Blake K. Thelander*

Having advised two senior Members of Congress on a wide variety of legislation and regulatory policies during his more than six years on Capitol Hill, Blake has substantial experience in achieving public policy objectives. He has managed legislative portfolios related to health care policy, appropriations, defense, judiciary, homeland security, immigration, and foreign affairs. He has worked closely with the Energy and Commerce Committee and House leadership and has substantial experience collaborating across the aisle on a variety of policy issues. Additionally, Blake has closely engaged with Democratic and Republican Senate offices to advance bipartisan legislative and regulatory initiatives surrounding privacy, generic drug tiering, Pharmacy Benefit Managers, Medicaid, and others.

Most recently, Blake was Legislative Director and, previously, Health Policy Advisor to U.S. Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA). As Legislative Director, Blake managed the team responsible for navigating the health care agendas of district and national stakeholders, including health systems, children’s hospitals, payors, pharmaceutical and biotech companies, device manufacturers, patient groups, and physician associations. He oversaw the successful inclusion of two of the Congresswoman’s Medicaid bills in the House version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, one of which remained in the final law. In his prior role as Health Policy Advisor, Blake supported Rep. Miller-Meeks in her roles as a member of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee and Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, and as Chairwoman of the Veterans Affairs Health Subcommittee. Accordingly, Blake has particular experience with health care issues such as pharmaceutical pricing (340B program and Inflation Reduction Act price negotiations), physician reimbursement under Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance plans, public health (including pandemic preparedness and workforce issues), and veterans’ health.

Blake also previously served as a Senior Legislative Assistant in the Office of U.S. Congressman Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ), where he supported the Congressman’s positions on the Homeland Security Committee and on the GOP Doctors Caucus. He worked closely with the New Jersey Air National Guard and the Coast Guard on defense projects and, for homeland security, served as the main point of contact with the district’s Coast Guard units. Upon graduating from college, Blake interned in the Office of U.S. Congressman Ralph Norman (R-SC). 

*Blake is not a member of the legal practice.