As a key benefit of membership, Lifespan Network members are represented in Annapolis by a lobbying team who tracks bills and initiatives which will impact the senior services industry in the State of Maryland. Communities of care often do not have spare time to invest in politics, even when it may have a direct impact on their ability to provide care to residents. That is where The LifeSpan Network plays a crucial role by representing member interests and harnessing the collective power of the senior services industry to guide and influence government. LifeSpan represents you at the state level so that you can focus on what you do best – providing care and services for your residents.
Danna Kauffman
Danna L. Kauffman, Esq. is the managing partner of Schwartz, Metz, Wise and Kauffman, PA. She has worked in various levels of state government and in the private sector for nearly 30 years. Throughout Danna’s state government and private sector experience, she has established a reputation as a problem solver and consensus builder who can handle complicated issues in a trusted and professional manner. Prior to joining the firm in 2014, Danna served as Counsel to the then House Environmental Matters Committee (now known as the House Health and Government Operations Committee), working on complex health care issues, and then spent three years as a senior legislative advisor to Governor Glendening, where she worked on a wide range of issues in the areas of health, environment, civil rights and homeland security. Upon leaving government service, Danna came to work internally for LifeSpan as the Senior Vice President of Public Policy.
Raised in Howard County, Maryland, Danna holds an undergraduate degree in economics from Towson University, where she graduated cum laude. In 1996, she graduated with honors from the University of Maryland School of Law, where she was an editor on the Maryland Law Review. Prior to entering state government service, Danna began her career as a litigation attorney at Smith, Somerville and Case, P.A.
Ashlie Bagwell
An experienced lobbyist, Ashlie T. Bagwell joined HJM in 2013 after spending the previous decade as a government relations professional in Annapolis and throughout Maryland. Bagwell’s vast experience and excellent reputation among Maryland legislators and government officials are invaluable assets to HJM and its clients. Before joining the team, Bagwell worked six years as a government relations consultant at an Annapolis lobbying firm. In that position, Bagwell represented many diverse clients, including many companies and organizations headquartered or located in Montgomery County.
Throughout her career, Bagwell has built strong relationships with members of the Maryland General Assembly, as well as legislators and agency representatives in county and local governments throughout the state. Over the years, she has built particularly solid relationships with elected officials, policymakers, and community members in Montgomery County, making her an asset to HJM clients with issues before the Montgomery County Council or the Montgomery County Delegation. Her versatility has allowed her to represent clients seamlessly in a wide range of policy areas.
Bagwell contributes her time to public policy issues specifically relating to matters that affect girls and women. Through the years, she has served as the Advocacy Program Director for Maryland Girls’ State, the Chair of Planned Parenthood Advocates of DC, Maryland and NoVa, and as a member of the Board of Directors for the Planned Parenthood of Metro Washington DC Action Fund. In addition, Bagwell serves as a mentor with Leadership Montgomery Emerging Leaders and member of NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland. In 2023, Bagwell was named a Top Lobbyist by the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics. She received the “Community Service Award” from the Maryland Government Relations Association in 2022. Bagwell was named one of Daily Record’s “Leading Women” and in 2004 she was a recipient of the Women Information Network’s “Women of Achievement” award. Ashlie T. Bagwell earned her bachelor of arts and master’s degree in public health from The University of South Carolina. The combination of Bagwell’s extensive knowledge and education makes her an outstanding advocate for her clients.
