Audrey Brown is the President & Chief Executive Officer of the Florida Association Health Plans (FAHP), where she leads the statewide trade association representing commercial, Medicaid and Medicare Advantage health insurers and managed care organizations. FAHP advocates for public policy focused on enhancing access to high quality, affordable health care through a competitive marketplace. Through her role at FAHP, Audrey was appointed to the Health Care Transition Team by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2019. Audrey has held leadership positions in both the private and public sectors and has nearly two decades of insurance Legislative and Regulatory experience.
Prior to joining FAHP, Audrey served as Chief of Staff to Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty, where she was Chief Policy Advisor to the Commissioner, Chief Lobbyist on agency fiscal matters, and managed the operations of the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. Her role as Chief of Staff also included oversight of Communications, Legislative Affairs, Information Technology, as well as Human Resources. Additionally, Audrey served as Deputy Chief of Staff to the Commissioner and as Director of Government Relations, leading both Legislative and Cabinet affairs.
Mary Mayhew joined the Florida Hospital Association in October 2020. Prior to joining FHA, Mayhew served as Secretary of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) in the administration of Governor Ron DeSantis. As Secretary, Mayhew played an instrumental role in the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She also spearheaded several initiatives to support increased accountability for improved healthcare outcomes for the more than 4 million Medicaid enrollees and to promote integrated care coordination.
Mayhew joined AHCA from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she served as Deputy Administrator and Director of the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services, overseeing the more than $375 billion Medicaid program.
Mayhew also served for more than six years as the commissioner of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. During this time, she advanced comprehensive health homes, Medicaid Accountable Community Organizations, integrated behavioral health homes, and efforts to improve access to substance use disorder treatment in primary care practice settings. Promoting high-quality behavioral health services remains a priority for Mayhew today.
Melanie Brown Woofter is the President/CEO of the Florida Behavioral Health Association (FBHA), a non-profit organization representing community mental health and substance abuse treatment providers statewide. With over 70 provider members, the FBHA is the largest BH association in Florida and is considered the thought leader for behavioral health policy and practice. The FBHA works closely with state agency partners and the Florida legislature and is the voice for both providers and their 500,000+ clients.
Melanie is also an active member of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, currently serving as Chair of the Public Policy committee. Additionally, she serves on several state level committees was appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to his Re-Open Florida Task Force, and to the Statewide Task Force on Opioid Abuse.
Before joining the FBHA, she held a variety of positions with the Agency for Health Care Administration including bureau chief of Medicaid managed care. Melanie holds a BSN from the University of Florida, attended the graduate program in Nursing at University of Texas at Austin and has held numerous clinical positions in neuroscience in Florida and Texas.
Paul A. Ledford is a 1986 graduate of Florida State University – College of Business. He has been engaged in politics and government affairs since 1984, served as a state government administrator and regulator, and has worked full-time in the realm of public policy development as an association executive since 1995. He is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) and a Designated Professional Lobbyist (DPL). In 2004, Paul joined Florida Hospice & Palliative Care Association (FHPCA) as President & CEO. Paul has presented sessions on a variety of topics related to association management, grassroots organization, building an advocacy program, and coalition building. He serves as the Hospice Action Network (HAN) Ambassador for the State of Florida, influencing Members of Congress on behalf of the National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). From 2019-2021, Paul served on the NHPCO Board of Directors, the HAN Board of Directors, and as Chair of the NHPCO Council of States. He serves on numerous state and national advisory councils, committees, and coalitions related to policy development for hospice and palliative care.
Currently serving as the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida’s President and Chief Operating Officer. Mrs. Kennedy is a seasoned healthcare executive with a wide range of experience in areas from public policy development to public programs’ financing to lobbying. She brings more than 30 years of experience in all levels of Florida’s government and private sector.
Mrs. Kennedy has acted in leadership roles within the Safety Net Hospital Alliance since it was founded in 2004. Her previous experience included private sector government relations consulting, staff in the Florida House of Representatives providing analysis on issues relating to professional regulation, and as legislative director for the Florida Department of Health under two Governors.
A veteran of Florida’s legislative process, Mrs. Kennedy has successfully led strategic initiatives to pass legislation and obtain funding for Florida’s hospitals, children’s healthcare and child welfare organizations, as well as public health associations.
Ms. Kennedy is a graduate of the Florida State University with a degree in political science.
J. Emmett Reed, CAE, has served as Chief Executive Officer of Florida Health Care Association since 2009, where he is also the appointed CEO of the Association’s advocacy partner, Our Florida Promise. As FHCA’s chief executive, he is responsible for overall operations and directing Association staff to implement the goals and objectives set forth by the Board of Directors. Reed focuses on leading FHCA on an upward trend, strengthening member relations, building successful coalitions to accomplish legislative priorities and promoting new and existing initiatives to help meet members’ needs. Under his leadership, the Association has won numerous accolades, including the 2010 Advocacy in Action Award from the American Health Care Association and the 2010 Association of the Year from the Tallahassee Area Chamber of Commerce.
Additionally, Reed achieved a number of professional accomplishments during his prior 11 years with the Florida Home Builders Association (FHBA). In 2008 he was named New Executive of the Year by the National Association of Home Builders. He played a lead role in expanding FHBA’s trade show to become the largest in the southeast. Reed secured a significant land donation for Florida Home Builders Foundation and established the Future Builders of America Training Camp, a workforce development program which introduces students to the home building industry and in turn strengthens its future workforce. Prior to FHBA, Reed worked as Director of Membership for the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce.
Reed is a Certified Association Executive, a Florida Chamber Foundation Board of Trustee and a graduate of Florida State University. When he is not spending quality time with his family, he enjoys the outdoors. He is married to Heather Reed and is the father of 3 children.