Pine Lake Policy Group is a public policy strategy firm with proven expertise in devising, developing, and implementing healthcare and human services initiatives that work equitably for all. With experience across corporate, non-profit, and philanthropic sectors, we proudly serve as trusted advisors to executives, investors, advocates, and policymakers alike.

As the Senior Policy & Advocacy Officer for the Perigee Fund, a Seattle-based national philanthropy dedicated to ending intergenerational trauma through the power of early relationships, I play a pivotal role in shaping and advancing policy and advocacy initiatives that support the mental health and well-being of parents and their babies. My position offers a unique perspective, granting me access to the policy and advocacy goals of philanthropic and donor communities that many non-profit and advocacy leaders cannot regularly access.Achievements:Advanced Interconnected Policy Innovation: Spearheaded efforts to resource leaders who create impactful change through innovative policy development and strategic program investments, enhancing the well-being of families.Amplified the Voices of Babies and Families: Advocated for the mental health needs of parents and babies in the “other” Washington, ensuring their representation in policy discussions at both the federal and community levels.Leveraged Philanthropic Insights: Utilized my role to bridge gaps between philanthropy and policy, driving initiatives that are both responsive to community needs and informed by the latest research in early childhood development.

I was the principal congressional lead for the federal policy team at ZERO TO THREE, where I gained a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of good health, strong social-emotional foundations, and economic security for our most vulnerable citizens, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. My work focused on advancing critical policies that support young children and their families.Achievements:Secured Pandemic-Related Policy Wins: Successfully advocated for emergency paid family and medical leave, increased child care investments, an expanded refundable child tax credit, and reauthorization of child abuse prevention and home visiting legislation.Advanced Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health: Led efforts to secure significant investments in infant and early childhood mental health, ensuring that the needs of young children were prioritized in federal policy discussions.Contributed to Build Back Better Advocacy: Played a key role in advocating for early childhood policies as part of the Build Back Better agenda, helping to advance public conversations about what families need to thrive in America today.

As Managing Director of the Health Innovation Alliance, I led efforts to bridge the gap between technology innovation and healthcare policy, advocating for the integration of cutting-edge solutions to improve patient care and outcomes. My role focused on advancing policies that promote the adoption of innovative health technologies and ensuring that regulatory frameworks kept pace with rapid advancements in the industry.Achievements:Drove Adoption of Telehealth and Health IT: Successfully advocated for expanded access to telehealth services and the broader adoption of health information technology, particularly during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.Shaped Federal Health IT Policy: Played a key role in influencing federal health IT policy, ensuring that legislative and regulatory frameworks supported innovation while protecting patient privacy and security.Built Coalitions for Policy Change: Organized and led coalitions of diverse stakeholders, including technology companies, healthcare providers, and patient advocates, to drive policy changes that enhanced the use of technology in healthcare delivery.

At Masimo, I led global government affairs, driving the company’s efforts to influence healthcare policy and expand the reach of its innovative medical technologies. My role involved engaging with government agencies, international bodies, and industry stakeholders to advocate for policies that support patient safety and healthcare innovation.Achievements:Expanded Global Regulatory Approvals: Successfully navigated complex regulatory environments to secure approvals for Masimo’s medical technologies in key global markets, including Europe and Asia.Influenced Health Policy for Medical Innovation: Played a pivotal role in shaping health policies that promoted the adoption of life-saving medical technologies, enhancing patient safety standards worldwide.Built Strategic Alliances: Established and strengthened alliances with government agencies, industry leaders, and healthcare organizations to advance Masimo’s mission of improving patient care through innovative technology.

As President of the Patient Safety Movement Foundation (PSMF), I was entrusted with leading a global initiative to reduce preventable hospital mortality by leveraging my extensive network across the hospital, medical technology, academic, government, and advocacy sectors. This role required a strategic blend of organizing, relationship-building, and advocacy to drive structural changes in a highly regulated and concentrated market.Achievements:Mobilized Over 1,600 Healthcare Organizations: Secured commitments from more than 1,600 healthcare organizations worldwide to implement lifesaving patient safety protocols.Saved Over 24,500 Lives: Led efforts that directly resulted in the prevention of over 24,500 hospital-related deaths in 2015 alone.Engaged Global Leaders and Stakeholders: Successfully drew the attention and support of world leaders, clinicians, executives, and patient advocates to prioritize and advance patient safety initiatives.This experience underscored the immense potential of coordinated advocacy and collaboration in transforming healthcare practices and saving lives on a global scale.

As the co-founder and executive director of the Newborn Foundation and the Newborn Coalition, I led two action-oriented nonprofits dedicated to improving public health outcomes for babies and families through targeted policymaking and advocacy. My work focused on advancing legislative and policy initiatives that have had a lasting impact on neonatal health both in the United States and internationally.Achievements:Pioneered Universal Newborn Screening for CCHD: Played a leading role in the campaign for mandatory, universal screening for critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) in the U.S., including coalition building, lobbying, and testifying before Congress. As a result, between 2010 and 2012, the number of newborns screened increased by more than 4000%, establishing CCHD screening as the standard of care for over 4 million babies born annually in the U.S.Expanded Global Health Initiatives: Led efforts that contributed to the international acceptance of newborn screening in countries like China and India, influenced the World Health Organization’s Safe Childbirth Checklist, and expanded routine hypoxemia screening for pneumonia detection in sub-Saharan Africa and South America.Advanced Public Health Advocacy: Successfully mobilized diverse coalitions and leveraged strategic partnerships to drive public health policy changes that have saved countless lives and improved neonatal care standards worldwide.

Horizon Government Affairs | Washington, DC | Senior Vice President | 2010-2014As Senior Vice President at Horizon Government Affairs, I played a critical role in shaping and advancing health policy initiatives at the federal level. My work involved collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders, including legislators, healthcare providers, and industry leaders, to drive policy changes that improved healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.Achievements:Led Key Legislative Initiatives: Spearheaded efforts to advance federal health policies that addressed critical healthcare challenges, including advocating for legislation that improved patient safety, healthcare innovation, and access to care.Built Strategic Coalitions: Successfully built and led coalitions of diverse stakeholders, including policymakers, healthcare organizations, and industry representatives, to achieve consensus on complex healthcare issues and drive impactful policy changes.Influenced Health Policy on a National Scale: Leveraged relationships with key decision-makers in Congress and federal agencies to influence the development and implementation of health policies that benefitted patients and healthcare providers across the country.

Genetic Alliance is a 501(c)3 organization that engages individuals, families, and communities, particularly those in the #RareDisease community, to transform health. As the Director of Technology Innovation at Genetic Alliance, I played a key role in advancing the organization’s mission by developing innovative health technology solutions and supporting the CEO in their leadership roles with the Secretary’s Advisory Committee for Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children (SACHDNC) and the Federal Health IT Standards Committee.

As Program Coordinator at ProMexico, I focused on community-based initiatives to improve clean water access and nutrition in Oaxaca, Mexico. My role involved collaborating with local communities to integrate traditional practices with modern public health strategies.Achievements:Developed Water Filtration Systems: Partnered with pottery collectives to adapt traditional infrastructure for creating effective water filtration systems, significantly reducing waterborne illnesses in the region.Enhanced Nutritional Practices: Organized farming collaboratives to reintroduce ancient grains into local diets, providing children with essential proteins for early brain development.Empowered Local Communities: Engaged and empowered local communities to take ownership of public health initiatives, demonstrating the value of integrating cultural practices with health interventions.