Maria Berthoud Williams is a principal with FaegreBD Consulting and serves on the insurance and financial services and health and life sciences teams. She provides clients extensive experience from years on Capitol Hill and in the private sector. Maria is thoroughly familiar with insurance and financial services and health policy issues, and she has deep relationships on the Hill on both sides of the aisle.
Insurance & Financial Services
On behalf of a number of insurance industry clients, Maria was deeply involved in negotiations leading to the passage of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Bill (also known as Wall Street Reform). As the leader of the Surplus Lines and Reinsurance Coalition (SLR), she successfully advocated for the passage of the Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act (NRRA) in both the House and the Senate. She was then successful in getting NRRA incorporated into the Dodd-Frank Bill. Maria is now working on the implementation of Dodd-Frank in all 50 states, as well as captive insurance industry issues that emerged from that landmark legislation.
Maria was also involved in the original drafting and passage of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) after the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks on September 11, 2001, and negotiating the infamous Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA). She has also provided Congressional testimony and briefings on related issues, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act (NRRA).
Health & Biosciences
In addition to her work on HIPAA, Maria was also deeply involved with aspects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) on behalf of several clients. More commonly known as Health Care Reform, this groundbreaking legislation was signed into law by President Obama in March 2010. Maria worked on the insurance portability and guaranteed issue sections, as well as on the funding components and the mandate provisions.
Maria has also advocated on behalf of a coalition of diabetes stakeholders, successfully campaigning for five years for language in appropriations legislation ensuring that veterans maintain access to quality diabetes products.
Food & Agriculture
Maria was closely involved in work on the Farm Bill in 2012 and 2013. She successfully advocated for the protection of due process rights for farms; her work led to language in both the House and Senate bills that vastly improved due process provisions. Maria has also examined avenues for financial and regulatory relief from the Federal Milk Marketing Order System (FMMO) for clients in the food and agriculture industry.
Hill Experience
Prior to joining FaegreBD Consulting in 2004, Maria spent 10 years as senior vice president for federal government affairs for Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (IIABA), the largest insurance trade association in the country. In that role, she defended the industry during health care reform debates, as well as protected small business and tax issues. She was also deeply involved with developing the industry's response to 9/11, including the passage of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA). Maria also worked on crop issues and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) during her tenure.
From 1989-93, Maria was a member of the professional staff for Senator Joseph Lieberman. She led the senator's outreach mobile office while also handling various constituent issues, including health care and insurance.
- Habitat for Humanity
- Doorways for Women
- Big Brothers Big Sisters
- Connecticut State Society — President and Board of Directors