Speaker's Profile

An established health care leader, Kinda Serafi has sophisticated experience advising clients—from state governments to foundations, managed care plans, providers, nonprofit agencies, tech companies and IT vendors—on the legal, policy and operational challenges impacting the quickly evolving industry at both the state and federal levels. Her work frequently consists of leading complex multistakeholder engagement efforts.

On the state side, Kinda provides strategic counsel, policy analysis, State Plan and 1115 Waiver drafting and negotiation, managed care plan contract development, and operational planning support to multiple state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) agencies.

Additionally, Kinda has deep knowledge of how to design and implement innovative service delivery models for special populations including children and youth with special health care needs, pregnant and postpartum individuals, justice-involved populations who are or were recently incarcerated, and families impacted by the child welfare system.

Prior to joining Manatt, Kinda served as the director of policy of the Children’s Defense Fund-New York, where she developed strategies to secure the passage of legislation to simplify rules for a public health insurance program and to expand eligibility levels. She also worked as the director of legal advocacy and organizing at the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, where she launched and supervised a multidisciplinary civil legal services department.

Earlier in her career, Kinda was a law guardian at the Legal Aid Society, representing abused and neglected children in all aspects of litigation in Bronx Family Court. She also served as the deputy director of programs and policy for the Children’s Defense Fund in Washington, D.C.