Department of Health and Human Services: Former Lobbyists

Bio, via Department of Health and Human Services:

Kimberly Brandt is the Principal Deputy Administrator for Operations of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). She supports the Administrator for all activities necessary for the operation and management of CMS and its programs, including, Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Kim also assists with the implementation of the CMS priorities, cross-cutting and strategic plan initiatives and the Medicare and Medicaid program integrity programs. Kim served as Chief Oversight Counsel on the Majority staff of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee where she has served on Committee staff from January 2011 – August 2017. In her role on the Committee, Kim coordinated oversight of the whole range of Committee issues including tax, health care, social security and trade. Before joining the Finance Committee staff, Kim was a Senior Counsel at Alston & Bird in Washington, D.C. advising clients on health care compliance and fraud and abuse issues. Kim’s previous government service includes serving for seven years as the CMS Director of the Medicare Program Integrity Group. Prior to her first tenure at CMS, Kim worked for five years at the HHS Office of Inspector General as Special Counsel and Director of External Affairs and as a Senior Counsel negotiating False Claims Act settlements and drafting and monitoring Corporate Integrity Agreements as well as authoring the OIG’s compliance guidance for Individual and Small Group Physician Practices. Kim received her J.D. with a concentration in health law from the DePaul School of Law, an M.A. in legislative affairs and health policy from George Washington University, and her B.A. from Valparaiso University. She is a nationally recognized expert in healthcare compliance and fraud and abuse issues and in 2016 received the Healthcare Compliance and Ethics Professional of the Year award from the Society for Corporate Compliance and Ethics and the Health Care Compliance Association.

Bio, via Greenberg Traurig, LLP:

Charrow focuses his practice on research, biotechnology, and health care issues. He litigates a broad range of subjects usually arising under the Administrative Procedure Act or other specialized statutes. Before joining the firm, he served as legal counsel to a successful presidential campaign. In addition, he was previously Principal Deputy General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and a law professor.

Bio, via Department of Health and Human Services:

Shannon Christian serves as the Director of the Office of Child Care at HHS’ Administration for Children and Families. She is a former Associate Commissioner of the former Child Care Bureau at ACF, where she advanced President Bush’s Good Start, Grow Smart early childhood initiative, and shaped the office’s research agenda to better support state policy and spending decisions. Committed to effective prevention strategies, Shannon oversaw the launch of Illinois’ home visiting program and was an active board member of Be Strong Families, a Chicago-based national nonprofit. Earlier in her career, Shannon was part of former Wisconsin Governor (and HHS secretary) Tommy Thompson’s welfare reform team, serving as head of the planning section in the state Health & Social Services Department’s Office of Policy and Budget, and as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Workforce Development. Shannon has an MPP from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, a certificate in nonprofit management from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business, and an undergraduate degree in economics and international relations from California State University, Chico.

Bio, via Department of Health and Human Services:

Eric D. Hargan was sworn into office as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on Oct. 6, 2017. Previously Mr. Hargan was an attorney, most recently a shareholder in Greenberg Traurig’s Chicago office in the Health and FDA Business department, where he focused his practice on transactions, healthcare regulations and government relations. He represented investors, companies, and individuals in healthcare investments and issues across the entire sector. From 2003 to 2007, Mr. Hargan served at HHS in a variety of capacities, ultimately holding the position of Acting Deputy Secretary. During his tenure at HHS, Mr. Hargan also served as the Department’s Regulatory Policy Officer, overseeing the development and approval of all HHS, CMS, and FDA regulations and significant guidances. Prior to this role, he served HHS as Deputy General Counsel. More recently, he was tapped by Governor Bruce Rauner to serve during transition as lead co-chair for Gov. Rauner’s Healthcare and Human Services committee. During his time in Illinois, Mr. Hargan taught at Loyola Law School in Chicago, focusing on administrative law and healthcare regulations. He was a member of the U.S. government team at the inaugural U.S.-China Strategic Economic Dialogue in Beijing in 2006-2007, worked with the State Department’s Bureau of Arms Control to advance biosecurity in developing nations, and initiated and led the HHS team that developed the first responses to international food safety and importation issues in 2007. He received his B.A. cum laude from Harvard University, and his J.D. from Columbia University Law School, where he was Senior Editor of the Columbia Law Review. Mr. Hargan also received a Certificate in International Law from the Parker School of Foreign and Comparative Law at Columbia University. Before returning to Washington, D.C., Mr. Hargan lived in the suburbs of Chicago with his wife and their two sons.

Bio, via Department of Health and Human Services:

She has more than 15 years’ experience working with programs that focus on child and adolescent health. In her current role, Huber serves as a principal policy advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Health, overseeing management and programmatic initiatives that support optimal health outcomes for all Americans. Before joining the Administration, Huber cofounded and served as president/CEO of Ascend, a national organization that champions young people to make healthy decisions in relationships and life. Before that, Huber was a public health advocate, managing the Ohio Department of Health’s sexual risk avoidance program, which provided educational resources to almost 100,000 students a year. Earlier, she founded and directed a community-based nonprofit organization that partnered with schools to give K-12 students skills to build personal responsibility, treat others with respect, and avoid risky behaviors.Throughout her career, Huber has been involved in policy development and implementation at the local, state, and national levels. She was also instrumental in the creation of a highly regarded professional credential for sexual risk avoidance (SRA) programs and led research on a variety of topics impacting youth and their parents.

Bio, via LinkedIn:

Cecilia has over 19 years of experience in fundraising (political & nonprofit), event planning & advance, community relations (specializing in Latino constituencies), state & federal government relations, and business development. Cecilia has worked on several political campaigns for state & federal offices, in the nonprofit sector, and consulted multi-national corporations.

Bio, via Sidley Austin LLP:

Morse most recently served as the manager of legislative and political affairs at the American College of Surgeons.

Bio, via Federalist Society:

Maya M. Noronha is an associate at Baker & Hostetler LLP in Washington, D.C. As a member of the Political Law Team, she focuses on redistricting litigation, voting rights cases, and campaign finance law. She has advised Members of Congress, federal candidates, state officials, state legislatures, campaigns, and political committees on election law. Ms. Noronha also works on Baker & Hostetler’s Public Policy Team, where she analyzes Congressional legislation and executive branch priorities to advise clients on political affairs. Ms. Noronha previously served as Deputy Director of the Republican National Lawyers Association, where she published extensively on voting laws, and coordinated state and national election law trainings in preparation for the 2012 general election. In 2011, she researched election law for former FEC Commissioner Hans A. von Spakovsky at the Heritage Foundation’s Center for Legal & Judicial Studies. In 2006, she served as a law clerk at the Republican Governors Association, where she analyzed campaign finance law for 36 gubernatorial races. Ms. Noronha is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Georgetown University where she majored in Government. At Georgetown Law, she published a note and served as development editor of the Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics. She also held programming on election law when she served as vice president of the Georgetown Law Federalist Society. Ms. Noronha has delivered presentations on election law at George Mason University Law School, Arizona State University, and the Republican National Lawyers Association’s Election Law Seminar. In 2012, she was recognized as one of Forbes "30 under 30" in Law and Public Policy.

Bio, via LinkedIn:

Accomplished Washington representative with over 35 years of broadly diversified experience with the United States Congress and Executive Branch. Worked as Congressional Leadership staff and committee staff; White House staff; represented corporate clients in legislative practice of major law firm; trade association, and prominent citizen grassroots organization, and government agencies. Extensive knowledge of the legislative process and excellent network skills to accomplish effective representation for legislative, policy or fundraising initiatives.

Bio, via Office of House Majority Whip Steve Scalise:

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) today announced that Laura Trueman will join his team as Senior Policy Advisor and Conservative Coalitions Coordinator. Trueman comes to the Whip’s office from The Heritage Foundation, where she served as the Director of Strategic Operations, focusing on conservative policies to improve healthcare and retirement security, and cut spending. She was appointed by President Reagan to serve in the Executive Branch, has worked for a Fortune 25 healthcare company, and was previously an aide in the U.S. Senate.