Carolyn M.

About Carolyn M.

My career began in political consulting, managing global survey research in high-stakes environments—from planning events for a sitting South American president to getting dropped off in Kyiv by a guy named \"Twist\" with a non-functioning phone.That work revealed a critical insight: the health of a population is fundamentally the outcome of policy decisions. I pursued an MPH from UCLA and discovered that my consulting skills—understanding stakeholders, navigating complex systems, building coalitions—translated directly into public health advocacy.Since then, I\'ve shaped critical legislation including the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act, secured billions in COVID-19 response funding for state and territorial health departments, and was the Director of External Affairs at the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response.Now, as Senior Policy Analyst at Blueprint Biosecurity, I translate complex biosecurity challenges into federal policy. As founder of Sail Upstream, I advise clients from 340B reform to child protective programs. I serve on the Board of Directors for La Clínica del Pueblo, bringing Spanish fluency and a patient\'s perspective.I approach challenges with policy expertise, collaborative spirit, and humor—ready to create lasting impact for all communities.

Experience

1. Senior Policy Analyst

   Blueprint Biosecurity

   Aug 2025 — Present

   Works on a team that develops new biosecurity policy focused on the U.S. federal government and serving as a bridge between the government affairs team and technical program areas such as PPE, far-UVC, and the built environment, translating technical expertise into impactful policy.

Education

• University of Utah School of Medicine

  Certificate, Public Health Informatics

  2011 — 2011

• UCLA Fielding School of Public Health

  MPH, Community Health Sciences

• Santa Barbara City College

  Associate’s Degree, Liberal Arts

• UCLA

  BA, Political Science, American Politics, International Relations