Chris Jennings is a more than two decade-long health policy veteran of the White House, Congress and the private sector. He currently serves as president of Jennings Policy Strategies (JPS), Inc., a nationally-respected health policy and advocacy consulting firm in Washington, D.C. JPS, Inc. provides policy analysis, strategic guidance and coalition building advice to clients who share a commitment to affordable, accessible and accountable health care.  Clients include businesses (e.g., General Motors), public employers (e.g., CalPERS), labor organizations (e.g., AFL-CIO and SEIU), consumer groups (e.g., AARP and the Partnership for Women & Families) and foundations (e.g., the Clinton Global Initiative).

White House Senior Health Care Advisor – 1993-2001

   Prior to founding JPS, Inc., Mr. Jennings served in the White House as the Senior Health Care Advisor to President William Jefferson Clinton at the Domestic Policy and National Economic Councils.  During his tenure there, Mr. Jennings made significant contributions toward the enactment of major, bipartisan health legislation including the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, the Mental Health Parity Act, the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act, the Work Incentives Improvement Act, and the tripling of funding for international AIDS programs for prevention, care, treatment and health infrastructure.   Recognizing his work at the White House, the National Journal designated Mr. Jennings as one of Washington’s 100 most influential individuals throughout the entire Federal government.  

   As the President’s Senior Health Policy Advisor, he was charged with developing and implementing the Administration’s health care policy.  In this capacity, Mr. Jennings coordinated and oversaw the health policy work of numerous Federal agencies, including the Office of Management and Budget and the Departments of Health and Human Services, Treasury, and Labor.  He also had lead responsibility for communicating and advocating Administration health policy to the Congress, state and local governments, health care interest groups, and the media. 

   In 1993 and 1994, he served as the Senior Advisor to Administrator of the then Health Care Financing Administration.  In this capacity, he served concurrently as the congressional liaison for First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton providing assistance for her testimony before five committees and staffing her for hundreds of meetings with members of Congress as she advocated for affordable, quality health insurance for all Americans. 

Congressional Health Care Advisor – 1983-1993

   Prior to joining the Clinton Administration, Mr. Jennings served as Committee staff for three United States Senators (Glenn, Melcher, and Pryor) over the course of almost ten years on Capitol Hill.  As Deputy Staff Director of the Senate Aging Committee for Chairman David Pryor (D-AR), he staffed the Senator before the Finance Committee and the “Pepper Commission.”   He also coordinated Senator Pryor’s legislative initiatives on health insurance affordability and access, long-term care, rural health, and prescription drug coverage and cost containment.