Session #3: Introduction to the Regulatory Process 

Rob Lott joined Health Affairs in 2013 and currently serves as the Senior Deputy Editor overseeing day-to-day operations for all of the journal’s special content including Health Affairs Forefront, Health Policy Briefs, long-form journalism, and Narrative Matters. He also hosts the journal's weekly podcast, A Health Podyssey, featuring in-depth conversations with the authors of recent health policy research articles. Rob previously served as a senior speechwriter at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a position he held from 2010 to 2012. In that capacity, he worked closely with Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Deputy Secretary Bill Corr during the early implementation of the Affordable Care Act. From 2005 to 2010, Rob held several positions as a speechwriter on Capitol Hill working with: the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and its chair, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.); Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn); and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wa). Previously, Mr. Lott served as an editor and Dutko Fellow at the Democratic Leadership Council. He is a graduate of Tufts University and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He lives in Chicago with his wife Jessica and their two very silly children.

Yvette Fontenot has nearly 25 years of Federal health care experience and has held senior positions on Capitol Hill as well as in the White House and at HHS. She is an expert on the Federal legislative and regulatory process and has longstanding relationships with lawmakers, regulators and thought-leaders. She is currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Impact Health Policy Partners, a health care consulting firm focused on expanding access to more equitable, cost-effective, quality care.

Yvette was a Senior Policy Advisor in the Obama White House and at the Department of Health and Human Services. Prior to her work in the Administration, Yvette served as Professional Staff with the Senate Finance Committee where she was a principal author of the Affordable Care Act. Yvette has also served as Professional Staff for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce in the U.S. House of Representatives; as Senior Legislative Advisor for Senator John D. Rockefeller; and as a program analyst for the Office of Management and Budget.

Yvette currently sits on the Board of Experts of Axios News; the NYU Wagner Graduate School Health Advisory Board; and the Board of Breast Care for Washington

Yvette received her Master’s degree from the University of Chicago and her Bachelor’s degree from Duke University.

Kimberly Brandt is a Partner in the Washington, D.C. based policy firm Tarplin, Downs & Young, LLC where she advises the firm’s clients on a wide range of healthcare regulatory, enforcement and policy issues. Kim is on the board for NeuroPsychiatric Hospitals.

Prior to her current private sector roles, Kim served as Principal Deputy Administrator for Operations and Policy of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). In that role she supported the Administrator in overseeing all activities necessary for the operation and management of the CMS budget, beneficiaries and its programs,including Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Kim served as Chief Oversight Counsel and General Counsel on the staff of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee from January 2011 – August 2017. Before joining the Finance Committee staff, Kim was a Senior Counsel at Alston & Bird in Washington, D.C. Her 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 a Senior Counsel and Director of External Affairs.