Keynote Speakers
Morning Keynote
She is serving in 2008 as President of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). An active member in NAIC, Praeger is also chair of the EX-1 Subcommittee for Internal Administration and chair of the Government Relations Leadership Council.
She was elected previously to the Kansas Senate in 1992, 1996 and 2000, and before that served one term in the Kansas House of Representatives. While in the legislature, she worked to gain passage of patient protection laws, external review of health plans and insurance, and the Kansas expansion of children's health insurance. In 2001 she led the successful campaign for mental health parity in Kansas.
AARP and Kansas Wildlife Federation have recognized Commissioner Praeger as their “legislator of the year” for her work on issues important to their organizations.
A resident of Lawrence, Kansas, she served as mayor of Lawrence from 1986-87, and she served on the Lawrence City Commission from 1985-89.
Her community involvement includes the United Way of Douglas County Board of Directors, and she is a founding member of three local boards: Health Care Access (a clinic for the medically indigent), the Haskell Indian Nations University Foundation, and C.A.S.A. (Court Appointed Special Advocates), an organization dedicated to helping children who come under the jurisdiction of the court.
Commissioner Praeger has been a speaker before numerous national organizations, including the American Association of Health Plans; the National Conference of State Legislatures; The Forum for State Health Policy Leadership; the National Association of Chain Drug Stores; the American Academy of Pediatrics; Women in Government; and the National Association of Health Data Organizations.
Commissioner Praeger has testified before the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee as it considers a new small business health plan for the states. She also appeared before the U.S. Senate Small Business Committee expressing concerns about association health plans and before the Senate Select Committee on Aging concerning qualifications of investment advisers.
She was a recipient of the prestigious Dr. Nathan B. Davis Award, bestowed annually by the American Medical Association to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the public health through elected and career government service.
In 1997, The Kansas Association for the Medically Underserved also recognized her leadership on health care access issues. She was also recognized by The Center for Populations Options for legislation she sponsored in 1994 to create teen pregnancy prevention programs in Kansas.
Commissioner Praeger is a graduate of the University of Kansas. She lives in Lawrence with her husband, Dr. Mark Praeger, where she is active in several community organizations. They have two children, Gretchen (son-in-law Erik and granddaughter Clara Lee) and J.D. (daughter-in-law Sevrin, and grandson Jakson and granddaughter Ava Margaret).
Luncheon Keynote
Before joining HSPH, Nancy worked for almost ten years for the Massachusetts Division of Insurance, where she was First Deputy Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner for Health Policy. Nancy is on the board of a number of state health policy organizations, including the Massachusetts Health Policy Forum, Commonwealth Care Alliance, and the Massachusetts Health Council.