February 07, 2025
Happy Friday! Here's our monthly look at who's working where in the health care world.
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- We'll be back Monday or even earlier if there's news.
1 big thing: People moves that caught our eye
Hill moves
The Republican Policy Committee under Chair Kevin Hern has named Joe Barry executive director, Cameron Foster chief of staff, Miranda Dabney communications director and Jefferson Willis legislative director.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans under Chair Brett Guthrie have named Jay Gulshen chief counsel for the Health subcommittee and Adam Joseph digital director. Gulshen was previously the senior health adviser for the committee. Joseph was the digital director for the House Small Business Committee.
Senate Finance Committee Republicans under Chair Mike Crapo have named Kellie McConnell health policy director, Erin Dempsey deputy health policy director, Gable Brady, Charlotte Rock and Conor Sheehey senior health policy advisers, and Amy Nabozny health policy adviser.
House Budget Committee Republicans under Chair Jodey Arrington have named Evan Dixon communications director, Allison Dong senior communications adviser and Carter Houtman digital director.
Rep. Ami Bera has hired Asha Samuel as a senior health policy adviser and Rachel Tochterman as communications director. Samuel was previously legislative director for Rep. Earl Blumenauer. Tochterman was formerly deputy chief of staff for former Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg.
Sen. Maggie Hassan has hired Sahil Mehrotra as communications director and Marisa Nahem as press secretary. Mehrotra was previously deputy communications director, and Nahem was the New Hampshire communications director for the Harris campaign.
Jacquelyn Incerto is now a health policy adviser for Sen. Markwayne Mullin. She was previously the legislative director for former Rep. Michael Burgess.
Catherine Hayes is now executive director of the GOP Doctors Caucus. She previously was senior director, government relations, at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
Blake Kernen is now press secretary for Sen. Susan Collins. She previously was press secretary for Larry Hogan's Senate campaign.
Luke Graeter is now policy adviser for Sen. Bernie Moreno. He was previously legislative director for Rep. Brad Wenstrup.
Jennifer Hanson is now staff director for House Ways and Means Democrats on the Social Security subcommittee.
Alejandro Gonzalez Vega is now press secretary for Sen. Cory Booker. He was previously communications director at the New York City Council.
Armani Gracia is now communications director for Rep. Chip Roy. He was previously press secretary for Rep. Warren Davidson.
Administration moves
Heidi Overton has joined the White House as deputy assistant to the president for domestic policy. She previously was vice chair of the Center for a Healthy America at the America First Policy Institute.
Theo Merkel has joined the White House as special assistant to the president for domestic policy at the Domestic Policy Council. He previously was a senior research fellow at Paragon Health Institute.
Joel Zinberg has joined the White House as special assistant to the president for domestic policy at the National Economic Council. He was previously the director of the public health initiative at Paragon.
Joe Albanese has joined the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. He was previously a senior policy analyst at Paragon.
Sam Adolphsen has joined the White House as deputy assistant to the president for domestic policy. He was previously policy director at the Foundation for Government Accountability.
Molly Vaseliou is now associate administrator at the Environmental Protection Agency, per Leadership Connect. She was previously communications director for Sen. Bill Cassidy.
Meena Seshamani has been named Maryland Department of Health secretary. She was previously deputy administrator and director of the Center for Medicare at CMS.
Industry and lobbying moves
Larry Bucshon has joined Holland & Knight as senior policy adviser. He previously was a member of Congress from Indiana.
Debbie Stabenow is now a senior policy adviser at Liberty Partners. She was previously the senior senator from Michigan.
Ashley Palmer is joining Cornerstone Government Affairs as a principal. She was previously professional staff at the Senate Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services subcommittee.
Dianne Nellor is joining Cornerstone Government Affairs as a principal. She was previously staff director of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development and Food and Drug Administration.
Sarah Rogers Burke is now principal at Aquia Group. She previously was deputy staff director for the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Geoff Holtzman is joining Narrative Strategies as senior director. He previously was director of communications for Stand Together.
Tara Rountree is now lead director, government affairs at CVS Health. She previously was chief of staff for Rep. Jennifer McClellan.
Matthew Fuentes is now a partner at Avenue Solutions. He previously was Sen. Chuck Schumer's health policy adviser.
Heather Shimer and Ben Wolf are now partners in Alston & Bird's Health Care Group. Both were previously senior associates at Alston & Bird.
Sarah Karrakchou is now communications director at the Healthcare Leadership Council. She was previously an associate director for communications at the Healthcare Distribution Alliance.
Lynn Nonnemaker is now senior director at McDermott+. She was previously vice president for Medicare policy at AHIP.
Arnaud Ferreri is joining Headway as chief technology officer. He previously worked at Instacart.
Karl Rishe is joining the Children's Hospital Association as chief learning and member experience officer. He previously was director of client relations and senior consultant at the Telos Institute.
Annie Clark is now senior vice president at Rokk Solutions. She was previously communications director for Sen. Susan Collins and the Senate Appropriations Committee GOP.
Phylicia Woods is now director, government affairs at Hologic. She previously was director of government affairs and alliance development at Grail.
Academic and nonprofit moves
Bruce Pankey is joining Americares as CFO and treasurer. He previously was chief finance and administration officer for Counterpart International.
Carole Johnson is joining the Century Foundation as senior fellow. She previously was administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration.
John Graham is joining Paragon as a visiting fellow. He was previously a senior professional staffer at the House Ways and Means Committee GOP.
Ryan Neuhaus is joining the Heritage Foundation as chief of staff. He was previously legislative director for Sen. Mike Lee.
Jessie Losch has been named director of government affairs for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. She was previously government affairs manager at ASRM.
Destiny Lopez and Jonathan Wittenberg have been named co-CEOs and co-presidents of the Guttmacher Institute. Both were previously interim CEOs at Guttmacher.
Matthew Harmody has been named board chair and Emily Polet-Monterosso has been named executive director of the National Kidney Donation Organization.
Robert Cain has been named president of the Federation of Associations of Schools of the Health Professions. Cain is currently CEO of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.
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