MICHAEL MEROLA, Partner
At WSW
As a founding Partner of Winning Strategies Washington, Michael Merola supervises all aspects of client service by the WSW government relations staff, while also helping to devise and support the company’s business development strategy. He co-directs the firm’s healthcare, education, and transportation policy practices, as well as WSW’s appropriations practice, and leads teams serving corporate, non-profit and governmental clients.
During his tenure at WSW, Michael worked with key Members of Congress to secure a Medicare reimbursement fix worth nearly $350 million over 7 years for approximately 43 hospitals. Likewise, he has successfully worked to secure significant policy and funding victories for clients in the No Child Left Behind Act, the Safe, Affordable, Flexible Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), and every Water Resources Development Act reauthorization bill since 2000.
Michael has been active on a number of political campaigns both at the state and federal levels.
History
Prior to founding WSW, Michael served as a Legislative Assistant and Deputy Chief of Staff to a U.S. Senator where his policy specialties included transportation, labor, defense, healthcare and international relations. He has extensive experience working with the Senate Environment and Public Works, Finance, and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committees, and served as the principal liaison between the Senator’s office and the US Departments of Transportation, Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and State Department, as well as the Governor’s office.
Michael’s education includes a B.A. in International Affairs from Lafayette College and an M.A. in Public Affairs from Rutgers University. He is fluent in Spanish and spent two years serving in the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic.
