Meet THA’s Policy team for the upcoming 90th Legislative Session

During the interim, prior to the 90th legislative session, the THA policy team is engaged in critical strategic planning for the marathon ahead. The policy team serves as the bridge between the clinical front lines and the state’s decision makers, providing data-driven insights and analysis necessary to the mission of protecting the future of care in Texas.

Read more about THA’s policy team:

Anna Stelter
Vice President, Policy

Anna Stelter serves as the vice president of policy. For five years, she has covered Medicaid finance and payment policy, Medicare policy, uncompensated care, charity care, uninsured and government payers. She monitors Texas’ numerous Medicaid supplemental payments, rural hospital policy and various other health care safety net initiatives.

Prior to working at THA, Anna interned at Texas Health Institute, which led to a full-time role as a policy analyst. She then spent four years at the Texas Medical Association covering public health, behavioral health and child health policy. A born-and-raised Austinite, she completed her undergraduate degree in biology at Washington University in Saint Louis, then completed her master’s in social work at The University of Texas at Austin and master’s in public health at the University of Texas Health Science Center Austin Regional Campus.

In her free time, Anna enjoys playing and watching soccer, crocheting and being a mom to her almost three-year-old, Eisley.

Erika Ramirez-Wright
Senior Director, Health Care Policy

Erika Ramirez-Wright serves as the senior director of health care policy, where she supports policy issues relating to behavioral health, maternal health, abortion, children’s health, Medicaid eligibility and emergency services, in addition to emerging public health topics.

Prior to working at THA, Erika spent time as the policy director for the Texas Women’s Health Coalition. She has also held various roles for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, mostly tied to Medicaid eligibility policy.

Being from Corpus Christi, she is always repping home with her Selena cup. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Texas at Austin and her master’s degree in public administration from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

While off the clock, Erika enjoys hiking with her dogs, visiting local bookstores and gardening.

Matt Turner
Senior Director, Health Care Policy

Matt Turner serves as the senior director of health care policy. At THA, Matt supports hospitals and lobby staff in any way possible. He continually monitors developments in Medicare reimbursement, Medicare Advantage, commercial insurance, 340B, health IT/AI, as well as workforce.

Prior to working at THA, Matt served as the director of the Agency Analytics Unit at the Texas Department of State Health Services. Originally from Chicago, he earned his bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Texas A&M University. Matt continued his education with a master’s degree in public health from the University of Texas Health Science Center, Austin Regional Campus, followed by a Ph.D. in Medical Anthropology from Southern Methodist University.

In his free time, Matt enjoys living in the moment with his three sons, Charlie, Miles and Henry.

Laura Cornelson
Vice President, Clinical Initiatives

Laura Cornelson serves as the vice president of clinical initiatives. At THA, Laura has primary oversight of the Foundations’ quality and patient safety department. As the clinical arm for the policy and advocacy team, she assists in identifying legislative and regulatory impacts on hospital operations and clinical outcomes.

This is Laura’s second time as an advocate for THA. Previously, she worked for 10 years as the senior director of education, where she directed program development for health care executives, and served as executive director for the Texas Organization for Nursing Leaders. During her break from THA, she held diverse roles in education, quality, professional practice, clinical strategy, and operations across various health care settings.

When she was completing her undergraduate studies, an accident occurred that left her wheelchair-bound for a time during her college experience. This experience, and the excellent care she received in the hospital and during rehab, deeply impacted her and ultimately led to her passion for nursing. She received a bachelor of science in nursing from Texas Woman’s University and her master of science in nursing at Concordia, with a focus on leadership and project management.

When she’s not on the clock, she is a proud football mom who likes watching her son play. Laura enjoys experiencing the outdoors and photography.