Sonja Nesbit: From Congressional Staffer to Healthcare Policy Expert

Sonja, tell us about your background – what has led you here to FTI?

Undoubtedly it’s my passion for politics, policy and public service. This role is on the other side of the table from where I’ve sat as a public servant in the past. Nonetheless, it is a critical and valuable role to serve, helping organizations and people with a good story to tell. Enabling companies to share what they do with congress, to educate policymakers and the public, or address concerns related to operating their business or expanding their operations is an exciting challenge for me.

You have a very strong interest in healthcare and human services policy, too. How did that come about?

I knew I wanted to delve deeper into policies that were oriented towards helping people less fortunate than myself and get them on the pathway to economic stability.

I was fortunate to find myself working for A-List committees like the Ways and Means Committee, a highlight of my early career. Later, as a Senior Government Relations Director for Arent Fox, I helped provide strategic health policy advice to hospitals, health systems, device and drug manufacturers, professional medical societies, and patient groups.

You were also an Obama Administration appointee serving in the US Department of Health and Human Services. Tell us about that experience.

Barack Obama had such a unique presidency, and it was such an exceptional time in my life. At the time it was just another way to do my public service job and do it well, focusing on people and making things right. Of course, like all jobs, it had its frustrating moments where you work hard but walk away without achieving all you’d set out to do, but in retrospect, I can see just how incredibly special it was.

What do you think that most healthcare companies misunderstand about government workings and vice versa?

The importance of communication and sharing your story very early on. Companies need to get more comfortable with narratives around how they’re contributing in a positive way to making people’s lives better; be that with a drug or a therapy or with their services. Those stories have an impact on our policymakers who have the ability to make policy changes. It also allows them to command their market share and protect their interests. Developing relationships with key policymakers can save your business and your bottom line.

What would you say to potential clients about why they would need you and your team’s expertise?

We make your message a priority. We want to help clients create messages that are clear, optimistic and in sync. Our team actively monitors how that message is resonating on the regulatory front, to make sure they are not blindsided by changes in DC. We’re interested in understanding clients’ goals and concerns, how those align and help them think about their legislative goals, too. Congress is always looking for companies being creative and innovative – they want to work on behalf of people who are running companies with great success stories, who can help them form their policy positions.

Both sides of Congress are working very hard behind the scenes to ensure all the regular regulatory stuff is getting done. You want someone keeping your best interests at the forefront of those policymakers’ minds, giving you insight into what’s coming, so you can adjust your business model and your mission if any changes come down the pike.

It’s all about finding clients their champion, then? You make it sound like matchmaking.

Absolutely. The matchmaking analogy is perfect. I always try to better understand what my clients are interested in doing because it could be important to someone in Congress or in the Administration who is looking to leverage certain things. We’re creating connections that align and allow clients to be a part of a national conversation, be part of the innovation and development of federal policy in their industry.

What are you most excited about in this new role?

The possibilities. It’s not just the government affairs practice, lobbying, and advocacy, but also the potential to create broader narratives, across a variety of platforms, that will help us position companies and showcase their work in different ways. It’s a much broader platform, with big potential for impact. I’m excited about being able to do that here at FTI.

The views expressed herein are those of the author(s) and not necessarily the views of FTI Consulting LLP, its management, its subsidiaries, its affiliates, or its other professionals, members or employees.