Andrea Cooke is passionate about improving health care. She has spent more than 20 years working in various aspects of health care, and is now pursuing a master’s degree in Health Care Innovation at the University of Pennsylvania while also working as the Director of Legislative and Regulatory Policy for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
Originally from Williamsburg, Virginia, Andrea moved to Washington, D.C., after getting her undergraduate degree in Biology from Virginia Tech, so she could be at the nexus of government and politics. She earned an MBA from Howard University and also worked at Howard University Hospital.
Interested in health care innovations, she applied to go back to school once again at the urging of her daughter. It’s paid off, as she recently had an op-ed published in the Boston Globe about the potential impact of the Supreme Court overturning the Affordable Care Act. (Please read the op-ed here.)
Andrea is pleased to be a Bryce Harlow Foundation Fellow. “It is so exciting to network with a group of intelligent and driven lobbyists,” Andrea said. “Although we may work in different areas, we are all in advocacy. We talk with each other, offer suggestions, and grow our network. I’m also excited to have a mentor with experience in my chosen field. It will help me develop my skillset and get to the next level.”
