About
Diane M. Canova, Esq.
Principal, Advance Advocacy
dcanova@advanceadvocacy.com
Diane Canova is a nonprofit executive with over 20 years’ experience in public policy, government relations, lobbying and nonprofit leadership. She believes in leading by establishing a shared vision, valuing individual strengths and fostering strong volunteer and staff partnerships and multi-organization coalitions.
Ms. Canova is the founder of Advance Advocacy, Consulting for Change, which seeks to increase the voice and impact of nonprofit organizations in the public policy arena through goal setting and strategy development, board and staff training, partnership and coalition building and communications and media outreach.
Ms. Canova recently served as the first Executive Director of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association (SCAA) where she developed program and advocacy strategies, launched the website, secured foundation and corporate funding and opened a Washington, DC headquarters. As co-chair of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Coalition, she was instrumental in building a collaboration of over 30 organizations to develop and advocate for omnibus federal legislation. Prior to joining SCAA, Ms. Canova served as Vice President of Public Policy and Government Relations for the Council on Foundations where she led policy decision-making and advocacy on critical nonprofit tax and philanthropy issues.
Previously, Ms. Canova was Vice President of Advocacy for the American Heart Association, directing the organization’s Washington, DC office and implementing many successful legislative and regulatory campaigns, including CDC funding for heart disease and stroke, grants for automatic external defibrillators, education funding for physical education and Medicare preventive services. Under her leadership, the association greatly enhanced its grassroots capability, developed a strong policy research component and became a leader in nonprofit media advocacy.
Ms. Canova also served as Director of Government Relations for the American Red Cross and led the implementation of comprehensive advocacy strategies focused on health, disaster relief, biomedical services and international relations. Working with then Red Cross president, Elizabeth Dole, Ms. Canova interacted directly with congressional leadership, the White House and Executive Branch agencies.
Ms. Canova has also helped found several coalitions and served in leadership roles, including Research to Prevention, Effective National Action to Control Tobacco (ENACT), the National Health Council’s Government Relations Affinity Group and Independent Sector’s Legislative and Regulatory Advisory Committee. In 2003, Ms. Canova was selected to participate in the executive leadership program titled Women and Power at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. She is the current Board Chair of the Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest.
Ms. Canova worked in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Legislative Director and as a Subcommittee Counsel. She received her Juris Doctor from the Brandeis School of Law, University of Louisville and Bachelor of Science in Education from Kent State University.
