Advocacy 101: Tips and Tools to Make Your Voice Heard

As the aging cohort expands and the fight for resources intensifies, advocacy becomes increasingly important. In this "how to" session, presenters from ASA’s Public Policy Committee will first describe the role of advocacy in advancing equitable access to supports and services for older adults, then discuss skills and strategies for advocacy at the federal, state and local levels. Tips on activating the aging community’s diverse stakeholders will also be provided.

Presenters:

Amber Christ is the Managing Director of Health Advocacy at Justice in Aging, and is based out of the Washington DC office. She develops and implements projects and initiatives to improve equitable access to health care and long-term services and supports for low-income older adults across the country. Amber is admitted to the California, Missouri, and Illinois bars and is a 2006 graduate of Washington University School of Law. She received her BA from Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana.		Bonnie Ewald is a dedicated public service professional working at the intersection of health care and social service delivery, health policy, research, and education to improve our problematic health care system – and ultimately improve health and quality of life for marginalized communities in particular.In her work as a manager in the Social Work and Community Health department at RUSH University Medical Center, Bonnie collaborates with clinical leaders to develop, evaluate, and sustain initiatives provided by social workers, community health workers, and AmeriCorps members that improve quality of care and life. Bonnie also serves as the Managing Director of the Center for Health and Social Care Integration (CHaSCI), a training and policy center based at RUSH that works in collaboration with local and national partners.
Amy Herr is an expert in state and federal health policy analysis, focusing on Medicare and Medicaid program policy development and implementation, specifically related to integrated care models for older adults. Herr is Director, Health Policy, for the nonprofit, nonpartisan West Health Policy Center. West Health is dedicated to lowering healthcare costs to enable seniors to successfully age in place with access to high-quality, affordable health and support services that preserve and protect their dignity, quality of life and independence. Before joining West Health, Herr was a managing consultant with The Lewin Group, and prior to that she was a health policy analyst for the National Association of State Medicaid Directors and a legislative assistant in the U.S. Senate.		Ryann Hill currently serves as Vice President of Government Affairs at the Federation where she is responsible for representing more than 1,000 tax-paying hospitals before federal policymakers. She has nearly a decade of experience in policy and advocacy from both the public and private sectors. Before joining the Federation, she led federal policy and government relations for SCAN Health Plan, a not-for-profit Medicare Advantage plan with a mission of keeping seniors healthy and independent. Prior to joining SCAN, Ryann served in various policy and advocacy roles on and off Capitol Hill. Ryann received her Bachelor’s degree in Health Policy from Carnegie Mellon University and her Master’s in Public Health, specializing in Health Policy, from The George Washington University. Ryann is an active member of the American Society on Aging, the Junior League of Washington, the Society of Health Policy Young Professionals, Women in Government Relations, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. Originally from Chicago, she currently resides in Prince George’s County, Maryland, with her family.