Cynthia Bens is vice president of public policy at the Alliance for Aging Research. In this capacity, Cynthia is responsible for guiding and directing the organization’s federal policy work and participation in national coalitions. Prior to joining the Alliance in 2006, she was a senior manager of government affairs with the Loeffler Group. As part of its federal government affairs practice, Cynthia represented diverse client interests before the U.S. Congress and the administration. Her core areas of focus included appropriations, budget, health care, education, telecommunications, and international trade. Through various other positions on Capitol Hill and in the private sector, she has extensive experience researching and analyzing federal legislation. Cynthia earned a Bachelor’s of Arts degree from New York University with concentrations in Political Science and Women’s Studies. She currently serves on the Alliance for a Stronger FDA's Board of Directors, the Steering Committee of the Partnership to Improve Patient Care, and the Friends of the National Institute on Aging's Executive Committee.