The Indiana Hospital Association (IHA) announces the addition of two new team members. Luke McNamee will join the association as vice president of government relations effective Oct. 1 and Steve Cooke has joined as senior director of public relations.
McNamee
In his role as vice president of government relations, McNamee will help lead advocacy efforts on behalf of IHA’s 170 member hospitals across the state, serving as the association’s legislative liaison at the Indiana Statehouse. He joins Tim Kennedy, IHA’s General Counsel, as a part of the association’s advocacy team.
Before joining IHA, McNamee served as director of policy and government affairs for the Indiana State Medical Association (ISMA) and as policy director for the Institute for Quality Education. He also formerly served as legislative assistant for the Indiana House of Representatives.
McNamee earned his law degree from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from Ball State University.
As senior director of public relations, Cooke will execute media relations and communications strategies to advance advocacy initiatives on behalf of the association and its members.
Cooke
Before joining IHA, he served as senior director of external communications for Ascension St. Vincent and as associate director of U.S. immunology communications for Eli Lilly and Company. He also previously served as director of communications for ISMA.
Cooke earned his master’s degree from Indiana University Indianapolis and his bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University.
“Luke and Steve bring unmatched expertise in shaping health care policy across a variety of platforms and will be a tremendous asset to the IHA team,” IHA Interim President Blake Dye said. “We are pleased to extend their diverse skillset to our members as we continue to elevate our advocacy efforts and stakeholder engagement throughout the state.”
About Indiana Hospital Association
The Indiana Hospital Association serves as the professional trade association for more than 170 acute care, critical access, behavioral health, and other specialized hospitals in Indiana. IHA advocates on behalf of its members in Indiana’s General Assembly, U.S. Congress, and with multiple regulatory agencies at the state and federal levels. Dedicated to improving quality, patient safety, and Hoosiers’ health status, IHA holds numerous grants and facilitates collaboration among hospitals to improve outcomes. IHA also provides members with the data analytics that they need to ensure access to quality, cost-effective health care services across the state of Indiana. To learn more about IHA, visit IHAconnect.org.