What the mission means to Johanna
I work in early childhood policy because I care deeply about the well-being and future of children. I believe all caregivers want the best for their children but do not always have the tools or resources to lay the foundation for a child’s growth, development, and success; and we all have a role to play in supporting them. I am honored to be a part of ZERO TO THREE and be surrounded by passionate professionals who all work to support babies, toddlers, expected parents, and caregivers.
Through HealthySteps, we have the unique ability to learn from families and providers about their challenges and triumphs. Through these connections we can craft and pursue policies to support families so that every baby can thrive. It is only by learning from each other and working together that we will achieve our collective vision.
Professional Background
As the Director of Policy, Johanna develops and implements strategies for advising the HealthySteps network on implications of relevant policy changes at the federal and state levels. She works with the ZERO TO THREE Policy Center to advance federal policy initiatives to help better serve young children and their families. Johanna is also a member of the HealthySteps National Office Policy and Finance Team. In this role, Johanna pursues policies to support sustainable funding for HealthySteps sites across the nation. She works with stakeholders, including providers, payers and states, to promote favorable reimbursement policies to help deliver critical services to children and their families in the pediatric and family medicine setting.
Prior to joining ZERO TO THREE, Johanna was a Consultant with the Advisory Board Company. In that role, she advised large health systems on strategies for growth, expansion and market differentiation. Johanna’s career has largely centered around the intersection of Medicaid and children’s systems, including the role Medicaid plays in child welfare, special education and school-based health services and juvenile justice. Johanna has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and Global Public Health and a Master of Public Health from George Washington University. She also has a law degree, specializing in health law, from the University of Maryland.
Future Vision
I work towards the ideal that no baby is born into poverty. That every child has access to the care and support that they, their families, and their communities need. I dream of a world where our work is obsolete because individuals and policymakers alike prioritize caring for our children and building towards a brighter future together.
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