We caught up with our Associate, Alexandra Costa, to learn more about her and how she plans to use her experience in political communications and government affairs to advance the interests of clients at Chamber Hill Strategies.
What sparked your interest in health care policy, and how did you decide to pursue a career in this field?
My mother and friends work as nurses in nursing homes and hospitals. They share with me the struggles they have providing the best care possible for their patients. After learning more about the difficulties many patients accessing health care services, I wanted to learn why the health care system is the way it is and how to make it better.
Tell us about your experiences working in political communications. How have these experiences prepared you for work at Chamber Hill Strategies?
My experiences with political communications began when I was a student at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire, home of the famed New Hampshire Institute of Politics. There, I worked for CNN and helped with political events for candidates on both sides of the aisle, including former President Donald Trump and Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN). I also worked with the communications team to produce the college’s blog on political events.
These experiences sharpened my writing skills and taught me how to prepare quality work even when faced with tight deadlines. In the fast-moving world of politics and policy, clients need to be able to count on receiving accurate and timely updates.
You’ve also worked in government affairs at the state and local level. What did you learn from this experience that will be relevant to your work at Chamber Hill Strategies?
My time working for a government relations firm focused on state and local issues was my first step into government affairs. Regardless of which type of government your focus is, many of the required skills are the same. I learned how to properly cover legislative hearings and how to translate “inside baseball” political jargon into meaningful insights for clients.
What drew you to Chamber Hill Strategies, and how do you see your role fitting into the firm’s broader mission?
A colleague told me about Chamber Hill Strategies and knew I would learn and benefit from being under the strong leadership of Jennifer Bell. Along with its health care focus, I was attracted to the firm because of its firm belief in bipartisan representation. I see my role as assisting the team in advancing the interests of our clients and keeping them informed about what is going on in the world of health care law and regulation.
What are you most excited about learning or accomplishing as you start your career in Washington at Chamber Hill Strategies?
I am excited to learn from my colleagues here at Chamber Hill Strategies and to make various connections in Washington. Additionally, I hope to learn more about policies that expand health care to rural communities.
How do you plan to approach learning from and collaborating with more experienced colleagues and clients in the health care policy space?
I love learning from others and am eager to learn about health care policy. Chamber Hill Strategies provides an excellent place for me to grow given the experience this team has working in health care policy in both government and the private sector. I am also excited to learn more about our clients and the specific ways that Chamber Hill Strategies works to ensure their voice is heard in Washington. I hope to learn from their mentorship and guidance throughout my time in Washington.
Outside of health care policy, what personal interests or activities are you passionate about? How do those influence your approach to your work?
I grew up as a competitive figure skater and then became a coach when I retired from competing. Growing up in competitive sports helped me develop a strong work ethic, strong determination, and taught me how to face constructive criticism from peers. These are all traits that I will bring to my work at Chamber Hill Strategies.
Looking ahead, where do you see yourself in five years, and what key milestones are you hoping to achieve at Chamber Hill Strategies?
In five years, I hope to obtain a master’s degree specializing in health care policy. As I pursue this goal, I want to embrace every opportunity here at Chamber Hill Strategies and in Washington to learn about the intricacies of health care policy.
