Health Policy Orientation
If you are interested in attending the next Health Policy Orientation, please fill out this brief form.
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Are you ready to amplify your impact on health policymaking?
This fall, join us in-person at AcademyHealth’s Washington, D.C. office for the Health Policy Orientation.
Amid significant policy shifts transforming the health care system, this Orientation offers essential knowledge and skills to engage in today’s complex health policy environment and contribute to meaningful change.
With presentations from leading experts, interactive panels, and small group discussions, you’ll gain a foundational understanding of health policymaking and walk away with practical tools to navigate the process and advance your goals.
Participation is limited to 50 people to foster meaningful collaboration, peer exchange, and engagement with faculty.
Agenda at a Glance
Monday, October 27
- Health Policy 2025–2026: What to Expect in Uncertain Times
- How Congress Works
- The Executive Branch
- Hot Topics in Health Policy
Tuesday, October 28
- Public Opinion and Health Policy
- The Role of the Courts
- Federal Budgeting
- Evidence and Influence: How Policymaking Really Works
- Medicare, MA, and Health Insurance Marketplaces
- The States’ Health Policy Agenda
Wednesday, October 29
- Information Sources for Policymaking
- How to Communicate with Policy Leaders
Cancellation Policy: All cancellations must be received in writing or via email by Monday, September 29 in order to receive a refund, less a $100 processing fee. Registration fees for cancelled registrants may not be applied to future AcademyHealth meetings. Having trouble registering? Email registrations@academyhealth.org for assistance.
- Member: $1,700
- Non-Member: $2,000
- Fellow: $1,500
Featured Speakers
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Aaron E. Carroll, M.D., M.S.
Dr. Aaron E. Carroll is President & CEO of AcademyHealth. Read Bio
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Julie Rovner
Julie Rovner is Chief Washington Correspondent at KFF Health News Read Bio
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Joanne Kenen
Joanne Kenen is the Journalist-in-Residence at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Read Bio
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Rodney Whitlock, Ph.D.
Rodney is an accomplished health care executive with more than two decades on the Hill. Read Bio
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Adaeze Enekwechi, Ph.D., M.P.P.
Adaeze Enekwechi, Ph.D., M.P.P. is the CEO of Cayaba Care. Read Bio
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Christopher Jennings
Chris Jennings is an over three decades-long health policy veteran of the White House, the Congress and the private sector. Read Bio
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Jennifer Young
Jennifer B. Young served as the Assistant Secretary for Legislation at the Department of Health and Human Services. Read Bio
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Ashley Kirzinger, Ph.D.
Ashley Kirzinger is director of survey methodology and associate director of the Public Opinion and Survey Research Program. Read Bio
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Sara Rosenbaum, J.D.
Sara Rosenbaum, J.D., is Professor Emerita, Health Law and Policy at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University. Read Bio
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James Capretta, M.A.
James C. Capretta has more than three decades of experience in health care and fiscal policy. Read Bio
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Alison K. Hernandez, Ph.D., RN-BC
Alison Hernandez is a doctoral-prepared registered nurse and Senior Policy Advisor on the Regulatory and Advocacy Team at ANA. Read Bio
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Sandhya Raman
Sandhya Raman is a health policy reporter for CQ Roll Call in Washington DC. Read Bio
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Sunita Krishnan, M.P.H.
Sunita Krishnan serves as a senior program officer on the National Academy of Medicine’s (NAM) Leadership Consortium team. Read Bio
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Lauren Riplinger, J.D.
Lauren currently serves as AHIMA’s Vice President of Policy & Government Affairs. Read Bio
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Chris Gibbons, M.D., M.P.H.
Dr. Gibbons is a digital health innovator, entrepreneur, physician and scientist. Read Bio
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Lucas M. Tramontozzi, M.P.H.
Lucas Tramontozzi is a senior vice president at Innovation Horizons with over 20 years’ experience in strategic planning and execution across the public and private sectors with an emphasis on health policy, technology, and government relations. Read Bio
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Josh Caplan, M.A., M.P.P.
Josh Caplan is the Director for Government Affairs at AcademyHealth, overseeing advocacy and public policy strategy. Read Bio
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LaQuandra Nesbitt, M.D., M.P.H.
Dr. LaQuandra S. Nesbitt is a board-certified family physician with over a decade of experience leading population health initiatives in governmental public health agencies. Read Bio
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Tisamarie Sherry, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Tisamarie Sherry is Vice President of the Health Policy Division at the Urban Institute. In this role, she oversees a team of experts in health care financing, policy, and population health. Read Bio
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Bowen Garrett
Bowen Garrett is an economist and senior fellow in the Health Policy Division at the Urban Institute. Read Bio
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Paul D. Jacobs, Ph.D.
Paul D. Jacobs is the Director of Modeling at the Center for Health Systems and Policy Modeling (CHSPM) at Johns Hopkins University. Read Bio
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Hemi Tewarson, J.D., M.P.H.
Hemi Tewarson, J.D., M.P.H. is the Executive Director of the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP). Read Bio
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Torshira Moffett, M.P.H.
Torshira Moffett, MPH, is a senior program officer at the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS). Read Bio
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Emily Holubowich, M.P.P.
Emily joined the American Heart Association in 2019 with more than twenty years of experience in health and fiscal policy, government relations, strategic communications, and coalition management. Read Bio
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Kirstin Blom, MPIA
Kirstin Blom is a policy director at the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC). Read Bio
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Stephanie Cameron, Sc.M.
Stephanie Cameron, Sc.M is the Assistant Director at the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), a nonpartisan federal agency that advises the U.S. Congress on Medicare payment, quality, and access issues. Read Bio
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Lara Robillard, M.P.Aff.
Lara Robillard has been a principal analyst at the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in the Budget Analysis Division since July 2007. Read Bio
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Marco A. Villagrana, M.S.W.
Marco Villagrana has conducted policy analysis in the public and private sector for over 20 years. Read Bio
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Lauren Adams, M.A.
Lauren Adams, M.A., is senior director of communications and marketing at AcademyHealth, where she oversees strategic communications. Read Bio
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Susan Kennedy, M.P.P., M.S.W.
Susan Kennedy, M.P.P., M.S.W. is the Senior Director of AcademyHealth's Evidence-Informed State Health Policy Institute, where she manages the full portfolio of state-focused networks and projects. Read Bio
Event Location
AcademyHealth Office
1666 K St NW, Suite 1100
Washington D.C., 20006
Not Local to Washington D.C.? Explore nearby hotels
Hyatt Place Washington DC – 1522 K Street, NW | (202) 830-1900
Capital Hilton – 1001 16th Street, NW | (202) 393-1000
Renaissance Mayflower Hotel – 1127 Connecticut Ave. NW | (202) 347-3000
The Darcy – 515 Rhode Island Ave NW | (202) 232-7000
Trusted by Leaders Across the Field
"This Orientation truly helped me re-orient to policy work after working for decades in hospital systems"
-2024 Attendee
"Prior to attending [the Orientation], I would have felt more stressed about reaching out to those working on the Hill."
-2024 Attendee
"The Health Policy Orientation gave me a much deeper insight into the politics and key stakeholders involved in health care. It highlighted how things are supposed to work—and how they often don’t."
-2024 Attendee
"The sessions offered a great inside view into what is most important to federal policymakers from both sides of the political table."
-2024 Attendee
- Build a Strong Foundation. Understand the core structures of health policymaking, including the executive, judicial, and legislative branches.
- Strengthen Your Policy Toolkit. Learn to leverage evidence, agency data, and polling to inform decisions and influence change.
- Stay Informed and Prepared. Evaluate the evolving policy landscape at both the federal and state levels to guide your work.
- Expand Your Network. Connect with a small, engaged cohort of peers to spark collaboration and long-term partnerships.
For Professionals Ready to Engage
This orientation is designed for health services and policy professionals, researchers, and anyone looking to strengthen their understanding of the policymaking process.
Participation is limited to 50 people to ensure rich discussion, peer learning, and faculty interaction.
Join us in D.C. at a pivotal moment, as key decisions shape the future of health policy.