Isabella Izquierdo
Isabella supports Lewis-Burke clients by advancing priorities in biomedical and public health research through advocacy and consulting across agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). At the firm, she focuses on agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), among others. Isabella’s background in biological science and research has provided her with a unique perspective on how scientific research can often influence policy and has allowed her to pursue her passion of bridging the intersection of experimental research and its direct impacts on public health.
Issue Areas: Biomedical research, social determinants, global health, public health, and behavioral sciences.
Additional Information: Prior to joining Lewis-Burke Associates, Isabella interned with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) where she spent a summer working on an NIH-funded R01 study focused on maternal health and drug abuse. It was here that she found her passion for public health policy. During her time abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, Isabella joined a public health program where she frequently met with different non-profits, research facilities, and social services working to solve issues such as, but not limited to, homelessness, drug abuse, and mental health. Most recently, Isabella worked with the Florida Department of Health as a Contact Tracer and in the latter half of her time there, as an Epidemiologist, offering testing, medical, and economic resources to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vital Statistics: Isabella was born and raised in Miami, Florida but received her undergraduate degree in neuroscience at Pomona College in Claremont, California. She is currently pursuing her Master's in Public Health (MPH) at Johns Hopkins University. Outside of the office, Isabella loves checking out new restaurants, traveling, and admiring the full four seasons that D.C has to offer.
Srinu Sonti, J.D.
Srinu Sonti is a seasoned health policy and communications professional who provides clients with unique insights into the inner workings of Congress and regulatory agencies. With years of experience on Capitol Hill and in the private sector, Srinu assists clients achieve their goals by listening to their complex issues and developing a strategy for success. His primary focus is on health policy and is passionate about reforming the nation’s delivery system to ensure quality access to care, particularly for vulnerable populations.
Issue Expertise: Policy and regulations impacting academic medical centers, the healthcare workforce, hospitals and hospital systems, federally qualified health centers (FQHC’s), and rural health clinics. Medicare, Medicaid, and health IT.
Additional Experience: Srinu has worked on and off Capitol Hill for years on a wide range of health policy and regulatory matters, in both the public and private sector. Srinu served for several years as the Research Director for then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), focusing on policy development, messaging and strategy. Srinu was a part of Senator Reid’s team that worked on, and helped pass the Affordable Care Act, the reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program, as well as other legislation. Srinu also worked at the Center for American Progress where he raised awareness of and coordinated advocacy efforts on health policy and poverty issues. Srinu went on to serve as Health Policy Advisor to Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL). There, he primarily managed the Senator’s health finance portfolio, focusing on the Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security programs. Srinu left Capitol Hill to join the Federation of American Hospitals, where he was part of the government relations team and managed the health IT portfolio. Srinu then went on to work as a consultant for organizations focused on public health prior to joining Lewis-Burke.
Vital Statistics: Srinu earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Wisconsin, and a Juris Doctor degree from New York Law School. Of note, Srinu is also one of the few and proud who were born and raised in the Washington, D.C. area.
Elevating Biomedical Research with Federal Policymakers
Working on behalf of an Association client, Lewis-Burke designed and executed the client’s annual meeting in Washington, DC during a period of protracted political sensitivity on a variety of topics important to research institutions.
In designing a program of federal speakers and policymaker engagement for the meeting, Lewis-Burke surveyed the current landscape of policy issues impacting research institutions and leveraged professional relationships to secure appearances by key federal policymakers and related thought leaders, including the Director of the White House Office of Science Policy, the Director of the National Institutes of Health, a senior official from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and a leading science journalist with NPR, among others. In addition, Lewis-Burke planned the client’s Capitol Hill Advocacy Day, which saw 100+ individuals fanning out over Capitol Hill to conduct more than 60 meetings with their congressional representatives to advocate for the federal policy priorities of the Association.
Lewis-Burke’s efforts in planning and executing the annual meeting ensured that the Association and its leadership were viewed by federal policymakers as key stakeholders in the development of the nation’s biomedical research agenda.
Protecting Teaching Hospitals from the Disproportionate Impact of Cuts
Teaching Hospitals have a unique role. They not only train the next generation of healthcare providers in the use of cutting-edge technology and treatments, but also provide care to safety-net patients throughout the United States. Over the last few years, as Congress and the Administration have considered various budget proposals to reduce the federal deficit, they have often proposed cuts without regard to the unique impact on teaching hospitals and the underserved populations these hospitals treat. Lewis-Burke has worked with clients to ensure that federal agencies, Congress, staff, and other relevant individuals understand the role teaching hospitals play in the healthcare infrastructure, and how proposals often disproportionately and unfairly impact teaching hospitals. For example, many congressional staffers did not take into consideration that cutting indirect medical education (IME), proposed in several budget measures, unfairly targeted teaching hospitals. Nor did they fully realize the complexity of this funding as payment for care provided to patients. Lewis-Burke helped clients develop a strategy to convey this message and helped develop strategies to advocate against other funding reductions such as cuts to outpatient hospital departments.
Protecting Research Infrastructure Costs
Following a government proposal to cap facilities and administrative (F&A) costs on NIH awards at 10 percent, a policy that would have devastating consequences for the research and higher education community, Lewis-Burke pursued an aggressive strategy to prevent any changes in F&A cost reimbursement to universities and research institutions. Leveraging a coalition approach, Lewis-Burke worked closely with House and Senate Appropriations Committees to ensure that language prohibiting any changes to F&A cost policy was included in all annual appropriations bills funding the NIH.
Elevating Funding in Federal Opioid Research and Response
Lewis-Burke worked with a university client to identify new research funding areas for the Medical School. Specifically, the firm designed a new product for the dean of the Medical School which provided weekly updates on federal funding progress, accompanied by action items, to help formulate new opportunities. After three months of careful analysis, Lewis-Burke consultants carved out a strategy for the Medical School in the space of federal response to opioid use, that was also well-aligned with the Medical School’s research capabilities. Lewis-Burke developed a memorandum for the dean which outlined a detailed strategy to thoughtfully position the Medical School once new federal funding opportunities in opioid research became available. This strategy was so well received that the University’s Vice President for Research (VPR) requested that Lewis-Burke adapt the strategy, beyond the Medical School, and for the entire Academic Health Center, which includes multiple colleges, schools, centers, and institutes. Currently, Lewis-Burke’s strategy is being implemented across the Academic Health Center. Lewis-Burke consultants also continue to serve as advisors for the dean and VPR as it pertains to updates and funding opportunities in opioid research. Additionally, per the request of the dean of the Medical School, Lewis-Burke continues to send weekly updates to help identify additional emerging areas for funding in biomedical research.
Jack Goodman
Jack Goodman assists Lewis-Burke clients in developing congressional and agency engagement strategies in the realm of health and biomedical research, health professions workforce, social and behavioral sciences, and arts and humanities. Jack’s expertise covers a broad range of agencies, including HRSA, SAMHSA, NIH, AHRQ, and CDC, and assists clients in navigating the complex and changing landscape of health policy and funding. Jack additionally assists with the firm’s education and emerging technology research portfolios.
Prior to joining Lewis-Burke, Jack gained experience in the office of New York Representative Grace Meng, where he closely supported the legislative staff through policy analysis and research. Jack also held roles on political campaigns and in university student affairs offices.
Issue Areas: Healthcare delivery and services, health professions, social and behavioral science, arts and humanities, biomedical research, minority-serving institutions.
Vital Statistics: Born and raised in New York, Jack attended Washington University in St. Louis, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science through the School of Engineering and Applied Science, with a second major in Applied Economics and Business Strategy through the Olin School of Business. Outside of work, Jack can be found exploring the D.C. region on his bike or watching motorsports.
Amber Cassady
Amber leads Lewis-Burke's national security practice and spearheads both client-specific and firm-wide efforts in defense appropriations, defense authorization, and engagement with the Department of Defense (DOD) and Military Services. Amber is especially involved in the national security R&D ecosystem related to manufacturing, microelectronics, and emerging technologies. She also leads the firm’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) portfolio, most recently keeping a pulse on “CHIPS”-specific opportunities and funding from the landmark CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. Amber is an active member of the Coalition for National Security Research (CNSR), which advocates for basic and applied research funding on behalf of many Lewis-Burke research universities and organizations.
Issue Areas: Defense, national security, manufacturing, microelectronics, emerging technology, defense health, standards and technology.
Additional Experience: Prior to joining Lewis-Burke, Amber worked as a Research Assistant at the Bertelsmann Foundation, a transatlantic think tank where she covered European Union-U.S. policies in artificial intelligence, technology, manufacturing, and the future of work. Amber also worked as an Education Outreach Assistant at the Center for European Studies, at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. She interned with the Department of State in politics and economics section at the U.S. Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal.
Vital Statistics: Amber earned a B.A. in Global Studies and Contemporary European Studies from the University of North Carolina (Go Heels!). She earned a M.A. in Political Science at both UNC and Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, Spain, during which she was awarded two Foreign Language Area Studies (FLAS) scholarships by the U.S. Department of Education, and she now serves on UNC’s Transatlantic Masters Board. Amber revels in being one of the firm’s resident foodies and can be spotted most evenings at D.C. restaurants with her husband and friends.
Christina Laridaen
Christina Laridaen is a trusted advisor to clients and community leader in agriculture, environment, conservation, and resilience topics. She supports Lewis-Burke clients by providing in depth information about actions in Congress and at federal agencies and strategizing new initiatives and positioning for success. Christina is a key member of the firm’s agriculture practice and is intimately familiar with the ins and outs of research, education, and extension policy within USDA NIFA, ARS, and NRCS. Additionally, she has extensive experience assisting clients with strategies to support environmental and ecosystem sciences including through diversifying funding via lesser-known funding streams for this work across the federal agencies.
Issues: Agriculture, extension, environment and climate issues across agencies, resilience, oceanic and coastal research, environmental health and justice, geosciences
Before joining the Lewis-Burke team, Christina interned in the U.S. Senate, where she assisted on the research, commodity, and conservation titles in the 2018 Farm Bill in addition to covering regulation of bioengineered foods. Prior to moving to D.C., Christina worked as the Government and Legislative Affairs Coordinator for the Minnesota Student Association, where she managed advocacy efforts relevant to University of Minnesota students at all levels of government. At the State Capitol, she helped secure increases in biennium university funding by creating a statewide coalition of student advocates, regularly testifying at the legislature, and authoring letters on behalf of the student body to the Governor.
Christina is a graduate from the University of Minnesota, where she studied political science and applied economics. Her congressional experience traces all the way back to her high school days when she served as a United States Senate Page.
Eve Granatosky, Ph.D.
Dr. Eve Granatosky is an experienced science policy and advocacy professional who specializes in the interdisciplinary opportunities at the intersection of life sciences, physical sciences, and engineering. She leverages her scientific background and in-depth knowledge of federal agencies including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to connect clients to key congressional and agency allies, as well as to advise on strategic planning, relationship building, competing for funding, and shaping new programs. As a trained biochemist and former Hill staffer, she has an appreciation for the nuances of research, policy, and politics, empowering her to effectively represent clients’ interests across the federal science landscape. In her work at Lewis-Burke, Eve has demonstrated success in providing unique insights into emerging opportunities that might otherwise be overlooked across a range of university, non-profit, and industry organizations.
Issue Expertise: Biomedical research, life sciences, biotechnology, biomanufacturing, environmental health, innovation and commercialization, graduate STEM education.
Additional Expertise: Prior to joining Lewis-Burke, Eve was selected for the Genetics and Public Policy Fellowship, during which she worked as a fellow in policy offices at the American Society of Human Genetics and the National Human Genome Research Institute at NIH. Eve also gained valuable experience as a Legislative Fellow for Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), covering health, education, and biomedical research issues. During her doctoral training, Eve led grassroots student efforts to promote science policy and advocacy on her university campus and co-founded the Science Policy Initiative at the University of Notre Dame.
Vital Statistics: Eve earned her Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame, where she studied pre-clinical drug development for neurodegenerative diseases and developed a deep appreciation for Fighting Irish sports. She also holds a B.S. from Stonehill College, where she majored in biochemistry and minored in dance. Outside of work, Eve enjoys yoga, crossword puzzles, and the New England Patriots.