Molly Grady joined Advocates for Community Health (ACH) in July 2023 as ACH’s first director of policy and government affairs. She helps lead and execute ACH’s D.C.-based policy, advocacy strategy, and operations.
These days, she stays busy at ACH with a lot of exciting things going on in the health center space on and off the Hill. Most recently, Molly has been developing a Congressional Briefing to highlight the lack of access to maternal health care services in rural and underserved areas, and how federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) are critical in providing care in these spaces. “One thing I love about working at ACH is our drive to be leaders in the space and our desire to be collaborative and part of the conversation, so there’s always something that keeps us busy,” she said.
When asked about her proudest accomplishment at ACH so far, Molly said it’s difficult to define a single, individual accomplishment since ACH is such a team-driven environment. Within the past year, Molly has elevated ACH’s presence on the Hill, hosted a successful annual member meeting with a great lineup of speakers and more than 30 member meetings with their Congressional delegations.
“There is still so much work to do to protect the 340B Drug Discount Pricing Program for health centers and secure long-term meaningful funding for health centers before the continuing resolution expires at the end of 2024, in addition to the other policy priorities, including advancing the Advance the Health Center Community Transformation Hub Act sponsored by Representative Yvette Clarke (D-NY), FQHC workforce development, value-based care, emergency preparedness, and innovation that we push forward on behalf of our members each day.”
Molly’s experience and work has helped to grow ACH’s reputation in and among other health organizations and coalitions. Before joining ACH, Molly was a director of state technical assistance at the American Health Care Association (AHCA). In her role, she developed a deep expertise in Medicaid and Medicare payment models, regulatory policy analysis, and state advocacy strategies. Prior to joining AHCA, Molly worked as the education and health policy manager at the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), developing materials and providing analysis on state licensure requirements, integrated healthcare settings, and reimbursement requirements. She also led ACA’s state and federal grassroots advocacy campaigns and managed the fundraising efforts and compliance reporting for its Political Action Committee.
Molly began her portfolio in health policy as a legislative aide in former Congressman Bruce Braley’s office, serving as a key contact for a wide range of healthcare organizations, providers, and patient advocacy groups. Before moving to Washington, D.C., Molly was a campaign organizer for several election cycles and worked extensively with community leaders and elected officials. She received her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Northern Iowa.