Biography
Based in the Firm’s Washington, D.C. office, Vanessa represents clients in healthcare regulatory matters, including those involving the Food & Drug Administration. She has advised pharmaceutical & medical device manufacturers, healthcare & technology companies, hospitals & other providers in connection with regulatory & compliance needs, as well as in connection with M&A & capital-raising transactions. She has extensive experience counseling clients with respect to FDA enforcement matters, health privacy, security & breach issues, healthcare fraud & abuse matters & cannabis & hemp laws.
Previously, she held several government positions focused on healthcare regulation. Her experience includes serving as HIPAA Privacy Officer & Attorney for the Department of Public Health for the City of Chicago. She also advised Members of Congress on FDA matters as a Legislative Attorney with the Congressional Research Service, including laws that expanded FDA’s regulatory & enforcement authorities. She handled healthcare law, administrative law & constitutional law matters during the creation & passage of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act & the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.
Vanessa has spoken at events including the Food & Drug Law Institute’s Introduction to Drug Law & Regulation, the American Health Law Association (AHLA) Fundamentals of Health Law Program, Academic Medical Centers & Teaching Hospitals Law Institute, AHLA webinars on specialty drugs, HIPAA, & telehealth, the National HIPAA Summit, Seton Hall Legislative Journal Spring 2022 symposium, & the Hispanic National Bar Association’s Annual Convention. In June 2023, she was featured on an AHLA podcast titled “Assessing HIPAA Risks During the M&A Due Diligence Process.” She also moderated an FDLI panel discussion regarding “Recent Rulings Surrounding Mifepristone Access.” She served as a panelist at the Practicing Law Institute’s “Hot Topics in Health Care Law” 2022 program.
Vanessa also writes for industry publications & authored an article in the Journal of Health Care Law & Policy She also co-authored an article published by Law360. She currently serves on the Food & Drug Law Institute’s Publications Peer Review Committee & is a member of the American University Washington College of Law (AUWCL) Health Law & Policy Program Alumni Advisory Council. She serves as a Leader on the AHLA Fundamentals of Health Law Program Planning Committee. She was a member of Law360’s 2022 Health Care Editorial Advisory Board & served as a judge for the AUWCL’s National Health Law Writing Competition in 2021 & 2022. She has also served on the FDLI’s Webinar Committee & as the Vice Chair of Member Engagement for the AHLA’s Women’s Leadership Council.
Vanessa received her J.D., cum laude, from American University, Washington College of Law, an M.A., with honors, from Queen’s University Belfast, & a B.A., magna cum laude, from Valparaiso University. She is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia & Illinois.