Health Policy Outlook:
What Employers Need to Know About the Midterm Elections

Bret J. Jackson is President & CEO of the Economic Alliance for Michigan (EAM), where he has spent nearly two decades driving health policy advocacy and coalition leadership on behalf of Michigan’s healthcare purchaser community. Under his leadership, EAM has grown in membership and purpose, and launched nationally recognized initiatives in oncology, maternal health, and women’s workplace well-being.

Bret has influenced state and federal policy on issues ranging from surprise medical billing to healthcare transparency. He previously chaired the Board of Governors of the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions. Earlier in his career, he held policy and legislative roles in the Michigan State Senate. Bret holds a B.A. in International Relations from Michigan State University.

David Specht-Boadman joined Advancing Free Market Healthcare in June 2026 as the Executive Director. Wisconsin employers created Advancing Free Market Healthcare to use their collective voice to influence health policy matters that impact employees, their families, and all healthcare consumers. David helps to ensure employers’ perspectives are represented in state and federal health policy discussions to pursue a consumer-centered, free market healthcare marketplace that delivers the highest-value healthcare possible.

David has over a decade of legislative experience, most recently serving as the Policy Director for Wisconsin State Senate President Mary Felzkowski with a particular focus on health policy.

David earned his MPA from the La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his BS in Political Science and Public Administration & Policy Analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

Jennifer Austin joined The Alliance in 2019 and currently serves as Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships, Innovation, and Marketing. In this role, she helps shape the cooperative’s strategic direction while leading efforts in marketing, communications, and innovation. Before joining The Alliance, Jennifer worked at a number of companies in Chicago and Madison, such as Healthgrades, where she focused on marketing and strategy development for hospitals and health systems, including Advocate Healthcare (now Advocate Aurora Health), Augusta University Health, and HCA Healthcare.