Matt Schafer is Medica’s Director of Government Relations.  Matt has 24 years of experience in state and federal government relations, including more than 16 years of experience in lobbying health care issues.  As Medica’s Director of Government Relations, Matt leads Medica’s legislative strategies in Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin. In recent years, he has worked on legislative efforts to preserve and enhance state reinsurance programs in Minnesota and North Dakota and testifies regularly before legislative bodies in both states.  He currently serves on the Minnesota Council of Health Plans Legislative Subcommittee, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce’s Health Policy Committee and the Wisconsin Association of Health Plans (WAHP) Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Committee. Additionally, Matt is a past member and former chair of MNsure’s Health Industry Advisory Committee . 

Matt began his career by serving our country in the United States Marine Corps, where he worked in the Office of Public Affairs, in Washington, D.C., Japan and South Korea. He began his government relations career working for the Fleet Reserve Association, a non-profit organization representing active duty, retired and reserve Marines, Sailors and Coast Guard personnel.  More recently, Matt worked for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS-CAN), where he oversaw a team of 12 individuals representing ACS-CAN in six states in the Upper Midwest. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Internetworking Technology from Strayer University.

Matt and his family are members of the King of Kings Lutheran Church in Woodbury. He occasionally coaches soccer and football, and is leading his family on a quest to visit every state park in Minnesota. He has written one fictional novel, The Triggerman, and is presently working on his second. Matt lives with his wife Shelly and their three kids in Woodbury, Minnesota.