Integrated strategies
for building 21ST
century
public affairs initiatives

Boston / Nashville / Orlando / Washington DC

What We Do

Advocacy for your company or cause, is complex and no longer a “want” for your organizations but a clear “need.” Acuity Strategic Partners excel at:
  • Association, Coalition & PAC Development & Management
  • Stakeholder Engagement
  • Grassroots advocate recruitment and mobilization
  • Campaign planning & execution
  • Fundraising
  • Event production and management
  • Patient engagement, stakeholder advocacy & Market insights
We maintain a full time federal government relations practice as well as a 50 state network of contract statehouse-based lobbyists. Services provided clients include:
  • Direct federal & state lobbying
  • Prioritization of legislative priorities & opportunities
  • Drafting of correspondence & advocacy materials
  • Policymaker relationship development & management
  • Legislative & regulatory monitoring
  • Compliance Support
Success starts and ends with clear, concise, and powerful messaging. Acuity Strategic Partners offer a comprehensive communications program for external and internal communications needs. Services include:
  • Crisis Communications & Management
  • Website, Digital & Social Media Development
  • TV/Radio/Direct Mail Production & Placement
  • Public Relations & Press Strategies
  • Op-Ed and Narrative Development
NEWS ALERT

Our Experience Equals
Your Success

Acuity Strategic Partners is a comprehensive public affairs firm that specializes in building integrated strategies for life sciences companies, patients, and initiatives.

Acuity Strategic Partners understand your needs because we have walked in your shoes.

  • Energy
  • LIFE SCIENCES
  • Financial Services
  • Entertainment

Life Sciences

Patient advocacy and engagement has become critical to the life science community. From early development through FDA approval our team has over 50 years of combined experience in the industry and can assist you in the following areas:

  • Product Launch experience, including navigating internal and external constituents, compliant and meaningful advocacy initiatives, alliance development experience beyond traditional trade organizations, Federal and State government affairs expertise on proprietary issues.
  • Market Access experience and ability to translate objectives into actionable policy and advocacy initiatives.
  • Comprehensive Patient Engagement Services and Patient Journey Development to align internal and external services and stakeholders.

Acuity Case Studies

Powerful. Strategic. Creative. Impactful. Effective.

Case Studies
CHALLENGE- PATIENT ACCESS TEAM


CHALLENGE

  • An emerging Life Sciences company had a treatment for rare metabolic disease
  • Some patient upon diagnosis were denied access through Medicaid
  • Patient engagement services and HUB vendors were not equipped to negotiate government processes
  • Product moved from managed care to fee-for-service with no instructions for physicians and patients to access medication
  • The physicians were global thought leaders and time was a challenge for their involvement.
  • However, patients suffered setbacks without access to therapy
  • Patient families reluctant to approach local state representative and the Medicaid program
APPROACH – PATIENT ACCESS TEAM


APPROACH

  • Members of the Acuity team were brought into the company as a part of a broader diagnostic of patient engagement.
  • Created a focused State response team integrated with State Government Affairs, Patient Advocacy, Market Access, and Patient Engagement Services.
  • Provided program decision makers with educational information on disease through state based stakeholders such as physicians, local trade organizations and contract lobbyists.
  • Continued to keep in contact with State personnel throughout process.

 

RESULTS – PATIENT ACCESS TEAM


RESULTS

  • State created clear process for requesting coverage, review of applications, and contacts of key personnel involved moving forward.
  • When process finalized, trained HUB on new state processes to ensure ocmpliance and patient access to appropriate care.
  • Internal process expanded to other rare disease therapy to support patient access efforts.

 

Our Team

Kristi Hamrick

 

  • Kristi Stone Hamrick, a well-known, media consultant, strategist, writer and commentator, has headed her own firm KSH Media, Inc., since 1997.  Specializing in earned media, Mrs. Hamrick combines years of journalistic experience with years of issue advocacy, working to advance the storylines of organizations and individuals who create effective policy and messages that enhance the cultural debate. Her clients can be found on the front pages of the New York Times, in the Wall Street Journal, on major television shows and in the public eye, discussing issues that impact the culture. Her media company has strategized, orchestrated and overseen paid media campaigns, and coordinated the branding and messaging of clients, both alone and part of a team.

 

  • Her clients include and have included many of the leading non-profit, values oriented policy organizations and has also worked as part of numerous national coalitions representing leaders in domestic public policy to achieve public policy changes.
  • Effective and targeted communication is central to advancing issues. Equally important is the art of storytelling. To that end, Mrs. Hamrick regularly speaks and writes on timely issues with columns appearing regularly in national publications such as USA Today and Fox News. Media work includes strategizing and implementing media campaigns and messages through both paid and earned media, and managing media events as needed. To develop organizational leaders, Mrs. Hamrick works with her clients to develop them as both published authors and media spokespeople, through materials developed to enhance writing and through media training.
  • A former reporter, Mrs. Hamrick first arrived in Washington D.C. as a television producer and later on-air reporter and in her capacity as spokeswoman for clients, she has appeared numerous times on broadcast media, on shows such as The Today Show, Good Morning America, Fox’s Hannity and Colmes, CBS’s This Morning, PSB’ Newshour, the Montell Williams show and HBO’s Politically Correct as well as many others on networks from Fox, to CNN to MSNBC. 
  • Prior to becoming a media advocate, Mrs. Hamrick worked in direct politics at the campaign level and briefly in the offices of the late Senator John Heinz (R-PA) and the former Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA).  Mrs. Hamrick also worked in print media, covering crime, legal issues and general reporting, for papers in the Pulliam newspaper chain, after winning a coveted Pulliam Fellowship and working at the Indianapolis Star
  • Mrs. Hamrick graduated cum laude and with Honors in Communication from Anderson University, Anderson, Ind., where she served as editor of the university newspaper, worked on an award-winning PBS documentary and covered politics stringing for the city’s newspaper among her activities. A mother of four, she resides with her husband and children in the Nashville, TN, area.

Michael Eging

  • 25 year Life Sciences professional in Global, State and Federal Government Affairs, Advocacy, Communications and Market Access
  • Strong focus on reimbursement solutions in Medicare, Medicaid, and ADAP; as well as experience working with market access teams in commercial space
  • Launched the Rare Access Action Project, a 501(c)(4), as a coalition of rare disease companies and patient organizations focused on access solutions
  • Public and Government executive orchestrating Public Affairs across a range of therapeutic areas
  • Success in both appropriations and authorizations in support of patient access, federal and state emergency stockpiles, and emerging company/rare disease exemptions in the ACA
  • 25 years experience in industry and advocacy coalitions and trade organizations (Rare Access Action Project, ADAP Working Group; BIO, PhRMA, HINJ, Mass BIO, etc.)
  • Experience with Boards of Pharmacy, focused on pain management and other therapeutic issues
  • 12 Years in rare diseases, with relationships across the patient and policy communities (NORD, Global Genes, Everylife, RDLA, and therapeutic focused organizations)
  • 9 combined years board member of Title II Community AIDS National Network (TIICANN) and Community Access National Network
  • Writer and editor of the Medicaid Pharmacy BulletinADAP Report; and State Policypoint
  • Passionate advocate for solutions that make a difference in the lives of patients without a voice

Jeff Oldham

  • Over 20 years’ grassroots/public affairs experience.  
  • Coalition management, message development and implementation of strategic programs support legislative goals in DC and beyond.
  • Serves on the board of Patients Rising, a patient-centered advocacy organization dedicated to helping individuals get the health care services they need.
  • Was Managing Director and Partner at SevenTwenty Strategies, a Washington, DC based public relations & public affairs firm.  
  • Additionally, Jeff served as Deputy Vice President of the Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers (PhRMA) where he oversaw operations for the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) the nation’s largest clearinghouse to match patients in need to pharmaceutical assistance programs.  
  • Senior Vice President at The Direct Impact Company, the nation’s leading grassroots/public affairs firm in charge of some of the company’s most challenging public affairs clients. 
  • In the early 90’s, he served as Deputy Director of Field Operations for U.S. Term Limits developing plans and running ballot initiatives to limit the terms of state and federal legislators.
  • Has bipartisan political/local contacts in every state and congressional district in the United States and has run campaigns on a wide array of topics.  

Jeff Anders

Jeff has nearly 30 years of experience and success in developing and  influencing the outcomes of federal health policy, with a focus on legislative and regulatory issues, including health care financing and delivery system reform; the Medicare and Medicaid programs;  health equity/health disparities;  federal funding,  budget and appropriations; the  Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and the Affordable Care Act; rare disease, market access, value assessment,  and other health care funding, coverage and payment matters. He represents biopharma and medical technology companies, patient and professional organizations, academic medical centers and a variety of healthcare related coalitions. Before creating his consulting firm in 1998, Jeff served in a leadership role in government affairs and policy at the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America  (PhRMA), representing the nation’s leading research based pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Jeff began his public policy career working on the professional staff  of the United States Senate, serving as Committee Counsel to both the  Health Education Labor and Pensions ( HELP) Committee and the Budget Committee,  as well as  Legislative Counsel to U.S. Senator Christopher J. Dodd ( D- Connecticut). Jeff earned his B.A. degree in History and Political Science ( magna cum laude) from Duke University and his J.D. degree from Duke University School of Law.

Evan Kozlow

  • A native of the Garden State, Evan has over 20 years of campaign, advocacy and communications experience.
  • Evan founded and has run the Kozlow Group for the last 10 years, where he has a proven record of success in political and advocacy campaigns, has designed, produced and implemented effective paid and earned media tools and strategies, and has provided non-profit management services in varying industries.
  • Named a “Rising Star” by Campaigns and Elections, Evan served as the Deputy Executive Director of the National Republican Congressional Committee; was a member of the Board of Directors and managed Heartland Principles, a 501(c)4 organization; served as Chief of Staff for a Member of Congress and worked in the New Jersey Legislature.   
  • Experienced in rare disease patient recruitment and training to produce written, oral and video testimonials of  “patient stories.” Stories capture the emotional, physical and financial toll of each individuals journey. 
  • Evan serves as the Treasurer and provides communications and management support for the Rare Access Action Project, a coalition of rare disease companies and patient organizations focused on access solutions. 
  • Provided event management and fundraising support for Financing & Innovation for Global Health (FIGH), an event that convened leaders of governments, multilateral institutions, NGOs, and the private sector to create a new platform to develop solutions to resource global health challenges.

Michael Hamrick

  • More than 27 years in financial services.
  • Expertise encompasses numerous disciplines including investment management, risk management, insurance, strategic planning and business consulting. 
  • Worked with the some of the largest Fortune 500 companies and with individuals and closely held business owners in numerous industries including technology, education, media, government services, politics and entertainment.  
  • Launched start-ups in investment management, risk and insurance, digital technology and education.   Michael is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Acumen Business Management, LLC.  Michael also serves in leadership roles at Menrva, Inc. and Resilient Risk Management, Inc.  
  • Written columns/analysis in outlets including Entrepreneur.com, Washington Times, Politico.com and Fox News.com. Michael has also been interviewed by Dow Jones, The Wall Street Journal, National Underwriter Magazine and DR News.
  • Earned a Masters in Business Administration from George Mason University, including an international residency at Oxford University, and a B.S. in Accounting from the Fisher School of Accounting, University of Florida.
  • Serves as chief financial officer of KSH Media Inc, an earned/paid/owned media company specializing in media relations.
  • Enjoys family life daily with his wife Kristi of more than 25 years and their four children.