Director of State Legislative Affairs | Department of Advocacy and Access, Arthritis Foundation
Melissa Horn is the Director of State Legislative Affairs at the Arthritis Foundation. Melissa has nearly 20 years of advocacy experience working in and around state and local government. Prior to joining the Arthritis Foundation, Melissa’s work experience included tenures at the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association and most recently the National Association of REALTORS in Washington, DC. Melissa has covered policy campaigns in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands, though she began her career with the Missouri State Legislature in 2006. Melissa has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a minor in Sociology from the University of Columbia – Missouri and graduated with her Masters of Public Affairs degree through her alma mater with a primary focus on Public Policy and Administration in 2017.
In addition to her role as State Legislative Affairs Director for the Arthritis Foundation, Melissa is cochair for the All Copays Count Coalition, Board member for the State Access to Innovative Medicines (SAIM) coalition and Board member for the University of Missouri-Columbia Truman School of Public Affairs. She also is a frequent guest lecturer at the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM), Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia and the Truman School of Public Affairs for the University of Missouri-Columbia.
On a personal note, as a 3x cancer survivor, Melissa knows firsthand the lifelong challenges of navigating chronic diseases. As Director of State Legislative Affairs, she hopes to be the microphone for someone who has a story to tell to ensure people’s experiences with arthritis are amplified as the Arthritis Foundation continues its mission to boldly pursue a cure for America’s #1 cause of disability through state policy change nationwide.
