Healthcare Reform Speakers

Paul Ryan served ten terms in the U.S. House of Representative and as Speaker of the House from 2015 to 2019. Known for his meteoric rise in politics and often praised for his seriousness and honesty, Ryan is a committed conservative and public servant who has spent his life advocating for real solutions that expand opportunity for Americans. Before serving as Speaker of the House, he was Chair of the House Budget Committee, Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, and a U.S. Vice Presidential candidate. He is exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau.

A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, John Harwood is a widely respected expert in presidential politics and an admired voice in American homes renowned for his compelling explorations into headline-grabbing events in Washington, as well as his must-see interviews with some of the most influential leaders shaping the future of our nation. A household name on screen and in print for several decades, Harwood has served as White House correspondent for CNN and chief Washington correspondent for CNBC, and has offered political analysis for The New York Times, NBC, MSNBC, NPR, and PBS. Harwood has his finger on the pulse of the latest in the White House and on Capitol Hill, offering an insightful and nonpartisan look at today’s political landscape. Having covered each of the last ten presidential elections, he breaks down the Washington political scene as a whole, drawing on decades of journalistic experience to provide hard-hitting analysis of the current state of Beltway politics and how factors such as elections, current events, and congressional culture will impact the current presidential administration as well as the American public.

A pioneer in medicine and leadership, Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall has been on the frontlines of healthcare for more than four decades as a clinician, researcher, and leader in the biopharmaceuticals and life sciences industries. Dr. Lewis-Hall is an incredible storyteller with a flair for well-timed humor who shares with audiences her powerful story and inspiring path to becoming a leader in the healthcare industry. Her talks motivate audience members to embrace pressure and determine their own destinations, just as she did on her path to being the first in her family to attend college, becoming a physician and, subsequently, a biopharmaceutical executive. Dr. Lewis-Hall’s message of perseverance, tenacity, equity, inclusion, and transparency is one that resonates with all audiences and diverse backgrounds.

Congressman Joseph Kennedy III has dedicated his career to social and economic justice, fighting for the basic needs of every American family and a political system that is inclusive, representative, and fair. The U.S. Representative for Massachusetts’s 4th congressional district from 2013-2021, he ran for office to tackle the systemic inequities – from health care and housing to climate and education – that have left countless American families locked out and left behind. Kennedy’s presentations address the latest in politics and what’s next for the political landscape. Well-versed on the most pressing issues of the day, he provides an insider’s look at current events and takes a thoughtful approach on how they may impact the country’s future. With a constant focus on the most vulnerable among us, Kennedy brings a uniquely empathetic voice to our nation’s most vexing challenges.

Dr. Leana Wen is an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. A nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, she is also a contributing columnist for The Washington Post, writing on health policy and public health, and an on-air commentator for CNN as a medical analyst. The author of the critically-acclaimed book on patient advocacy, When Doctors Don’t Listen: How to Avoid Misdiagnoses and Unnecessary Tests (St. Martin’s Press, 2013), she has a forthcoming memoir to be published July 27th, Lifelines: A Doctor’s Journey in the Fight for Public Health (Metropolitan Books, 2021). Previously, she served as health commissioner for the city of Baltimore, where she led the nation’s oldest continuously operating health department to combat the opioid epidemic and improve maternal and child health. She has also worked as director of patient-centered care research in the department of emergency medicine at George Washington University; president of Planned Parenthood; global health fellow at the World Health Organization; consultant to the China Medical Board; and distinguished fellow at the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity.

Part journalist, part historian, and all shrewd political observer, Ronald (Ron) Brownstein explains the complexities of American politics with lucid precision. As a CNN Senior Political Analyst, Senior Editor for the Atlantic, and Contributing Editor for National Journal, he produces sharp analysis on politics, policy, the electorate, media, healthcare, energy, the press' impact on Americans, and the range of issues informed by his strong sense of American political and national history. Brownstein provides an insider’s look into politics and the media and has twice been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. He is also the author of seven best-selling books, and his articles on politics, public policy, and culture have appeared in myriad of major publications and on many broadcast news outlets.

Stephanie Cutter is one of the most-trusted voices of the Democratic Party. At the center of every major policy and political debate of the last 20 years, she offers an enlightening look at the current state of politics told through insider stories with today’s top lawmakers. From the halls of Congress to the campaign trail and from the West Wing to the C-Suite, Stephanie is one of the foremost experts at weaving together political strategies to create a narrative that resonates with voters. She was named one of the “50 Most Powerful People in Washington,” by GC magazine.

David Wasserman is the US House editor and senior election analyst for the independent, non-partisan publication, the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter. A prominent election analyst respected and trusted by Republicans and Democrats as accurate and impartial, David's expert commentary regularly appears on TV outlets and in major publications. Called “whip smart” and “scrupulously nonpartisan” by The Los Angeles Times, he analyzes the current political environment, looking at both national and local politics, what the future holds for both political parties, the three critical trends that affect voting, and the 12 clusters of voters that affect voting. Incorporating up-to-date examples from the past week of news and fascinating political facts, Wasserman’s presentations are lively, entertaining, and interesting, and he uses relevant analogies that are as smart as they are memorable.

Doug Holtz-Eakin has a distinguished record as an academic, policy adviser, and strategist. Currently he is the President of the American Action Forum. Since 2001, he has served in a variety of important policy positions including as Chief Economist of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers. He also served as the 6th Director of the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office and offers audiences a complete, 360-degree view of the economy.

Nancy-Ann DeParle is President Obama’s former deputy chief of staff for policy. She is one of the nation’s leading experts on healthcare and policy issues and was essential to the creation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, playing a lead role in one of the most significant pieces of social legislation in a generation. She is the expert’s expert. When she was deputy chief of staff, DeParle oversaw all policy and regulatory matters for the White House, including energy, environment, education, manufacturing, and economic policy. She addresses policy and healthcare.

Tim Pawlenty, one of the leading voices in the Republican Party, was a two-term governor of Minnesota serving from 2003 until 2011, a candidate for the 2012 Republican nomination for President, and the co-chair of Mitt Romney for President. Tim was a solutions-oriented politician who was well-respected on both sides of the aisle. His education, healthcare, and energy initiatives were widely viewed as among the most innovative in the nation. Currently, Tim is the president and CEO of the Financial Services Roundtable, which represents leading financial service companies in protecting the security, integrity, and success of our nation’s financial system. The author of the book, Courage to Stand, Pawlenty offers audiences candid and entertaining presentations on politics, the future of the GOP, the economy, and issues important to the financial services industry.

With a medical, scientific, and philanthropic career that spans more than 30 years, Dr. Sue Desmond-Hellmann has devoted her life to improving the human condition through innovation. Most recently, she was the CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, leading the organization’s vision for a world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life. She was formerly the first female chancellor of University of California at San Francisco and spent 14 years at biotech firm Genentech, leading the development of a number of breakthrough medicines. An innovator and leader in life sciences, Dr. Desmond-Hellmann’s diverse training as an oncologist, scientist, and business executive leads to her endless curiosity about the world and her desire to change it for the better. In speeches, she shares her unique insights not only on revolutionizing global health, but also on effective and innovative leadership. Using lessons-learned as a trailblazing female leader of one of the world’s largest philanthropies, Dr. Desmond-Hellmann inspires audiences with her unparalleled perspective on how to foster an environment of collaboration and relentless innovation to drive disruptive solutions that make an impact.