Paulo G. Pontemayor, MPH
Paulo G. Pontemayor, MPH
Director of Government Relations
Catholic Health Association of the United States
Paulo G. Pontemayor currently serves as Director of Government Relations for the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA), the national leadership organization of more than 2,200 Catholic health care systems, hospitals, long-term care facilities, sponsors, and related organizations—the largest group of nonprofit health care providers in the nation. He also serves as Second Co-chair for the Partnership for Medicaid, made up of organizations representing clinicians, health care providers, safety-net health plans and counties whose goal is to preserve and improve the Medicaid program. Prior to CHA, he has worked at The Joint Commission, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, and the U.S. House of Representatives. Paulo received his Master of Public Health degree from the Milken Institute of Public Health at the George Washington University and his undergraduate degree from the University of Washington. He is currently working on an Executive Certificate in Healthcare Leadership and Patient Safety at Georgetown University.
Paulo is committed to advancing health equity in all communities and was awarded by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and Families USA for his work in creating and developing the community leadership alliance which guided the Congressional Tri Caucus (made up of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus) on the bicameral development and introduction of the Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2011. Most recently, he was named a Top Lobbyist by the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics and remains active in mentorship to help diversify the profession through H Street (made up of Asian American and Pacific Islander government relations professionals) and the newly formed Diversity in Government Relations Coalition. Originally from the U.S. territory of Guam, Paulo continues to draw strength from his Filipino immigrant family, starting with his grandfather who came as a contract laborer after World War II to help rebuild the war torn island, as an inspiration for his policy work.