Lynda Flowers is a Senior Strategic Policy Advisor for the Health Team in the Public Policy Institute (PPI) at AARP. Her work is focused on issues related to Medicaid, health disparities, public health and prevention. Prior to joining AARP, Lynda held a senior policy position with the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) and the Medical Assistance Administration (Medicaid) of the Government of the District of Columbia. While at DC Medicaid, Lynda developed the city’s first home and community-based waiver for older adults and was the lead policy person on the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Before going to D.C. Medicaid, she advised state legislators and state legislative staff on Medicaid and immigration issues at the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Before NCSL, Lynda worked for the League of Women Voters where she was responsible for the implementation of a 50-state program—funded by the Kaiser Family Foundation—designed to engage consumers in the health reform debate during the Clinton Administration.

Lynda has over 20 years of clinical experience as a Registered Nurse in areas such as critical care, burns, and hematology-oncology. Lynda has authored numerous reports and issue briefs on topics related to Medicaid, racial and ethnic disparities, medical errors, and public health. She received an undergraduate degree in Nursing from the University of Wisconsin; a master’s degree in Nursing Administration from Georgetown University (where she was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau—the International Nursing Honor Society); a JD from Golden Gate University (where she was a member of the Woman’s Law Review); and a Certificate in Public Health Leadership from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Lynda is a member of the National Academy of Social Insurance.

Lynda (along with her husband) are the proud parents of Grace and Bonni—the sweetest Cavaliers on the planet.