James W. Twaddell, IV is a government relations director with a broad range of government relations and lobbying experience and extensive knowledge of legislative issues related to health care policy, federal appropriations funding, grassroots initiatives and advocacy training.
As a government relations director, Jim manages a variety of clients, including hospitals and health systems, nonprofit voluntary health organizations, health professional societies and medical device companies. He provides clients with strategic counsel on legislative, health policy, political and advocacy issues, including advancing authorization legislation, securing federal appropriations support for Congressionally directed projects, programmatic appropriations funding increases, working with federal agencies on the implementation of legislation or proposed rules, conducting Capitol Hill advocacy and training events and implementing grassroots campaigns.
Jim represents clients before individual members of Congress and key Congressional Committees, such as the House and Senate Appropriations Committees; the House Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means Committees; and the Senate Finance and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committees. He represents clients before federal agencies such as the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the National Institutes of Health, the Veterans Health Administration and the Department of Defense.
Before joining Drinker Biddle, Jim worked as the Associate Director of Government Affairs at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). During his tenure at AACN, Jim served as the lead lobbyist for appropriations, health care policy, higher education and veterans’ affairs issues. He provided policy analysis and formulated legislative strategy on the reauthorization of the Public Health Service Act, the Higher Education Act and the passage of the Nurse Reinvestment Act.
Prior to joining AACN, Jim served as deputy director of communications and as a legislative aide for U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter. He managed the daily communication for Sen. Specter’s Washington, D.C., office, seven state offices, the Veteran’s Affairs Committee and the Labor, the Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee. Jim worked directly with the senator in the formulation of a media, legislative and political strategy. As a legislative aide, Jim advised Sen. Specter on the issues of education, housing, energy, national and community service, welfare and economic development.
Jim earned his master's degree in government from The Johns Hopkins University and received his bachelor's degree in public administration from George Mason University.