Kavita Krishnakant Patel, MD

Dr. Patel served in the Obama Administration as director of policy for the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement in the White House. As a senior aide to Valerie Jarrett, President Obamas senior advisor, Dr. Patel played a critical role in policy development and evaluation of policy initiatives connected to health reform, financial regulatory reform, and economic recovery issues.

Dr. Patel also has a deep understanding of Capitol Hill from her time spent on the late Senator Edward Kennedys staff. As deputy staff director on health, she served as a policy analyst and trusted aide to the Senator and was part of the senior staff of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee under Sen. Kennedys leadership. She also has an extensive research and clinical background, having worked as a researcher at the RAND Corporation and as a practicing physician in both California and Oregon. She is also a previous Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar.

Currently, Dr. Patel is also the managing director for clinical transformation and delivery at the Brookings Institution Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform.