Committee on Government Affairs

Committee Roster

Chair 
Bart Scott, MD ('26) 

Vice Chair 
Heather Male, MD ('26) 

Appointed Members 
Jesus Berdeja, MD ('28) 
Marisa A Brake, PhD ('29) 
Cecelia Calhoun, MBA, MD, MPH ('28) 
Jose Carlos Cruz, MD ('28) 
Marcos de Lima, MD ('26) 
Mary C. Dinauer, MD, PhD ('26) 
Shira Dinner, MD ('26) 
Dorothea N. Douglas, MD ('29) 
Kathleen M. Elliott, MD ('27) 
Arpita Gandhi, MD ('27) 
Stephanie H. Guarino, MD, MS ('26) 
Mohamad O. Khawandanah, MBBS ('29) 
Alexis Kristine Leonard, MD ('27) 
Sara Meyer, PhD ('26) 
Laura Michaelis, MD ('29) 
Fabiana Perna, MD, PhD ('26) 
Connie M. Piccone, MD ('27) 
Kevin Rakszawski, MD ('29) 
Jerome Seid, MD ('26) 
Jordan A. Shavit, MD, PhD ('28) 
Matthew L. Ulrickson, MD ('29) 
Anem Waheed, MD, MPH ('28) 
Kirsten Williams, MD ('28) 

Ex Officio Members 
Cindy E. Dunbar, MD ('27) - President-Elect 
Alison Loren, MD, MSCE ('28) - Vice President 
Robert Negrin, MD ('26) - President 

Liaisons 
Michael R. Green, PhD ('26) - Committee on Scientific Affairs 
Oreofe O. Odejide, MD, MPH ('27) - Committee on Advancing Excellence and Population Health 
Mary-Elizabeth M. Percival, MD ('27) - Chair, Committee on Practice 

Staff Liaison 
Suzanne Leous 

Committee Mandate

The Committee on Government Affairs, with appropriate counsel and approval by the ASH Executive Committee, leads the Society’s advocacy efforts before Congress and the Executive branch on policy issues of importance to hematology, including research and science issues. In concert with the Committee on Practice, the Committee on Government Affairs represents the interests of hematology researchers and practitioners on Capitol Hill and in the Executive branch agencies concerned with the study and treatment of blood and blood-related diseases.

Given the strategic activities of the Committee on Government Affairs, members of the committee are prohibited from simultaneously serving on a government affairs, policy, or advocacy committee of any other organization that has significant overlap with ASH interests. Members of this committee may also not be employees or owners of Ineligible Companies, as defined by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education.

The Committee on Government Affairs is kept abreast of government affairs issues related to hematology research and practice by staff. When Executive branch or Congressional actions are likely to have an impact on the field, the committee formulates an action plan consistent with ASH policy to represent the interests of the Society's members. In addition, when opportunities for new initiatives arise, the committee pursues them with Executive branch and Congressional policymakers.

The issues to be addressed by the Committee on Government Affairs are mostly those related to hematology research, including funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), although the committee also works with the Committee on Practice to incorporate into its agenda hematology reimbursement issues and other challenges facing the practicing hematologist, as well as issues impacting hematology patients. In addition, the Committee on Government Affairs communicates and coordinates government affairs activities with appropriate public, patient, and professional organizations. The committee also interacts closely with the Committee on Communications, Publications Committee, and Committee on Training to collaborate on projects.

The Committee on Government Affairs structure includes the chair of the Committee on Practice and a member of the Committee on Advancing Excellence and Population Health as well as the Committee on Scientific Affairs as liaison members.

Members of the Committee on Government Affairs are expected to attend committee meetings, either in-person or virtually, including a two-day meeting involving Capitol Hill visits in the spring and other occasional meetings and/or calls with members of Congress as well as NIH or other federal agencies as needed throughout the year. Committee members are expected to participate in the ASH Advocacy Network (including any event held during the ASH annual meeting), occasional conference calls and virtual meetings, and the development of policy statements, comment letters, and other related documents.

The chair of the Committee on Government Affairs serves as a liaison member of the Committee on Practice and the Media Experts Subcommittee and is expected to attend the meetings of those committees. The chair and vice chair of the Committee on Government Affairs serve as co-chairs of the ASH Advocacy Leadership Institute. Members of the Committee on Government Affairs serve as liaison members of the Committee on Communications and Committee on Quality and are expected to attend the meetings of those committees.