Speakers & Faculty

Deb Aldridge is a seasoned healthcare leader with over 28 years of experience in practice transformation, clinical informatics, and quality improvement. As Chief Network Officer at Alera Health, she leads a multidisciplinary team supporting ONEcare Networks nationwide, driving performance improvement across care settings. Deb’s role involves mentoring staff and providing direct practice coaching to ensure alignment with organizational goals. Previously, Deb held key roles with Community Care of North Carolina and the national Beacon Community Program, where she led cross-functional quality improvement efforts and implemented innovative health IT solutions. Known for her collaborative leadership, Deb is a trusted expert dedicated to advancing healthcare through innovation, improving outcomes, and optimizing care delivery.

Vik Aurora is CEO and Founder of Hello It’s Me®, a digital platform advancing social engagement, independence, and workforce readiness for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He is a three-time entrepreneur, having built and scaled education technology platforms through Focus EduSolutions, where he led the development of digital learning systems used by millions of learners globally, resulting in a $275M exit. Vik has driven the commercialization of Hello It’s Me® securing Medicaid waiver adoption, establishing state agency partnerships and integrating coaching, learning, and peer connection into a unified IDD platform. Vik holds an MBA from Northeastern University in Boston.

Aaron joined Vista Care in 2024 to help lead the development of the next wave of tech-enabled I/DD services. Before Vista Care, he founded Mox Capital, where he partnered with innovative healthcare companies focused on reducing costs and enhancing outcomes. Aaron also served as Head of Healthcare and Life Sciences at Kingfish Group, where he sourced investment opportunities and drove strategic growth for portfolio companies. He holds a BA from Stanford University and a Master’s Degree from Oxford University.

Amanda Bartz serves as Endeavor’s Vice President of Clinical Operations, providing strategic oversight of program development, quality assurance, and service delivery across the organization. She began her career at Endeavor in 2008, working directly with children, adolescents, and families, which is an experience that continues to inform her commitment to reducing barriers to care and expanding access to effective, equitable treatment. With a strong background in trauma-informed care and systems of coordination, Amanda plays a key role in advancing Endeavor’s integrated model of care. In this feature, she offers a behind-the-scenes perspective on the agency’s work to support youth, families, and underserved populations, highlighting how Endeavor’s approach fosters resilience and sustainable outcomes from the ground up.

Lizzy Baum serves as Senior Contract Manager at Alera Health, a leading population health management company. She has extensive leadership experience across the healthcare continuum including inpatient, outpatient, payor relations, value-based contracting, and network management settings. Lizzy is dedicated to driving transformative changes in the healthcare industry through innovative and equitable contracting and financial strategies.  She demonstrates a fervent commitment to healthcare sustainability, health equity, mental health advocacy, and meaningful quality improvement. With a proven track record of success in the healthcare industry, Lizzy brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her role with Alera Health. Her strategic vision, passion for innovation, and unwavering dedication to advancing healthcare excellence continue to drive meaningful impact within the organization and beyond.

Michel is co-founder and CEO of Mindsigns Health™ Inc a cloud-based neuropsychiatry platform with international collaborations and partnerships.

Michel is currently Director of Entrepreneurship and Research Translation at NTU-SCELSE, working on technology commercialization via spinoffs and industry collaborations and partnerships, strategy and corporate development.

During that time he was also responsible for the development and operations, from 2019-2022, of the Singapore National Biofilm Consortium, creating partnerships in the US, UK and EU and funding proof of concept and tech transfer projects between academia and industry.

Michel was a lecturer for the MIT-SMART ACT program where he developed and taught the course “Lab to Market”.

He is also co-founder and advisor to two other healthcare spinoffs involved in anti-microbials and microbiome.

Michel has held board positions with a number of technology and healthcare growth companies internationally, in operational and advisory roles and has managed technology & healthcare IPOs on both European markets and NASDAQ as well as M&A and investments.

Michel served as Vice Chairman of the Singapore Venture Capital Association (SVCA) and was a member of the Executive Council of BioSingapore. Michel won the SVCA’s Highest Impact VC/PE-Backed Company Non-Executive Board Member award in 2013

Michel holds a B.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering from the NYU Tandon School of Engineering (PINY) and attended General Electric’s Advanced Engineering program. Michel was a graduate of General Electric’s Edison Program. He earned his MBA from the London Business School and has certifications in machine learning, data privacy and QMS for Medtech.

Jennifer Black is a behavioral health executive with more than 28 years of experience advancing whole-person health solutions. As a business development leader at Carelon Behavioral Health, she drives growth strategy and partners with health plans, employers, and government agencies. As a licensed clinician, she brings expertise from state government and nonprofit care delivery to her work, ensuring outcomes remain at the heart of every initiative.

Nora Bock serves as the Director of the Division of Behavioral Health at the Missouri Department of Mental Health. She is a recognized behavioral health leader focused on strengthening public mental health systems through cross sector partnerships. Her work spans community-based prevention, treatment, and recovery services, as well as forensic services, hospital oversight, and innovative public-private collaborations that increase access and improve outcomes across complex public behavioral health environments.

Nick Boukas is the Director of Behavioral Health Services at the New Mexico Health Care Authority.  Mr. Boukas has served in various roles in public service for city, county, regional and state government agencies and national organizations working with the CDC and other Federal agencies on policy and programs. He has been an invited speaker to national and regional conferences speaking on various topics ranging from workforce development to
community engagement. Prior to his appointment in 2023, Mr. Boukas worked at the New Mexico Department of Health. His focus has been to strengthen the behavioral health system to make New Mexico a healthier place.  He has a Masters Degree in Public Administration and lives in Santa Fe with his wife and dogs.

Jessamine Buck helps mission-driven organizations scale innovative care models for behavioral health and underserved populations. She specializes in aligning community-based providers and social care agencies within integrated networks, leveraging over 20 years of experience with CMS Innovation Models and Medicaid Transformation initiatives. Her expertise includes building value-based care capabilities at both health plan and provider organization levels. Previously, she held senior leadership positions at organizations including VillageCare of New York and Freelancers Union, where she managed multi-state health plan launches and directed large-scale home and community-based programs for vulnerable populations. 

Janet Butler has developed and led residential and individualized support programs for over 35 years, primarily with Community Systems, where she is the CEO and President.  Her innovative thinking and dedication to the discovery of each person’s definition of their own happiness have led to scores of remarkable success stories, most notably with persons considered too challenging to ever enjoy community success or live independently.

Ms. Butler received her degree in nursing and later a BS in Nonprofit Management from Skidmore College.  She was the Executive Director of Community Systems, Inc. in Massachusetts for more than 20 years, starting the operations and growing the organization to support 250 individuals with more than 350 staff. 

Janet assumed the role of CEO upon the retirement of the founders at CSI, who had filled their roles for more than 30 years. Prior to this role, she worked as a nurse in acute care and helped develop one of the first hospice services in southeastern Massachusetts when it was strictly charity responsibility. 

Community Systems, Inc. is a group of nonprofit organizations providing support to persons with disabilities in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Virginia, and Delaware.  The organization operates primarily in the ID/DD  but also provides brain injury services, including to disabled veterans.   For the last 15 years, the primary focus of her role has been to help build leaders.

Stuart Buttlaire brings over 35 years of executive, clinical, and policy experience to OPEN MINDS. Dr. Buttlaire has experience in both the public and private sectors of healthcare providing leadership and direction in healthcare delivery. His career has focused on advancing integrated behavioral health and addiction medicine through strategic innovation, system redesign, quality improvement, and sustainable policy reform.

Previously, Dr. Buttlaire was the Regional Director of Behavioral Health and Addiction Medicine for Kaiser Permanente. In this role, Dr. oversaw a $200 million portfolio serving 4.6 million members across 23 emergency departments and 33 medical centers. He led development and operations across inpatient, ambulatory, emergency, call center, and contracted community services, supporting more than 2,500 mental health and substance use disorder providers. His leadership resulted in significant system transformation grounded in person-centered, measurement-based, and integrated care models. Dr. Buttlaire was also the lead Mental Health Representative for State Program Initiatives, including Medicaid (Medi-Cal) and Medicare. He pioneered the design and implementation of two psychiatric inpatient units, including a nationally recognized medical/psychiatric unit for individuals with complex co-morbidities. Additional innovations include integrated urgent services for youth and adults, intensive outpatient programs, multi-family group treatments for severe psychiatric conditions, and a mobile app for eating disorders that earned Kaiser’s Innovation Award.

Dr. Buttlaire is a widely respected advisor on behavioral health policy, legislation, and regulatory strategy. He has worked closely with state and federal agencies on issues of parity enforcement, financing reform, Medicaid redesign, and systems integration. He currently serves as Board President of the Institute for Behavioral Health Improvement, is a Board Member of NAMI California, and sits on the California Hospital Association Behavioral Health Advisory Board. He previously chaired the Behavioral Health Section of the American Hospital Association and was appointed to the AHA Regional Policy Board for the Western U.S.

As a frequent speaker and author, Dr. Buttlaire has published articles and research papers on behavioral health integration, suicide prevention, financing, and policy reform. His work continues to shape strategic direction for public and private behavioral health systems across the country.

Dr. Buttlaire holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies, an MBA with a concentration in Health Care Management and Finance from UC Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business, a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Humboldt State, and a B.A. in Psychology and Political Science from the University of Colorado.

Jose Castillo serves as Chief Information Officer at Alera Health, leading initiatives in data ingestion, normalization, analysis, and visualization, leveraging AI and machine learning to translate large, complex datasets into actionable insights for healthcare organizations. An engineer by training, Jose joined Alera in 2018. Prior to Alera, he spent over 17 years as an Engineering Manager for a leading engineering and construction firm in Venezuela, leading large, multidisciplinary, multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects in complex, multicultural environments globally. In academia, he spent more than 15 years as an assistant professor, teaching structural steel design, project management, and calculus, and advising 20+ undergraduate and graduate research projects. Jose brings expertise in project management, business process improvement, data analytics, financial analysis, and operations to drive innovation in healthcare.

Lauren E. Chadwick, M.Ed., LPC, is the Director of SMI Services at Community Bridges, Inc., where she has served since 2014 leading outpatient programs for adults with serious mental illness, including Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) and forensic teams. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Arizona with extensive experience in integrated behavioral health care for individuals with complex needs. Lauren’s clinical and operational leadership focuses on improving care quality and value-based outcomes through data-driven strategy, evidence-based practice, and system-level coordination. Her work emphasizes workforce development, cross-sector collaboration, and strengthening performance in high-acuity service environments.

Grant Chamberlain joined Ziegler in 2015 as a managing director in the Healthcare Investment Banking Practice. With over 25 years of investment banking experience, Grant has dedicated the majority of his career to advising HCIT and tech-enabled outsourced services companies with particular focus on transactions with telehealth companies such as Vimly, CXC, TM2U, Somnoware, Avera eCare, Philips Lifeline / ConnectAmerica, Tridiuum, Anelto, SmartMeter, CancerIQ, Validic, Doctible, CentralLogic, SCI, Regroup, Forefront, Basys, Airstrip, Forefront, IRIS, MDLIVE and Voalte.

Prior to Ziegler, Grant led the mHealth sector coverage at Raymond James – which included telehealth, remote monitoring and wireless healthcare solutions – after spending 25 years advising HCIT and tech-enabled outsourced services companies on a broad variety of M&A, joint ventures/partnerships and private financings. Additionally, Grant has completed dozens of transactions in the physician practice management space with a specific concentration in oncology, having closed over 15 deals in that sector in his career.

Prior to Raymond James, Grant was a principal at Shattuck Hammond Partners, which was acquired by Morgan Keegan. He was also a part of the corporate finance group of General Electric Capital Corporation and the financial services division of GE Medical Systems.

In addition, Grant is an elected Director of the ATA, the leading international advocate for the use of advanced remote medical technologies. He is also on the Board of Directors for The MAVEN Project, which uses telehealth and a network of volunteer physicians affiliated with the nation’s foremost medical school alumni associations to improve healthcare access for underserved populations.

Grant earned a B.A. in finance and investment banking from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Missy Chandler serves as Vice President of Payor Partnerships at Alera Health, where she leads enterprise payor strategy and oversees contracting operations, including the development and execution of value-based program agreements. She brings a disciplined, outcomes-focused approach to building partnerships that advance performance, quality, and sustainable growth. Prior to joining Alera Health in late 2025, Missy spent 25 years with Optum, part of UnitedHealth Group, in progressively senior leadership roles. Most recently, she led the design and deployment of value-based care programs for outpatient providers across multiple states, delivering measurable improvements in quality and financial performance. Missy holds a Bachelor of Science from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Social Work from Our Lady of the Lake University. Her expertise includes integrated care models, health outcomes optimization, quality improvement, relationship management, and alternative payment methodologies.

Justin is a nationally recognized subject matter expert in crisis systems, recovery-oriented systems of care, peer integration, non-profit organizational leadership and development. His expertise also includes developing sustainable, effective and efficient healthcare programs and systems. He has served as a behavioral health administrator, executive, network/program developer, direct practitioner and project manager within the public behavioral health and child welfare system for more than 15 years. 

Justin earned Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Social Work from Arizona State University and holds a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University. Justin is a Licensed Master Social Worker in the State of Arizona, Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality, Certified Six Sigma Green Belt, Certified Peer Support Specialist in the State of Arizona, Certified Crisis Interventionist by the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and a Fellow with the National Center for Crisis Management and the American College of Healthcare Executives. Justin also serves on the International Council for Helplines Board of Directors. 

Jennifer Craig, MA, MS, LPC, LCPC, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, serves as President and CEO of ReDiscover, an innovative Certified Community Behavioral Health Organization dedicated to serving individuals and families throughout Jackson County, Missouri, in the Kansas City metropolitan region.

With more than 30 years of leadership and clinical experience in behavioral health, Jennifer has worked in community-based, residential, and outpatient settings as both a therapist and senior administrator. Her career reflects a deep commitment to expanding access to high-quality mental health services while strengthening organizational excellence.

Jennifer earned her Bachelor of Science from Northwestern University, her Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and her Master of Science in Organization and Management with a specialization in Human Resource Management from Capella University. She is licensed as a Professional Counselor (LPC) in Missouri and a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in Illinois. In addition, she holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and the Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) credentials, reflecting her dual expertise in clinical leadership and organizational strategy.

A dedicated community leader, Jennifer serves on numerous boards and commissions. She is Chair of the Lee’s Summit Wellness Commission, Chair of CommCARE, and Secretary/Treasurer of the Metro Council of Community Behavioral Health Centers. She also serves on the following boards: Missouri Behavioral Health Council, the Greater Lee’s Summit Healthcare Foundation, the Lee’s Summit Civic Roundtable, Pro Deo Youth Center, and St. Luke’s Hospital Crittenton Children’s Center.

Previously, Jennifer served on the board of the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health and the Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce. She is a former member of the Illinois Counseling Association’s Governing Council and Past President of its Lewis and Clark Chapter. Her professional affiliations include Mental Health Corporations of America, OPEN MINDS, the Society for Human Resource Management, and Rotary International.

Through her integrated expertise in clinical care, executive leadership, and human capital strategy, Jennifer is recognized for advancing sustainable behavioral health systems and fostering strong community partnerships.

Jonah C. Cunningham currently serves as President and CEO of the National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors (NACBHDD). In this role he proactively advocates for national policies that recognize and support the critical role counties play in caring for people affected by mental illness, addiction, and developmental disabilities. In this capacity he also serves as Executive Director of the National Association for Rural Mental Health.

Prior to joining NACBHDD, Jonah worked at Trust for America’s Health, a public health think tank, where he focused extensively on ways to reduce mortality from substance misuse and suicide. Additionally, he worked as a congressional staffer for several years in the office of Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano (CA) where he helped to reestablish the Congressional Mental Health Caucus and created a Suicide Prevention Task Force within the Caucus.

Jonah C. Cunningham has received numerous awards and recognition for his commitment to the field of behavioral health and those served by the nation’s behavioral health system. Jonah has a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of Utah and a Master of Public Policy from The George Washington University. In his free time, he enjoys learning how to cook and is an avid Jiu-Jitsu practitioner.

Dr. Kim Despres is Chief Executive Officer at Circle the City. Dr. Despres oversees staff operations and the management of Circle the City’s two respite centers, two outpatient centers and a fleet of mobile medical units providing care throughout Maricopa County. Dr. Despres has been with Circle the City since 2014. Dr. Despres earned a Doctorate (Healthcare Administration) from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Nursing from Grand Canyon University.

Dr. Dixon is a licensed psychologist with over 37 years of experience in both clinical and leadership positions in the fields of behavioral health and ID/D. The primary focus of her work has been assisting people and their systems of support in transitioning out of high levels of care or incarceration into lives of their choosing in the community. Currently, she leads Project Transition and PCS Mental Health as we bolster and grow our array of community-based services and supports for people with behavioral health, substance use, and ID/D.

Paul Epp co-founded and led a research-backed behavioral health SaaS company from startup to acquisition (2014-2023). He is an AI and Technology Business Consultant and educator. He is a producer of children’s music, audiobooks, and animation.

Alice Eudy is a seasoned healthcare executive with leadership experience spanning acute care, outpatient services, and value‑based care. She began her career in direct patient care before moving into Information Technology, becoming a board‑certified clinical informaticist known for guiding teams through complex change and transformation. As Vice President of Value Based Care and Managed Care Contracting for a behavioral health organization in North Carolina, she leads performance strategy, payer contracting, and key partnerships. Recognized for her strategic mindset and commitment to continuous improvement, Alice works to advance care models that strengthen quality, efficiency, and collaboration across the healthcare continuum.

Charles Gaughan is CGO and EVP of Capital Strategy at Hello It’s Me®. He brings over 30 years’ experience leading market expansion for health tech innovators serving Medicare and Medicaid payers and risk-bearing providers. Charles has advised several start-ups and early-stage ventures in building strategic partnerships, go-to-market infrastructure and scalable revenue models across commercial and government-funded healthcare programs. He is an HCBS family caregiver, involved in local community efforts to advance the independence and inclusion of people with developmental disabilities. Charles holds an MBA from the University of Denver and  a BS in Business Administration from the University of Colorado.

Anthony Grimaldi, is a behavioral healthcare executive with over 29 years of experience in the designing, building, and operating of multi-site healthcare facilities. He is also widely known for his skills in strategic planning. He has comprehensive experience with revenue cycle management, operational budget and revenue modeling, clinical implementation programming, and a working knowledge of state and federal licensing and accreditation agencies including CARF, DNV, TJC, URAC, NCQA, OASAS, OMH, and DOH. Anthony has extensive experience managing numerous accreditation projects nationwide with each facility granted approval accreditation during the first survey. Additionally, Mr. Grimaldi has developed and managed multi-million-dollar budgets, formulated corporate-wide strategic plans, developed and implemented quality improvement programs, and implemented EMR (including EPIC) systems for numerous large organizations. As a passionate servant leader, he integrates throughout his work, thought and change leadership principles alongside situational leadership theory, allowing him to faithfully remain both mission and margin focused. His passion is to work within a team model, develop strategic plans, and provide the resources necessary for a successful business. Anthony holds a masters degree in Clinical Psychology from Southern Illinois University, and a bachelors degree from Washington University in St. Louis. Anthony is a member of the NCHA, NC MCO Provider Council, Robeson County Substance Awareness Task Force, and i2i Center for Integrative Health.

Tonia Hanshaw, Special Projects Manager at Christian Children’s Home of Ohio (CCHO), has been a dedicated employee since June 2007. Initially hired to spearhead the credentialing of the agency’s clinical providers with commercial insurance companies, Tonia transitioned into the role of Assistant Director of Finance. In 2016, she took the lead in the agency’s implementation of Qualifacts’ CareLogic EHR. Recognizing the demands of this critical project, Tonia moved into her current role as Special Projects Manager, allowing her to focus on the ongoing development and optimization of the EHR. Building on her commitment to leveraging technology for enhanced care, Tonia led the 2023 implementation of Qualifacts Client Experience Solutions (formerly OnCall). In 2024, her proactive approach led CCHO to participate in Qualifacts® iQ Beta team, and she continues to drive the adoption of the product across the agency’s provider network.

Rochelle Head-Dunham, MD, DFAPA, FASAM, an Endowed Professor at LSU School of Medicine, is an Addiction Psychiatrist with academic appointments as Clinical Associate Professor and Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at LSU and Tulane University Schools of Medicine, respectively. Her past immediate appointments were Assistant Secretary and Medical Director for the Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) within the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH). In that capacity, she represented the state of Louisiana nationally as the Mental Health and Addictive Disorders Authority, serving as both the Commissioner of Mental Health for the National Association of Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD), and the Single State Agency Director for the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD).

Dr. Head-Dunham’s academic and administrative leadership has fostered noteworthy advances in the fields of addiction and mental health. She has served as a subject matter expert on various national and state platforms informing best practices for the field of behavioral health. Her clinical accolades include Clinical Faculty of the Year for the 2021 academic year at LSU School of Medicine. In 2019 she was the recipient of the Nyswander/Dole Award from the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, INC. (AATOD). Both awards are demonstrative of her career success as a thought leader and strategist for programmatic and provider development, well documented by extensive lectures and trainings, both locally and nationally. Her clinical acumen coupled with her transformative management style has shaped an administrative career that fosters enduring changes for both systems, organizational and individual levels of performance.

Dr. Rochelle Head-Dunham is a New Orleans native who currently serves as the Executive Director and Medical Director for Metropolitan Human Services District (MHSD), a state local governing entity tasked with service delivery for indigent and Medicaid ensured persons living with mental illness, substance use disorders and intellectual/developmental disabilities, residing in Orleans and neighboring parishes.

With decades of experience in the EHR market, Dan knows that there is no perfect software platform. Most organizations are trying to leverage an ever-increasing number of platforms, including CRMs, EHRs, scheduling applications, compliance tools, billing platforms, and the list goes on. The workflow, however, is still largely human-driven.  Automation and AI tools can now become the operators of these platforms, fundamentally changing the way practices operate. Dan can help you identify the workflows that make sense to automate (and those that don’t) to improve revenue, reduce costs, and devote the highest percentage of revenue towards services rather than administration.

Ms. Johnson is a dedicated healthcare leader with a diverse academic and professional background. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Science and a Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of Florida, as well as a Master of Science in Physiology from San Diego State University. Throughout her career, Ms. Johnson has worked in both for-profit and nonprofit healthcare environments, ultimately discovering her passion for advocating on behalf of individuals with complex needs.

A servant leader at heart, Ms. Johnson is driven by the belief that meaningful change happens one person, one community at a time. She excels in developing innovative programs and thrives on the possibility of transformative impact. Known as a calculated risk-taker, she believes that true progress requires challenging boundaries and thinking beyond conventional limits.

As President and CEO of Easterseals, Ms. Johnson is responsible for setting the organization’s vision and developing the strategies necessary to achieve its goals. She leads with a collaborative approach, working closely with a volunteer Board of Directors and playing an active leadership role in the broader community. Ms. Johnson is also passionate about building strong, impactful partnerships and empowering teams to drive success.

Prior to founding Civitas Growth Partners, Eric accumulated 20 years of experience as a private equity investor, including over a decade as a General Partner at Council Capital. His prior engagements include roles at leading middle-market private equity firms including DW Healthcare Partners, The Riverside Company, and Norwest Equity Partners. Prior to his tenure as a private equity investor, he spent time in management consulting at Marakon Associates and investment banking at Credit Suisse First Boston. He earned his BA in finance and political science from the University of Illinois in 2000. Outside of work, Keen also serves on the board of Hope College, Siloam Health, and Currey Ingram Academy, and was selected as a member of the 2016 Nashville Health Care Council Fellows program. He and his wife Macy have been blessed with four children, ranging in age from 16 to 10.

Emily Koch began her career with CBI in 2016 as a Registered Nurse (RN manager) until becoming CBI’s Director of Clinical Services in 2017. CBI’s Chief Nursing Officer remains passionate about the work she does in the behavioral healthcare industry. Emily has worked in the field for more than 10 years, developing measurable performance improvement plans to promote quality patient care. She currently works with a population of patients who are in need of crisis and inpatient services and is responsible for leading her team to incredible outcomes.

Emily received an Associate of Applied Science from Yavapai College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from the University of South Alabama.

Dr. Kelley Krueger, PhD, BCBA is a licensed psychologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst with over 17 years of experience working with neurodivergent populations. Dr. Krueger is the Senior Clinical Director of Neurodevelopmental Services, Southern California Region for Pacific Clinics and the Center for Divergent Connections. She started her career as a behavior therapist and instructional aide before receiving her BA in Psychology and Social Behavior at the University of California, Irvine. She earned her MA and PhD in Psychological Studies in Education at the University of California, Los Angeles under the mentorship of Dr. Connie Kasari.

Dr. Krueger is passionate about supporting neurodivergent populations to achieve self-determined, authentic, and enriched lives. She uses a strengths-based, neurobiologically-informed, neurodiversity-affirming approach to assessment, diagnosis and treatment.

Dr. Krueger’s primary research interests include promoting engagement and communication development in minimally verbal autistic populations, augmentative and assistive communication systems, and neurodiversity-affirming practices.

With over 50 years of experience in the behavioral health field, Wayne Lindstrom brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his new role. He served five years with the New Mexico Department of Human Services and was appointed as CEO of the Behavioral Health Collaborative.

In 2014, he was recruited by the state to assist with the aftereffects of the 2013 behavioral health shakeup and played a key role in restoring the credibility of the behavioral health system for the state of New Mexico.

Most recently, Wayne Lindstrom served as the vice president of business development and consulting for RI International, a 33-year-old nonprofit headquartered in Phoenix. RI International is recognized as a pioneer in the development of the behavioral health peer support specialist workforce.

Lindstrom holds a doctorate in applied social sciences/addictions from the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University. He also earned a master’s degree in community organization from the University of Pittsburgh and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Bowling Green State University.

Rebekka J. Lipp, LMHC-DP  has been working in Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder treatment since 2012, where she has focused her career on advancing innovative and compassionate behavioral health services. Rebekka is the Director of Clinical Services at Endeavor Health Services. In this role Rebekka is responsible for overseeing and implementing community-based programming including, a forensic ACT team, a clinical co-response police partnership, and the substance use disorder program. During her tenure, Rebekka led the development of the organization’s SUP Clinic, a program designed to provide comprehensive substance use treatment and integrated support for individuals seeking recovery. Rebekka prides herself on person centered treatment and evidence-based practice to make treatment accessible to all members of our community. 

 With a strong passion for substance use treatment and the broader field of behavioral health, Rebekka has played a key role in developing programs that expand access to care and support individuals across diverse community settings. Rebekka is committed to strengthening systems of care, promoting recovery-oriented services, and improving outcomes for individuals affected by substance use and mental health challenges.

Evelyn Urdiales Locklin is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She earned her master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from The University of Houston—Clear Lake. Evelyn has over 20 years of experience in community mental health working providing care to those in crisis with experiences of complex trauma and critical incidents. Her scholarly interests include organizational leadership, clinical supervision, and trauma-informed, resilience-oriented care.

Evelyn currently serves as the Director of Emergency Services and Residential Programs for The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD. She is responsible for the emergency programs at the Neuropsychiatric Center; including the Psychiatric Emergency Service and Crisis Stabilization Unit, two Crisis Residential Units, PEERs for Hope House, Jail Diversion, Jail Re-Entry, Hospital to Home, State Hospital Step Down, Outpatient Competency Restoration, Detox SUD Recovery Services, and a 24-unit Single Room Occupancy named Independent Living.

Evelyn is the Trauma Informed Care Implementation Team Lead for The Harris Center, the Zero-Suicide Transition Subcommittee Co-Chair, and has most recently organized a Resilience in Stressful Events program, “We RISE” to provide peer support and care for the caregivers of The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD. Evelyn is a member of the Texas Council’s Crisis Special Interest Group focused on innovation and sharing information across the state to assist in Psychiatric Crisis Programs. Evelyn has provided Technical Assistance through SAMHSA’s GAINS Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Transformation. She is currently pursuing a Medical-Legal Partnership to benefit the consumers of The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD.

As co-founder of The Office of CEO, Tania brings a 25-year success record of C-level leadership, board experience, interim executive engagements, consultancy, investor experience, and serial entrepreneurship with multiple successful exits. Over the course of her career, she has realized several industry firsts as she launched several telemedicine companies starting in 1999. She is the Founder or Co-Founder of Medical Web, Inc, Virtual Medical Group, Inc. 1stonlinepharmacy.com (all related to online primary care with Medical Web being acquired), Vital Health Network. LLC (an online naturopathic company that implemented with Aetna), COPE Today, LLC (a telemental health company acquired by a venture firm), Virtual Medical Services and Veteran Benefit Management Services (dedicated to providing Independent Medical Opinions for veterans).

After two exits, she pivoted to board work, consultancy, and investments.

She serves as executive advisor to Excelerate Health Ventures (focusing on health SAAS companies) and member of Triangle Angel Partners (includes companies outside of healthcare).

As COO of the Center of Digital Health, Innovation and Telehealth for Optum, she focused on a virtual-first care delivery model. She also served as a strategic advisory board member for OmnySense, Inc. and Innovatel Telepsychiatry, acquired by Quartet Health in 2021. As co-founder and CEO of Medical Web, she led the first-of-its-kind online physician-patient communication platform to acquisition in 2014. She also served on the Board of Directors for Mindcare Solutions Group upon its 2013 acquisition of COPE Today, and is currently serving on the Board of Directors for Planned Parenthood Direct and other non-profit boards. She is a Fellow in the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) College of Fellows and was the ATA Woman of the Year in 2020.

Early in her career, Tania practiced law as a Senior Enforcement Attorney with the Commissioner of Insurance for the State of Georgia, and held the position of Administrative Law Judge with the Office of State Administrative Hearings (OSAH) as well as General Counsel for an HMO, Master Health Plan, Inc. A key tenure in management consulting with PricewaterhouseCoopers’ healthcare practice in Atlanta served as a launch pad for business and entrepreneurial opportunities across the healthcare space.

Tania holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University, and a Doctor of Law from Georgia State University College of Law.

Jeanne Marshall has been affiliated with the Easterseals Midwest organization since 1987 when she began volunteering and working as a classroom assistant. She graduated from the University of Missouri with a Master’s degree in Special Education in 1991. She served in a variety of program roles prior to becoming the Director of the Training Program in 1997. In 2004, Jeanne was appointed as Chief Program Officer for and continued in that role until 2024 when she was appointed President.  In 2004, she completed a Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from The University of Nevada and is a Board Certified and Licensed Behavior Analyst. She also holds teaching certifications in Special Education for Learning Disabilities and Behavior Disorders.

Jeanne has served for more than 15 years as a surveyor for CARF International , a not for profit organization that reviews and grants accreditation for organizations providing services in the industry. She has served  on the Board of Directors for St. Bridget of Kildare School, The Association for Aging With Developmental Disabilities, the Missouri Association for Behavior Analysis, and The Autism Collective. She currently serves on the Missouri Autism Commission and the Starling Board of Directors.

Steven is a Managing Partner and healthcare industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience starting and operating market-leading technology and services companies in the health and human services industries.

He has been instrumental in Fund I’s investments, including Care Continuity, where he recently served as CEO. Prior to serving as Executive Vice President at Iodine, Steven was the Chief Executive Officer at ChartWise Medical Systems, Inc., a computer-assisted clinical documentation system company that automated and improved the completeness and accuracy of physician documentation for faster and more optimal reimbursement of services provided. Iodine acquired ChartWise in 2021.

​Prior to his success with ChartWise, he led several successful start-up ventures including OnFocus Healthcare, a leading provider of web-based enterprise performance management software solutions for healthcare providers and payers. The company was acquired by MedeAnalytics, where he was Senior Vice President and General Manager of the EPM Business Unit. In this role, Steven was primarily responsible for integrating, managing, and growing the Mede Performance Management (MedePM) business unit within the broader MedeAnalytics portfolio.
 

Additionally, he was Co-Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Qualifacts Systems, a SaaS based electronic medical records software provider, and Chief Operating Officer of Camelot Care Centers, a national behavioral healthcare provider organization.
 

Steven received his BA in History from the University of Mississippi and an M.Ed. Human and Organizational development / counseling from Vanderbilt University. Mr. Mason currently serves on the Board of Directors of several private digital health companies.

As CEO for South Coast Community Services (SCCS), Ms. McGuirk serves 383 employees so that they can serve over 8,000 children and adults in 17 locations across Southern California that need Mental and Behavioral Health services for the most severe levels of mental illness.   The impact to the community is over 32,000 people each year who have improved jobs, emergency room mitigation, reduced foster care placements, reduced homelessness, and more stable educational outcomes.  Ellen overseas all aspects of the company, such as contract development, client care teams, metrics, P&L, clinical operations, revenue cycle management, performance improvement and information technology and support.

Ellen is an empathetic servant leader, who consistently engages with teams to grow programs, improve operational metrics and improve client outcomes.

Throughout her career, Ellen is known for developing values centered strategies, new product development and improved client experiences across the industries in which she has contributed.   Leading new product launches are an area of particular expertise. Ellen’s product development teams have created world-leading positions in flexible laminates to develop the first airbag tapes, the first vertically integrated DARPA contracts for early semiconductor flexible chip packaging and mergers for 532 nanometer lasers for bio-medical applications.

Ellen’s additional experience as a VP of a $500M division for Allied Signal, leading worldwide marketing, sales, new product development and customer service, gave her a solid background for her next role at Allied Signals Electronics Materials group, as a leader to run the M&A team resulting in a $655M acquisition for a $1B division. 

Ellen ran her own consulting business redefining strategies, improving customer experiences, assessing new business models and doing product development work with companies such as: Astronics, Concordia University, Alcoa, Nikon, Fairmont Education Group, Intermec, House of Batteries, Thoro Packaging, Washington Mutual, and others.

Ellen led the turnaround for SCCS and Concept 7 as interim CEO, resulting in successful separation of the two entities, improving client and customer satisfaction, bringing South Coast to a point of financial stability for a solvent turn around.  She left to take the V.P worldwide marketing role with Newport Corporation until the SCCS board asked her to come back to the agency in a Chief Performance Officer role which encompassed Quality and Performance metrics under the previous CEO.

Ellen has previously served on privately held for-profit company and non-profit agency boards. (Concordia University Business Advisory Board, Concept 7, R.W. Lyall & Co., Irvine Chamber of Commerce, Faith and Work Life, and Western Family Flooring).

Ellen has been asked to be a keynote speaker at NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners), spoken to various groups such as: Business Women Rising, International Printed Circuit Association, Photonics West through SPIE.org and has published articles in the Orange County Business journal on strategy.  She has either authored/co-authored articles on materials and design in technical journals.

Ellen co-founded the African Ministry at Mariners Church in 2002, which sponsored over 900 children in the first sponsorship drive. She has also served as Sunday school teacher to preschool and elementary children in the churches she has attended, been a member of the Bonner Singers singing group that recorded an album in Prague, led prayer ministry for St. Margaret’s school in San Juan Capistrano for three years, and organized and led women’s retreats for Mariner’s church, among other volunteer activities.

Ellen loves to play tennis and currently plays on a local women’s team, enjoys bike rides and creating new experiences with her son and extended family.

A native of Murrysville, Pennsylvania, Ellen earned her BS Degree, from Michigan State University.  She completed an Executive MBA from University of Minnesota and has done graduate work at the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania.

Ms. McGuirk currently resides in Colleyville, Texas with her son Matthew.

He is an entrepreneur, recovery advocate, and commercial leader, focused on advancing innovation in addiction care.  

He first gained national recognition as the creator of Bug-Ban, an all-natural insect-repelling bracelet, with features in Forbes, Entrepreneur, People Magazine, and appearances on Oprah. 

After overcoming a more than 20-year battle with alcohol and substance use, Dino authored the memoir There Is No Box and has become a respected voice in recovery, known for connecting lived experience with meaningful change in care. 

Today, Dino leads Strategic Partnerships and Commercial Growth at OpiAID, where he works with providers, payers, and healthcare organizations to support adoption of real-time recovery technology. His focus is on building scalable partnerships and aligning clinical needs with practical, sustainable implementation across the continuum of care. 

Dino is a sought-after speaker who brings a grounded, personal perspective to the evolving landscape of addiction treatment, with a focus on improving engagement, strengthening recovery pathways, and helping more people achieve long-term stability. 

Demeatraus Minter (Demi Minter) holds a Master’s degree in Counseling from Texas A&M University, where she graduated with Honors. She attended Howard University working towards her Master’s degree in School of Social Work for a year, and Bowie State University, where she graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology on the Dean’s list.

She specializes in Co-Occurring disorders (Mental Health and Substance Abuse). She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (L.P.C.) in the state of Texas and a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (L.C.D.C.). She is also a National Certified Counselor (N.C.C.). She has over 25 years of experience in the field of Mental Health and 15 years of experience in Addiction treatment. Formerly, she was the Detox clinic administrator with the Center for Health Care services for 41/2 years in San Antonio, Texas. She currently works as the Lead Behavioral Health Therapist for the Community Health Network.

Julian Mitton, MD MPH is a healthcare innovation leader and addiction medicine physician dedicated to advancing equitable care for underserved populations. With clinical expertise in population and behavioral health, and advanced training in health services research and implementation science, he has led clinical innovations and policy initiatives at leading institutions, including Harvard Medical School, CommonSpirit Health, and Redesign Health. Currently Head of Clinical Operations at Era Supports and Medical Director at Zero Overdose, Dr. Mitton’s recent work focuses on tech-enabled behavioral population health solutions and expanding access to evidence-based addiction treatment. He completed his training at SUNY Stony Brook, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard School of Public Health, and his research has been published in NEJM Catalyst and the Journal of Addiction Medicine.

Danish is a Founding Partner of GreyMatter, a VC firm dedicated to advancing innovation in mental & brain health through a systems change approach.‍‍

Prior to GreyMatter, Danish founded Genoa Telepsychiatry one of the first (and prior to the pandemic, the largest) telepsychiatry companies in the country, which was acquired by Optum. At Optum he participated in the early transformation of their behavioral health network, working with numerous emerging mental health startups, that have since gone on to become defining companies in our space. GreyMatter was born out of the desire to continue this work to support bold founders pushing this space forward.

Danish started his career at Microsoft. He received a Bachelor of Science and Engineering, Computer information Sciences from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Danish grew up in Karachi, and considers both Karachi and New York home. His interests include cutting edge developments in mental health and therapeutics, ultimate frisbee and live music, and he is an active angel investor.

Dr. Debra “Deb” Nussbaum is a Sr. Director For Behavioral Health Evidence Based Services and National SUD Strategy Lead for Optum. Optum is the behavioral health specialty arm of United Healthcare Insurance Company. Deb has been in a clinical leadership role for Optum since 2010 and has led behavioral product design, network development and specifically substance use disorder (SUD) initiatives since 2013.

Deb’s products within Optum are designed to improve access to evidence based services, such as the adoption and roll out of the American Society of Addiction medicine (ASAM) criteria, expansion of Optum’s MOUD/MAUD network, implementation of the 24/7 SUD helpline and development of alternative payment and value based models of care. Deb also leads parity compliant benefit design initiatives for customers looking to address specific utilization trends for their population.    

Deb’s clinical background is in substance use treatment, family services and was an addictions counselor prior to earning her PhD.  She is also an LCSW licensed in Florida and in New York. Deb sits on many committees within ASAM and is an advocate for evidence based care at the federal level championing SUD legislation.  

Jin Lee (Jinny) Palen is the Executive Director of the Minnesota Association of Community Mental Health Programs (MACMHP) and Convergence Integrated Care, a clinically integrated network of community mental health centers across Minnesota. Her background includes public health research and analysis, community engagement, legislative advocacy, government relations, public policy, and community leadership. Prior to her role with MACMHP, Jinny was with the Minnesota Association of Community Health Centers (MNACHC) Public Policy Staff. Jinny stays active in her local neighborhood community clinic and the AAPI community. Jinny worked for the Minnesota Department of Health in the Health Economics Program, Tobacco Prevention and Control, and the Legislative Affairs Office. Jinny was a Legislative Policy Fellow of the Partners for the Americas Policy Exchange Fellowship in 2014. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from the College of Saint Benedict, St. Joseph, MN, and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Minnesota.

For more than 40 years, Dean Pastras has dedicated his career to providing essential social work services to children, adults, and families across New Jersey. He began as a clinician working with children facing a wide range of challenges and later became Director of Children’s Services at the Fair Lawn Mental Health Center, which eventually merged with CarePlus NJ. During his tenure, he developed and expanded innovative programs designed to support children and families in their communities.

In 2002, following New Jersey’s major initiative to transform the behavioral health system for children, Dean became the founding Executive Director of Bergen’s Promise. Under his leadership, the organization has become a premier children’s behavioral health care management organization utilizing the nationally recognized Wraparound Model. Central to this approach is the Child Family Team process, which brings together the child, their family, community supports, and service providers to collaborate toward the child’s wellbeing. Bergen’s Promise has received widespread recognition for helping children thrive while remaining at home, in school, and connected to their communities.

Dean has presented at major conferences and professional events and has provided training and consulting on the Wraparound approach and system-of-care practices for professionals and organizations. He has also contributed to statewide mental health initiatives, including serving on the Governor’s Task Force for Mental Health. He is a past chair of the Bergen County Children’s Interagency Coordinating Council and the Trauma and Youth Project.

His leadership has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Ann Klein Advocate Award, the CarePlus NJ Courage Award, and the NJAMHAA Outstanding Leader in Mental Health Services.

Throughout his career, Dean has championed the Wraparound philosophy, emphasizing collaboration, community support, and family-centered care.

Dean holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Rutgers University and is both an Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW) credential holder and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). A lifelong resident of Bergen County, New Jersey, he remains deeply committed to strengthening services that help children and families thrive.

Dr. Yvette M. Poindexter, FACOG, is a respected physician leader with over 28 years of experience in Obstetrics and Gynecology. A graduate of the University of Texas Medical Branch and Baylor College of Medicine, she now serves as the Chief Medical Officer for MyCHN’s Women’s Health, Obstetrics, and Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

Dr. Poindexter is dedicated to advancing high-quality, compassionate care for women across all MyCHN clinics. She provides strategic clinical guidance, supports provider development, and fosters a culture of excellence rooted in patient-centered care. Her leadership ensures that every woman who comes to MyCHN for obstetrical or gynecological care is met with respect, dignity, and expert attention.

Driven by a mission to serve communities with empathy and equity, Dr. Poindexter empowers her team to deliver exceptional outcomes and an outstanding patient experience at every stage of a woman’s healthcare journey.

Steven E. Pratt, M.D., serves as the chief medical officer of Magellan Health, a leader in managing the fastest-growing, most complex areas of health. In this role, Dr. Pratt advances Magellan Health’s clinical mission and furthers the company’s significant leadership capabilities in clinical engagement. He also continues to provide clinical leadership to Magellan’s employer market.

Dr. Pratt previously served as the senior medical director of the employer segment at Magellan where he was responsible for clinical oversight of the behavioral and mental health services provided by the company’s network of more than 110,000 clinicians. Subsequently, he served as vice president medical director with added duties overseeing Magellan’s Quality and Medical Policy Divisions. With more than 25 years of extensive experience in providing care to patients, overseeing the administration of health services, and supervising doctors and medical directors, Dr. Pratt is well known for creating a positive, inclusive, and engaged culture that empowers employees and creates cohesive, supportive teams.

Prior to joining Magellan Health in 2017, he served as the executive medical director of behavioral health for the Minnesota Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Pratt also held clinical leadership positions at UnitedHealth Group.

A board-certified psychiatrist, Dr. Pratt received his Doctor of Medicine and Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Minnesota.

Charles Raisch is the Co-Founder and CEO of TownHome Health, a mental health organization dedicated to building scalable models for behavioral crisis care. A tech executive turned mental health advocate, Charles helped found TownHome Health to address the critical need for non-hospital alternatives during psychiatric crises.

Under his leadership, TownHome Health provides AI-enabled 24/7 hybrid crisis care. This approach offers a compassionate, tech-enabled alternative to emergency rooms for individuals experiencing non-dangerous mental health crises. Charles is an alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania and has been recognized as a cohort member of Google AI Startups and ONEMIND.

Yona Remer is the Co-Founder and CEO of Era Supports, an innovative behavioral health startup leveraging technology-enabled collaborative care to advance support and treatment within the substance use community. With over a decade of strategic leadership experience in behavioral health, Yona has successfully executed and integrated more than six acquisitions as part of roll-up strategies in private equity-backed healthcare ventures. 

Throughout his career, Yona has specialized in high acuity mental health services and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) autism care, driving substantial organizational growth and operational scaling. His expertise includes designing and implementing best-in-class platforms aimed at delivering quality care, streamlining operations, and optimizing service outcomes. Yona’s visionary approach and proven track record position him as a leading executive committed to transforming behavioral health care delivery for diverse populations. 

Yona holds an MBA from UCLA Anderson with a concentration in Finance and an MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics—where his master’s thesis focused on behavioral economics and IPO underpricing. He earned his BA in History at UCLA.   

Becki Richwine is the Senior Vice President for Merakey’s Children & Family Services, responsible for overseeing all program operations and driving clinical and business development. She began her career at Merakey in 2007 as the Regional Director of Autism Services. Becki’s leadership has been instrumental in significantly expanding program operations, while she continues to foster new ideas to improve programming for all Merakey children’s services.

Becki received her BA in Psychology from Shippensburg University and went on to receive her Master’s in Clinical Psychology with a focus in Behavioral Disorders and Social Emotional Disorders. She started her career in human services as Therapeutic Support Staff before moving into management roles, such as the Assistant Director of BHRS, the Director of Outpatient Services, the Executive Director of Operations, and the Vice President of Education & Autism Services.

In her over 20 years of experience, Rebecca has focused her career on delivering high quality services to all individuals in need and skilling operational and clinical leaders to help fulfill that mission.

Amber Rowland has 23+ years of experience in collaborative research, tool development, and designing best practices in education. She received more than $10 million from the Office of Special Education Programs, NSF, and the Institute for Education Sciences. She has peer-reviewed over 20 manuscripts that have been published.

Colleen Russell serves as Senior Vice President of Information Technology at Alera Health, leading the development of innovative solutions that enhance care communication and improve outcomes for behavioral health members of ONEcare networks. With over 27 years in healthcare, Colleen has navigated roles from CCU and electrophysiology nurse to healthcare information technology over the past 18 years. Her experience spans settings from CAH hospitals to enterprise regional clinical informatics leadership to CIO of a clinically integrated network advancing value-based care.

Her work with multiple startups has strengthened her expertise in organizational change and transformation. Colleen is an ANCC board-certified Nursing Informatics expert and has served as a board member for the Health Information Exchange of New York. Her career reflects a persistent dedication to integrating technology and healthcare to drive meaningful change.

Donald A. Schiffbauer serves as Chief Executive Officer of Riveon Mental Health and Recovery (formerly The Nord Center), a leading provider of comprehensive behavioral health services in Lorain County, supporting approximately 7,500 clients annually. Riveon offers a full continuum of services, including adult and children’s behavioral health, crisis services, and residential programs.

A registered nurse, Don began his career at EMH Regional Medical Center. Over the past 20 years, he has held multiple executive leadership roles and has helped architect nationally recognized healthcare delivery programs. He earned his associate degree from Lorain County Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Indiana Wesleyan University, and an MBA in Healthcare from Indiana Wesleyan University. Don also serves on multiple boards and advisory committees and is actively involved in advancing mental health initiatives across Ohio.

Brett Sturgeon has been a dedicated leader at Community Bridges, Inc for the past 10 years, bringing a strong background in operations and program management. As Vice President of PCMH, Brett oversees the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of outpatient services, ensuring high-quality care and operational excellence. With a deep understanding of organizational systems and a commitment to serving the community, Brett has played a key role in expanding access to services and strengthening program effectiveness.

Lori Szczygiel is a mission-driven healthcare executive with more than 35 years of leadership experience across behavioral health, managed care, and public sector programs. She is the Founder and CEO of LBS Public Sector Strategies, where she partners with organizations to improve clinical outcomes, optimize financial performance, and design innovative solutions across complex healthcare systems.

Prior to founding her firm, Lori served as Regional Vice President of National Accounts at Carelon Behavioral Health, where she oversaw large-scale government and commercial contracts, including the nation’s largest Employee Assistance Program serving active military populations. She held full P&L accountability for a portfolio exceeding $400 million and led more than 700 employees nationwide. Her leadership was marked by strong operational performance, high client satisfaction, and top-tier Net Promoter Scores across her division.

Previously, Lori was President of the Connecticut Market at Carelon (formerly Beacon Health Options), where she drove 40% revenue growth while building a high-performing, mission-focused leadership team. Under her direction, the organization earned multiple Top Workplace recognitions, reflecting her deep commitment to culture, talent development, and organizational excellence. She also played a critical role in fostering strategic partnerships with legislators, advocacy organizations, providers, and managed care stakeholders. She is widely recognized for her expertise in Medicaid, child welfare systems, recovery-oriented care, and public sector program design.

Lori began her career in clinical and leadership roles in Massachusetts and holds a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology.

A respected industry leader, Lori is known for aligning strategy with execution, building high-impact teams, and advancing solutions that improve both system performance and individual outcomes.

Linh Tran serves as Chief Financial Officer of Community Health Network (MyCHN), a Federally Qualified Health Center network delivering integrated medical, behavioral health, pharmacy, and specialty services across multiple communities. With extensive experience in health care finance, value-based care (VBC) strategy, and operational innovation, Linh has led the financial and operational design of multiple value-based arrangements with commercial payors, Medicare Advantage plans, and ACO partners. Her work focuses on aligning financial sustainability with patient-centered care delivery. Linh specializes in translating health care data and operational performance into strategic decision-making that improves both patient outcomes and organizational stability. She holds a Master of Accountancy from the University of Houston–Clear Lake and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Rita Wiersma, President and CEO of Accord, is celebrating 10 years of transformative leadership in disability services. Leading a team of dedicated professionals, Rita has grown Accord into a statewide leader known for quality, innovation, and person-centered care. With expertise in strategic planning, program development, and mergers and acquisitions, she has expanded services to empower individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and serious mental illness to live their greatest lives. Prior to Accord, Rita held executive roles with Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, overseeing teams of up to 800 staff and budgets exceeding $20 million. Her vision and advocacy have advanced both organizational excellence and systemic change in Minnesota’s disability services. Rita’s decade-long leadership is a testament to her commitment to building stronger communities and creating lasting impact.

Jaimica Wilkins,  SVP of Quality at  Alera Health, is the organization’s subject matter expert for QUALITY inclusive of quality management, quality assurance, and quality improvement. She is also the co-chair of Alera Health’s Health Equity Committee. With over 17 years of experience in healthcare, she excels in quality and continuous improvement across macro, meso, and micro levels. Jaimica holds certifications as a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ), Certified Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt, and ICAgile Certified Professional (ICP). She is an “impressive” strategic visionary who thrives on improving the world around her.

Jerel Lynn Wilson is a behavioral health leader known for using strategic analytics to improve client outcomes. As Vice President of Business Development and Strategy at Monarch, she drives expansion and strengthens service delivery across North Carolina and new markets. She brings a unique blend of clinical experience and corporate strategy, translating data into insights that enhance funding opportunities and payer relationships. Previously, she scaled a national youth nonprofit from 18 to 31 states in under four years. Her background includes work as a clinical social worker and school administrator focused on vulnerable youth. She began her career with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. She holds master’s degrees in social work and education.

Debbie Witchey is President and CEO of the Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW), where she leads national advocacy and strategic initiatives to advance patient-centered, outcomes-focused behavioral health care for the 200 million people served by ABHW member companies. She previously spent more than 20 years as Executive Vice President and COO of the Healthcare Leadership Council, leading cross-sector coalitions that helped secure major federal health policy victories, including the Medicare prescription drug benefit and the CARES Act. Her career spans senior roles in federal government, health system community health leadership, and national health policy. Debbie holds degrees from Duke University and the Medical University of South Carolina.

Rebecca has been privileged to serve adults and children using applied behavior analysis (ABA) in settings such as facility-based care, group homes, day centers, clinics, and family homes both across the United States and overseas. In addition to her clinical experience, Rebecca is passionate about ABA service delivery aligning with generally accepted standards of care. With an expertise in applying health care documentation requirements and systems of compliance, she served as the lead author of a chapter on organizational documentation guidelines for ABA services.

Rebecca co-led the development of session note templates for adaptive behavior services via the Documentation Special Interest Group (SIG) for the Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP). She was also a co-led the creation of the CASP Artificial Intelligence Practice Parameters, is an appointed Subject Matter Expert for the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts, and a Member of the Board of Directors for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). Rebecca also has extensive experience with public policy work. Not only is she an experienced presenter at national conferences, but she has also won national awards for her role as an advocate and work to support ABA organizations in delivering quality services. 

Rebecca currently serves as the National Director of ABA for Optum. She also formed RAW Consulting Solutions as a way to provide education and consultation services to ABA organizations, professionals, and providers of ABA services. Whatever the role, her ultimate goal is to make a significant impact through effective and efficient services utilizing the science of behavior analysis.

Edwin is co-founder and CEO of Psyrin, where he leads the company’s strategy, and partnerships, working to bring systems-level change in mental health. He completed his PhD at King’s College London and the National University of Singapore, where he worked on large-scale genetic studies for psychiatry. Before Psyrin, Edwin was active in deeptech innovation via Entrepreneur First and Nucleate UK.

Mark Young serves as Chief Executive Officer of Community Health Network (MyCHN), a Federally Qualified Health Center system providing integrated medical, behavioral health, dental, and pharmacy services to diverse communities across Texas. With more than two decades of leadership experience in community health and health care system development, Mark has played a pivotal role in expanding MyCHN’s integrated care model, strengthening access to comprehensive services, and building innovative partnerships that improve patient outcomes. Under his leadership, MyCHN has expanded its service footprint, advanced whole-person care initiatives, and implemented strategic programs that integrate primary care, behavioral health, specialty services, and pharmacy support. His work has focused on ensuring that underserved populations have consistent access to high-quality, affordable health care. Mark is recognized for his collaborative leadership style and his commitment to building sustainable health care systems that align clinical care, operational excellence, and community impact.

Amanda Zwirecki, MSEd is the Director of Evaluation at Endeavor Health Services, where she oversees Evaluation, Quality Improvement, and the Population Health Departments across all programming, including SAMHSA grant-funded initiatives. With more than 10 years of experience in behavioral health, training, and workforce development, Amanda is dedicated to strengthening service quality through data-informed decision-making, education, and continuous improvement. She works closely with clinical and non-clinical staff to translate learning into practice and improve systems of care, with a focus on enhancing client outcomes and overall community health. Amanda is a graduate of the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York Leadership Fellows program and an active member of the American Evaluation Association (AEA).

Michael Allen brings over 30 years of experience in the non-profit behavioral healthcare industry to the OPEN MINDS team. He currently serves as an Executive Vice President in our consulting practice, where he provides executive oversight and leadership to provider and payer client engagements for OPEN MINDS.

Mr. Allen was most recently the Chief Executive Officer of SummitStone Health Partners, the largest non-profit behavioral health service provider in Larimer County, CO. In this role Mr. Allen was responsible for the planning deployment, communication and accomplishment of SummitStone Health Partners’ overarching corporate strategy. He managed a budget of $80Million and was responsible for more than 750 full time employees and over 12,000 clients annually.

Prior to SummitStone Health Partners, Mr. Allen served as the Vice President of Managed Care & Operations at AspenPointe (now Diversus Health). At AspenPointe he developed and managed a system of accountability for monitoring and evaluating provider performance in seven Colorado counties. He was also responsible for the quality management oversight of all business lines, as well as managing a substance abuse treatment contract with the Colorado Division of Behavioral Health and a child welfare services agreement with El Paso County Department of Human Services.
Previously, Mr. Allen was the Director of Clinical Care for Connect Care, (rebranded as AspenPointe in 2010). In this position Mr. Allen provided supervision to the clinical staff, as well as developing clinical guidelines and services. He was also the project director for the 4th Judicial District Family Reunification Grant and he oversaw care coordination and voucher management functions for Colorado Access to Recovery Grant.

Before Connect Care, Mr. Allen was the Director of Child Welfare Services for Signal Behavioral Health Network, a non-profit that has been managing and expanding substance use prevention, treatment and recovery services in northeast Colorado for over 25 years. Mr. Allen managed a network of Substance Use Disorder treatment providers, programs and services across 35 Colorado counties.

Mr. Allen earned a Bachelor of Arts in Design/Psychology from Brigham Young University, a Masters in Social Work from Case Western Reserve University, and a Masters in Business Administration from Colorado State University. He is a Licensed Social Worker and a Certified Addictions Specialist in Colorado.

Emily Harris brings more than a decade of health care marketing experience to the OPEN MINDS team. She is a seasoned marketing executive with extensive knowledge of brand strategy and planning growth strategies.

Ms. Harris was most recently the Chief Marketing Officer for Trusted Provider Network Health (TPN.health), a national, interactive platform of behavioral health professionals. In her role there, she established TPN.health as a national behavioral health platform leader. She also led a team of marketing executives focused on revenue growth. And, Ms. Harris built out critical marketing data dashboards to track marketing impact of strategies by channel.

Prior to TPN.health, Ms. Harris was the Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Growth for Physician’s Choice Marketing Group, a full-service healthcare marketing firm in Dallas. Here she developed marketing strategies for private practice physicians. To achieve their clients’ marketing goals, Ms. Harris expanded direct-to-consumer (D2C) marketing channels to increase patient volume. She also developed key word ranking/search engine optimization strategies to drive content creation for organic online search ranking.

Previously, Ms. Harris was the Director of Brand Marketing and Growth for TeleHealth Solution (now Fident Health), a leading provider of virtual hospitalist telehealth services in Addison, Texas. In this position she developed lead and demand generation strategies that increased revenue growth through marketing qualified leads. She created strategic presentations for C-Suite board meetings to obtain an additional $10 Million in venture capital funding.

Ms. Harris earned both her Bachelor of Business Administration and her Master of Business Administration degrees from California Baptist University.

Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, EdM, Senior Associate, has more than 30 years of experience in the health and human service field. In this tenure as senior associate with OPEN MINDS since 1998, he has served as lead of dozens of client initiatives, served as editor of OPEN MINDS publications, and is the author of many groundbreaking articles and presentations.

Mr. Naughton-Travers brings to OPEN MINDS a broad range of experiences in private and public sector delivery of behavioral health and social services. He started his career as a behavioral health clinician, working in both child welfare and community mental health clinic settings. Subsequently, Mr. Naughton-Travers held a senior business operations management position for a psychiatric hospital system and its community mental health clinics.  Later, he was vice president of a firm specializing in information systems and billing and receivables management for community-based mental health programs.

Since joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Naughton-Travers has developed business solutions for provider and professional organizations, state and county government, technology companies, and venture capital firms. His primary areas of expertise include strategic planning and metrics-based management, electronic health record (EHR) and technology selection and implementation, operations improvement, and corporate compliance. For the past decade, over half his consulting practice has focused on aiding organizations in technology selection and implementation, including all aspects of strategic technology planning, functional specifications development, request for proposal development, vendor selection, and contracting.

He has written numerous articles, including “Winning the Human Resource Wars: Tried, True and New Strategies for Behavioral Health and Social Service Organizations,” “Five Pillars of Management Competency,” “Data Driven Decision Making: Moving to an Organizational Measurement Culture,” “Survival of the Smartest: What is Your Organization’s Information Literacy IQ?,” and “Strategic Human Resource Management: Aligning Compensation with Employee Performance and Organizational Strategy.” Mr. Naughton-Travers is also a nationally recognized speaker, having conducted hundreds of executive and professional executive training events around the nation.

Mr. Naughton-Travers received his Bachelor’s degree from Miami University of Ohio and his Masters’ of Education in Counseling Psychology from Boston University.

Monica E. Oss, M.S. is the founder of OPEN MINDS and serves as its chief executive officer, executive editor of its publications and websites, and executive lead of its consulting engagements. For the past three decades, Ms. Oss has led the OPEN MINDS team and its research on health and human service market trends and its national consulting practice. She is well known for her numerous books and articles focused on the strategic and marketing implications of the evolving health and human service field – and its focus on the verticals of the field serving consumers with chronic conditions and complex support needs.

Ms. Oss has extensive experience in developing and implementing growth strategies for a wide array of organizations in the field. She has expertise in industry trend analysis, reimbursement and rate setting, and creating actionable plans for market success. In her role, she has led numerous engagements with state Medicaid plans, county governments, private insurers, and health plans, service provider organizations, technology vendors, neurotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations, and investment banking firms – with a focus on the implications of financing changes on delivery system design.

Prior to founding OPEN MINDS, Ms. Oss served as an executive with a nationally managed behavioral health organization, responsible for market development, actuarial analysis, and capitation-based rate setting. She also held a position as vice president of the U.S. risk management and underwriting division of an international insurance company.

Ms. Oss has been the keynote speaker at the conferences of dozens of national associations and has been published in a wide range of professional journals and trade publications. She has provided Congressional and state legislative testimony on issues as diverse as the financial impact of parity and payer medication access policies.

Ms. Oss has led a range of industry research and consultation initiatives, serving as principal investigator on research projects that include the examination of national managed care enrollment and service patterns, development of provider rate structures for government entities, creation of return-on-investment models for technology investments; design of performance-based compensation models within public and private health plans; and analysis of the economic impact of changes in benefit design, adoption of evidence-based practices, and new technologies.

Rachel Steinmetz brings broad experience in the health and human service field to the OPEN MINDS team. From operations management to marketing strategy, Ms. Steinmetz has been involved in almost every aspect of management in her career.

Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Steinmetz was the Director of Operations for Funnel Lab, an internet marketing solutions firm. In that role, she designed revenue generating strategies including lead generation and customer engagement. She also developed their automation solutions, including operationalizing AI-driven text bots to enhance customer interactions. Ms. Steinmetz was also responsible for mulit-channel marketing strategy and strategy implementation including email, SMS, and social media automation.

Previously, Ms. Steinmetz was the Chief Operating Officer for Housing for Health, Orange County, a non-profit organization aimed at ending homelessness by addressing physical and mental health needs. As COO, she led all aspects of operations, including human resources, program development, and organizational management. This including implementing measures to enhance organizational efficiency, ensure regulatory compliance across multiple platforms and electronic health records. She also successfully cultivated robust partnerships with external partners.

Before Housing for Health Orange County, Ms. Steinmetz held roles supporting strategic communications and public policy initiatives in the behavioral health space. As Communications Coordinator for Be Well Orange County, she supported a county-wide initiative to improve access to compassionate mental health care through infrastructure investment and cross-sector collaboration. Her responsibilities included public relations, event planning, business development, research, vendor coordination, and managing the organization’s web and social media presence. As Senior Project Manager at Principle Strategic Advisors, a consulting firm focused on public policy and executive leadership, Ms. Steinmetz led multi-stakeholder initiatives, developed detailed project roadmaps, and coordinated efforts across municipalities, healthcare agencies, and community-based organizations.

In addition to her institutional roles, Ms. Steinmetz brings over a decade of experience consulting with nonprofits, small businesses, and mission-driven entrepreneurs. Her expertise includes business operations, digital marketing, workflow automation, and web strategy; working with clients to streamline systems, drive engagement, and scale sustainably.

Ms. Steinmetz earned a Bachelor of Arts in English/Creative Writing from DePaul University.