Kristi Martin, MA, MPA is a nationally recognized health policy leader with more than two decades of experience translating complex policy into real world impact across federal government, philanthropy, and the health care system. She is known for leading large scale implementation efforts on accelerated timelines and for her deep expertise in women’s health, contraception, and preventive services.
Kristi most recently served as Chief of Staff for the Center for Medicare at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) from 2021 to 2024. She helped oversee some of the most consequential health policy changes in a generation, including Medicare drug price negotiation and the redesign of the Medicare Part D benefit. Her work required close coordination across CMS, HHS, the White House, and Congress, and earned her multiple CMS Honor Awards for execution and technical leadership. Earlier in her federal career, Kristi held senior roles across HHS and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management during the Affordable Care Act’s implementation. She worked on foundational coverage and consumer protection programs, including the Women’s Preventive Services Initiative, where she helped advance federal policy on contraception and women’s preventive health benefits. Across these roles, she built a reputation for operational rigor, coalition building, and turning statutory requirements into functioning programs that improve access and equity.
Outside government, Kristi has served in senior leadership roles at Arnold Ventures and Waxman Strategies and brings a strong advocacy background from the American Cancer Society and Easter Seals.
