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Accession No. OCA.2026.0003: Chris Jennings, 2026 February
[identification of item], Chris Jennings Oral History, SPEC.OCA.57.0021, Ohio Public Policy Archives, Ohio State University
Contains computer and media files in the following formats: MP3, PDF
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Processed by: Sierra Sales, 2026 March; Finding aid written by: Sierra Sales, 2026 March
Chris Jennings was born in Athens, Ohio and attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he studied gerontology and political science. He joined Senator John Glenn's staff on the Senate Special Committee on Aging in 1983 as a intern and was later hired on as a staff assistant. Jennings served on the Committee as Deputy Director for Senator Glenn and he served on the United States Bipartisan Commission on Comprehensive Health Care. Later on his career, Jennings held senior health policy roles in the Clinton and Obama administrations; through these roles he contributed to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Modernization Act, and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. As of 2026, Chris Jennings is the founder and president of a health care consulting firm called Jennings Policy Strategies.
The Chris Jennings Oral History dates from July 16, 2025 and February 6, 2026, and consists of a audio recording and edited transcript of the interview between Chris Jennings and Cory Ackerman. Topics discussed in this oral history include Jennings's early work with Senator John Glenn on the Senate Special Committee on Aging and how that shaped his later career, and his experience working on Glenn's 1984 presidential campaign. Jennings's interview also centers on his recollection of the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and Senator Glenn's response.
(1) MP3 file
(1) PDF file