“Non-profit Activism and the Affordable Care Act”

The lecture “Non-profit Activism and the Affordable Care Act” will be presented on Wednesday, October 3, at 4:30 p.m. in Ferris Lounge, Seymour Union, on the Knox College Campus. The event is free and open to the public.

The lecture, which is sponsored by the Charles B. Robison Lecture Fund, will feature Stephani Becker of the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law and Graciela Guzman of Heartland Alliance.

The mission of the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law is to advance laws and policies that secure justice to improve the lives and opportunities of people living in poverty. Becker works mainly on health care policy advocacy and implementation at the state level. Her expertise is in the Affordable Care Act access and Medicaid expansion, though she has some experience with other public benefits, such as SNAP (food stamps) and SSI.

“Most of my focus the past five years has been on how health policy is translated to laws and regulations—and how to help troubleshoot problems with health care access at the community level,” said Becker.

Guzman is currently coalition manager for Protect Our Care Illinois, a key player in Heartland Alliance’s efforts to advance policy solutions and strategies to eliminate poverty, realize human rights, and support individuals and families in their efforts to improve their quality of life. Her passion for health care is derived from her experiences with her family and in the trenches of health care, helping the community access services. Prior to this role, Guzman was a navigator and oversaw community enrollment in Cook County and its surrounding counties, and she has expertise in enrollment strategies for Latino and immigrant populations.