Kristal Vardaman Ph.D., Msph

Kristal Vardaman, PhD, MSPH, currently serves as the Managing Principal of Medicaid Policy and Programs at Aurrera Health Group, where responsibilities include advising state and federal clients on Medicaid LTSS program design and implementation. Prior experience includes serving as Policy Director at MACPAC, where Kristal led analyses and made recommendations to Congress for Medicaid improvements, having been promoted from Principal Analyst. Earlier in Kristal’s career, valuable insights were gained as a Senior Analyst at the US Government Accountability Office, focusing on the value of federal health programs, and as a Senior Associate at Avalere Health, where expertise was developed in Medicare and Medicaid policies. Kristal Vardaman holds a PhD in Public Policy from The George Washington University, an MSPH in Health Policy and Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a BS in Biopsychology & Cognitive Science from the University of Michigan.