Ryan Pierini is a senior vice president on McGuireWoods Consulting’s California government relations team. A seasoned professional with diverse experience in political and corporate sectors, Ryan draws from his experience working in California’s Capitol serving several legislators in both the Senate and Assembly and as a corporate executive, to provide strategic advice to his clients on local and state issues related to their individual policy priorities and business objectives. He is based in Sacramento.
As vice president of external affairs at UnitedHealth Group, one of the largest healthcare companies in the world, Ryan directed strategic engagement opportunities for both UnitedHealthcare and Optum at the local and state level in California and Hawaii. Notably, he managed both companies through the COVID-19 pandemic and played an instrumental role in negotiating a multibillion-dollar Managed Care Organization tax to support the largest Medi-Cal Rate increase in California history for providers, ensuring greater access to affordable, high-quality healthcare for millions of Californians.
Prior to joining UnitedHealth Group in 2019, he served as the lead lobbyist for one of the largest electric utilities in the nation, Southern California Edison (SCE). There, he navigated complex legislative issues pertaining to nuclear decommissioning, electric vehicle infrastructure, state emissions targets via the cap-and-trade program, amongst several others energy-related issues. Notably, Ryan helped navigate SCE through the initial wildfire crisis of 2017 by securing legislation needed to ensure SCE’s ongoing financial solvency.
As a veteran staffer working in California’s State Capitol, Ryan served several legislators in both the State Senate and Assembly representing various districts up and down the state, including former Assembly Majority Leader Ian C. Calderon (D-Whittier), Assemblymember Bill Quirk (D-Heyward), Assemblymember Henry T. Perea (D-Fresno) and Senator Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego). Serving several legislators from Northern California to the southernmost region of the state, Ryan has a unique understanding of the political and policy challenges facing each region.
In addition to his political experience in the Capitol and working for two Fortune 200 companies, Ryan worked on several political campaigns early in his career, starting with Jerry Brown’s gubernatorial campaign in 2010. Later, he served as the field director for the Rudy Salas for Assembly campaign in 2014 in Hanford, CA. He started his political career as an intern in 2008 for Plotkin Zins & Associates. Ryan is a native of Northern California.
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- Author, California Governor Vetoes Legislation Involving Healthcare Investments, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 2, 2024
- Author, California Climate Accountability Package Poised to Disrupt, Subject to Inquiry, October 3, 2023