Niklas Kleinworth is the Director of the State Health Reform Initiative and a Policy Analyst at the Paragon Health Institute, focusing on Medicaid and state policy initiatives. He has served in state and federal policy roles since 2021.
Prior to joining the team full-time, Niklas contracted with Paragon for nearly two years, covering issues including pandemic unwinding in Medicaid and Medicaid finance reform. Concurrently, he served as the Policy Director for a state-level policy think tank in his home state of Idaho. There, he covered an eclectic collection of free-market policy issues, writing extensively on healthcare, state budgeting, monetary policy, and public education. He is credited with advancing reforms on issues including Medicaid, medical education, and deregulation.
Niklas received his BA in Political Science and minor in Pre-Health Professions from the University of Idaho and an AA in General Studies from North Idaho College. He received an introduction to the mechanics of D.C. politics during an internship with Senator Jim Risch (R – ID). He is also a proud alum of Health Reformers Academy, joining the organization’s second cohort. His research and technical skills specialize in data science, analysis, and visualization.
As a policy fellow with Young Voices, Niklas comments on diverse issues ranging from healthcare to cryptocurrency. His work has been featured by Forbes, The Epoch Times, Reason, Bitcoin Magazine, American Thinker, and Fox News Radio.
Niklas lives with his wife, Emily, his daughter, and new baby in Virginia.
