Staff

Aimed Alliance is staffed by a team of attorneys and policy advisors who are committed to advancing the mission of the organization. Staff members have significant experience in the field of health law and disability rights and come from diverse backgrounds.

Michael Barnes is an advocate for individual rights and innovative responses to some of the top policy issues in the U.S., including the opioid, heroin, and fentanyl crisis; healthcare; justice reform; and privacy. He has provided legal, political, and issue analysis for national news networks, including FOX News, FOX Business, CNBC, CNN and HLN. Mr. Barnes was a political appointee under President George W. Bush, having served as confidential counsel in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Mr. Barnes obtained his Juris Doctor degree from George Mason University School of Law. He earned a master’s degree in international economic policy from La Universidad de Belgrano in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he lived and studied as a Rotary Foundation International Ambassadorial Scholar. He received his bachelor’s degree summa cum laude from Flagler College. Mr. Barnes is licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia and Virginia.

Ashira Vantrees joined Aimed Alliance in August 2021 and has had several leadership roles within the organization. Currently, Ms. Vantrees serves as the Director of Legal Strategy and Advocacy. Ms. Vantrees brings with her extensive experience in researching a wide variety of issues including public health, health education, human rights, women’s rights, and disability rights. Building on her own experiences facing difficulties in accessing healthcare, Ms. Vantrees is now a passionate advocate for healthcare access and ensuring healthcare is easily accessible and affordable.

Prior to attending law school, Ms. Vantrees worked as a public health emergency planner and outreach coordinator at a local health department in Ohio. This experience taught her the importance of ensuring meaningful access to healthcare medications and services.

Ms. Vantrees holds a Bachelor of Arts in Emergency Management and Business from Ohio Christian University, a Masters of Science in Disaster Medicine and Management from Thomas Jefferson University, and a Juris Doctor from Florida International University College of Law. She is licensed to practice law in Florida and the District of Columbia.

Olivia Backhaus is a Staff Attorney at Aimed Alliance, where she draws on her experience in public health law to advance policies that enhance the rights of healthcare consumers. She provides legal research and analysis on state and federal legislation, agency regulations, and policy developments, advocating for policies that ensure healthcare is accessible.

Before joining Aimed Alliance, Ms. Backhaus served as an Associate Attorney at a Washington D.C.-based health law firm, where she collaborated with nonprofit and advocacy groups on patient rights and health policy matters. Her prior experience also includes work at a nonprofit dedicated to environmental health research and advocacy, where she focused on consumer protection and federal regulations governing food, cosmetics, and chemicals. Additionally, she contributed to a global health law and policy research institute.

Ms. Backhaus holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.S. in Biology from Sewanee: The University of the South. Ms. Backhaus is licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia.

Aimed Alliance is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, disability, age (40 or older) or genetic information (including family medical history).