Social Current® Hires Blair Kiser as Senior Director of Government Affairs

Social Current today announced that Blair Kiser joined the organization as senior director of government relations July 25, 2022. In this role, they will be based out of Social Current’s Washington, D.C. office and will represent Social Current to Congress, federal agencies, and applicable state governments. In addition, they will coordinate activities and partnerships with fellow human services organizations engaged with Social Current and in Washington, D.C. to advance aligned goals.

Prior to joining Social Current, Blair served as the director of government relations and advocacy at NephCure Kidney International and before that served as a Professional Staff Member of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, where they led a corporate investigation regarding insider trading and financial improprieties, conflicts of interest associated with the leadership of Operation Warp Speed, and politicization of scientific information. Blair also has experience serving as a Health Policy Fellow for Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) leading a range of legislative and oversight efforts involving public health and healthcare. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they worked with several community hospice advocacy organizations and a Republican office to help craft the bipartisan COVID-19 Hospice Respite Care Relief Act of 2020. Blair also spent several years as a medical research scientist on several industry and NIH-funded projects. They earned a doctorate in Biomedical Science from Morehouse School of Medicine and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Kentucky.

“As someone steeped in health policy, advocacy and equity issues, Blair has the expertise to execute advocacy efforts on behalf of Social Current’s policy goals of advancing equity; improving health and well-being; increasing economic opportunity and mobility; and achieving social sector health and excellence,” commented Social Current president and CEO Jody Levison-Johnson. “We are thrilled to have their vast experience and connections on the Hill to help continue to grow and inform our public policy practice.”

“I am excited to engage with policy leaders on behalf of Social Current’s mission to advocate for and implement equitable solutions to society’s toughest challenges through collaboration, innovation, policy and practice excellence,” noted Blair Kiser. “The purpose- and values-driven aspect of Social Current’s work aligns perfectly with the values I espouse and the ways in which I believe I can make a difference in the field of policy and advocacy.”

Last month, Social Current released its 2022-2024 Public Policy Agenda, which was developed with input from the Social Current network through focus groups, surveys, and individual conversations. The agenda details the policies Social Current seeks to accelerate in four key areas:

• Advancing Equity. As the cornerstone of its agenda, Social Current seeks to advance equity by empowering community voices, utilizing data for equity, and ensuring equitable access and resources.
• Improving Health and Well-Being. Social Current seeks to advance healing-centered and trauma-informed policy, respond to behavioral health needs, and integrate cross-systems approaches that support health equity.
• Increasing Economic Opportunity and Mobility. Social Current seeks to expand economic supports so that all people can achieve upward mobility and financial security.
• Achieving Social Sector Health and Excellence. Social Current’s commitment to the health and excellence of the sector is absolute; they seek to ensure the sector’s financial viability and ability to attract and retain a strong workforce.

A full copy of Social Current’s 2022-2024 Public Policy Agenda can be found at this link.