Jim Kaufman

Jim Kaufman serves as President and CEO of the West Virginia Hospital Association (WVHA). Prior to joining WVHA, Jim served as vice president of public policy for the Children’s Hospital Association and director of government affairs for the Johns Hopkins Institutions.  

With over 25 years of health policy experience, he has advocated at the federal, state, and local levels, addressing a variety of issues to improve access to care including Medicaid hospital payments, Medicare physician incentive reforms and biomedical research. Jim’s experience also includes the Maryland Higher Education Commission and the Maryland General Assembly.  

Since moving to West Virginia, Jim has become a member of the Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE) Board of Trustees, the West Virginia University’s Master of Health Administration Advisory Board and the American Legion Mountaineer Boys State program. In his free time, he volunteers with Yak Fest and the West Virginia Jeep Club.  

Jim earned his bachelor’s degree from McDaniel College, a Master of Public Administration from the University of Baltimore and a Ph.D. in Public Policy from the University of Maryland, Baltimore Graduate Schools.  

He joined WVHA in November 2020.