Tara Leystra Ackerman Email & Phone Number

Washington, Dc, Us

Washington Dc-Baltimore Area

Washington, Dc

Lead lobbying efforts for NSC at the state level on variety of public health issues, including transportation safety issues and the opioid epidemic. This includes regularly communicating with state legislators, working with coalitions to advance NSC priorities, and engaging NSC’s chapters, volunteers and business members in advocating for NSC-supported legislation.Manage contract lobbyists on the state level for NSC, ensuring they are meeting deadlines, achieving goals, and advancing Council priorities.Raise the profile of NSC by promoting our products and services to state officials, coalition partners and other interested parties. This includes identifying new organizations to build relationships with based on shared interests and presenting to a variety of different organizations on NSC’s safety priorities.

Monitored and analyzed state legislative and regulatory developments related to trauma, cancer, medical liability reform, health care reform implementation and scope of practice in order to advance the College’s priorities on the state level.Increased grassroots advocacy and involvement by the College’s Chapters by communicating regularly with Chapter leadership on legislative developments, helping draft letters and other documents in support of their efforts, presenting at chapter meetings and attending other meetings as necessary to promote state level advocacy. Successfully communicated key state legislative developments to Fellows using a variety of mediums, including the online monthly newsletter the Advocate, the College’s monthly magazine the Bulletin, grassroots alerts and through social media.

Alexandria, Va

Advanced ASCO’s legislative priorities by increasing member engagement in advocacy activities. Wrote compelling calls to action on legislative and regulatory activities impacting oncology and planned successful issue-based lobby days and local advocacy events held in collaboration with ASCO’s State/Regional Affiliates. Developed and maintained ASCO’s grassroots website and ASCO’s advocacy webpage to ensure ASCO’s membership could easily access up to date information on the latest grassroots action items as well as ASCO’s current policy activities. Tracked activities related to health disparities, the 340B program, cancer drug parity, cancer prevention, Medicaid and Medicare issues in order to educate and provide guidance to ASCO Committees and volunteers. Successes included getting legislative language included in the Health Equity and Accountability Act on ensuring access to clinical trials for Medicaid subscribers.Supported ASCO’s delegates to the American Medical Association by participating in AMA activities, reviewing all resolutions introduced to the House of Delegates at the AMA’s Annual and Interim meetings, writing summaries of those resolutions impacting oncology, attending the meetings to provide guidance to delegates as resolutions are debated and voted on and tracking the outcomes of key resolutions.

Carried out ASCO’s grassroots advocacy activities in support of ASCO's legislative activities and also coordinated the activities of the Government Relations Committee. This included developing and maintaining ASCO’s vast network of grassroots advocates, providing member updates and calls to action on legislative and regulatory activities impacting oncology, and planning issue-based lobby days and local advocacy events held in collaboration with ASCO’s State/Regional Affiliates.

Provided assistance and support to the Government & State Affiliate Relations division of the Cancer Policy & Clinical Affairs Department. This included scheduling and participating in hill visits, coordinating the activities of the Alliance for Childhood Cancer, assisting with the Government Relations Council and providing project assistance to the State Affiliate program.

George Washington University Cancer Institute

Drafted a policy paper outlining the benefits of public support of patient navigation programs on underserved communities. Also drafted other documents, along with the policy paper, to be used by advocacy groups in the District of Columbia to support efforts to gain funding for patient navigation programs.

Mph, Health Policy

Bachelor'S Of Art, Political Science