Ms. Backus brings over a decade of experience contributing to and leading health reform efforts in the State of Vermont, which included regulatory initiatives, innovative state-federal partnerships, and payment and delivery system reform. At Freedman HealthCare, Ms. Backus serves as a Senior Consultant, supporting clients with thoughtful team leadership, attention to data-driven problem-solving, and fluency with state and federal health policy arenas.

Ms. Backus came to Freedman HealthCare from U.S. Senator Peter Welch’s office, where she contributed to the Senator’s federal health policy priorities and represented the Senator’s Office on health policy issues. Previously, Ena served as Director of Health Care Reform in the Vermont Agency of Human Services (AHS). In this role, she was responsible for coordinating healthcare reform efforts across state government and with the chief healthcare regulator, the Green Mountain Care Board. Prior to her work at AHS, Ena was a staff member at the Green Mountain Care Board, and in that capacity, served on the negotiating team for Vermont's All-Payer Accountable Care Organization Model Agreement with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Ms. Backus holds a Master's Degree in Public Policy from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University and a Bachelor’s Degree from New College of Florida.