Cynthia Pellegrini has been named Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Government Affairs at the March of Dimes. She succeeds Dr. Marina Weiss, who retired after 15 years with the organization.
Ms. Pellegrini takes the helm of the March of Dimes Office of Government Affairs as the organization works to capitalize on victories in maternal and child health, including the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act, the PREEMIE Act, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Affordable Care
Act. In addition, she will be responsible for guiding ongoing March of Dimes initiatives such as reauthorization of the PREEMIE Act (P.L. 109-450) and preservation of maternal and child health funding.
“As the President and Congress seek to improve the financial health of the country, we’re committed to work with them to build on the gains we’ve made in improving public health, especially for children and women of childbearing age,” says Ms. Pellegrini. “We must sustain our investment in lifesaving research and increase access to affordable, quality health care for women and children.”
Ms. Pellegrini comes to the March of Dimes from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), where she served as Associate Director of Federal Affairs. For nearly seven years, she led AAP’s advocacy agenda on issues including maternal and child health, genetics, early childhood development and environmental health. One of her major accomplishments was spearheading AAP’s efforts to reduce the lead content in children’s products.
She also brings more than a decade of Capitol Hill experience to the March of Dimes. As chief of staff to the office of Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, Ms. Pellegrini developed initiatives ranging from genetic nondiscrimination to women’s health research.