Quinn is a Management and Program Advisor working on the Inflation Reduction Act Implementation in the Deputy Secretary’s Office at the U.S. Department of Treasury. Originally from northern Illinois, Quinn most recently was a policy analyst at the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), focusing on public health and health insurance regulatory issues. Previously, she was the Associate Research Director for Health Policy at National Journal’s Network Science Initiative (now Gravity Research). Originally from northern Illinois, Quinn has a BA in Public Health from American University and a MPH in Health Law, Bioethics, and Human Rights from Boston University. She has been a member of SHPYP since 2017, and a member of SHPYP’s Executive Board since 2020.

Brittany Argote serves as an analyst at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Office of Legislation, where she provides technical and policy analysis to agency leaders and congressional committees on all proposed or introduced legislation related to Medicare Part D. In addition to her work with Capitol Hill, Brittany reviews and revises Part D related policies as they advance through the regulatory and sub-regulatory processes. Previously, Brittany was a Senior Health Policy Associate at Thorn Run Partners, where she provided comprehensive analyses of federal legislative and regulatory health care developments and briefed clients on key areas of interest to drive robust advocacy efforts.

Prior to joining Thorn Run, Brittany served as a Legislative Analyst for the Florida Senate, where she routinely analyzed complex policy issues and authored detailed legislative analyses, developed targeted legislative proposals, and drafted legislation and amendments for members of the Florida Legislature. As an undergraduate, Brittany served as a legal intern for the U.S. Department of Justice, where she monitored the policy landscape for issues pertaining to civil and disability rights.

In her personal capacity, Brittany serves as Vice Chair on the Board of the Society of Health Policy Young Professionals. She previously served the organization as Communications Director. A Miami native, Brittany is a two-time graduate of Florida State University, where she received a Master of Public Health (Policy) and a Bachelor of Arts in English (Editing, Writing, and Media).

Olivia Umoren is the Director of Public Policy and Advocacy at USAging in Washington, DC. In this role, she directs the association’s legislative and federal advocacy efforts to advance policies that address the needs of older adults in America. She is also the Founder and CEO of LIV Consulting & Career Services, a business that supports public health and health policy students and professionals in navigating their careers. 

Natalie Williams is the Senior Manager of Legislative Affairs at the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), where she oversees all of the organization’s Congressional advocacy on behalf of 129,600 family physicians and medical students across the country. She is responsible for guiding the organization’s legislative engagement on issues impacting primary care and family medicine, including Medicare physician payment, Medicaid, access and affordability, workforce, and administrative burden.

Previously, Natalie was the Legislative Affairs Manager at the Hospice Action Network (HAN), the advocacy affiliate of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). Before NHPCO/HAN, she spent more than three years as a Legislative Assistant on the Federal Advocacy team at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). She advocated before Congress, the Administration, and federal agencies on child health issues related to vaccines, school health, children with disabilities, appropriations, and health information technology among others. Natalie began her career as a Research Analyst at the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP). In this role, she conducted research and provided technical assistance and support for state officials and program administrators on projects and policies concerning Medicaid, safety net providers, substance use disorder, and health workforce.

She received her B.A. in Political Science and Strategic Communications with a minor in Medical Sociology from Miami University in 2017. 

Kei Helm is a Presidential Management Fellow (PMF) serving as a Health Insurance Specialist at the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). In CCIIO’s Oversight Group*, he supports policy and regulation development to ensure that individuals covered by private health insurance receive the coverage to which they are entitled to under the law. In this capacity, he has helped develop guidance on COVID-19 testing and vaccine insurance coverage based on Families First Coronavirus Response Act and CARES Act requirements; provided clarity to providers and consumers regarding the requirements of, and protections under, the No Surprises Act; and prepared rulemaking and guidance regarding the Affordable Care Act’s requirements on contraceptive care coverage.  

Previously, Kei worked at The Lewin Group where he supported the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation in developing and implementing Medicare alternative payment models. He also assisted with the implementation of the Quality Payment Program through the Small, Underserved and Rural Support initiative.

Kei holds a B.A. in Biology from Kenyon College and a Master of Public Policy from Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy.

* Kei serves SHPYP in his personal capacity.

In her professional capacity, Lauren Olcott is a Health Policy Associate at SCAN Health Plan where she supports the public and government affairs interests of the plan and its beneficiaries. In this role, Lauren conducts regulatory and legislative research on the Medicare Advantage program and tracks and analyzes legislation at federal and state levels. 

Throughout her educational career, Lauren has demonstrated an immense interest in health coverage and access policy. Prior to joining SCAN Health Plan, Lauren served in the Office of Financial Management at CMS through the Pathways Program and worked on Medicaid reimbursement policy at a D.C. government affairs firm. 

Lauren is originally from San Diego, CA and holds a BA in Global Health and Communications from UCLA. She is currently pursuing her MPP with a focus in health policy at George Washington University where she has conducted research on differences between state Medicaid prescription drug programs and the intricacies of Medicare Advantage. 

Abigail Smith is a health policy coordinator at the National Governors Association (NGA). On the health team, Abigail supports Governors in identifying ways to improve healthcare delivery, lower costs to states, and promote health equity.

Abigail previously worked as a Registered Nurse at Children’s National on the Surgical and Trauma floor and at Vanderbilt University Medical Center on the Transplant floor. After working through the pandemic, Abigail hoped to find a way to make more of an impact on her patients. She is excited to pursue a career in health policy and obtain her Master in Public Health from George Washington University.  

In her spare time, Abigail serves as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for a child in the DC foster care system, research assistant on the moral injury project at the Mullen Institute for Health Workforce Equity, and directs a women’s walking group called City Girls Who Walk DC. Abigail hopes to combine her passion for people and community into shaping policy.

Emma Hammer is a Health Policy Associate at Applied Policy, a health policy consulting firm. She performs health policy research and analysis for pharmaceutical, durable medical equipment, and healthcare services companies.

While finishing her degree, Emma was a student trainee at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. She worked on projects related to Medicare Advantage and the Value-Based Insurance Design Model for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI).

Emma graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and a minor in general business, summa cum laude, from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Emely Sanchez, JD, MPH, is a public health law and policy professional. Born and raised in Miami, FL, she holds undergraduate degrees in political science and criminal justice from Florida International University. She pursued her Masters in Public Health and Juris Doctorate at the University of Miami. 

Throughout her educational career, she has been interested in public service. She interned at multiple offices within DHHS including CSTLTS and CGH at CDC, HHS OIG, and at the U.S. Senate HELP Committee.  

She has enjoyed organizational involvement and volunteering. Throughout her time at Miami Law she reestablished Miami Law’s Health Law Association and was an active leader in the American Bar Association’s Health Law Section. She currently serves as the Hispanic National Bar Association’s Health & Life Sciences Section’s VP for Policy & Publications. She has also recently been selected as an ASLME Expanding perspectives fellow for 2022-2023. 

She enjoys growing her expertise through producing publications and community engagement. She is currently a legal fellow at the Network for Public Health Law. 

Daniel Machado is an attorney in the Washington, D.C. office of Latham & Watkins. Daniel handles healthcare regulatory matters involving healthcare providers as well as pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, digital health, and clinical laboratory companies. In particular, he advises clients on complex regulatory, compliance, business and policy considerations involving the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In addition, Daniel advises private equity firms, investment banks, commercial lenders, and healthcare and life science companies on regulatory issues related to mergers and acquisitions, IPOs, and financings in the United States.

Daniel earned his JD from Northwestern University School of Law, graduating with honors. He was a staff editor of the Northwestern Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property, a member of OUTLaw, and a member of the Latino Law Student Association. Prior to law school, Daniel completed an MPH from the Yale School of Public Health, focusing on health policy and management.

Lawren Geer joined The McManus Group, a boutique lobbying firm serving over 25 clients in the health care space, in October 2021 and serves as Director of Federal Policy. In this role, she leverages her public service, campaign, and health care trade association background to advance clients’ government relations needs.

Prior to joining the McManus Group, Lawren worked for Invariant, a bipartisan government relations and communications firm, as an associate for their health care practice group. During her time there she worked with a variety of clients across several issue areas including prescription drug pricing, health technology, health care access and coverage, and pandemic preparedness.

Lawren also previously worked as a senior government relations coordinator for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), where she worked to support their Government Relations Committee and American Medical Association House of Delegates delegation. During her time at ASCO she helped to develop and execute policy priorities surrounding provider reimbursement issues, barriers to cancer care, and the affordability of drugs for patients. Additionally, she previously worked for the School Nutrition Association and Pennsylvania State Legislature.

Lawren graduated from Temple University with a bachelor’s degree and holds a Master of Public Health degree from George Washington University.

Caitlin Davis is a physician and economist, passionate about expanding access to health care and improving patient experiences through payment model innovation. With clinical training in mental health and primary care, she excels in translating patient perspectives for systemic improvement. She is a mixed-methods researcher, with experience evaluating components of the CMS Medicare ACO model and the Medicare Quality Bonus Payment structure, and has published on topics including the impact of primary care continuity on patient outcomes, healthcare workforce implications of service-based student loan forgiveness, and expansions in access to care as a result of novel models of physician training.

Caitlin holds a BA in Economics from The College of William & Mary (Williamsburg, VA), a MSc in Economics from The University of Warwick (Coventry, UK), and a MD from The George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences (Washington, DC).

 Cameron Kay is a Health Care Analyst at the National Committee for Quality Assurance in Washington, DC. In this role she supports multiple externally and internally funded projects and programs focused on health care policy and performance measurement.

Previously she worked on both global and U.S. health care projects to measure the impacts of SDOH factors on care seeking and clinical outcomes for behavioral and maternal health.  

Cameron earned her B.A. from the University of Chicago, graduating with honors in comparative human development and political science. 

Tyler Adamson holds an MPH in Health Policy and Epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, and a BS/BA in Molecular Biology and Anthropology from the University of Washington. Tyler is currently the Director of Epidemiology for the Maryland Department of Health’s Center for Cancer Control and Prevention, where he provides guidance and direction on all epidemiology and program evaluation efforts. He previously worked as a Desk Officer at the Department of Defense and as a Health Policy Staffer in the office of Congressman Trone. Tyler is passionate about human rights, equity in health, and ensuring that every individual has access to the resources they need to live a healthy and happy life.

Meseret Alemu currently works at ICF Next as a senior healthcare consultant supporting product design and management for commercial health plans. Previously, Meseret worked as a healthcare consultant at Deloitte supporting federal health agencies such as CDC, CMS, and CMMI. Meseret began her career in clinical research at the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) at USC Keck Hospital, where she simultaneously led five NIH grant-funded longitudinal studies focused on Dementia, Vascular Diseases, and Alzheimer’s disease progression. Meseret also served as an AmeriCorps member at the University of Washington with the Making Connections Program focused on college readiness and STEM career exploration specifically for first-generation girls of color. Meseret holds a bachelor’s degree in public health from University of Southern California.

Emily McAndrew is a second year MPH Health Policy student at George Washington University. She is currently interning with the DC Health Office of Government Relations (OGR). Before grad school, Emily worked as an analyst on the Health Care Products team at Pew Charitable Trusts working on patient advocacy of FDA regulated products and devices. She began her career in global health working on a USAID project focused on health financing in sub-Saharan Africa at a non-profit academic center. Emily obtained her bachelor degrees in Spanish and Business Management from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Dr. Lauren Lyles-Stolz currently serves the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) as a senior director of reimbursement, innovation, and advocacy. Most recently, she served as health legislative assistant for U.S. Rep. Bradley S. Schneider (D-IL). Previously, she served as Executive Director for the Washington State Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission. Furthermore, she was the first pharmacist German Chancellor Fellow researching Population Health Management primarily in Germany as a solution to ensure health equity, address rising healthcare cost, and to improve health outcomes. In her recent experiences, she has had the unique opportunity to regulate and support the profession of pharmacy during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as meet and discuss health challenges and successes with international health experts in Singapore, Israel, Scotland, Spain, and Switzerland. She authored her first joint population health publication with Scotland and Germany titled, Population Health Management Approach: Integration of Community-Based Pharmacists into Integrated Care Systems: Reflections from the U.S., Achievements in Scotland and Discussions in Germany.

Since then, Lauren has spoken at diverse institutions to share her research findings, including the 2021 Health Technology Research Summit in Brazil.

Lauren graduated with her Pharm.D. (Doctor of Pharmacy) from The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy. Following graduation, Lauren completed her post-doctoral fellowship at Eli Lilly and Company in U.S. and International Regulatory Policy and Strategy. The fellowship entailed her combining her patient care experiences throughout her pharmacy curriculum, background from national pharmacy associations (NACDS, NCPA) and FDA, with the pharmaceutical industry to improve patient access to innovative therapies. She also worked part-time as a pharmacist at a mail-order pharmacy making sure the right medications got to the right patients in the criminal justice system. Lauren then served as the Manager of Pharmacy Affairs at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, where she supported the association’s efforts to promote the transition of managed care pharmacy to value-based healthcare. These experiences and relationships both globally and stateside have shaped Dr. Lyles-Stolz’s passion to improve health for all.

Stuart Portman serves as Senior Health Policy Advisor on the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance. In this capacity, he handles all policies related to Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and in the past has led policy development on issues related to the Affordable Care Act’s individual marketplace, health taxes, and health information technology. Previously, he served as the Senior Healthcare Legislative Assistant and Legislative Correspondent for Senator Orrin G. Hatch, where he focused on Medicaid, Food and Drug Administration-related policies, and issues affecting individuals with disabilities. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Stuart received his Master of Public Health degree specializing in health policy from the Milken Institute School of Public Health at The George Washington University and his Bachelor’s in Biology and Political Science from the University of Denver.