In August 2025, the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) welcomed Anne Hubbard as its first-ever Chief Public Policy Officer, marking a major step forward in strengthening the organization’s voice in public policy and advocacy. Anne now leads APDA’s newly created Department of Public Policy & Advocacy, where she is developing a comprehensive strategy to promote legislative policies that advance the needs of the Parkinson’s community at both the federal and state levels. (Learn more about Advocacy at APDA here.)
Meet Anne, APDA’s first Chief Public Policy Officer
Anne brings a wealth of experience in health policy and advocacy. Before joining APDA, she spent 11 years at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) as Director of Health Policy, where she worked extensively with Medicare and private payers on policies impacting radiation oncology. Her earlier roles at the Maryland Hospital Association and the Maryland Department of Health further shaped her commitment to improving public health through smart, evidence-based policy.
Anne holds a BA in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park, and an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Loyola University Maryland. With her combination of technical expertise and passion for advocacy, she’s poised to make a meaningful difference for people with Parkinson’s and their loved ones.
We’re excited to share this Q&A so you can learn more about Anne, her new role, her vision for advocacy at APDA, and how individuals living with Parkinson’s—and their loved ones—can get involved in shaping the policies that affect them most.
Q: What does a Chief Public Policy Officer do? Can you describe your new role at APDA?
Anne: “The role of a Chief Public Policy Officer involves monitoring and engaging in public policy initiatives, which include federal and state legislative and regulatory policies that impact a particular area of interest. In this case, it’s Parkinson’s disease. The role also involves influencing policies to ensure they are beneficial and designed to achieve predetermined goals. For APDA, that involves a variety of activities including advocating for increased NIH funding for Parkinson’s research, engaging with payers on coverage policies that impact Parkinson’s patients, working with policy makers to reduce exposure to toxins associated with PD, among other things.”
Anne’s work sits at the intersection of science, advocacy, and policy. As she notes, her focus is not only on identifying issues that affect people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) but also on proactively shaping policies that support better research, access, and care at a time when healthcare funding has become increasingly difficult.
Q: What does advocacy mean? Why is advocacy important for people with Parkinson’s disease?
Anne: “Advocacy means a lot of things, but to me it’s the process by which a group of individuals can collectively elevate an issue and achieve specific goals. Advocacy is the squeaky wheel, so to speak, in the policy world.
It is important for people living with Parkinson’s disease because they have been diagnosed with a condition that impacts nearly every aspect of their lives. Policy makers need to understand that story, appreciate the impact, and understand how they can help. At the 2025 Parkinson’s Policy Forum earlier this fall (APDA was a co-sponsor), Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) spoke about how she attended a Rock Steady Boxing class and what surprised her the most was the number of people there who she knew. She knew these individuals but didn’t know they were living with Parkinson’s disease. We have to tell the story, and advocacy helps to tell that story.”
For Anne, advocacy is community-driven. It’s about helping lawmakers see the people behind the policy. The story she shares underscores a common challenge—many people living with Parkinson’s go unseen. Advocacy helps change that by connecting the lived experiences of those affected to the decisions being made on Capitol Hill and in statehouses across the country.
Q: How can people who are reading this blog help with advocacy efforts?
Anne: “They can reach out to me at ahubbard@apdaparkinson.org. I would really like to work with our grassroots team members to engage more elected officials in programming so that they can better understand not only the disease but also appreciate how it is impacting people in their communities. I can meet elected officials in their offices, armed with data demonstrating PD population growth and lack of NIH funding, etc., but it’s engaging with people living with Parkinson’s disease that really drives the issue home and generates the interest in addressing the challenges the Parkinson’s population faces.”
Anne emphasizes that anyone can be an advocate, and that personal connection is often the most powerful tool for change. Meeting with an elected official is impactful—but when policymakers hear directly from people living with PD and their families, the conversation becomes real.
Q: What if I don’t know the first thing about politics – how do I start to learn about how advocacy works?
Anne: “Don’t worry, this is where I can help! We are developing Advocacy guidelines and helpful information for the APDA website that will enable you to advocate on key issues with the click of a button. There will also be webinars and other programing in the coming months. Stay tuned!”
Advocacy doesn’t have to be intimidating. Anne and her team are making it easier than ever for people to get started, whether through online resources, one-click tools, or interactive webinars. These initiatives will help simplify the process, empower new advocates, and build confidence in speaking up about issues that matter.
Q: Can you give some examples of issues important to PD that need to be addressed in our government and by our legislators?
Anne: “Three big issues are top of mind: seating the National Parkinson’s Project Advisory Council at the National Institute of Health (NIH) before the end of the year, securing $600 million in funding for NIH research by FY 2028, and banning paraquat are key federal initiatives. We are also engaging with state and federal legislators on Parkinson’s disease registries, coverage for biomarkers testing, and legislation designed to benefit caregivers, just to name a few.”
These policy priorities reflect both the urgency and the breadth of APDA’s mission. From increasing federal research funding to banning harmful toxins like paraquat, Anne’s team is pursuing initiatives that have the potential to reshape the Parkinson’s landscape in the U.S.
Equally important are efforts to expand access to biomarker testing and support caregivers—two areas that are critical to early detection, personalized treatment, and maintaining quality of life for those living with PD.
Building a Stronger Voice for the Parkinson’s Community
As APDA continues to grow its advocacy work under Anne’s leadership, the goal is clear: to ensure that every person living with Parkinson’s disease has a voice in the policies that affect their health and wellbeing.
Anne envisions a national movement where grassroots advocates, researchers, and policymakers come together to make real change—from increased NIH funding to stronger caregiver protections.
Together, through advocacy and collaboration, we can help shape a world where people with PD live fuller, healthier, and more supported lives.
Tips & Takeaways
- APDA’s new Department of Public Policy & Advocacy launched in August 2025 and is being led by Anne Hubbard, Chief Public Policy Officer.
- Priorities include seating the National Parkinson’s Project Advisory Council at the National Institute of Health (NIH) before the end of the year, securing $600 million in funding for NIH research by FY 2028, and banning paraquat are key federal initiatives (among others.)
- Read more about advocacy and APDA and ways for you to get involved here.
- Those interested in getting involved can reach Anne directly at ahubbard@apdaparkinson.org.
- Stay tuned for new advocacy tools and webinars launching soon on www.apdaparkinson.org.
This blog was written by Clark Jones, PhD, and was reviewed, edited, and approved by Dr. Rebecca Gilbert.