Our Team.

Jennifer Leib, ScM, CGC
Founder

​Email: [email protected] 
LinkedIn

Jennifer began her career as a board certified genetic counselor conducting clinical research in the Neurogenetics Branch at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at the National Institutes of Health before being selected for the prestigious National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)/American Society of Human Genetics’ Genetics and Public Policy Fellowship in 2003. Jennifer worked directly in the office of then NHGRI Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., and also worked on the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee staff for two years before transitioning to lobbying by directing the Washington, DC office of Affymetrix, a California-based biotechnology company. 

Jennifer helps clients navigate the evolving regulatory and reimbursement landscape for targeted therapeutics, laboratory-based diagnostics, and mobile and digital health technologies. Jennifer also specializes in assisting young companies and associations with building a brand presence in Washington through relationship building with advocates and policymakers. Some of her key professional accomplishments include leading the advocacy effort in support of the plaintiffs in the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision in the Association for Molecular Pathology vs. Myriad Genetics Inc. that invalidated gene patents, serving on the Executive Committee of the Coalition for Genetic Fairness which successfully advocated for the enactment of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, and more recently, assisting a patient advocacy group with partnering with the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs on the development of a patient reported outcomes registry to monitor adverse events following knee replacement surgery for osteoarthritis. 

Prior to launching Innovation Policy Solutions, Jennifer co-founded another consulting firm, HealthFutures, which was acquired by CRD Associates in 2009. Jennifer holds a master's degree in genetic counseling from The Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor's degree with honors and high distinction in sociology from the University of Michigan.

Megan Anderson Brooks, PhD
President

Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn

Megan has expertise in science and health advocacy strategies in support of an innovative and robust biomedical research system. Megan focuses on science and regulatory policy related to basic and clinical scientific research, personalized medicine, federal oversight of diagnostics and biotech devices, and patient-specific issues related to access and patient-centered treatment development. On behalf of clients, she assists in the development and implementation of policy strategies; drafting legislation; submission of appropriations requests, coordinating congressional briefings and public policy symposiums; organizing client advocacy days on Capitol Hill; and engages in direct lobbying.

As a researcher in the field of neuroscience for over a decade, Megan brings first-hand experience and a deep scientific understanding to her work on behalf of clients. She conducted research on brain health and the neural mechanisms of learning and memory, and is best known for her work to understand the role of learning in the formation of new neurons in the adult brain. 

Megan previously served as a Vice President for over four years at CRD Associates. She also worked for the Society for Neuroscience developing grassroots advocacy activities and on issues related to research replicability. During a fellowship placement at the New Jersey Department of Health, she assisted in the development of a successful CDC-awarded program that aimed to promote healthy behaviors, increase electronic health record adoption, and develop community-clinical linkages to prevent and control chronic disease in the State. Megan holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Rutgers University and was awarded a fellowship from the Eagleton Institute of Politics.

Lindsey Trischler, MPAP
​Principal

Mary Lee Watts, MPH
​Senior Principal

Email: Lindsey@iPolicySolutions.com
LinkedIn

​​Lindsey has over seven years of experience in advocacy and consulting and will be responsible for supporting the firm’s work centered on patient access and coalition building. As an Advocacy Associate at the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF), she focused on both state and federal policy. Most recently, she was a Senior Policy Associate at CRD Associates advising a range of clients including patient advocacy organizations, public health advocacy organizations, and academic medical centers. She was also integral to the management of a coalition of more than 80 members advocating for federal funding for medical research, prevention, and public health. Her professional expertise encompasses the appropriations process, coalition management, insurance benefit design, and patient access to affordable care. Lindsey has a bachelor of arts degree in communication and a master’s degree in public administration and policy. 

Email: MaryLee@iPolicySolutions.com
LinkedIn

​​Mary Lee Watts joined Innovation Policy Solutions LLC as Senior Principal in
May 2026. She brings more than 20 years of experience leading federal
government affairs and public policy strategy for national scientific societies and associations, advancing legislative and regulatory priorities across public health, life sciences, and clinical laboratory policy. Through her work at the intersection of science, public health, and federal policy, Mary Lee has helped shape policy outcomes, secure appropriations for public health, biomedical and agricultural research agencies, and influenced healthcare legislation through strategic advocacy and stakeholder alignment.

Prior to joining IPS, Ms. Watts was Vice President of Government Affairs and
Policy at the American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA), where she
focused on a multi-pronged advocacy strategy to advance Medicare payment reform for clinical laboratory tests and halt payment cuts. She also advocated for prior authorization reforms under Medicare Advantage to ensure timely delivery of laboratory services to patients. Before her work at ACLA, Mary Lee held positions at the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the American Society for Nutrition (ASN), and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics where she directed federal legislative and regulatory outreach activities in the areas of appropriations, medical research and public health, infectious disease and pathogen genomics, cancer policy, food and nutrition policy, advocate engagement and association public affairs. In these roles, she built strong relationships with Congress and Executive Branch agencies such as NIH, CDC, USDA, and FDA.

Mary Lee began her career as a member of the legislative staff for U.S. Senator Zell Miller from her home state of Georgia. She holds a Master of Public Health degree in Nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude, in Molecular Biology from Vanderbilt University. She lives in northern Virginia with her two daughters, where she spends a lot of time cheering from the sidelines of soccer games and fostering rescue dogs.