Chris Kelly

Vice President at BGR Group

Speaker

Chris Kelly is a Vice President with BGR’s Health and Life Sciences Practice, leveraging his experience in health care payment and reimbursement policies to deliver impactful solutions for clients. With a strong background in Capitol Hill operations, he advises clients on navigating complex legislative processes to deliver policy solutions that enhance access to care and novel technologies. Chris works with health care clients in both the Nashville and Washington regions. Chris previously served as Health Policy Director for Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, where he led the Senator’s health portfolio and advised her policy and oversight efforts on the Senate Finance Committee. In this role, he successfully advanced some of the Senator’s key legislative priorities including reforming pharmacy benefit managers, combating the opioid crisis, expanding access to mental health services, and driving innovation in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Chris, a Nashville native, brings significant expertise in health policy and a profound connection to one of the nation’s most vibrant healthcare ecosystems. With a long-standing legacy of innovation and leadership, Nashville has cemented its status as a global epicenter for health care entrepreneurship and management. The region boasts a thriving network of over 900 healthcare companies, ranging from groundbreaking startups to industry-leading giants, all working to revolutionize patient care. During his time on Capitol Hill, Chris helped spearhead bipartisan initiatives on Medicare Payment Reform, develop policy solutions that strengthen financial stability for healthcare providers, improve patient outcomes, and enhance access to quality care. He has also served as her lead staffer for the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and as part of her successful 2018 Senate campaign. Before joining Senator Blackburn’s team, Chris was an associate at Baker Group Strategies, where he advised multiple federal, state, and local campaigns. He holds a Political Science degree from Middle Tennessee State University with a minor in History and Political and Civic Engagement.