Meet the team

The firm is led by Founder Tom Koutsoumpas, who has decades of experience as a leader in the health care field and is a national expert on health system transformation with a special emphasis on advanced illness and hospice.

Managing Partners Andrew MacPherson and Ray Quintero, as well as Senior Partner and President of Healthsperien X, Jeanne De Sa, and Partner Eddie Garcia round out the leadership team with decades of substantive health care industry, government, association and policy experience and expertise on a wide variety of issues. Our broader team includes dozens of talented individuals with varied and complementary backgrounds in law, public policy, business, economics, public health, operations, and strategic communication. Healthsperien’s culture is built on a foundation of core values: accountability, collaboration, communication, creativity, honesty, and respect. We are proud to demonstrate these values within our team and with our clients.

Together, we believe in the importance of innovation and partnerships in shaping a future health care system that addresses the goals of improved access, lower costs and high-quality care, especially for those most vulnerable.

Tom Koutsoumpas

Founder & President

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Andrew MacPherson

Managing Partner

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Ray Quintero

Managing Partner

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Jeanne De Sa

Senior Partner & President of Healthsperien X

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Edward Garcia III

Partner

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Tomas Bednar

Senior Vice President and Counsel

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Larry Atkins, PhD

Senior Advisor

Tom Beauregard

Senior Advisor

Philip Ellis

Senior Advisor

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Carole Fisher

Senior Advisor

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Daneen Sekoni

Senior Policy Director

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Jillian Racoosin

Deputy Executive Director

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Meg Wallace

Director of Strategic Partnerships

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Nikhil Holla

Policy Director

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Ethan McChesney

Policy Director

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Joy Chen

Senior Policy Analyst

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Aaron Ledbetter

Senior Policy Analyst

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Matthew Itzkowitz

Senior Policy Analyst and Counsel

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Abigail Barth

Research and Innovation Program Manager

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Ryan Rogers

Policy and Strategy Associate

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Rachel Jordan

Communications & Strategy Associate

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Wendy O’Brien

Office Administrator

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Caroline Espree

Human Resources Advisor

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Abigail Gadbois

Policy Analyst

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Debbie McCarron

Deputy Director

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Healthsperien, LLC is a Washington, D.C.-based policy and health care consulting firm focused on strategic, regulatory, legislative and implementation issues.
Copyright Healthsperien 2022. All rights reserved.
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Tom Koutsoumpas

Founder & President

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Tom Koutsoumpas has long been recognized as one of the nation’s leading experts and advocates in health care policy. He is a well-known leader in issues related to Medicare, elder care, advanced illness and hospice care. With a career that spans from the U.S. Senate and the Indiana Governor’s Office to leading the development of the nation’s largest health care companies’ Washington presence, Tom has worked to ensure that private and public health care programs and organizations are prepared to meet the ongoing opportunities and challenges related to health system transformation, with a primary focus on high quality patient care delivery. Along with founding Healthsperien, Tom Koutsoumpas currently serves as President and CEO of Capital Caring Health, a Washington DC-based non-profit provider of advanced illness, hospice and palliative care services. Tom co-founded and currently co-chairs the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care and serves as President and CEO of the National Partnership for Hospice Innovation. Tom is a member of the Roundtable on Quality Care for People with Serious Illness in the Health and Medicine Division of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which convenes experts in the quality care for those with serious illnesses. Tom also serves as one of the leaders of the Project on Advanced Care at the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School. Previously, Tom served as Senior Vice President and Founding Executive Director of the Mintz Levin Center for Health Law & Policy, a part of the Mintz Levin law firm. Before joining Mintz Levin, Tom served as Corporate Vice President of UnitedHealth Group, one of the nation’s largest healthcare companies. Tom joined United as Senior Vice President at Ovations, United’s then-Medicare division. At Ovations, Tom developed and oversaw federal and state government relations during implementation of Part D and the expansion of the Medicare Advantage program. Prior to his work with UnitedHealth Group, Tom was Executive Vice President and Chief of Public Affairs at VITAS Healthcare Corporation. Tom’s work experience prior to VITAS included serving as Senior Advisor and Executive Assistant/Federal Affairs to former Indiana Governor (and later Senator) Evan Bayh. Tom also worked as a health policy advisor with the Health Practice Group of the Hogan Lovells law firm (formerly Hogan and Hartson law firm), where he was instrumental in creating and developing the Medicare Hospice Benefit. He began his career working in the United States Senate and served as an associate in public affairs for Burson Marsteller. Tom co-authored A Roadmap to Success: Transforming Advanced Illness Care in America and the foreword to the publication, Having Your Own Say: Getting the Right Care When It Matters Most (2012) by Gundersen Health System and the Center for Health Transformation. A native of Indiana, Tom received his Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

Bachelor of Arts in American Studies

  • Chairman of the Board of Directors of Capital Caring, the community-based hospice and palliative care provider that serves the Washington, D.C. metro area.
  • Board Member and Immediate Past Chairman of the Board of Directors of The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, the oldest survivor-led cancer advocacy group in the country.
  • Member of the Advisory Council of the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP), a growing non-profit organization that provides technical and information support for medical-legal partnership programs in hundreds of hospitals and health centers across America.
  • Previous appointments have included the Board of Directors of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, the Board of Trustees of the National Hospice Foundation, and Member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation for End-of-Life Care.
  • Former member of the Business-Government Relations Council in Washington, D.C.
  • Former member of the Board of Regents of Georgetown University.

Andrew MacPherson

Managing Partner

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Andrew MacPherson is a Managing Partner at Healthsperien, LLC, with nearly two decades of health care legislative and regulatory policy and political experience. As Managing Partner, Andrew leads a team of experts who specialize in developing in-depth legislative and regulatory policy strategies, analyses, and strategic advocacy and communications for a wide-range of health care organizations, including Fortune 100 businesses, national health plans, professional associations, issue-based coalitions, and not-for-profit providers.

Andrew has a special emphasis and regularly speaks to national audiences on policy and political issues related to person-centered health care delivery transformation, including the crisis of social isolation and loneliness in the U.S., value-based insurance design (V-BID), and person-centered advanced illness and end-of-life care delivery. Andrew has been featured in variety of national media outlets on a range of health policy issues, including The Washington Post, Health Affairs, InsideHealthPolicy, Home Health Care News, and National Public Radio.

Prior to launching Healthsperien in 2012, Andrew was Founder and Principal of MacPherson Strategic, Inc., a health care policy, legislative strategy, and communications consulting firm. MacPherson Strategic served a diverse set of health care stakeholder clients, including consumer groups, broad-based advocacy coalitions, innovative health care start-ups, and the large public sector health care purchasers.

Prior to founding MacPherson Strategic, Andrew served as Director of Government Affairs at Jennings Policy Strategies, Inc. (JPS), a nationally recognized health policy consulting firm led by Chris Jennings, Former Senior Health Care Advisor to President Barack Obama and previously to President Bill Clinton. From 2007-2013, Andrew staffed a wide variety of client and pro bono initiatives in the policy, political, and communications arenas with JPS, Inc., including the Obama for America and Hillary Clinton for President presidential campaigns, the Bipartisan Policy Center health reform project with former Majority Leaders Baker, Daschle, Dole and Mitchell, and the Clinton Global Initiative.

From 2001-2006, Andrew worked for a range of policy and political organizations and elected officials, including the American Psychiatric Association (APA), Senator Carl Levin (D-Mich.), Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the Democratic Governors’ Association, the Vermont Democratic Party, and Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates, Inc., a market research and strategic communications consulting firm based in Washington, D.C.

Originally from Vermont, Andrew received a B.A. in Political Science from The George Washington University in May 2005.

  • The Affordable Care Act (ACA);
  • Quality and value-based purchasing
  • Medicare Advantage;
  • Medicaid, including managed long-term services and supports;
  • Prescription drug coverage and pharmaceutical issues;
  • Long-term care;
  • Chronic care management;
  • Palliative and hospice care;
  • Public and private insurance coverage protections and expansions.

THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

  • Member, Public Policy Council, American Society on Aging
  • Board Member, National POLST Paradigm
  • Board Member, Social Work Hospice & Palliative Care Network
  • Board Member, American Society on Aging Generations
  • Founder & Co-Director, Coalition to End Social Isolation & Loneliness
  • Co-Director, Smarter Health Care Coalition
  • Senior Advisor, National Partnership for Hospice Innovation
  • Senior Advisor, Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC)
  • Advisor, End Well: Design for the End of Life Experience

Ray Quintero

Managing Partner

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Ray Quintero is a Managing Partner at Healthsperien, LLC, with nearly two decades in health care public policy, legislative, regulatory, grassroots advocacy, communications and political experience. As Managing Partner, Ray leads a team of experts who specialize in developing in-depth legislative and regulatory policy strategies, analyses, and strategic advocacy and communications for a wide-range of health care organizations, including Fortune 100 businesses, national health plans, professional associations, issue-based coalitions, and not-for-profit providers.

Through Ray’s work, he has led and been actively involved in numerous multi-stakeholder coalitions aimed at improving our nation’s health care delivery and financing systems. Ray has a special emphasis on policy, business strategy, and political issues related to delivery system reform and stakeholder engagement to advance clients deep and wide-ranging objectives spanning the care and management spectrum, including patients, providers, educators, payers, and pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Prior to joining Healthsperien, Ray served as Senior Vice President of Public Policy at the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) in Washington, D.C. and Chicago. As part of the senior leadership team, he managed a professional team while leading and executing the overall strategic vision of the AOA’s national membership organization, representing nearly 130,000 osteopathic physicians and medical students. Ray oversaw the AOA’s diverse Federal & State government relations program, including the legislative, regulatory, advocacy, and political operations of the organization. Shaping the Association’s message, he frequently was an on-the-record spokesperson commenting on various aspects of the health care industry.

During his tenure at the AOA, he led the association’s efforts on many issues, including Medicare physician payment, medical liability reform, graduate medical education, delivery system reform, and efforts to implement new payment models for physicians under both public and private systems.

His government relations background also includes positions at Merck Pharmaceuticals, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), and American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP). As well, Ray provided grassroots and public affairs counsel to a range of health care clients while serving as Vice President of Strategic Alliances at Seven Twenty Strategies. Ray began his career in health care government relations as a policy advisor in the Health and Life Sciences practice of B&D Consulting.

A native of Arizona, Ray received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Arizona, where he served as Student Body President and on the Arizona Alumni Association Board.

  • Delivery system reform;
  • Alternative Payment Models (APMs)’;
  • Quality Payment Program (QPP) – Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS);
  • The Affordable Care Act (ACA);
  • Physician payment;
  • Quality and value-based purchasing;
  • Medicare;
  • Medicaid;
  • Graduate medical education;
  • Pharmaceutical issues;
  • Long-term care;
  • Chronic care management;
  • Palliative care and hospice;
  • Public and private insurance coverage expansions.
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
  • Steering Committee Member, National Hispanic Medical Association
  • Co-Director, Smarter Health Care Coalition
  • Co-Director, Coalition to End Social Isolation & Loneliness
  • Senior Strategic Advisor, National Partnership for Hospice Innovation

Jeanne De Sa

Senior Partner & President of Healthsperien X

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With more than two decades of experience in health care policy, data analysis, and strategy, Jeanne helps organizations respond to challenges and opportunities in the changing health care policy environment. She draws on her background in the government and the private sector to translate complex developments in health care reform and reimbursement policy for a range of audiences and purposes, and offers particular insights into the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Her data analysis skills, including working with cost projections, clinical data, and actuarial models, enhances client strategy and business development. She brings a practical approach to projects that deal with health system transformation, specifically those including new models of payment and care delivery, and offers a unique perspective on the federal budget process and the health care economy.

Prior to joining Healthsperien, Jeanne worked at UnitedHealth Group as a Senior Vice President and led an interdisciplinary policy, data analysis, and research team at the company’s Center for Health Reform & Modernization. She also served as an advisor on health policy issues (including Medicaid, Medicare, ACA implementation, and delivery system reforms), conducted analytic and quantitative research on topics related to modernizing the financing and delivery of health care and consulted on the design of pilots for alternative models of care. She authored a series of working papers and presented on topics including Medicare and Medicaid reform, specialty pharmacy, diabetes, genomics and novel diagnostics, and alternatives to fee-for-service.

From 1997 to 2008, Jeanne served as a Principal Analyst at the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in the Budget Analysis Division’s health care section. As one of the agency’s primary Medicaid, CHIP and low-income Medicare program analysts, she developed ten-year spending forecasts for health care entitlement programs and estimated the financial and programmatic impacts of policy changes in Medicare, Medicaid, and public health programs. She also has experience working with state governments on improving their health care systems through work at the Alpha Center (now part of AcademyHealth) and for the state of Massachusetts.

HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL
Masters in Public Policy (MPP)

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
History

  • BOARD OF TRUSTEES
    United Cerebral Palsy

Health care reform landscape and the federal budget

  • Presentation – An Outsider’s Perspective: 10 insights about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and a few others about the changing health care system. Presentation for the American Academy of Dermatology Association. (Washington, DC) June 26, 2015.

  • Presentation – Future directions for health care reform and impact for stakeholders, National Hospice Working Group (Washington, DC), May 2014.

  • Presentation – Consolidation in Health Care: What are the Implications for the Medical Technology Industry? AdvaMed Annual Meeting 2013 (Washington, DC), September 23, 2013.

  • Issue brief – Does the recession explain why US health care spending growth has slowed? An overview of recent economic research, UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform & Modernization, May 2013.

  • Panel participation – The Post-Election Health Care Landscape, Lyceum Associates (Washington, DC) November 27, 2012.

  • CBO Report – The Potential Budgetary Impact of Recognizing Same-Sex Marriages, U.S. Congressional Budget Office, June 21, 2004. www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/06-21-samesexmarriage.pdf

Medicare and Medicaid/CHIP

  • Presentation. Outlook for Medicaid Managed Care: 2015 and Beyond. Potomac Research Group. (New York, New York) September 10, 2015.

  • Webinar. Medicare Advantage Basics and Key Issues for Not-for-Profit Hospice Providers: National Partnership for Hospice Innovation. April 23, 2015.

  • Webinar. Medicare Advantage 101: The Current Landscape and Identifying Opportunities for Advanced Illness Care.Coalition to Transform Advanced Care C-TAC. September 15, 2015

  • Working paper – Medicare and Medicaid, Savings Opportunities from Health Care Modernization (Working Paper 9), UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform & Modernization, January 2013 http://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/~/media/UHG/PDF/2013/UNH-Working-Paper-9.ashx

  • Working paper – 100% of the future: improving the health of America’s children (Working Paper 10). UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform & Modernization, August 2013.

  • Panel participation –State budgets and Medicaid, Alliance for Health Reform/State Budget Crisis Taskforce (Washington, DC), May 29, 2013.

  • Issue brief – The Oregon Medicaid Experiment – What does it tell us? UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform & Modernization, May 2013.

  • Panel participation – Medicaid in an Era of Tight Budgets, Time to Rethink the Federal-State Relationship? Brookings Institution Roundtable (invitation only – Washington DC) September 6, 2012. Expert policy panel reviewing fiscal and structural challenges Medicaid poses to the federal government and states and options for going forward.

  • Working paper – Coverage for Consumers, Savings for States: Options for Modernizing Medicaid (Working paper 3), UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform & Modernization, April 2010. www.unitedhealthgroup.com/~/media/UHG/PDF/2010/UNH-Working-Paper-3.ashx

  • CBO Report – The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (Contributor), U.S. Congressional Budget Office, May 2007. www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/05-10-schip.pdf

  • CBO Report – A Detailed Description of CBO’s Cost Estimate for the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Contributor), U.S. Congressional Budget Office, July 2004. www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/07-21-medicare.pdf

  • CBO Report – Issues in Designing a Prescription Drug Benefit for Medicare (Contributor), U.S. Congressional Budget Office, October 2002. www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/10-30-prescriptiondrug.pdf

Data analytics and health IT

  • Presentation –Transparency in health care: Perspectives on the potential of heath care “big” data, Public Sector HealthCare Roundtable (Washington, DC), November 7, 2014.

  • Presentation – Harnessing Big Data: An Overview, American Academy of Dermatologists Association, September 8, 2014.

  • Panel discussion – Big Data: What you need to know for your job in 2014, Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association, Boston Chapter (Cambridge, MA), January 30, 2014.

  • Working paper – Jeanne De Sa, The Market for Accountability: Measuring and Managing Health Plan Performance, The Alpha Center, Washington, DC, 1996.

Life sciences

  • Issue brief – The growth of specialty pharmacy: current trends and future opportunities, UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform & Modernization, April 2014. www.unitedhealthgroup.com/~/media/UHG/PDF/2014/UNH-The-Growth-Of-Specialty-Pharmacy.ashx

  • Presentation/Moderator – Perspectives on Specialty Pharmaceuticals: Managing Innovation & Cost, UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform & Modernization (New York City) April 29, 2014.

  • Journal article – Reed Tuckson, Lee Newcomer, and Jeanne De Sa, Accessing Genomic Medicine: Affordability, Diffusion, and Disparities, JAMA View Point, Journal of the American Medical Association, April 2013.http://www.tucksonhealthconnections.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Accessing-Genomic-Medicine.pdf

  • Presentation/Moderator – Reimbursement and the Evidence Base for Molecular Diagnostics, Harvard Medical School/Harvard Business School/Partners Health Care center for Genetic Medicine, Personalized Medicine 2013 (Cambridge, MA), November 7, 2013.

  • Presentation – Molecular Diagnostics and Genetic Testing: Trends, Spending and Utilization, Personalized Medicine World Conference 2013 (Mountain View, CA), January 19, 2013.

  • Presentation – Mapping the Future of Molecular Diagnostics: The Role of Personalized Medicine in an Improved Delivery System, 4th Annual Personalized Medicine Conference (Boston, MA), September 13, 2012.

  • Journal article – Lewis Sandy, MD, Nadine Caputo, Deneen Vojta, MD, Simon Stevens, Jeanne De Sa, and Brantley Carlson, “Growth of Molecular Diagnostics and Genetic Testing in the United States, 2008-2011: Analysis and Implications,” Personalized Medicine, November 1, 2013.

  • Working paper – Personalized Medicine: Trends and prospects for the new science of genetic testing and molecular diagnostics(Working paper 7), UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform & Modernization, 2012.www.unitedhealthgroup.com/~/media/uhg/pdf/2012/unh-working-paper-7.ashx

  • CBO Report – U.S. Policy Regarding Pandemic Influenza Vaccines (Contributor), U.S. Congressional Budget Office, September 2008. www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/09-15-pandemicflu.pdf

  • CBO Report – A Potential Influenza Pandemic: Possible Macroeconomic Effects and Policy Issues (Contributor), U.S. Congressional Budget Office, December 8, 2005, revised July 27, 2006. www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/12-08-birdflu.pdf

  • CBO cost estimate – Project BioShield Act of 2003, cost estimate for H.R. 2122 as ordered reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, May, 2003. www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/hr2122ec.pdf

Payment and delivery reform

  • Working paper – Farewell to Fee-for-Service (Working paper 8), UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform & Modernization, December, 2012 (Contributor). This paper emphasizes how to help providers develop the capabilities needed to succeed in new payment reform environment. It also discusses an action agenda for all stakeholders.www.unitedhealthgroup.com/~/media/UHG/PDF/2012/UNH-Working-Paper-8.ashx

  • Panel participation – Opportunities for Public-Private Collaboration in Rural Health (White House invitation-only event), July 22-23, 2013.

  • Working paper – Modernizing Rural Health Care: Coverage, quality, and innovation (Working paper 6), UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform & Modernization, July 2011. Discussion of practical application of payment reform models, such as accountable care organizations, to rural communities. http://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/~/media/UHG/PDF/2011/UNH-Working-Paper-6.ashx

  • Presentation – Nurse Practitioners: The Payment Environment after Reform, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (Washington, DC), November 18, 2010.

  • Journal article – Jeanne De Sa and Stephen Schrodel, “Emerging State Policy Trends Related to Medical Group Practice,” The Journal of Ambulatory Care Management, Volume 19, Number 4, October 1996.

  • Journal article – Debra Lipson and Jeanne De Sa, “Impact of Purchasing Strategies on Local Health Care Systems,” Health Affairs, Summer 1996. http://www.content.healthaffairs.org/content/15/2/62.full.pdf+html?sid=2272fe7b-df52-4bc4-9302-49237cdbd0b6

Long-term care and chronic conditions

  • Panel/Workshop – Workshop to address polypill clinical trials and regulatory approval and Polypill therapy – opportunities and challenges for payers, CardioVascular Clinical Trials Forum, The George Institute for Global Health, (Washington, DC), December 7, 2014.

  • Journal article – Deneen Vojta, Jeanne De Sa, Ted Prospect, Simon Stevens, “Effective Interventions for Stemming the Growing Crisis of Diabetes and Prediabetes: A National Payer’s Perspective,” Health Affairs, Volume 31, Issue 1, January 2012. http://www.content.healthaffairs.org/content/31/1/20.full.pdf+html?sid=2272fe7b-df52-4bc4-9302-49237cdbd0b6

  • Working paper – The United States of Diabetes: Challenges and Opportunities in the Decade Ahead (Working paper 5), UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform & Modernization, November 2010. www.unitedhealthgroup.com/~/media/UHG/PDF/2010/UNH-Working-Paper-5.ashx

  • Panel – Atrial Fibrillation: Medicare Advantage and Readmissions, StopAfib event (Washington, DC), January 26, 2010.

Edward Garcia III

Partner

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As Partner, Eddie offers clients thoughtful and expansive expertise in health and social policy development and advocacy for low-income and other vulnerable populations. Eddie’s 15+ years working in government health care programs has made him knowledgeable in a multitude of health and social policy issues. He has led and been actively involved in numerous multi-stakeholder coalitions aimed at improving our nation’s health care delivery and financing systems. Eddie recently joined the Healthsperien team and will be supporting our health plan portfolio and as well as our coalitions. In addition, he brings a wealth of knowledge and passion for policy and program development to expand access to social determinants of health programs and services.

Before joining the Healthsperien team, Eddie served as the Executive Director for Federal Affairs at CareSource, a government programs-focused health insurer. He oversaw the development of federal policy and advocacy across their multi-state health plans. His portfolio included policy development and advocacy on Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, Health Insurance Exchanges, dual-eligible coverage, and social determinants of health programs and financing. Before joining CareSource, Eddie served as Director of Federal Relations for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association where he maintained a similar portfolio related to Administration advocacy and regulatory policy development.

Prior to joining the private sector, Eddie held positions in both the Executive and Legislative branches. From 2007 – 2012, Eddie worked at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services where he oversaw the development and implementation of quality measurement across all CMS quality programs. From 2012-2015, Eddie served the House Energy and Commerce committee as a professional staff member overseeing their Medicare finance and quality portfolios.

Hailing from the great state of Ohio, Eddie received his B.A. in political science and comparative health politics from Boston University in 2004. In 2008, Eddie received his Master of Health Science in Public Health degree from The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and inducted into the Delta Omega honors society as the valedictorian of his graduating class.

BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Comparative Health Politics

JOHNS HOPKINS BLOOMBERG SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Master of Health Sciences in Public Health

Tomas Bednar

Senior Vice President and Counsel

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Tomas offers a wide range of experience in health care regulatory and policy topics, particularly from a health plan perspective. He has significant expertise in Medicaid/Medicare Managed Care, coverage of dual eligibles, and policy approaches to addressing social determinants of health.

Prior to joining Healthsperien, Tomas worked as the Industry Affairs Manager at the AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies. There he managed a team of analysts responsible for the tracking and analysis of federal regulatory and legislative efforts as well as industry-wide Medicaid, Medicare, and prescription drug policy trends. He was responsible for the development of policy positioning on key issues, the management of relationships with national trade associations, and providing direct support to senior leadership in the development of corporate strategy. He also held a position within the corporate compliance department where he helped all lines of business implement federal regulatory changes.

Prior to his time at AmeriHealth Caritas, Tomas was a public interest attorney in Philadelphia, PA, where he worked for the Legal Clinic for the Disabled (LCD). At LCD Tomas directed two medical-legal partnerships – one targeting the needs of low-income cancer patients in an outpatient radiation oncology clinic, and the second working with chronically homeless individuals at a federally qualified health center. He represented his clients in a wide range of legal issues, including SSI/SSDI, unsecured debt relief, insurance appeals, landlord tenant disputes, and family law issues.

Tomas has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and English as well as a Masters in Bioethics from the University of Pittsburgh. He also has a Juris Doctorate from Temple University and is admitted to practice in the state of Pennsylvania.

UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and English

Masters in Bioethics

TEMPLE UNIVERSITY
Juris Doctorate

Larry Atkins, PhD

Senior Advisor

Dr. Atkins is Research Director of the Long-Term Quality Alliance in Washington, DC. He is a Board member and immediate past-President of the National Academy of Social Insurance. He was recently the Staff Director of the federal Commission on Long-Term Care, which issued its final report in September 2013. Prior to that, he was Executive Director, U.S. Public Policy at the global pharmaceutical manufacturer Merck.

Dr. Atkins is a veteran of more than 30 years of health and social policy analysis, policy development, and legislative representation at the local, state, and federal levels. He directed Public Policy at Schering-Plough Corporation; was founder and President of Health Policy Analysts, Inc., a firm providing consultation on pharmaceutical, health benefits, and health care reimbursement issues; was Executive Director of the Corporate Health Care Coalition, an alliance of Fortune 100 companies on federal and state health reform issues; and headed a health and benefits policy practice in the Washington office of the New York law firm Winthrop, Stimson, Putnam and Roberts. During the 1990s, Dr. Atkins served on two quadrennial Social Security Advisory Commissions – 1991 as a Commission member and 1995 as a member of the Technical Panel.

During the 1980s, Dr. Atkins served on the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging as professional staff, Deputy Staff Director and Republican Staff Director for Chairman John Heinz (R-PA), and advised Senator Heinz as a member of the Senate Finance Committee on retirement income and health policy matters, and as a member of the 1983 National Commission on Social Security Reform. Prior to his work in the Congress, Dr. Atkins developed health and human services policy at the state and local government levels.

Dr. Atkins holds a Ph.D. from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, where he is currently a member of the Board of Overseers. He holds master degrees from the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky, and an undergraduate degree from Kenyon College.

KENYON COLLEGE

UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY

BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY Heller School of Social Policy and Management

Tom Beauregard

Senior Advisor

Mr. Beauregard provides strategic consult for Healthsperien’s clients. Tom is a top leader in health care innovation and implementation, with 30 years of broad experience with a range of organizations in the health care sector, industry, public policy, academia and the non-profit community. His current work focuses on development of next-generation health care solutions with diverse partners and support for non-profit organizations in this sector.

In his previous role as Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer of UnitedHealth Group, Tom led a visionary and nimble research and development team with a disruptive mission – finding practical solutions to the most pervasive and difficult challenges in health care. The team focused on designing, developing and launching initiatives that transform the financing and delivery of care and leverage new technologies and care models to address underlying challenges with cost, quality and access.

Tom’s combination of strategy, implementation experience, and insights about the evolving health care sector and technology has driven his success in developing a portfolio of 20 to 30 R&D initiatives and expert role in managing the company’s overall investment in innovation. Other accomplishments include the National Diabetes Prevention Program in partnership with the Y-USA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an evidence-based childhood obesity solution, and a reality TV-based diabetes prevention program (Project NOT ME) that earned Tom a regional Emmy for in his role as an Executive Producer.

Prior to taking on that role, Tom’s work focused on innovative solutions for employers and consumers and applicability of initiatives to Medicare and Medicaid populations. He ran an interdisciplinary research team identifying ways to improve care delivery during health reform with colleague Simon Stevens (now head of the UK National Health Service). He also served as the Chief Executive Officer of a UnitedHealth Care business segment (United Essentials) that ran research and new product development activities. Tom led a team that conducted extensive employer and consumer research and developed programs and products that extended appealing and affordable coverage to targeted employer and consumer segments. Tom’s team launched several innovative solutions that included breakthroughs in affordable coverage solutions, advanced consumer choice models, value-based incentive models, and portable insurance solutions.

Tom brought extensive experience from the health benefits consulting sector to his research and development work. He was the National Practice Leader for Hewitt Associates, a global management consulting firm where he worked closely with large employers seeking innovative approaches to improving their employee benefit plans while addressing increasing costs. As the youngest partner in the firm’s history he tripled the size of the practice during his tenure. He also led the firm’s foray into a technology-based approach to consumer-directed care as a Chief Strategy Officer and built out an extensive network of relationships with the then early-stage digital health sector.

Philip Ellis

Senior Advisor

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Philip Ellis currently provides consult and expertise on health policy issues and analysis. He spent most of his career at the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and served as a leader of CBO’s health team during the debate over the Affordable Care Act in 2009-10 – focusing primarily on estimating the effects of the law’s provisions governing insurance coverage. At that time, the Washington Post said he “may be the most powerful guy you’ve never heard of in the health-care debate.” Phil’s research and writing has covered a wide range of topics in health care, including health insurance reform, payment reform, Medicare, Medicaid, and prescription drug coverage.

In 2011, he moved to UnitedHealth Group to become a Senior Vice President in the Center for Health Reform and Modernization, where he advised on development of payment reform initiatives and implementation of the ACA. Dr. Ellis returned to CBO in 2013 as a Senior Adviser and in 2015 he became a Deputy Assistant Director in the Health, Retirement, and Long-Term Analysis Division. In that capacity he supervised a range of projects focusing primarily on hospital, physician, and drug payments.

He has also worked on health reform and health policy issues at Acumen LLC, in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at HHS, and at the Treasury Department.

Dr. Ellis has a bachelor’s degree from Stanford, a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and a Ph.D. in economics from MIT.

STANFORD UNIVERSITY

HARVARD’S KENNEDY SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT

MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Carole Fisher

Senior Advisor

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Carole brings her immense experience to provide strategic consult to Healthsperien’s clients. She is the former President and CEO of Nathan Adelson Hospice. In a fiercely competitive market, she positioned the organization as southern Nevada’s hospice of choice and employer of preference. Under her guidance, the organization acquired two hospice organizations and was recognized as a 100 Best Places to Work in the country for 8 years. Today, she serves as the organizations Principal Advisor for Strategic Initiatives.

Currently, Carole serves as an organizational consultant, executive coach and public speaker. She works with others to provoke their thinking and provide tools necessary to fulfill their cause and purpose in life. As an avid student of leadership, with an insatiable appetite for best practices and new leadership ideas, she understands how to compose high-performance cultures and organizations through developing competent and capable people. Carole’s passion is to help individuals and organizations rise to their full potential. Additionally, Carole works to improve the framework of organizations through strategic planning and leadership development with the organizations board of directors and senior leadership teams.

Carole serves as an executive coach and consultant for leaders and organizations navigating unforeseen situations. She is well-versed in crisis management specifically related to unanticipated and unexpected events. She has experience with M&A mid-size transactions and has a proven track record of creating non-traditional revenue streams through JVs, collaborative partnerships and alliances. She is well respected for her ability to merge cultures and teams, influence key stakeholders, and for establishing purposeful relationships with board of directors and persons of influence.

Carole’s professional and community accomplishments have also been recognized through awards and honors including: 2019 Nevada Business Magazine’s Healthcare Heroes Lifetime Achievement Award; 2018 Nevada Business Women to Watch; 2017 Women’s Hall of Fame Pioneer Award by Women’s Chamber of Commerce; named one of Las Vegas’ Top 100 Women of Influence 2015 and 2016 by My Vegas Magazine; Executive of the Year 2016 by Silver State Awards; the first American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians Advocacy Award 2014; 2013 Non-Profit Healthcare Hero Award sponsored by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and Nevada Business Magazine; Modern Healthcare’s National Community Leadership Award – Finalist 2012; Nevada Business Magazine’s 2012 Most Respected CEOs; Women Who Mean Business 2011; National Association of Women Business Owners Women of Distinction Award-Professional Services (NAWBO) 2010; named one of 20 executives in Nevada Business Magazine’s Executives Who Have Shown 20/20 Vision 2009; Women to Watch 2009; and Leadership Las Vegas 1996.

Carole graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Social Work. In 2015, Carole attained her Master of Leadership Arts and Sciences from the Thayer Institute. She is also received her LEAN Six Sigma Certification in 2018.

UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS
Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Social Work

THAYER INSTITUTE
Masters of Leadership, Arts and Sciences-Certification

LEAN SIX SIGMA CERTIFICATION

Daneen Sekoni

Senior Policy Director

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Daneen has more than 10 years of experience in health care regulatory and policy topics, including provider reimbursement, payment and delivery system reform and the Affordable Care Act. She also has international health care experience related to developing HIV/AIDS provider networks.

Daneen joined Healthsperien after working as the Director of Health Care Reform Policy at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She supported the association’s national advocacy strategy pertaining to essential health benefits, alternative payment models, health equity and nondiscrimination in health care. In this role, she analyzed opportunities and developed strategies to promote coverage for and reimbursement of audiology and speech-language pathology services. She also represented the association before select federal agencies, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and chronic diseases and disability focused national coalitions.

Prior to her position with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Daneen worked as Regulatory Affairs Manager at the American Academy of Neurology where she oversaw Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement and policy issues impacting the profession of neurology.

Daneen, a native Marylander, graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Health Science degree. She also has a Master’s in Health Services Administration degree, with a concentration in health policy, from the George Washington University.

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
Bachelor of Health Science

GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
Masters in Health Services Administration with a concentration in health policy

Jillian Racoosin

Deputy Executive Director

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As the Deputy Executive Director for the Foundation for Social Connectedness (F4SC) and Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness (CESIL), Jillian is responsible for leading, planning, and organizing the direction of the Coalition and the Foundation’s operations and programs.

Jillian joined the team after working as the Director of Strategic Accounts at Force Therapeutics, a leading digital health company. Prior to her position with Force, Jillian held roles in program evaluation at Cicatelli Associates Inc., health communications at APCO Worldwide, & global health education at Sesame Workshop.

After graduating from Tulane University, Jillian received her Masters degree in Public Health from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, with a certificate in Health Promotion, Research, & Practice. Apart from her work with the Foundation and Coalition, Jillian is a fitness instructor in the DC community.

TULANE UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Science in Public Health

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY MAILMAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH Master of Public Health

Meg Wallace

Director of Strategic Partnerships

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Meg is Healthsperien’s Manager of Strategic Partnerships where she oversees the functions of the firm’s external partnerships and coalition clients. Meg handles partnership and coalition communications, strategic planning, budgeting and operations and serves as the main point of contact for partnership and coalition members.

Meg graduated from the University of Vermont with a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and Chinese.

UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT
Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and Chinese

Nikhil Holla

Policy Director

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As Policy Director, Nikhil leverages his diverse experience in health services research, federal healthcare consulting, and the health insurance industry to support Healthsperien’s clients. He has extensive policy experience in Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) model development, implementation, and evaluation, as well as significant expertise in Medicaid managed care, dual-eligible coverage, and value-based care arrangements.

Prior to joining Healthsperien, Nikhil served as Senior Public Policy Analyst at CareFirst, where he led development of CareFirst’s Medicaid policy platform, supported policy analyses of Maryland’s Total Cost of Care waiver, and advanced CareFirst’s value-based care advocacy efforts. Prior to CareFirst, Nikhil worked at Booz Allen Hamilton, supporting the Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office with the Financial Alignment Initiative and CMMI on implementing learning systems for Comprehensive Primary Care Plus. Nikhil began his career at the Urban Institute, as a quantitative research analyst studying social determinants of health and maternal health-related issues.

Nikhil has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Washington University in St. Louis and a Master of Public Health in Health Policy from George Washington University.

WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Arts in Economics

GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
Master of Public Health in Health Policy

Ethan McChesney

Policy Director

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As a Policy and Innovation Associate with Healthsperien, Ethan is responsible for supporting a wide range of strategic activities across clients, primarily focused on the work of the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), a national organization representing not-for-profit hospice programs across the country.

Prior to joining Healthsperien, Ethan held multiple public policy-focused internships, namely with the National Coalition on Health Care and Wynne Health Group. Ethan also has prior experience in the congressional office of the senior Senator from Colorado, Michael Bennet.

Ethan graduated from the University of Kansas in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and minors in Sociology and Psychology.

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

Joy Chen

Senior Policy Analyst

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As a health policy analyst for the firm, Joy provides legislative and regulatory analysis as it pertains to long term services and supports and delivery system reform as well as strategic support for any and all client matters. She holds extensive knowledge in qualitative analytics, having produced comprehensive literature reviews for various clients throughout her public health career.

Joy brings a unique perspective from her experiences in both local and state government. She previously worked for the City of Moreno Valley providing strategic planning and grant management for their Community Development department. During her graduate studies, she engaged in various research projects such as inclusive workforce development for healthcare workers, rethinking the built environment, and building out social services in a free clinic setting.

Joy received her Master of Public Health degree from the Yale School of Public Health with a concentration in health policy and completed her Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from the University of California, Riverside.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE
Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy

YALE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Masters of Public Health (MPH)

Aaron Ledbetter

Senior Policy Analyst

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Aaron serves as a Senior Policy Analyst at Healthsperien. He offers a diverse perspective on healthcare policy and business practices, with specific expertise in value-based care models, business planning and strategy, and financial analysis.

Prior to joining Healthsperien, Aaron worked at MaineHealth where he managed their value-based care contracts and completed a post-graduate executive fellowship focused on operational strategy, facility expansion, and community interfacing initiatives. Before MaineHealth, Aaron worked in economic development at the University of Michigan’s Economic Growth Institute and in Strategy & Research consulting focused on Private Equity clients at STEER Partners in Boston, MA.

In 2013, Aaron received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Allegheny College in History, focused on American Public Health. In 2018, he received his Master of Public Policy and Master of Health Services Administration from the University of Michigan. Aaron is a native New Englander, hailing from Worcester, Massachusetts and is a lifelong Boston sports fan.

ALLEGHENY COLLEGE IN HISTORY
B.A. American Public Health

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
M.A. Public Policy and Health Services Administration

Matthew Itzkowitz

Senior Policy Analyst and Counsel

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Matthew provides a wide range of legislative and regulatory research, guidance, and analysis on issues that directly impact Healthsperien’ s pharmacy, life sciences, long-term care, health plan, and provider clients. Matthew has experience advising clients on issues pertaining to pharmacy reimbursement and delivery models, value-based payment, and mental and behavioral health care integration as well as social determinants of health. Matthew serves as the Policy Director for the Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness, where he leads the development of the multi-sector Coalition’s policy agenda and leads the Coalition’s advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill and in federal agencies.

Prior to joining Healthsperien, Matthew served as a law clerk at a boutique law firm in Washington, D.C. where he advised health care and life sciences clients on issue pertaining to the Controlled Substances Act, the Food Drug & Cosmetic Act, and health care fraud and abuse laws. Matthew also completed internships at the United States Food and Drug Administrations Office of Chief Counsel and Office of Policy, where he gained first-hand knowledge of administrative agency regulatory processes and FDA priorities.

Matthew earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences with a minor in Political Science from the University of South Florida and his Juris Doctorate degree from American University Washington College of Law. Matthew is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences, minor in Political Science

AMERICAN UNIVERISTY WASHINGTON COLLEGE OF LAW
Juris Doctorate

Abigail Barth

Research and Innovation Program Manager

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As Research and Innovation Program Manager, Abigail manages and develops research and innovation initiatives for the Foundation for Social Connection (F4SC) and Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness (CESIL).

Abigail joins the team with diverse program management, program development, health policy, and qualitative research experience in the health and social care spaces. Most recently, she served as a program manager at AIRnyc, a community health worker community-based organization. Abigail previously conducted social determinants of health-focused research at the National Association of Community Health Centers, provided project management support for federal and state health IT infrastructure projects at EMI Advisors, and conducted policy development and coalition work at Horizon Government Affairs.

Abigail holds a B.A. in religion from Barnard College and a Master of Public Health in Health Policy from the George Washington University School of Public Health, where she received recognition for her Master’s thesis on social isolation and loneliness among young adults.

BARNARD COLLEGE
Bachelor of Arts in Religion

GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
Master of Public Health in Health Policy

Ryan Rogers

Policy and Strategy Associate

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Ryan provides business insights, strategic analysis, and operational support to Healthsperien’s clients. He enjoys engaging in conversations about clients’ strategic goals and working with the Healthsperien team to advance innovative solutions.

Before joining Healthsperien, Ryan worked in both public and private sector roles, specializing in federal policy formulation, stakeholder communications, and business development. These included work with U.S. Senator Patrick Toomey, U.S. Congressman Lloyd Smucker, congressional candidate Marty Nothstein, First Financial Group, Saeidan, and Diversatek Healthcare.

Ryan holds his M.B.A. from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, where he concentrated in corporate strategy and healthcare management. As a student, Ryan was President of the Adam Smith Society, a public policy network which engaged business and political leaders on current policymaking discussions. He also graduated cum laude from Villanova University, with a B.A. in Economics and Political Science. He resides in Maryland and is a proud fifth-generation Washingtonian.

VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY’S MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Masters in Business Administration

Rachel Jordan

Communications & Strategy Associate

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As a Communications and Strategy Associate with Healthsperien, Rachel is responsible for supporting a wide range of strategic activities including preparing legislative updates, overseeing traditional and social media outreach, and conducting health policy research to advance the needs of clients. Before joining the team, Rachel served as a Policy and Strategy intern for Healthsperien during the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters.

Rachel has experience in public policy having previously interned for the U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms and U.S. Senator Cory Booker. She also served as the Special Projects Manager at Text Surge, a full service firm specializing in peer-to-peer texting campaigns, where she assisted in supporting their wide range of clients.

Rachel received her Bachelor of Arts degree from American University in Justice and Law with a concentration in Criminal Justice and minor in Public Health.

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Arts in Justice and Law with a concentration in Criminal Justice and minor in Public Health.

Wendy O’Brien

Office Administrator

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Wendy is Healthsperien’s Office Administrator where she will manage the firm’s daily operations as well as executive scheduling and administrative duties. Prior to joining Healthsperien, Wendy worked as the Executive Assistant to the CEO at Nathan Adelson Hospice in Las Vegas, NV. Wendy graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2003 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Landscape Architecture.

UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS
Bachelor of Arts in Landscape Architecture

Caroline Espree

Human Resources Advisor

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Ms. Espree is a Human Resources Business Leader with over twenty years of experience in Fortune 500 and nonprofit organizations. She is a high energy and impactful compliance driven HR professional who is passionate about providing human resources solutions to her clients. As the Vice President of Human Resources & Administration at the National Older Worker Career Center, Inc., Ms. Espree led the strategy for human capital management. She empowered a high-performance team by cultivating an award-winning Best Place to Work culture of excellence. She also served in human resources leadership positions at Amylin Pharmaceuticals and CVS.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Virginia Commonwealth University and has a Master of Business Administration degree. Ms. Espree is a 2017 Leadership Arlington Graduate and completed the George Mason University Human Resources Management Certification Program. She is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SHRM-SCP) by the Society for Human Resources Management and the Human Resources Certification Institute (SPHR). In addition, she is a Myers Briggs Certified Practitioner and DISC Trainer.

Ms. Espree is a Founding Member of the Prince William Society for Human Resources Management and served on the Board of Directors for several years. She is passionate about volunteering in the community and is an Election Official with Stafford County, member of the Society for Human Resources Management, Prince William and Northern Virginia Society for Human Resources Management, Tea Rose Investment Club Member, Parliamentarian for Women in Community Action, and Life Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

Master of Business Administration

Abigail Gadbois

Policy Analyst

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Prior to joining Healthsperien, Abby worked at the Maryland Department of Health Behavioral Health Administration, Developmental Disabilities Administration and Medicaid Office of Long-Term Services and Supports. Abby conducted policy analyses, wrote position papers and testimony for MDH leadership, and managed policy initiatives and stakeholder outreach and workgroups for the administrations. Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Abby joined several special projects to provide infection control support to congregate care facilities and expand access to COVID-19 therapeutics. 

Abby received a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology with a concentration in Health Policy from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. She also graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Science in Genetics and East Asian Studies. 

Debbie McCarron

Deputy Director

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Debra McCarron has extensive experience in strategic communications & marketing, stakeholder engagement, and project management. She joins Healthsperein as Deputy Director to provide comprehensive communications and operational support to the company and its non-profit partner organizations.

Before joining Healthsperien, she served as the Deputy Director of the Communication and Outreach Division at Ripple Effect, a government consulting firm. There she led healthcare policy projects for federal agencies such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Office for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP), and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). As the Project Director of the Health Care Payment Learning and Action Network (LAN), she managed an over $1M per year budget, leading a multifaceted communications team to fully support LAN communications, events, and stakeholder engagement.

Additionally, she utilized her marketing and branding expertise to grow a small community business from one location to three. She assisted in the day-to-day operations of the three facility sites, including budget management, human resources, support, facilities management, and internal and external communications. She co-owned Quality Design Solutions, a full-service company specializing in web design, marketing, and database development for non-profit and small businesses.

Early in her career, she supported NIH medical research grants at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She also has over four years of clinical research experience at the University of Maryland, Department of Cardiology, where she worked with interventionists developing glycoprotein IIb/IIIa platelet inhibitors.

Debbie grew up in Maryland, received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Virginia Tech, and has completed coursework at the University of Maryland at Baltimore in Instructional Systems Design. She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America, the Association for Talent Development, and the Society for Health Communication. She is passionate about community service. She serves as a committee member for the American Cancer Society Making Strides Breast Cancer Walk of Central Maryland and volunteers her time for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Smithsonian’s National Zoo, and the Carroll County Arts Center.