Christina Hartman | Senior Director, Government Affairs
Orchard therapeutics

Christina lives right outside Washington, DC in Bethesda, Maryland with her husband, Matt, and daughters Sophie (14) and Charlotte (9). Christina leads government affairs for Orchard Therapeutics, a Kyowa Kirin company and gene therapy leader focused on ending the devastation caused by genetic and other severe diseases by discovering, developing, and commercializing new treatments that tap into the curative potential of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene therapy. Before that, she led government affairs for bluebird bio, another rare disease gene therapy company. She also serves on the board of the US-based rare disease non-profit Global Genes and on the board of Bento Biology Platforms, a company bringing the clinical trial to patient doorsteps for contactless data collection with a software-defined solution for patient communities to manage, treat and prevent disease.  Christina is also an active supporter of research for and education about her daughter Charlotte’s ultra-rare neurodevelopmental disorder, NAA10. Before moving to the corporate side, Christina served as the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM)’s first-ever head of US Government Relations, where she leveraged the network, she assembled over the past 25 years on the ground in Washington, DC to advance the priorities of the regenerative medicine sector. With a deep background in policy, government relations, alliance building and issue advocacy, she is committed to shaping an environment in Washington conducive to the discovery, development approval and accessibility of durable, potentially curative cell and gene therapies. Before arriving at ARM, Christina built and led the Washington office of The Assistance Fund (TAF), where she advocated for patients to have access to all required clinical care, diagnostic testing, and treatment at an out-of-pocket cost within reach, regardless of socioeconomic status. Prior to that, Christina led policy and advocacy efforts to advance treatment and diagnostic opportunities for rare disease patients at the EveryLife Foundation, launching them for the first time in Washington, DC following their move from Novato, California. At the Pew Charitable Trusts, she worked with a broad range of partners to advance legislative goals to incentivize the development of new antibiotic drugs. Early in her career, Christina served as an analyst at the US Department of Health and Human Services, including with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). Christina has a Master of Public Health (MPH) with a concentration in epidemiology from the George Washington University School of Public Health. She is passionate about advocating, influencing, and shaping policies that provide access to new innovations for those impacted by rare diseases, and is motivated every day to advance these priorities as a direct result of her experience raising a child with an ultra-rare neurodevelopmental disorder.