Jennifer M. McNelly, CAE, is chief executive officer of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP). She leads a global community of more than 35,000 safety and health professionals dedicated to ensuring every worker returns home safe, healthy and well.[DT1.1][KB1.2] In addition to serving as ASSP’s CEO since 2018, she is the secretary and CEO of the ASSP Foundation, the charitable arm of ASSP.
McNelly brings more than 35 years of leadership across industry, government and associations. She translates emerging trends into strategic direction and brings people together to turn ambition into action. At ASSP, she has modernized governance and strengthened organizational performance. She is leading the Society’s next stage of growth by connecting standards, research, workforce capability and technology to improve worker safety and business outcomes.
Previously, McNelly was president of The Manufacturing Institute, where she launched the STEP Ahead initiative to recognize and develop women in manufacturing and co-founded National Manufacturing Day. She also served as administrator at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, leading national workforce strategy and investment.
McNelly serves on the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Board of Directors and is Immediate Past Chair of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) ForesightWorks Committee. She is also past chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on the Future of Manufacturing. A Certified Association Executive and Gallup-certified CliftonStrengths coach, she was named by Women We Admire as one of the Top 50 Women CEOs of 2025.