Regional Directors
Tom MaherHLC Regional Director
tmaher@nhpublicaffairsco.com (603) 738-7429
Region 1 (CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VT)
Since 1994, Tom has served as a Regional Director for the Healthcare Leadership Council (HLC). Tom has more than 20 years of political and public affairs experience. He has organized and managed political, grassroots and media campaigns throughout the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and Southern United States. He has held positions on a number of congressional, presidential, and gubernatorial campaigns and state ballot initiatives. Additionally, Tom served on the staff of then United States Senator and current Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE).
Tom has designed and executed grassroots and public education campaigns for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association of America, PhRMA, Citizens for Better Medicare and the Alliance to Improve Medicare. In addition, Tom sits on the New England Council Healthcare Committee, is a member of the New Hampshire Medicare Benefits Coalition and a member of the New Hampshire Citizens Health Initiative.
Tom earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New Hampshire in 1988. He and his wife, Pam Yonkin, live in Concord, NH with their daughter, Sophie, and son, Cole.
Brad CroneHLC Regional Director
bradcrone.hlc@gmail.com (919) 834-8431
Region 2 (DE, KY, NC, MD, TN, VA, WV)
Since 1993, Brad has served as a regional director for the Healthcare Leadership Council. Brad has more than 19 years of government affairs and public relations experience. Prior to that, he was a daily newspaper publisher at The Thomasville Times in Thomasville, N.C. He was the first desktop newspaper publisher in the state with his weekly publication The Clayton Star, which he sold in 1989. He served as a special assistant to N.C. Commissioner of Agriculture Jim Graham and deputy press secretary to U.S. Senator Lauch Faircloth during his 1984 gubernatorial campaign. During his college years, Brad served as a political reporter and then afternoon editor for WPTF Radio 680, a 50,000-watt news/talk station in Raleigh, N.C.
Brad has 26 years of experience in regional politics, managing grassroots campaigns. Brad has worked as a consultant with state government in NC, coordinating state healthcare policies and funding formularies.
He is a former Rotarian, former Board of Directors member and volunteer for the Clayton Rescue Squad, former Board of Directors member for the Davidson County Salvation Army, and former Board of Directors member for Branch Banking & Trust in Thomasville, NC.
Brad earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a concentration in Communications from North Carolina State University. Additionally, he has studied at Mount Olive College, N.C., and the N.C. Institute of Government.
Brian FeldmanHLC Regional Director
brian@allisonpr.com (404) 885-1723
Region 3 (AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MO, MS, SC)
Since 1994, Brian has served as a Regional Director for the Healthcare Leadership Council. Brian specializes in advocacy and public affairs, providing a variety of grassroots, coalition building and political intelligence services throughout the United States. He has spoken to numerous groups around the country on topics including federal legislation, all aspects of healthcare and politics and elections. Brian has also served as a moderator and speaker at hundreds of town hall meetings on various issues.
Brian is currently a partner at Allison & Partners. Brian has also managed numerous state and national projects for other corporate clients, trade associations and non profits including PhRMA, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and Cover the Uninsured Week.
Prior to serving as a public affairs consultant, Brian was an attorney with the Atlanta law firm of Gray, Gilliland & Gold. He is a member of The State Bar of Georgia. He was also active in state and national politics, having worked for the Clinton-Gore campaigns as well as numerous Congressional and state campaigns in Florida and Georgia.
Brian earned his Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude from The University of Florida. He also received his Juris Doctor with Honors from the University of Florida College of Law. He is married and has three children.
John Bayalis HLC Regional Director
john@allisonpr.com (404) 832-7156
Region 4 (IA, IL, IN, MI, MN, WI)
In late 2010, John joined the Healthcare Leadership Council as a Regional Director after having done extensive work for HLC on the Medicare Prescription drug outreach campaign. John specializes in legislative advocacy and public affairs, providing expertise in grassroots, coalition building, and political intelligence services.
John has managed numerous state and national campaigns for corporate clients, trade associations, and non-profits including the PhRMA, Citizens for Sun Protection, and the Coalition for Free Broadband Now.
John is currently a director at Allison & Partners. For the past 10 years, he has served in various capacities as a public affairs consultant.
John earned his Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude from Widener University and earned a Masters of Communication from the University of Delaware.
Paul PearsonHLC Regional Director
paul@pearsonpublicaffairs.com (405) 488-0541
Region 5 (AZ, CO, KS, NE, ND, NM, OK, SD, TX, UT)
Since 1993, Paul has served as a Regional Director for the Healthcare Leadership Council. Paul has more than 25 years experience in governmental affairs, public policy and political campaign management. A native of Oklahoma, Paul is president of Paul Pearson, Inc., a public affairs company that has managed client projects in 18 Southwestern and Western states. He has extensive experience in organizing grassroots and public affairs efforts on state and federal issues.
In addition to issue management, Paul has managed numerous political campaigns including candidates for U.S. President, congress, governor, lieutenant governor, state legislature, and city council. Paul also served as political director and senior administrative assistant in the Oklahoma Governor’s Office.
As a member of the governor’s staff, Paul developed the Sooner State Games and was instrumental in bringing the 1989 U.S. Olympic Festival to Oklahoma. He has long been active in community activities as an advocate for abused children and the homeless.
Paul is an adjunct instructor at Oklahoma State University where he has developed a series of applied politics courses for the political science department.
Paul earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California at Riverside and received his master’s degree in 1978. He is married and has four children.
Roz Silva HLC Regional Director
roz@allisonpr.com (310) 496-4448
Region 6 (AK, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, WA, WY)
In early 2011, Roz joined the Healthcare Leadership Council as Regional Director. Roz oversees HLC’s Regional Advocacy Program throughout the western region of the United States; where she brings a unique mix of government, political and health policy experience to her work.
Roz served as district communications director for U.S. Congressman Brad Sherman in California’s 27th Congressional District. During her three years there, Roz interacted with numerous nonprofit organizations, schools, businesses and media outlets. She also advised the congressman during his 2002 and 2004 re-election campaigns.
After leaving public service, Roz joined GMMB, a political consulting and advocacy firm, where she specialized in healthcare issues, including wellness and prevention, health reform and the uninsured. During that time, Roz worked on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s childhood obesity prevention team and managed the UCLA Blue Sky Health Initiative, a health reform project sponsored by the California Endowment.
Most recently, Roz served as Field and Communications Director for California Assemblyman Mike Gatto during his highly contested race for the California State Assembly. In her role, Roz advocated on behalf of the Assemblyman on key health policy issues and forged strong relationships with elected officials, coalition groups and business leaders to garner community support.
Fluent in Spanish, Roz earned two Bachelor of Arts degree’s one in Political Science and one in Spanish literature from the University of California, Irvine, and received a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the USC School of Policy, Planning and Development.