Anneliese Simons

Anni works with clients in the Health and Human Services arena to proactively advance and respond to legislative issues at the Minnesota State Capitol.

Anni supports clients at all stages of the state policy development process, including drafting legislation, monitoring introductions of bills, tracking bill status within the legislative process, and interfacing with the Minnesota Legislature, the Governor’s Office and other state agencies on behalf of her clients.

Anni has a strong background in state legislative policy in the areas of Medicaid waivered services, disability services and mental health services. Prior to joining Fredrikson & Byron, Anni served as the Senior Manager of Policy and Programs for a large coalition of Health and Human Services provider and advocacy organizations. 

Anni is not licensed to practice law. Her practice is limited to government relations consulting, which includes state and local lobbying.

• Served as a leader over multiple legislative sessions of the “Best Life Alliance”, a statewide, nonpartisan coalition of more than 100 organizations that has successfully secured state investments in the reimbursement rates for Home and Community Based Disability Services. These reimbursement rate increases, implemented during multiple legislative sessions, have resulted in significant annual ongoing increased funding for the critical services that support Minnesotans with disabilities to remain living as independently as possible in the community.
• Worked with clients to successfully remove and insert specific policy and funding provisions included in Minnesota’s Health and Human Services statutory language.
• Led clients through the development of comprehensive grassroots advocacy programs that connect the client with legislators of the districts in which the client provides services, resulting in increased long-term legislative familiarity and support for the client’s services.
• Lobbied and coordinated the grassroots efforts for coalition of disability provider and advocacy organizations from 2008-2012.

Education

• Columbia University, M.S., 2008
• University of Wisconsin, B.A., 2007

• Policy Fellow, University of Minnesota Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, 2015/2016 Cohort

Professional Activities

• Citizen’s League, Member, 2011-present
• Minnesota Governmental Relations Council, Member, 2018-present

Community

• Arc Greater Twin Cities, Member, 2012-present
• Arc MN, Board Committee Member, 2012-2014
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Twin Cities, Big Sister, 2010-2020