not make it far in life. Fortunately, her family found pathways out of poverty.

Consequently, Destiny has dedicated her professional career to public service because she understands the importance of reaching back to uplift other people. Having been raised in an underserved community, she is sensitive to the struggles that many people face when seeking access to employment, affordable housing, and health care services including treatment for mental illness and substance use disorders.

Destiny believes that affordable housing is the most cost-effective strategy for increasing economic mobility for families and will use her lived experience and professional expertise to deliver resources to Maryland’s 6th Congressional District.