With over 20 years of experience in managing trade associations at the highest levels, Dan Leonard has had a unique 360-degree view of the healthcare ecosystem in America from the payor, innovative and generic pharma, and patient perspectives. Leonard is the founder of Granite Capitol Consulting, where he works advising corporations, nonprofit associations, coalitions, and professional societies in the healthcare space on policy and public affairs, strategic planning, legislative and regulatory advocacy, and issue management.
Prior to forming Granite Capitol Leonard, served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Association for Accessible Medicines (AAM), the nation’s trade association for the makers of generic and biosimilar medicines, which fill 9 out of 10 prescriptions in the United States. Prior to joining AAM, Leonard served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC), which sponsors and conducts research on several critical health policy issues. During his 12 years as CEO, NPC played a leadership role in the evolving areas of pharmaceutical value assessment, value-based contracting, and the importance of maintaining a robust innovation ecosystem.
Prior to his time in the pharmaceutical space, Leonard was an executive responsible for Public Affairs and Advocacy at America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the trade association representing companies providing health insurance coverage in the United States. He also served for six years on the Board of Directors of the National Health Council, whose core membership includes the nation’s leading patient organizations.
Before entering the Washington association community, Leonard developed significant experience in politics and government, including time spent in presidential campaigns, leading communications at the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), and serving as a Chief of Staff for a member of Congressional leadership. Early in his career, Leonard worked as a television news reporter covering presidential primary politics in his home state of New Hampshire. He also worked in newsrooms in Boston, Pittsburgh, and Vermont.
Leonard has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio, where he has served on the Board of Trustees, and he received a master’s degree in government from Johns Hopkins University.