Elena joined Thorn Run Partners in August 2022 and currently serves as a Senior Legislative Associate, supporting the firm’s health policy practice through legislative and regulatory analysis. In this role, she tracks federal health care policy developments, analyzes regulatory proposals, and prepares policy materials for a range of health care stakeholders. She also assists in coordinating coalition efforts, refining messaging, and developing policy recommendations to support legislative priorities.

Prior to joining Thorn Run, Elena worked as a fellow with The UPS Foundation, where she contributed to the Foundation’s annual Social Impact Report and assisted in partner communications. She also gained research experience as a student research assistant at the University of Georgia School of Public and International Affairs Research Center, where she supported nonpartisan electoral research through polling and data analysis.

Elena holds dual bachelor’s degrees in political science and advertising from the University of Georgia and is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health in Nutrition at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Her passion for health policy stems from her work in pharmaceutical access and patient advocacy, and she is committed to leveraging policy to improve health care accessibility — particularly for individuals with disabilities and rare diseases.