Niki Carelli is an attorney who specializes in helping clients develop and implement comprehensive, multidisciplinary government affairs strategies to advance their goals in Washington and resolve complex policy and legal issues in the health care space. She is Principal at DB3 and Of Counsel with Baker Donelson and supports PPG as an advisor.
Niki has built her practice around biodefense and public health, the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid funding and compliance, Medicare reimbursement, federal appropriations, and congressional investigations. She has been named one of D.C.’s Top Lobbyists by The Hill and is frequently called on to explain Washington to outside-the-Beltway audiences.
“Problem-solving is my passion, and Washington D.C. is home to some of the thorniest problems imaginable. I love working with clients to find effective and creative ways to unravel knotty issues. There are thousands of advocates in D.C. that can open doors, but only the best will walk through them with you.”
Education and previous work
Niki earned her Juris Doctor, with distinction, from Stanford University in 2008 and her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with distinction, from Stanford in 2004.
Niki has worked for nearly two decades advising clients on government affairs strategies and representing their interests before Congress and the Administration. She also counsels clients on congressional investigations and federal laws and rules governing lobbying and ethics. She began her legal and policy career as an associate at DLA Piper, later serving as Senior Vice President and Public Policy Advisor at The Daschle Group.
Niki’s clients have included nonprofits, drug and device manufacturers, health systems, insurers, pharmacies, state governments, universities, and health IT companies. She is experienced with coalition management and serves as Executive Director of the Coalition to Stop Flu, a non-partisan federal advocacy coalition working to advance policies to end deaths from seasonal and pandemic influenza. Niki frequently speaks to outside-the-Beltway audiences about the political landscape in D.C. and is a regular commentator for Sky News Australia.