Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney Adds Senior VP of Hospital and Healthsystem Association Michael Strazzella to Government Relations Practice

Washington, D.C. – February 11, 2013 – Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC announced today that Michael P. Strazzella, Senior Vice President of Federal Relations and Political Development for Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP), will join the firm’s Government Relations Practice in early March.

Strazzella has more than 19 years of experience in government relations, legislative strategy, grassroots advocacy, and political action campaigns, having worked on several statewide campaigns in Pennsylvania. For the past nine years, he has been responsible for HAP’s federal lobbying efforts and strategy, including overseeing HAP’s political action committees. He works closely with the United States Congress, the Administration, and other hospital and health related organizations.

“With Mike at the forefront of the Affordable Care Act and its implementation, his understanding of how it relates to hospitals and health systems, insurers, managed care plans and other health care entities will be invaluable to the firm’s current and future clients,” stated Buchanan’s Government Relations Chair Thomas G. Paese.

“I am excited about the opportunity to help Buchanan’s clients navigate through one of the most complicated and rapidly changing segments of the economy,” stated Strazzella. “In this role, I will focus on positioning them in such a way that they benefit at both the state and federal levels,” he added.

Prior to joining HAP, Strazzella served as deputy director, congressional relations, for the American Psychiatric Association (APA). In that position, he educated members of Congress, the White House, and federal agencies on association issues; formulated lobbying strategies; initiated coalition activity in support of APA positions; and chaired the Coalition for Fairness of Mental Illness Coverage, which advocated for mental health parity legislation. Strazzella also has managed congressional and regulatory affairs for the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (now The American Society for Clinical Pathology), and state and regional relations for the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars. He also has initiated strategic corporate and grassroots communications programs for Fortune 500 companies and national trade associations.

Strazzella holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Gettysburg College.

About the Firm
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC (www.bipc.com) has more than 450 attorneys and government relations professionals practicing throughout the United States, with offices in California, Delaware, Florida, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

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