Richard Hughes IV, J.D., M.P.H., is a nationally recognized thought leader in vaccines and prevention, working and teaching at the intersection of public health and healthcare law and policy.

He is a partner at Epstein, Becker & Green where he leads a multidisciplinary team of attorneys and advisors. He was formerly vice president of public policy at Moderna, guiding the company’s policy strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previously, Mr. Hughes was managing director at Avalere Health, where he founded and led the firm’s vaccines group. He previously held roles with Merck and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials and as a gubernatorial appointee to the Arkansas State Board of Health.

Mr. Hughes has led many efforts to expand and protect access to vaccines and preventive services and improve public health outcomes. He is lead counsel in American Academy of Pediatrics v. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., challenging the actions of Secretary Kennedy that have undermined vaccine policy.

In addition to teaching at Georgetown Law, he holds an adjunct faculty appointment at The George Washington University Law School and previously at the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health.

Mr. Hughes is a popular public speaker, frequently publishes articles and commentaries, including in Health Affairs, the American Journal of Public Health, Vaccine, the American Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics, the Journal of Legal Medicine and law reviews.

He is regularly quoted in prominent news media outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, The Guardian, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, NPR, The Boston Globe, Politico, Forbes and The Hill.