Experience

Advocates for Community Health

• United States
• Government Relations Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chief Executive Officer

  • Jun 2021 - Present

  Our mission at Advocates for Community Health is to meaningfully impact federal public policy by harnessing the effectiveness and structure of forward leaning community health centers and systems to advance the delivery of health care to underserved populations and cultivate new opportunities to achieve health equity in support of patients and communities in need. ACH is a membership organization focused on visionary and innovative policy and advocacy initiatives to affect positive changes across the nation's health care system. Rooted in community health, our membership is comprised of forward thinking federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and systems who are leading the way in modeling comprehensive, integrated primary care as well as cutting edge innovation to help shape a rapidly evolving health care system across the nation.



Association of Clinicians for the Underserved

• United States
• Hospitals and Health Care
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Executive Director

  • Feb 2020 - Present

  ACU is a nonprofit, transdisciplinary organization of clinicians, advocates and health care organizations united in a common mission to improve the health of America's underserved populations and to enhance the development and support of the health care clinicians serving these populations. ACU focuses on issues such as: health care reform, health care access, elimination of health disparities, workforce development and diversity, cultural competency in the health care setting, health care quality improvement, access to medicines and pharmacy services, and integration of behavioral health and complementary care into primary care practice.



American Diabetes Association

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 700 & Above Employee

• VP of Grassroots & Internal Advocacy

  • May 2018 - Feb 2020

   Develop and implement the American Diabetes Association’s grassroots advocacy strategy and related campaigns.  Provide leadership, guidance and training to a national network of supporters comprised of over 500K Diabetes Advocates.  Oversee education, training, communication and growth in the Advocate network to achieve organization goals and mission; positively impacting on over 30 million people affected by the disease.  During tenure, successfully multiplied advocacy program offerings to achieve triple digit increases in network engagement.  Plan, organize and execute the organization's premier annual campaign and week-long event, Call to Congress, activating all Diabetes Advocates to meet the policy goals of the organization;  Achieved exponential successes with the most recent campaigns including a 150% increase in sponsor revenue and a 200% increase in network engagement.



National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC)

• United States
• Hospitals and Health Care
• 100 - 200 Employee

• National Director of Advocacy & Civic Engagement

  • Sep 2013 - May 2018

  ★ Leads advocacy on behalf of 1,400 health center organizations with 9,000+ locations serving 27M patients annually. ★ Maximizes program impact and success by training cross-functional professionals, board members and patients in strategic and effective advocacy and lobbying tactics while managing the grassroots advocacy agenda to promote access to care and other policy priorities. ★ Leads a top-performing team of direct reports tasked with managing the Health Center Advocacy Network, including multiple advocacy programs, advocacy communications and outreach across traditional and social media channels, as well as 2 stand-alone advocacy websites. ★ Directs communications through an expansive social media presence that promotes campaign activation and engagement, capacity building, and brand identity. ★ Combines extensive and in-depth advocacy operations expertise with sound business and financial acumen to oversee and properly direct multiple department and program budgets. ★ Elicited program excitement and motivation by totally re-branding the Health Center Advocacy Network, including website redevelopment, communication/awareness campaign, and program development. ★ Directs day-to-day operations that include planning, implementing, and coordinating all advocacy activities to support more than 150,000 advocates. ★ Maximizes program reach and effectiveness by developing short- and long-term objectives and strategies to support the NACHC Federal and State policy goals. ★ Collaborates with state and regional primary care associations and health center controlled networks to develop internal advocacy strategy that aligns state and local efforts with national advocacy priorities. ★ Partners with a broad range of organizations and institutions to leverage assets and positions to build support and acquire resources for furthering the health center mission. ★ Coordinates all advocacy, development, communication, and branding components of National Health Center Week.



National Association of Community Health Centers

• National Advocacy Director

  • Sep 2012 - Oct 2013

  ★ Owned accountability for developing and coordinating recruiting, training, and support structures to drive the national advocacy network. ★ Proactively developed and managed NACHC’s federal, state, and local advocacy strategy and issue campaigns to address pertinent issues and policy priorities. ★ Managed and grew National Health Center Week celebration that incorporated thousands of state-wide and local events, driving messaging and engaging elected officials ranging from local politicians to Congressional members that generated media coverage across hundreds of local communities.



National Association of Community Health Centers

• Assistant National Advocacy Director/Associate Director of State Affairs

  • Sep 2006 - Jan 2012

  ★ Coordinated communications and activation among thousands of advocates to drive engagement and influence across federal, state, and local advocacy campaigns.★ Consistently delivered superior executive-level consultation, training, and technical assistance to member health centers and state/regional primary care associations, advising on standings and potential impacts of federal and state policies.★ Developed targeted advocacy campaigns that included strategic local and state advocacy initiatives in support of the member health center facilities.★ Created and distributed timely, thorough, and impactful written reports and issue briefs on pertinent federal and state health care policy documents issued by state primary care associations and the broad healthcare advocate community.

• Grassroots Field Organizer

  • Jan 2005 - Aug 2006

  Regions I & IIPrivate contract providing client with proactive grassroots field organization and advocacy campaigns among Federally Qualified Community Health Centers in an eight state region and nationally as necessary.Identified, trained and directed State Advocacy Coordinators.Facilitated state and regional training, outreach, and educational sessions with state Primary Care Associations, health centers, and constituents regarding federal policy issues and advocacy issue campaigns.Developed and managed health center advocate network in northeast region, adding more than 2500 advocates.Provided direct lobbying support to Maine Primary Care Association and member health centers in both state and federal political arena.



Policy Management Associates

• Associate Lobbyist

  • Jan 2003 - Jul 2004

  Prepared legislative and regulatory issue research, including identification and tracking of varied policy issues for a diverse client base, including major American alcohol beverage interests, racing industry organizations, national health care organizations and scientific and chemical research interests. Conducted day-to-day communications with clients pertaining to critical issue development and political strategy in support of their interests. Provided regular written and verbal communications with legislative leadership, committee chairmen and rank and file legislators to promote client positions and influence the outcome of legislative and regulatory issues.