Marcia Nielsen, Ph.D., MPH, serves as the Executive Director of the
Kansas Health Policy Authority (KHPA). Prior to her appointment Dr. Nielsen was
a faculty member and assistant vice chancellor for health and public policy at
the University of Kansas Medical Center, and served as the first Chair of the
Kansas Health Policy Authority Board. Before coming to Kansas in 2002, Marci
spent ten years in Washington DC. She worked as a legislative assistant to then
U.S. Senator Bob Kerrey, D-Nebraska. She served for three years as the health
lobbyist and then Assistant Director of Legislation for the AFL-CIO. Other work
experience includes research positions with Johns Hopkins University, George
Washington University, the University of Arizona Cancer Center, as well as six
years of military service with the US Army Reserves and two and half years as a
Peace Corps volunteer working for the Thai Ministry of Public Health.