Medicaid Leadership Virtual Academy
Sept. 23-25, 2020 | Virtual
CSG will convene its Medicaid Leadership Academy for state legislators who serve in leadership positions on health-related committees. The program is designed for legislators who are familiar with the basics of Medicaid policy and are interested in examining more complex issues. Attendees will have opportunities to interact with peers from around the country as well as presenters from state Medicaid programs, federal agencies, public policy think tanks and health care provider communities.
Speakers
Wednesday, Sept. 23: Opening Session
Facilitating Leaders
Rep. Ed Clere, Indiana
Representative Ed Clere has served in the Indiana House since 2008. His district borders the Ohio River, across from Louisville, Kentucky. Clere is a former chair of the Indiana House Public Health Committee and a former co-chair of CSG’s Health Public Policy Committee. He is a graduate of CSG Midwest’s Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development, and he currently serves on the executive committee of CSG’s Midwestern Legislative Conference. During his time in office, Clere has received more than 30 awards for his legislative service and accomplishments. In addition to health policy, he has championed legislation benefiting seniors and people with disabilities, as well as various education, housing and economic development initiatives. He has worked as a Realtor since 2001 and is very involved in historic preservation. Clere and his wife, Amy, a teacher, live in New Albany, Indiana. They have five children and three grandchildren.
Rep. Susan Lontine, Colorado
Representative Lontine grew up in Florida where she attended the University of Central Florida and worked in the field of advertising, before moving to Pennsylvania, joining her husband, and starting her family. In 1996, the Lontines moved to Denver, the childhood home of her husband, Chuck. She and Chuck have lived with their son, Ben, in Southwest Denver since 1998.
An enthusiastic and tireless advocate for Democratic values, she served as a Captain in House District 1 for four years. She worked at the Capitol in the office of Representative Jeanne Labuda and served as the Chief of Staff for Senator Irene Aguilar.
Lontine has been the State Representative for House District 1 since 2014 and won re-election in 2018. She is the Chair of the Health and Insurance Committee and on the Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.
Wednesday, Sept. 23: COVID-19 and its Immediate Impact on State Medicaid Programs
Speakers
Dr. Andrea Bennett, Senior Director of Public Policy, CVS Health
Dr. Andrea Bennett is a senior director of public policy within CVS Health Government Affairs focusing on state and federal Medicaid policy. Bennett engages with the Aetna Medicaid business to shape public policy priorities that advance the Medicaid program and CVS Health goals. She leads the business involvement in the federal regulatory process on Medicaid managed care issues and works with federal and state government affairs on pending legislation impacting Medicaid. She also assists in setting public policy positions related to dual eligibles, women’s health and social determinants of health. Prior to joining CVS Health at the start of 2019, Bennett led a network of 20 state Medicaid agencies at the Center for Evidence-based Policy in Portland, Oregon. She assisted state Medicaid programs with program structure and benefit design and specialized in multiple Medicaid issue areas including high cost drugs, telemedicine, children with medically complex needs and long-term care. Before that, Bennett spent eight years at Kentucky Youth Advocates, a nonprofit child advocacy organization, where she led health and child welfare policy, communications, fund development and external affairs.
Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary, Kansas Department of Health and Environment
Dr. Lee A. Norman is the secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), appointed by Gov. Laura Kelly. KDHE has three divisions including Health, Environment, and Healthcare Finance, which includes the Medicaid program (KanCare) and the State Employee Health Plan. Norman received his medical degree from the University of Minnesota, completed his residency in family medicine in Texas and his aerospace medicine training in the United States Air Force (USAF) at Brooks Air Force Base in San Antonio. After serving in the USAF as a family physician, flight surgeon and combat medicine instructor, he practiced medicine in Seattle for 20 years, also serving as clinical associate professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Norman has served as a chief medical officer for over 26 years, most recently at the University of Kansas Health System and before that the Swedish Health System in Seattle, beginning in 1991. He currently is clinical assistant professor at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Norman was on the governing board and chairman of the Puget Sound Blood and Tissue Transplant Center in Seattle and, more recently, on the governing board of Heart to Heart International, a humanitarian organization based in Lenexa, Kansas. He currently serves on the Defense Health Board, which advises the U.S. Secretary of Defense on health matters, and the oversight board of the Kansas Intelligence Fusion Center.
Dr. Courtney Phillips, Secretary, Louisiana Department of Health
Dr. Courtney N. Phillips is the Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, the state’s largest agency with a budget of $14 billion. Her oversight responsibilities include public health and other direct service programs for citizens in need such as behavioral health, developmental disabilities, aging and adult services, emergency preparedness, and the Medicaid program.
Phillips served as executive commissioner of Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) where she was committed to improving the health, safety and well-being for millions of Texans. She was responsible for more than 40,000 team members, a $78.5 billion biennium budget and more than 220 programs ranging from health care, food safety and benefits to public health tracking and regulation of child care, nursing and health care facilities.
Robin Rudowitz, Vice President, Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
Robin Rudowitz is vice president at the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) and co-director for the Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured, where she focuses on state and federal Medicaid financing issues and Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. Prior to joining KFF in 2004, Rudowitz was a senior manager at The Lewin Group, a health policy and management consulting firm. Rudowitz has worked on budget and health policy issues in different government agencies including the Office of Legislation at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer for the District of Columbia, the Congressional Budget Office and the Ways and Means Committee for the New York State Assembly.
Thursday, Sept. 24: Brown Bag Lunch: Finding Flexibility with 1115 Waivers
Sen. Tyler Pace, Arizona
Sen. Tyler Pace represents District 25 in the Arizona Senate since being elected in November 2018. He considers himself a “product” of Mesa Public Schools’ outstanding teachers, who instilled in him a deep appreciation for lifelong learning. He went on to study at Arizona State University (ASU). After obtaining his Bachelor of Arts from ASU, Pace began his career as an entrepreneur, starting, acquiring and merging several companies. He currently owns and operates several businesses in Mesa and employs more than 30 individuals. He says he finds no greater satisfaction than that of creating sustainable jobs that his employees can be proud of. He believes in fueling the entrepreneurial spirit and intends to be a job creator his entire life. In 2018, Pace ran for the Arizona Senate with the intention to improve educational opportunity for all students, focus on economic growth and quality job creation and return the rights and powers of health care to the patient. He is a champion of individual freedoms and believes the role of an elected official is to be steady, thoughtful and most of all without prejudice.
Dave Richard, Deputy Secretary, North Carolina Medicaid
Dave Richard is the deputy secretary for North Carolina Medicaid, where he leads the state’s $14 billion Medicaid and NC Health Choice programs for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Richard’s vision for Medicaid is to ensure a sustainable, person-centered and innovative Medicaid program for more than two million North Carolinians who use Medicaid. Prior to leading Medicaid, Richard was the deputy secretary for DHHS Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Services and the State Operated Healthcare Facilities divisions. He joined DHHS in May 2013 as the director of the Division of Mental Health, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services. Richard joined DHHS after leading The Arc of North Carolina, an advocacy and service organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, where he served as executive director for 24 years.
Thursday, Sept. 24: The Race for a Vaccine
Richard Hughes, Managing Director of Vaccines, Avalere
Richard Hughes IV leads Avalere’s vaccines team, which supports clients with vaccine policy, market access and evidence strategies. He is an expert thought leader and adviser in the areas of vaccines, preventive services, population health, state health policy and the Affordable Care Act. Hughes leads Avalere’s vaccines and preventive services team, which provides integrated policy, market access, evidence and commercialization strategies to clients. Prior to joining Avalere, Hughes practiced law with Epstein Becker Green. He previously held roles with Merck and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. Richard was also a gubernatorially appointed member of the Arkansas State Board of Health and held a public health faculty appointment at The George Washington University.
Sharon Lamberton, Deputy Vice President, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)
Sharon Lamberton serves as deputy vice president of state policy for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association of America, or PhRMA, a trade association of 35 biopharmaceutical companies, based in Washington, D.C. She provides policy analysis and support, clinical expertise and strategy for multiple industry related issues such as cost and value of medicines, adherence, access to insulin, prescription drug abuse and clinical trials. Before joining PhRMA, Lamberton worked for the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM), a seniors’ association of more than 5 million members devoted to retaining and enhancing Medicare and Social Security benefits. Her other work experiences include the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the office of Virginia Sen. Chuck Robb, the Center for Health Policy Research and Ethics at George Mason University and National Institutes of Health, where she worked as a clinical research nurse delivering direct patient care and working with research protocols on epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, brain and spinal cord cancers and more. Lamberton graduated from Texas Woman’s University in Houston with a Bachelor of Science in nursing and served as president of the Texas Student Nurses Association, which represented over 5,000 students, and president of the National Student Nurses Association, an organization of over 74,000 student nurses. Because of the pre-professional student leadership positions, Lamberton moved from Texas to Washington, D.C. to pursue a career in health policy.
Dr. Rick Nettles, Vice President of Medical Affairs, Janssen Infectious Diseases
Rick Nettles, Vice President of Medical Affairs, Janssen Infectious Diseases, leads the US Infectious Diseases Medical Affairs team, which enables Janssen to bring critical, market-leading therapies to people living with HIV. He and his team also work closely with global R&D colleagues in support of research that spans both vaccines and therapeutics. He is a key spokesperson for Johnson & Johnson on the company’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Rick has more than 15 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson in 2011, he held various positions with Bristol Myers Squibb, including research and development leadership roles in virology for the company’s Discovery Medicine, Clinical Pharmacology and Global Clinical Research Organizations.
Friday, Sept. 25: Fiscal Implications and Planning for 2021
Lindsey Browning, Program Director for Medicaid Programs, National Association of Medicaid Directors
Lindsey Browning joined the National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD) in May 2014. In her role as program director, she leads various grant-funded projects to support Medicaid directors and their senior staff in navigating the Medicaid program’s most pressing policy issues. These projects focus on issues ranging from delivery system and payment reform to behavioral health integration and Medicaid managed care. Before joining NAMD, Browning worked at the Children’s Hospital Association where she conducted research and analysis on state policy trends in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). She also supported the association’s work to analyze and respond to regulations implementing the Affordable Care Act. Browning received her Master of Public Policy from George Mason University and graduated from McDaniel College with a Bachelor of Arts in political science and international studies.
Stacey Mazer, Senior Staff Associate, National Association of State Budget Officers
Stacey Mazer is a senior staff associate with the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO) in Washington, D.C. In this capacity, Mazer is responsible for monitoring and analyzing the impact of federal health and Medicaid decisions on states as well as tracking human and social service developments within states. Mazer also produces a weekly Health Care Issues Update that is distributed to NASBO members and she serves as the staff lead for the association budget and grants. Prior to joining NASBO, she worked for the Congressional Budget Office and the Finance Department for the City of Baltimore. Mazer is a graduate of Syracuse University where she also earned a master’s degree in public administration from the Maxwell School of Public Affairs and Citizenship.
Rachel Nuzum, Vice President for Federal and State Health Policy Initiative, The Commonwealth Fund
Rachel Nuzum, M.P.H., is vice president for the Federal and State Health Policy Initiative at The Commonwealth Fund, working closely with policymakers at the state and federal level. Nuzum is responsible for developing and implementing the fund’s national policy strategy for improving health system performance, ensuring that the work of the fund and its grantees informs the policy process in both the legislative and executive branches of state and federal government. Nuzum’s work also includes fostering public–private collaboration on health system performance improvement with state and federal stakeholders and organizations. Nuzum has over 15 years of experience working in health policy at the federal, state and local levels of government, as well as in the private sector. Before joining the fund in January 2007, she was a legislative advisor for Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell on health, retirement and tax issues. Prior to joining Sen. Cantwell’s office, she served as a David Winston Health Policy Fellow in New Mexico Sen. Jeff Bingaman’s office. In this role, Nuzum staffed the Senator on the Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee and the Senate Finance Committee. Before arriving in Washington, D.C., she served former Colorado Gov. Roy Romer in the office of Boards and Commissions and worked as a health planner in west central Florida.
Friday, Sept. 25: Emerging Issue: Maternal Health
Dr. Mary-Ann Etiebet, Executive Director, Merck for Mothers
Dr. Mary-Ann Etiebet has two decades of experience improving health care outcomes for vulnerable populations and transforming healthcare delivery at the frontlines. She is the lead and executive director of Merck for Mothers, Merck’s $500 million global health initiative to help create a world where no woman has to die giving life. Since 2011, Merck for Mothers programs and partnerships have resulted in healthy pregnancies and safe deliveries for over 11 million women in 48 countries. Building on her experiences as a physician, researcher, implementer, funder and advocate across the public, private and global development sectors, Etiebet brings a diverse set of perspectives to this work. Under her leadership, MSD for Mothers is catalyzing partnerships that leverage private sector capabilities to strengthen health systems, deliver respectful, high quality care for women and improve maternal health outcomes. Etiebet holds a doctor of medicine and masters of business administration from Yale University. She is a member of the Center for Global Development Board of Directors and the UCSF Institute Health Sciences Global Health Group Advisory Board. She also serves as the private sector representative on the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Board and the Investors Group of the World Bank’s Global Financing Facility.
Representative Mary E. Flowers, IL
Representative Mary E. Flowers began her service in the Illinois Legislature in 1985.
Flowers is currently the Chair of the Health Care Availability & Access Committee. Focusing primarily on health and wellness initiatives, Flowers has sponsored bills on infant and maternal mortality, Medicaid and Doula services, women’s health clinics, and many other issues related to health care for vulnerable populations.
Flowers is committed to serving the needs of the 31st District and families from all parts of the State of Illinois.
Rep. Laura Hall, Alabama
Representative Laura Hall was elected to the Alabama Legislature in 1993.
Hall spent 33 years in education, 25 of those at J.O. Johnson High School. She retired as Assistant to the President for at-Risk Students and Special Projects at Calhoun Community College in Decatur.
Hall serves as chairperson of the Governor’s Commission on AIDS. She also serves as chairperson of the Alabama House of Representatives Black Caucus.
She received a B.A. in Biology from Morris College, a Masters Degree in Science Education from Ohio State University, and certification in K-12 Administration from Alabama A&M University.
She received a B.A. in Biology from Morris College, a Masters Degree in Science Education from Ohio State University, and certification in K-12 Administration from Alabama A&M University.
Dr. Tatyana Kushner, MD, MSCE, Assistant Professor of Medicine – Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Tatyana Kushner, MD, MSCE is an assistant professor at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. She is a liver diseases specialist with a research and clinical focus on maternal health and liver disease in pregnancy. She started the first Women’s Liver Clinic where she provides care to women during pregnancy and postpartum with liver disease. Her research focuses on understanding manifestations of liver disease on pregnancy outcomes in women and identifying ways to use pregnancy as an opportunity to diagnosis and improve long term disease outcomes. She has published numerous manuscripts in high impact journals on her research in liver disease during pregnancy, as well as viral hepatitis disease outcomes.
Friday, Sept. 25: Closing Roundtable: Leverage Your Learning
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