|
Staff
Caron, Timothy (Communications Assistant)
Colker, Allison (Program Director)
Folkemer, Donna (Group Director)
Gever, Matthew (Policy Associate)
Kent, Christina (Editor, State Health Notes)
Lubin, Tara (Senior Policy Specialist)
Mertz, Kory (Research Analyst II)
Spencer, Anna (Senior Policy Researcher)
Steverman, Sarah (Policy Specialist)
Sward, Deborah (Senior Staff Assistant)
Wolke, Anna (Policy Associate)
Click here to find a health policy expert for your issue!
Donna Folkemer is the Director of the Forum and NCSL Group Director. She specializes in Medicaid, long-term care, behavioral health and prescription drug issues. Prior to joining NCSL, Donna served as Chief of Policy for the District of Columbia Medicaid Program. In that position, she oversaw State Children's Health Insurance Program planning, managed an overhaul of long-term care reimbursement systems, led work on a major expansion of Medicaid coverage to working parents, and played a key role in the District's efforts to implement behavioral health managed care.
Other positions Donna has held in her 26-year career in health policy include: Senior Research Associate at the Intergovernmental Health Policy Project at George Washington University; Deputy Director of the Center for State Community Care Programs at the National Association of State Units on Aging; Chief of the Planning and Evaluation Division of the Maryland Office on Aging; and Chief of the Long-Term Care Division of the Maryland Office on Aging.
Donna holds a Bachelor's degree from West Virginia University and Master's degrees from both the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University.
202.624.8171 or donna.folkemer@ncsl.org
Allison C. Colker, J.D., Esq. is a Program Director with the Forum for State Health Policy Leadership at the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Mrs. Colker focuses on state substance abuse policy. Her topic areas include substance abuse treatment and prevention, state financing, substance abuse and criminal justice, substance abuse and child welfare, medication-assisted treatment, and recovery-based care. This information is published for state legislators, legislative staff, and the public in the form of legislative databases, newsletters, issue briefs, frequently asked questions, articles, and books. In addition, Mrs. Colker frequently provides technical assistance to state legislatures, including state legislative committees tasked with assessing substance abuse policy issues. Prior to joining NCSL in July 2001, Mrs. Colker worked at the Center for Health Services Research and Policy of the George Washington University School of Public Health. She worked on a research project funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that was a contract review of child welfare and Medicaid managed care contracts from the 50 states. Mrs. Colker is a member of the Bar of the State of Maryland. She earned her Juris Doctorate at the George Washington University Law School, where she focused her course of study on health law and policy. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from McDaniel College (formerly Western Maryland College).
202.624.3581 or allison.colker@ncsl.org
Christina Kent is an Editor at State Health Notes, the Forum for State Health Policy Leadership’s nearly 30-year-old flagship publication on public health and state legislation. She has specialized in writing about health policy since 1991, when she began covering Congress and federal agencies for Medicine & Health and other publications. Before that, she was a reporter for various newspapers, including the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. In 1981, she received an award for first place in a series from the Maryland, Delaware, D.C. Press Association for a series on violence against teachers in Prince Georges County. She has an A.B. in English from Vassar College, but she says she received her best education during her childhood in Asia and Africa.
202.624.8666 or christina.kent@ncsl.org
Anna Spencer is a Senior Policy Researcher at the Forum. She received her Master of Public Health from Columbia University in New York City. Anna works primarily on State Health Notes, a biweekly newsletter published the Forum. She covers a broad range of topics including Medicaid, children's health, mental health and substance abuse, long-term care and health care quality issues. Prior to joining NCSL in February 2001, she worked at the University of Washington Schools of Public Health and Medicine managing clinical trials. Her work at UW focused on the cost-effectiveness of various therapies for patients with lung cancer and back pain, as well as prevention programs for individuals with osteoarthritis.
202.624.1415 or anna.spencer@ncsl.org
Tara Lubin is a Senior Policy Specialist at the Forum. Tara's focus is on health care workforce issues, and she also works on such issues as mental health, prisoner re-entry and oral health. Prior to joining the Forum, Tara spent four years at a survey research firm which polled public and elite populations on social and political issues. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from American University.
202.624.3558 or tara.lubin@ncsl.org
Sarah Steverman is a Policy Specialist at the Forum. Sarah’s primary responsibility is conducting research and writing reports on mental health issues. She is especially interested in criminal justice/mental health issues. Prior to joining NCSL, Sarah worked with adults with mental illness at Green Door, a community mental health agency in D.C., and interned at the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. She received her B.A. in religion from Gettysburg College and her M.S.W. with a concentration in macro social work practice from Catholic University.
202-624-3583 or sarah.steverman@ncsl.org
Matthew Gever 
Matthew Gever is a Policy Associate with NCSL's substance abuse program. He has a B.A. from UCLA and a M.P.A. from the University of Texas at Austin. Matt's most recent job was at the Georgetown Office of Advancement. Prior to that, he was a project assistant at the National Association of Attorneys General. Matt has prior substance abuse policy experience in the topics of medical marijuana, prescription diversion, youth substance abuse, and needle exchange.
Anna Wolke is a Policy Associate at the Forum. She conducts research and writes reports covering a variety of topics, including health care access, Medicaid, private health insurance, long-term care, and hospital-acquired infections. Prior to joining NCSL, she interned with a private lobby firm specializing in disability policy. Anna received her B.A. in Political Science and Spanish from Denison University and is completing her Masters in Public Health, with a focus on Health Policy, from The George Washington University.
202.624.3571 or anna.wolke@ncsl.org
Kory Mertz
Kory Mertz is a Research Analyst II at the Forum. His primary responsibility is conducting research and writing reports on health information technology issues. He is the lead staffer for Project HITCh a public-private partnership that seeks to increasing legislative leadership on health information technology. Kory holds a B.A. with a double major in Political Science and Economics from Iowa State University.
202.624.3580 or kory.mertz@ncsl.org
Deborah Sward
Deborah Sward is a Senior Staff Assistant with the Forum for State Health Policy Leadership. Deborah manages the Forum's meetings, events and conferences and organizes and updates the membership lists. She also provides assistance to Health Chairs and Critical Health Areas Program (CHAP) members, legislative staff, and Forum staff. Deborah is currently working on a masters degree in Urban Studies and Planning at the University of Maryland -- College Park. She received a B.S. from the University of Maryland -- College Park, with a double major in Environmental Science and Policy, and Government and Politics and a minor in Spanish Language and Cultures.
202.624.3585 or deborah.sward@ncsl.org
Timothy Caron is a Communications Assistant at the Forum. He works on the Forum's publications and website maintenance. Tim is responsible for State Health Notes' graphics development and web content generation. He also provides assistance to Health Chairs, Critical Health Areas Program (CHAP) members, legislative staff, Forum staff, and subscribers to the Forum's publications. Tim holds a B.A. with a major in Political Science and a minor in Communications from American University.
202.624.8668 or timothy.caron@ncsl.org
Contact Information:
The Forum for State Health Policy Leadership
National Conference of State Legislatures
444 North Capitol Street, NW
Suite 515
Washington, DC 20001
p: 202.624.5400
f: 202.737.1069
 Back to Main Page
|
