Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies Deepens Federal Health Policy Bench, Adding Four Lobbyists

WASHINGTON, September 1, 2026 - Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies, the bipartisan government relations and communications affiliate of international law firm Cozen O'Connor, today announced the addition of Rodney Whitlock, Debbie Curtis, Katie Waldo, and Maddie News to the firm's federal health policy practice in Washington, D.C.

"Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies has built one of Washington's leading bipartisan health policy practices, helping clients navigate and shape health care legislation and regulations," said Alexandra Campau, health policy chair and managing director of Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies. "The addition of Debbie, Rodney, Katie, and Maddie - true giants in health care policy - expands our reach and depth across complex health care coverage, financing, and access policy and further strengthens our ability to anticipate policy shifts, shape outcomes, and help clients to navigate the evolving health care environment."

The team joins Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies' five-person federal health policy practice from McDermott+, the health care government relations affiliate of McDermott Will & Schulte. Their collective experience spans senior roles on Capitol Hill and congressional committees, health policy advisory bodies, and leading health care advocacy organizations, providing clients with strategic guidance on legislative, regulatory, and reimbursement issues affecting the health care sector.

Debbie Curtis joins Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies as a managing director. Curtis brings more than three decades of experience on Capitol Hill and in the health insurance exchange marketplace to the firm. Curtis previously served 24 years as a congressional staffer, most recently as chief of staff to Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) and as a professional staff member on the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, where she was a key staffer in the development of the Affordable Care Act. She later helped establish and operate DC Health Link as a founding team member at the DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority.

Rodney Whitlock joins Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies as a managing director. With more than three decades of government and private-sector experience, Whitlock advises clients on complex Medicare and Medicaid issues with significant business implications, drawing on more than two decades on Capitol Hill, where he served as health policy director to then-Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and as the lead Republican staffer for Medicaid legislation, including the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 and the Affordable Care Act.

Katie Waldo joins Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies as a senior principal. Focused on navigating complex federal and state issues, including Medicaid coverage, payment and financing issues, Medicare, and the 340B Drug Pricing Program, Waldo represents clients before Congress and the Department of Health and Human Services. Waldo previously served as a senior analyst at the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, focusing on managed care, payment and access, behavioral health, home- and community-based services, and dually eligible beneficiaries, and as a health policy fellow in Sen. Grassley's office.

Maddie News joins Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies as a government relations associate. News helps clients navigate the evolving federal health care landscape by tracking and analyzing key legislative and regulatory developments to support clients' advocacy goals. News previously served as senior program associate for Medicaid policy at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans, working on federal legislative and regulatory issues on behalf of safety net health plans.

"Debbie, Rodney, Katie, and Maddie are among the most respected health policy professionals in Washington, bringing decades of experience across Congress, federal agencies, advocacy organizations, and the private sector," said Howard Schweitzer, CEO of Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies. "Their deep expertise in Medicaid, Medicare, and other federal health care programs, combined with their strong bipartisan relationships and strategic insight, further strengthens our health policy practice and enhances our ability to help clients navigate an increasingly complex legislative and regulatory environment."

About Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies

Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies, an affiliate of the international law firm Cozen O'Connor, is a government relations and communications firm committed to a bipartisan approach to problem-solving and opportunity creation. The firm's government relations practice offers a full range of federal, state, and local lobbying services, including legislative and executive branch advocacy, policy analysis and tracking, assistance with government procurement and funding programs, and crisis management. The communications practice delivers a comprehensive suite of strategic messaging services, including coalition and grassroots management, crisis and reputation management, creative design, digital strategy, executive positioning and thought leadership, issue advocacy, litigation communications, media and presentation training, media relations, and strategic research and analysis. Its client base spans multiple industries, including health care, transportation, technology, hospitality, education, construction, energy, real estate, entertainment, financial services, and insurance.

About Cozen O'Connor

Established in 1970, Cozen O'Connor has more than 1,000 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O'Connor serves its clients' needs through 35 offices across two continents.

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