Amanda Adams, Senior Director and General Manager of Population Health at Netsmart, is a seasoned healthcare executive with an established history of success in population health strategy and value-based care transformation. A strategic thinker and policy advocate, Amanda has led cross-functional teams, shaped long-term population health strategies and consistently delivered strong, measurable results in quality of care, particularly in behavioral health HEDIS metrics. She is passionate about harnessing the power of technology and analytical insights to position organizations for success in the evolving regulatory landscape of interoperability and value-based care. Prior to joining Netsmart in 2025, Amanda had extensive experience leading high-impact initiatives that earned New York’s largest Medicaid plan top quality rankings across multiple programs, including a consistent 4+ star Medicare Advantage rating for several consecutive years.

Deb Aldridge, a seasoned healthcare professional with over 28 years of experience, specializes in Practice Transformation, Clinical Informatics, and Quality Improvement. Currently serving as Chief Networking Officer at Alera Health, she leads a multidisciplinary team in identifying improvement opportunities across healthcare settings and driving meaningful improvement. Deb’s role involves mentoring staff and providing direct practice coaching to ensure alignment with organizational goals. Her extensive expertise stems from previous work at Community Care of North Carolina and the Beacon Community Program nationally, where she spearheaded cross-functional quality improvement projects and implemented cutting-edge health IT solutions. Throughout her career, Deb has demonstrated a commitment to advancing healthcare through innovation and collaboration. Her leadership and expertise make her a trusted resource in the field, driving transformative change and optimizing patient care outcomes through the integration of technology and process improvement initiatives.

Alex Attinson is a Group Product Manager at Radicle Health with more than 16 years of experience building technology solutions for human services organizations. Alex works across data, AI, billing, and interoperability, focusing on how smart infrastructure can turn complex information into actionable insight. Alex began his healthcare journey as a volunteer EMT, an experience that continues to ground their work in working with human service agencies. Throughout his career, Alex has partnered closely with provider organizations to help them make better use of their data, strengthen performance management, and connect more effectively with the broader healthcare ecosystem. Alex holds a BA from Emory University.

Madeline joined Advocates in 2024 with more than fifteen years of progressive management and operations experience, featuring a strong background in strategic planning, fiscal management, and quality management. She has successfully led various organizations, including in her recent role as Principal/CEO at Persona Solutions, LLC, and previously as CEO of The Price Center. Madeline is well-versed in building successful teams, driving programmatic innovation, and fostering a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Madeline holds a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Ponce Health Sciences University in Puerto Rico.

Outside of work, Madeline enjoys gardening and going camping with her husband and two dogs.

Phil Balta’s 10+ years of experience in Adult and Children’s Health Homes, and his passion for Health Home Care Management has given him the ability to understand the unique and complex needs of individuals and has equipped him with the knowledge to address these needs effectively. He is currently the Operations Director for HHUNY MSO, a Management Service Organization, working with five lead Health Homes. As a member of HHUNY’s senior leadership team, he provides operational leadership, oversight, and technical support, and develops and maintains positive, productive relationships with key HHUNY stakeholders.

Phil is driven to support Care Management Agencies by providing them knowledge and resources to deliver quality services to their members.  Phil is on the NYS Health Home Coalition Board of Directors.  Phil works in collaboration with external Health Homes, Managed Care Organization NY State DOH, NYS State OMH, and Care Management providers in supporting Health Home Care Management Agencies and their members. 

In his off time, Phil enjoys spending time cooking, gardening and enjoying time with his family and friends.

George Barakat is the Founder and CEO of MedWorks™ Inc., a pioneering health technology company driven by a fundamental belief: healthcare should meet people wherever they are in life. With a “patient-first, technology-enabled” vision, George and his team leverage innovative digital solutions and AI-powered coordination to create seamless, compassionate healthcare experiences—whether patients are at home, on their devices, or traveling across international borders.  In 2025, George led MedWorks’ strategic partnership with Esencia Médica, transforming the Travel Assured program from virtual-only consultations into a comprehensive hybrid healthcare model that truly serves travelers’ needs. The ambitious plan targets 50 clinic locations across Mexico by February 2028, spanning beloved tourist destinations and major metropolitan centers. This expansion reflects George’s signature approach: listening to real market needs and building technology-integrated solutions that create value for both consumers and B2B partners, including travel agencies, tour operators, and insurance providers.  George founded and served as CEO of Jack Nathan Health® (2005-2021), pioneering the retail healthcare model that brought accessible care into communities across North America. He built the company from the ground up to 80+ clinics across Canada and Mexico, servicing over 2 million patients through meaningful partnerships with Walmart, Loblaws, Kroger, and CVS. Previously, as President and CEO of Laila’s Inc., he developed deep expertise in building lasting global retail relationships over 38 years.

Terry Blackwell is a seasoned leader with operational expertise in managing budgets, program requirements, risk mitigation, funding, and people. Terry brings more than three decades of diverse leadership experience serving the needs of people with disabilities. A recognized thought leader among his peers, Terry is a regular presenter at the national level for Applied Behavior Analysis International.

Notably, Terry helped lead the development of the country’s only I/DD- and autism-focused ACO. During the establishment of this entity, he worked with NCQA to impact national policy to accommodate the special needs of the I/DD and ASD (Autistic Spectrum) populations.

Previously, Terry was the Chief Executive Officer for Chimes International, a large multi-service nonprofit operating in the mid-Atlantic and in partnership with Chimes Israel in Tel Aviv. He worked closely with the board of directors of the parent company and the six affiliate companies in developing a coherent voice and outward-facing presence to external stakeholders. Terry also created new and exciting program ventures within the company, consistent with the evidence-based best practices in the fields of integrated supported work I/DD, autism, and behavioral health.

Terry was also the Chief Operating Officer for Services for the Underserved (SUS), a nonprofit organization that provides services to people with autism, intellectual disabilities, behavioral health, mental health, and substance abuse issues as well as veterans’ services in a variety of coordinated and integrated care models. In this role, Terry provided operational leadership and oversight for this 187-million-dollar social services agency with 2,000 employees. He also co-created and co-chaired a 2.8-billion-dollar membership group of I/DD provider organizations oriented to aligning best practices in the field for managed care impact in Pennsylvania.

Before SUS, Terry was the Vice President of Operations for Fedcap, Inc., a 75-year-old NYC-based nonprofit serving over 1,000 clients with special needs throughout the New York metropolitan area, where he identified and developed associated license and programs for persons who have lifetime disabilities that may qualify for supports through federal and state initiatives.

Terry also served as the Chief Executive Officer of Developmental Delay Rehabilitation Services, Inc., where he provided direction and oversight for fiscal, programmatic, and development function of a New York State Education Department and New York State Department of Health approved home and community-based early intervention and early childhood program. The program was referenced by key national autism experts as a “best practices publicly funded services for autism” program in the Northeast.

In addition to earning his Master of Science degree in Psychological Services from the University of Pennsylvania, including attendance at the Wharton School, Terry is a Licensed School Principal, Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and Certified Addictions Specialist. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Saint Peter’s University.

Alison Bottone is an accomplished healthcare executive with over 30+ years of experience in leadership roles across various nonprofit organizations. As the Chief Executive Officer of HHUNY Inc. (Health Homes of Upstate NY), she plays a pivotal role in overseeing a management service organization that supports more than 90 agencies in delivering quality care management services throughout Upstate New York. Her expertise encompasses strategic thinking, program development, and organizational leadership. By exhibiting a strong commitment to organizational culture, her vision and leadership focus is on developing high-performing teams, sustaining robust talent and fostering innovation in the healthcare landscape. 

Previously, Alison served as the Executive Director of Developmental Disabilities Services at Hillside Family of Agencies, dedicated to community-based support for youth with developmental disabilities. Over 25 years at Hillside, she held various key positions, including Chief Operations Officer, Central Region Service Leader, and Service Development Manager where she championed transformative initiatives that improved service delivery and operational efficiency.  

Outside of her professional pursuits, Alison enjoys spending quality time with her wife Joanne, two rescue dogs, and is actively exploring new and creative ways to enrich her life as she embraces her 60s. 

Josh Burke serves as the Director of Emergency Services at Northeast Kingdom Human Services (NKHS), where he leads a comprehensive continuum of crisis programs, including Mobile Crisis, Vermont’s 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Center, and The Front Porch mental health urgent care and stabilization program. Drawing on more than 15 years of behavioral health experience, Josh has developed a reputation for advancing innovative, community-based crisis responses that reduce reliance on emergency departments.

His approach integrates clinical expertise, data-driven program development, and collaborative partnerships with law enforcement, hospitals, and state agencies. Josh also maintains a private practice as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and is committed to building sustainable, evidence-based crisis services that strengthen both individuals and communities.

James Button serves as President & CEO of Citizen Advocates, St. Joseph’s Addiction Treatment & Recovery Centers, Harison Place and the Fieldstone Foundation. A mission-driven leader, James has guided Citizen Advocates through a period of strategic growth marked by thoughtful affiliations, service expansion, and innovation across behavioral health, addiction recovery and Intellectual/Developmental Disability services.

Appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul to the Behavioral Health Services Advisory Council and previously by Governor Andrew Cuomo to the New York State Rural Health Council, James has helped shape statewide policy to improve access and equity for New Yorkers in need of care.

Under his leadership, Citizen Advocates has advanced next-generation models of integrated care—such as behavioral health campuses that bring multiple disciplines together under one roof, and Harison Place, an innovative supportive housing community designed to promote stability, independence and recovery.

Recognized as a gifted public speaker and storyteller, James is known for communicating complex ideas in a way that inspires action and unity. He holds master’s degrees in Education and Clinical Social Work from the State University of New York and a Healthcare Administrator’s Certificate from the University of Vermont.

He lives in upstate New York with his wife Camelia, their sons Ben and Jake, and their German shepherd, Paris.

Anne Campbell is a business and technology professional serving as Director of Information Systems at Avita Community Partners.  She has a 25+ year career of progressive experience leading high-performing teams and aligning electronic health record technology with core business objectives.  With a deep expertise in system administration, Anne oversees the implementation and maintenance of organization-wide electronic information systems that enhance data management, reporting, and analytic capabilities.  Anne is passionate in driving improvements to enhance operational and systems efficiency, ensuring quality excellence in deliverables and in supporting business agility. She is a known contributor in her field and valued for her cross-functional engagement across teams.  Career highlights include requested consultation within the field and awards for excellence, including the “Thought Leadership Award.”  Anne has established strong professional relationships with technology partners, state and federal entities, to effectively support information system requirements and business initiatives. She attended Gainesville College with a major in Business Administration.

Karen Carloni is the Director of Boundless Advantage, the strategic resources division of “Boundless Strategic Resources, Inc”. Boundless Advantage focuses on the development of strategic partnerships. Her role is to develop culturally successful, smooth integrations.  Karen’s former roles include CEO of Southern Maryland Community Network, COO of Cornerstone Montgomery and VP of Market Intelligence at Open Minds. She has also served in clinical and social services roles during her career. At Boundless Advantage she combines her over 30 years of diverse experience in health and human services with a strong focus on developing sustainable organizations. 

Patrice Clayton is a dynamic and results-driven healthcare leader with a distinguished track record in network expansion and population health management. With a dedicated focus on improving access to care and enhancing health outcomes, Patrice has been instrumental in making significant strides in the healthcare field. 

Patrice is committed to driving organizational growth through the development and execution of comprehensive strategic initiatives. She excels in leading cross-functional teams and identifying opportunities for operational excellence. Known for building strong relationships with key stakeholders, Patrice fosters a collaborative and high-performance culture within organizations. 

As a subject matter expert in patient engagement and health equity, Patrice leverages current methodologies to drive initiatives that enhance access to care and promote health equity. Her passion and expertise have made her a pivotal figure in advancing healthcare delivery and improving the well-being of diverse populations. 

Ronald J. Colavito is an accomplished executive leader with over 20 years of experience in operational leadership, financial management, and strategic business development. Currently serving as President and CEO of the Access: Network, which includes Access: Supports for Living Inc.; The Guidance Center of Westchester, Inc.; New York Families for Autistic Children, Inc.; and Meaningful NY Initiatives for People with Disabilities, Inc., he oversees corporate operations with an annual budget exceeding $160 million and a workforce of more than 2,200. Collectively, the organizations deliver innovative behavioral health, intellectual and developmental disabilities, housing, employment, and children and families services to over 20,000 adults and children across New York’s Hudson Valley, New York City, and Long Island.

Under his leadership, Ron has driven significant growth, more than doubling organizational budgets since 2010 through strategic business development. He excels in implementing data-driven decision-making, fostering partnerships, and successfully integrating financial and operational systems to enhance efficiency and scalability.

Ron holds an MBA in Healthcare Management from Quinnipiac University, a BS in Accounting from SUNY Geneseo, and completed the Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management program at Harvard Business School. His extensive board involvement includes current roles with Coordinated Behavioral Health Services IPA, NYIN, Hudson Valley Economic Development Corp., New York Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation, InUnity Alliance, New York Disability Advocates, CareDesign NY, Newburgh Armory Unity Center, Hudson Valley Service Providers, as well as the Hudson Valley Care Coalition, designated as the lead Social Care Network for the Hudson Valley region through the New York State 1115 Waiver.

Stacey Coleman, MPH, serves as the Director of Quality Management for Coastal Family Health Center (CFHC), where she leads organizational efforts to embed a sustainable culture of safety, quality, and accountability across a seven-county service area. With more than 13 years of progressive leadership experience, she has designed, implemented, and managed comprehensive Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) programs that support high-reliability care and regulatory excellence.

Ms. Coleman provides strategic oversight of HRSA-mandated quality and value-based care programs, as well as health information technology training and optimization. Her work has ensured continued compliance with NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home standards, Joint Commission Accreditation for Ambulatory and Behavioral Health Services, and HRSA Quality Improvement and Assurance requirements. Under her leadership, all CFHC standalone clinics achieved initial Level 3 NCQA PCMH recognition and have successfully maintained recognition through the transformation annual reporting model.

A recognized leader in the health center quality community, Ms. Coleman has participated in multiple national learning collaboratives and currently serves on the NACHC QA/QI Advisory Board and the NACHC NextGen Steering Committee. She is an active member of the Community Health Center Association of Mississippi and co-chairs the HRSA Uniform Data System Training and Technical Assistance (UTC) Steering Committee.

Ms. Coleman holds a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and a Master of Public Health with an emphasis in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. She resides in Gulfport, Mississippi, with her daughter, and has been a classically trained pianist for over 30 years.

Enrico Cullen is CEO of Omnes Health IPA, a network of 36 providers across 34 New York counties from the Canadian border to Pennsylvania, serving 80,000 patients with a combined network revenue of $800M. The network includes Article 16, 28, 31, and 32 providers, an FQHC Look-Alike, and seven Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs). Omnes Health IPA has purpose-built a centralized technological infrastructure for point-of-care and multivariable population analysis. Enrico has negotiated value-based arrangements for social care and behavioral health and holds advanced training from Harvard Business School and Columbia Business School, positioning him to address rural health challenges through localized, evidence-based solutions.

Daniel Darting is the Chief Executive Officer of Signal Behavioral Health Networking Colorado, where he has served since 2008 and led as CEO since 2015. Under his leadership, Signal has expanded its impact across Colorado, improving individual and community behavioral health services.

Daniel is widely recognized for blending technical expertise, policy insight, and collaborative leadership. Prior to stepping into executive leadership, he held key roles in information technology and systems development, supporting secure healthcare data operations and large‑scale system planning. This technical foundation continues to inform his strategic approach to modernizing the behavioral health landscape.

In partnership with state, county, and community leaders, Daniel advances initiatives that improve service delivery, enhance quality, and drive meaningful policy change. His leadership extends beyond Signal: he has serves as President of the Colorado Providers Association and participates in other associations and boards.

Daniel played a key role on a Colorado task force commissioned by Governor Jared Polis to rearchitect the entire statewide behavioral health system—helping produce a comprehensive blueprint that will guide the system’s evolution for years to come.

Before entering behavioral health administration, Daniel worked across multiple sectors, including healthcare, employee benefits administration, higher education, and media—bringing a breadth of experience that continues to shape his approach as CEO.

C.J. Davis is a recognized leader in building strategic affiliations to expand access to behavioral health services and strengthen community impact. As CEO of Brightli, Inc., the parent company of Burrell Behavioral Health, Preferred Family Healthcare, Southeast Missouri Behavioral Health, Comprehensive Mental Health Services, and other affiliates, he oversees a growing network of organizations employing more than 5,000 people across over 200 locations in five states. Over the past decade, C.J. has led or been instrumental in more than 10 major mergers and affiliations, helping create one of the nation’s largest nonprofit behavioral health systems. His approach centers on aligning missions, cultures, and visions to create partnerships that enhance service delivery, extend the reach of critical programs, advance the science of practice, and meet the diverse needs of local communities.

Since the formation of Brightli in early 2022, born from the groundbreaking partnership between Burrell and Preferred Family Healthcare, C.J. has accelerated the pace of affiliation activity, always with the goal of building a stronger, more unified system of care. Under his leadership, Brightli organizations now generate nearly $600 million in annual revenues, with each merger and affiliation reinforcing a shared commitment to accessible, high-quality behavioral health care. With more than 30 years of experience as both an executive leader and clinical psychologist, C.J. has led efforts to expand services across the full continuum of care, from outpatient therapy to inpatient treatment, primary care integration, and community-based programming. His executive leadership journey has spanned Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Indiana, always with a focus on growing missions through collaboration and innovation.

Through every affiliation and partnership, C.J. Davis remains committed to one unifying vision: building stronger systems to create healthier communities.

Dr. Michael Dennis received his PhD in Psychology from Northwestern University under a NIH fellowship to train more methodologists in how to implement and improve the quality of community-based behavioral health research. His dissertation was on implementing randomized field experiments in criminal and civil justice research to improve their impact on practice. He currently serves as Director of the Lighthouse Institute (LI), a division of Chestnut Health Systems conducting community-based research, program evaluation, and training on evidence-based practices. LI currently has offices in Bloomington-Normal and Chicago, Illinois and Eugene, Oregon; offsite staff in over two dozen states; over 110 LI staff operating four major centers related to training on assessment, evidence-based treatment, family coaching, program evaluation; and a Native-led national Native Center of Excellence. LI works with community-based agencies in all 50 of the United States, four U.S. territories, and over four dozen tribal serving agencies, as well as all Canadian provinces and over a dozen other countries. Part of LI’s community focus includes the use of service cascades, simplified time series, and economic analysis from the agency and funder perspectives to aid in program planning and management. In addition to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve, LI is working to become a home for supporting the career development and work of researchers with personal lived experience in addiction, recovery, and the legal system.  

As a senior research scientist, Dr. Dennis is currently the Principal Investigator (PI) of the Smartphone Addiction Recovery Coach for Young Adults (SARC-YA) experiment (DA011323) and a Multiple PI (with Dr. Christine Grella) of Improving Retention across the OUD Service Cascade upon Reentry from Jail using Recovery Management Checkups (UG1DA050065). The latter is part of NIDA’s HEAL Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN) cooperative. He also serves as the Co-Investigator on Dr. Dennis Watson’s Recovery Management Checkups for Primary Care (RMCPC) experiment (R01AA024440); Dr. Chris Grella’s Recovery Initiation and Management after Overdose (RIMO) Experiment (R33DA045774); and Dr. Kate Elkington’s Original and Scaling up eConnect in Juvenile Probation Settings, a hybrid implementation effectiveness trial of a digital suicide risk/behavior identification and linkage-to-treatment system (MH113599, MH130845).  

In the past, he has been the Coordinating Center PI on the Juvenile Justice Translational Research for Adolescents in the Legal System (JJ-TRIALS; U01DA036221) cooperative agreement and the Cannabis Youth Treatment experiment, as well as Dr. Chris Scott’s Recovery Management Checkups for Woman Offenders Experiment (5R01DA21174). JJ-TRIALS is one of the largest and most recent studies of transitional research with adolescents and included national surveys of juvenile justice community supervision to examine their behavioral health services related to suicide, mental health, substance use, and HIV risk reduction. The study also included a multisite experiment to examine LI’s ability to improve the behavioral health service cascades from the justice system to behavioral health (e.g., screening, identification, need, referral, treatment initiation, engagement, and continuing care). HEAL supplements were also used to conduct surveys of a census of the state prison systems and county jails hardest hit by the opioid epidemic. The Cannabis Youth Treatment (CYT) experiment was one of the first to evaluate five manualized approaches compared on a large sample of youth and families studied (600), with high rates of participation, treatment fidelity, follow-up, publication, and impact in terms of citations and replication. To date, the Dennis et al. (2004) CYT main findings have been cited over 1,000 times. Dr. Dennis has also participated in the conduct of a half dozen other treatment experiments, development of research-based treatment guidelines, and has chaired both major adolescent treatment associations (JMATE and SASATE). The significance of this work led to his receiving the Joint Meeting on Adolescent Treatment Effectiveness (JMATE) Research to Evidence-Based Practice award for bridging the gap between adolescent treatment research and practice.  

Dr. Dennis and his colleagues developed Recovery Management Checkups (RMC) and demonstrated efficacy in four clinical trials and a quasi-experiment to date. He received a MERIT award (R37DA011323) from NIDA after LI’s first clinical trial and the 2012 Dan Anderson Award for Addiction and Recovery Research for his 2012 paper reporting on the main findings from our second trial. He and his colleagues have also worked with economists to demonstrate that the cost of RMC and increased treatment is offset by reductions in expensive health care utilization (e.g., emergency department visits, hospital stays, psychiatric hospitalization, incarceration), and have replicated this work with the State of Illinois to use RMC to recruit over 1,000 additional clients into methadone treatment. As part of NIDA’s HEAL JCOIN cooperative, LI is currently conducting a fifth experiment with RMC for people with opioid use disorders (OUD) coming from Cook County Jail, a study that is expanding into five other county jails. He has worked with individuals with OUD since 1988 on medications for opioid use disorders (MOUD) treatment initiation, retention, readmission, and recovery support and has experience working within the community, in a variety of MOUD and other types of treatment, as part of continuum of care studies, and as part of studying and managing long-term recovery over periods of 6 months to 19 years.  

To integrate measurement, clinical research, and practice, Dr. Dennis has also led the development of the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN) family of measures since 1993. As of June 30, 2023, the GAIN Coordinating Center (www.gaincc.org) has worked with over 21,154 staff from 5,602 agencies (in all 50 states in the U.S., all 10 provinces of Canada, and 14 other countries), teaching them how to utilize the GAIN measures to support clinical decision making related to diagnosis, treatment planning, placement, outcome monitoring, economic evaluation and program/policy planning. The GAIN has also been used in over 900 publications. This includes using formal measurement models to create shorter and more efficient versions of the GAIN to get much of the core information in less time. The significance of this work led to Dr. Dennis receiving the International Council on Alcoholism and Addiction (ICAA) lifetime achievement award for his work with the GAIN. He has been PI, Co-PI, or lead methodologist on a dozen clinical trials, chaired one of NIDA’s data safety monitoring boards, chaired NIAAA’s health services research review group, and served on multiple editorial boards.   

Jodie joined Mainstay as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in 2017. As CFO, Jodie is tasked with implementing the infrastructure and systems needed to support Mainstay’s mission, operations (including facilities, fleet, and information technology), financial objectives, and strategic initiatives. In 2023, Jodie became the CEO of enTRUST Services LLC, a subsidiary of Mainstay that provides comprehensive financial services that enrich the lives of people with disabilities.

Jodie has more than 25 years of accounting experience, with 17 years in a leadership capacity with nonprofit human services organizations. Jodie is passionate about the work as the mom of a son with an intellectual disability. She is an advocate and strong supporter in the disability community.

Jodie received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.) in accounting and a Master of Science degree in accounting from Robert Morris University in Moon Township, PA.

Mary Kathryn is the Acting Co-Director at The Family Van and Mobile Health Map, where she has worked since 2013. She is passionate about health access and health equity. Mary Kathryn has collaborated with mobile clinics across the country, supporting their COVID response and administering mini-grants to help them maintain services during the pandemic. She also served as the Financial Manager of HMS MEDscience for six years. Prior to that, she was employed by KPMG, LLC as a senior auditor, focusing on both for-profit and non-profit organizations in Healthcare and Life Sciences.

Jessica Fenchel is the Executive Vice President and COO at Access Services, where she supports the delivery of diverse community-based programming for children, adults, and families in Eastern Pennsylvania.  Access Services is a nonprofit organization building community through the delivery of services in Behavioral Health, Children and Families Services, Intellectual Disability and Autism Programming, and Housing and Homeless Services. 

Jess has been key in the startup of innovative initiatives across multiple service spaces including crisis, forensics, schools, and homelessness.  Jess believes that help should be helpful and that the people we serve deserve our best.  She has led in partnership building to realize integration between behavioral health and physical health, driving solutions for vulnerable populations.  Jess’ work to develop new models of partnership between law enforcement and crisis systems has led to overall reductions in arrest for those experiencing mental health crisis. 

Jess received her undergraduate degree from Messiah University, her master’s degree from Lasalle University in Clinical Counseling Psychology, training in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of North Texas, a certificate in Nonprofit Management from Lasalle University, and a certificate from the Global Trauma Recovery Institute.  Jess is an avid sports fan, especially the Buffalo Bills, and loves being active outside with her husband, three kids, and dog.

Amy Fichter serves as the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Directions for Living, where she champions efforts to improve the lives of children and families navigating mental health and substance use challenges. She oversees organizational strategy, talent development, and innovative service delivery, partnering with leaders across the agency to optimize leadership capacity and strengthen programs. With deep experience in behavioral health systems and collaborative stakeholder engagement, Amy advances mission‑driven strategies that expand access, elevate outcomes, and promote long‑term, sustainable impact.

Since taking the helm at VOAMASS in 2019, Charles has used his extensive experience to champion whole-person, integrated care as the organization’s service model and mission.

Charles is known throughout Massachusetts as a leader in community development and an advocate of innovative services. He uses his expertise in the areas of behavioral health, affordable housing, and workforce development to establish programs and policy aimed at ending housing, health, and income disparities.

Charles serves on the boards of the Association for Behavioral Healthcare and Massachusetts Workforce Association, as well as the national Volunteers of America organization and its Church governing board.

Prior to joining VOAMASS, Charles spent 25 years at the South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC), serving as Chief Operating Officer from 2008-2019. During his tenure at SMOC, Charles was instrumental in leading the SMOC Housing Corporation, developing and managing more than 2,000 housing units across the Commonwealth.  He holds a master’s degree from the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs and a bachelor’s degree from Saint John’s University in Minnesota.

Ravi Ganesan is the founder and CEO of Core Solutions, where he leads the revolution in behavioral health through artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies. With over 25 years of dedication, Ravi has addressed the unique challenges of the health and human services industry by developing innovative EHR technology, significantly improving treatment outcomes. His deep expertise in healthcare and technology, combined with a strong commitment to customer satisfaction, has established Core Solutions as a leading software provider nationwide.

Under his leadership, Core Solutions has pioneered AI-driven solutions for clinical documentation, treatment planning, and care delivery optimization in behavioral health settings. As CEO, Ravi has successfully established partnerships with large providers, government agencies, and leading management consulting firms to improve treatment for behavioral health and intellectual and developmental disability services.

Ravi is a recognized thought leader and frequent speaker on AI implementation, data-driven decision-making, and digital transformation in healthcare. Ravi received his M.B.A. from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.

Cathy brings over 30 years of experience in the mental health, substance use, and intellectual developmental disabilities field. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Texas A&M University in 1992, a Master’s Degree in Professional Counseling at the University of Texas at Tyler in 1994, and a Master of Business Administration from Brenau University in 2005.  She obtained licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor in Georgia in 1998. In 1997, Cathy began working at Avita Community Partners and is currently employed as the Chief Executive Officer.  Avita is known for its innovation, being the first in Georgia to provide specialty mental health services to those utilizing American Sign Language as their primary means of communication, and embedded clinicians in jails, courts, a senior center, and an assisted living facility. Most notable is the development of a 45-bed, state-of-the-art Behavioral Health Crisis Center with a specialty unit for individuals with co-occurring I/DD.

Buddy Garfinkle serves as Executive VP and Chief Program Officer for Bridgeway Behavioral Health Services. He is responsible for clinical and administrative supervision and oversight of all of Bridgeway’s clinical and support programs. He has worked in multiple administrative roles and has been instrumental in helping Bridgeway to enhance   services meeting the needs to diverse communities.  He served as trainer and consultant for the implementation of Assertive Community Treatment in New York State and has served as President of the New Jersey Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association.  He provided a series of trainings in Permanent Supportive Housing and Assertive Community Treatment in multiple states and Canada.

David Guth is Centerstone’s Chief Executive Officer, a nonprofit health system specializing in mental health and substance use disorder treatments. Guth has more than 40 years of health care leadership and has served as Centerstone’s Chief Executive Officer since 1991. Under his leadership, the organization has grown from $6M in revenues and 300 staff serving 2,000 individuals to revenues of $1.1 billion and over 10,000 staff serving more than 250,000 people each year.

Guth has served on the Board of Directors for many notable organizations, including Triad Learning, the Executive Committee of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, and the Board of Visitors for the University of Tennessee’s College of Social Work. He is highly regarded in the industry and has received many recognitions, including the National Council Visionary Leadership award, Nashville Business Journal’s Health Care Power Leaders Award, and the Douglas Henry Award for Service to Children and Families at Risk from the University of Tennessee’s College of Social Work. Guth also works as an industry consultant, primarily in the area of affiliations, mergers, and acquisitions. The National Council for Behavioral Health published Guth’s book on mergers, “Strategic Unions: A Marriage Guide to Healthy Not-for-Profit Mergers.”

Guth graduated from Vanderbilt University with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and from the University of Tennessee with his master’s degree in social work administration and planning.

Cecilia Haag serves as Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer at Thompson Child & Family Focus, a multi-state nonprofit organization providing foster care, prevention, and behavioral health services to children and families. In this role, she leads organizational growth, innovation, and market expansion, with responsibility for launching new programs, entering new markets, and strengthening the systems that support sustainable scale.

Cecilia’s work is focused on building practical, high-quality service models that deliver strong outcomes for families while remaining operationally disciplined and financially sound. She partners closely with executive leadership, public agencies, and community stakeholders to translate policy priorities and funding opportunities into services that work on the ground. Her current areas of focus include prevention and family stabilization, workforce-centered growth strategies, and creating organizational infrastructure that allows programs to grow without sacrificing quality or accountability.

Joseph Haber is the Vice President of the Ambulatory and Emergency Services Division at Legacy Treatment Services. Known for his innovative, strategic, and dependable approach, Joe has been working in the behavioral health field for the last 20 years. Joe started as a certified mental health screening working in the emergency department for a Designated Screening Center in New Jersey before transitioning to management and leadership roles across a variety of programs that spanned New Jersey’s continuum of care. Joe is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Mental Health Screener, and Certified Disaster Response Crisis Counselor. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Rowan College of Burlington County and has presented at the CIT International Conferences. NJAMHAA Conferences and across several other conferences and platforms. Joe also volunteers as a Disaster Response Crisis Counselor and as a member of the Traumatic Loss Coalition, contributing to community responses to traumatic events.  He holds an MSW from Rutgers University, an MA in Forensic Psychology from Stockton University, and a BA in Criminal Justice from Stockton University.

Tine Hansen-Turton, MGA, JD, FCPP, FAAN, serves as President and CEO of Woods System of Care and Woods Resources. Woods System of Care is a population health management organization that, through its network of providers and partners in PA and NJ and 8,000 staff, provides life-cycle care to meet the lifelong needs of children and adults with intellectual disabilities and autism (ID/A), acquired brain injuries, and /or mental health challenges who may also have complex medical and genetic conditions.

She is a seasoned and successful Healthcare and Human Services Executive with 30 years of experience in C-suite executive leadership, serving in CEO, CSO, and COO roles throughout her career in Nonprofit, Private and Government Organizations. She has founded and led several nationally recognized health, human services, and related trade associations and has secured multi-billion dollars in new business. She is a founder, publisher/facilitator of a social impact/innovation journal and incubator lab.

Tine Hansen-Turton has tremendous content expertise in primary and behavioral health care, Health and Human Services Administration, Disabilities and Behavioral Health, Public and Population Health and Education. She has developed many innovative healthcare programs and business models (i.e. integrated primary and behavioral healthcare specialty clinics, convenient care and retail clinics, nurse-led care centers, specialized population health organizations, and life-cycle care management organizations) throughout her career, including starting dozens of non-profits and private businesses and organizations, such as the popular retail clinic industry association.  Hansen-Turton served as CEO of the National Nurse-led Care Consortium, a non-profit organization supporting the growth and development of over 500 nurse-managed and school health clinics, serving more than 5 million vulnerable people across the country in urban and rural locations. For the past two decades, she has also been instrumental in positioning Nurse Practitioners as primary health care providers globally. Hansen-Turton still serves as the founding Executive Director for the Convenient Care Association (CCA), the national trade association of over 3000 private-sector retail clinic industry, serving 50 million people with basic health care services nationwide.

Hansen-Turton also teaches public and social innovations, leading nonprofits, health policy, and the social innovations lab at the University of Pennsylvania Fels Institute of Government and School of Nursing. She is co-founder and publisher of a social impact/innovation journal and has co-published ten books.

Hansen-Turton received her Juris Doctor from Temple University Beasley School of Law, a Master of Government/Public Administration from University of Pennsylvania Fels Institute of Government and a BA from Slippery Rock University.  She also studied at the University of Copenhagen Law School.

Sterling Haukom Anderson, LPC has worked in the mental health field for over 13 years and is currently the Director of Workforce Development at Thresholds. She has provided clinical and case management support to individuals living with severe mental illness and has developed and delivered trainings, eLearning, and consultations for both internal and external audiences on a range of topics. Sterling earned her Master’s in Counseling from DePaul University in 2012.    

Julie Hiett has over 30 years of experience working in behavioral health, social services and care coordination.  She began her career as a Crisis Case Manager at a County CMHC in KS and was a School Social Worker prior to moving out of direct care and into Healthcare IT. 

Julie has been at Netsmart over 13 years, working with clients across the country at the provider, county and state level, providing expertise on behavioral health, value-based care, care coordination, population health and clinical AI solutions. Her previous focus was assisting providers to consume and action client data across the healthcare continuum, utilizing data from disparate systems to improve clinical outcomes and lower the cost of care.

Julie has moved into leading the Netsmart clinical AI suite of solutions. In the role, she collaborates with clinicians and leadership to reduce the administrative burden of documentation, enhance clinician and client satisfaction, streamline workflows and improve quality assurance.

Julie has a bachelor’s degree in Family Studies & Human Services from Kansas State University and a master’s degree in Social Work from Wichita State University.

Chloe Hurley, MPH is the Coordinator of Population Health at Endeavor Health Services in Buffalo, NY. She has worked within Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) and primary care practices for over 7 years. Chloe is a certified practice facilitator in the primary care setting and has designed, implemented, and evaluated whole person approaches to care. She currently supports the project management of a SAMHSA CCBHC Improvement and Advancement Grant as well as a Critical Time Intervention (CTI) Team in New York State. Chloe holds a Master of Public Health with a concentration in health policy and a micro-credential in health care operations from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

Mark Ishaug has dedicated his career to advocating for the rights of stigmatized and vulnerable people. As the CEO of Thresholds, Mark has overseen expansive growth and a culture shift that embraces change, innovation, transparency, and, yes – love. Thresholds has been recognized for 12 consecutive years as a Chicago Tribune Top Workplace and, for 9 years, as one of Chicago’s 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. In addition, Mark serves on the boards of Dominican University, the Civic Federation of Chicago, the Alphawood Foundation, and the Chicago Urban League, as well as on the Membership Committee of the Economic Club of Chicago and the Leadership Fellows Association Board of Leadership Greater Chicago. Before Thresholds, Mark worked as a leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS as CEO of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. Mark holds a master’s degree in political science from Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degree in government and international studies from the University of Notre Dame.

G. N. Janes has been the Chief Executive Officer of Valley Community Services since 2015 and is the CEO and is the founder of Ardent Services Group, a bespoke organization dedicated to empowering and elevating human service organizations through innovative support and strategic collaboration. Prior to his current posting, he held various positions as a Regional Operations Director, Compliance Officer, and Direct Support Professional. Starting at American University in Washington DC, G. N. earned his bachelor’s degree from Regent’s College while on active duty in the United States Navy, graduating cum laude from the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California from the Farsi program.   

Since taking his position, G. N. has focused on technology, innovation, and employee outreach; expanding the Valley Community Services footprint by 120 percent, digitizing large swaths of the program and retaining over 90 percent of the agency’s front-line supervisors. He also serves on the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) Global Council, the Government Relations Advisory Council, and Pennsylvania Advocacy and Resources for People with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism (PAR) Board of Directors where he is currently the Vice Chair.

In his spare time, G. N. enjoys the company of his two daughters: Sadie, an attorney in Aurora, Colorado and Mia, a senior at Ohio University.

Rebecca Key is the Director of Revenue Cycle Management for Netsmart, bringing more than 30 years of experience in medical billing and revenue optimization. A recognized expert in billing best practices, she began her career managing billing and collections for a local billing company and later transitioned to provider organizations, where she developed deep expertise in billing operations, workflow management, and back-office processes.
For the past eight years, Rebecca has concentrated on helping human services organizations navigate complex billing challenges. Her extensive industry knowledge, combined with strategic analysis and hands-on operational insight, enables her to guide clients toward tailored solutions that strengthen financial performance and improve overall efficiency. Rebecca’s leadership and expertise support organizations in achieving greater financial stability through the smart integration of technology, services, and best‑practice processes.

Meagan Lanier serves as the Director of Corporate Compliance at Coastal Family Health Center, where she brings more than 13 years of dedicated service and institutional knowledge to the organization. She began her career at Coastal as a master’s-level social worker and has since advanced into leadership through a strong commitment to professional growth, regulatory excellence, and community-focused care.

While employed at Coastal Family Health Center, Meagan earned her Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credential and her Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC) certification. Her clinical foundation provides a unique and practical perspective in her current role, allowing her to balance compliance requirements with patient-centered operations.

As Director of Corporate Compliance, Meagan oversees a broad portfolio of responsibilities, including grant writing, organizational risk management, and service as the HIPAA Privacy Officer. She also provides leadership and oversight for the contracts, medical records, social services, and credentialing departments, ensuring regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and high-quality service delivery across the organization.

Meagan is known for her collaborative leadership style and her ability to translate complex regulatory requirements into actionable processes that support both staff and organizational growth. Her work plays a critical role in maintaining compliance, securing funding, and advancing Coastal Family Health Center’s mission to provide accessible, high-quality care to the communities it serves.

Gilbert Lichstein is the Chief Operating Officer at the Illinois Health Practice Alliance (IHPA), a behavioral-health focused independent practice association serving members through value-based agreements throughout the state of Illinois.  This organization has demonstrated success in generating pay for performance, quality, and shared savings results for the past 7 years, and Gilbert has played a key role in developing and maintain the clinical model, data systems, and agreements that help make the model a success.

Prior to his role at IHPA, Gilbert oversaw a range of residential and outpatient mental health and addiction treatment programs and is licensed as a Counselor in the state of Illinois.  Gilbert’s clinical interests include program implementation of evidence-based practices, and Gilbert is a MINT-trained Motivational Interviewing trainer.  Gilbert holds Master’s degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Clinical Psychology, and a Bachelor’s degree in Physics. 

Gilbert is based in Chicago, and enjoys cycling and playing music in his spare time. 

Shannon Litton is the CEO of 3LS Professional Services, where she drives growth for change makers through exceptional, integrated solutions and experiences. A change maker herself, Shannon’s founded multiple companies in her 25-plus-year career, including the award-winning 5by5, a change agency, which has earned five spots on the Inc. 5000 list and Best Place to Work awards while helping more than 500 organizations amplify their impact.

A passionate advocate for employee ownership, Shannon serves as president of the Tennessee Center for Employee Ownership, championing ESOP expansion across the state and country. Throughout her career, Shannon has paired purpose with performance to deliver sustainable, measurable, positive impact for organizations and the communities they serve.

Regina Marshall joined Advocates in 2015 with the goal of shaping policy and making systemic change in order to help Advocates provide the best possible services to the people it supports.

Regina brings to her position at Advocates a broad range of experience as a legal advocate and administrator at both the executive and operational levels of state government.  During her tenure at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, she oversaw disability agencies that include the Department of Developmental Services, Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, and the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Prior to joining Advocates, Regina served as Center Director of the Massachusetts Mental Health Center, which serves over 1,200 clients, where she was responsible for all clinical and administrative operations.  In 2020, Regina joined the board of trustees at Bethany Hill Place.

A resident of Framingham, Regina holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and African American studies from Simmons College and a law degree from Northeastern University. She is the proud mom of three — twin daughters and a son. In the rare free time she gets between working and parenting, Regina loves to cook and bake.

Carole Matyas is the Vice President Operations for Sunshine Health Plan. She oversees the SMI Specialty Plan in Florida and has responsibility for overall operation of the program. Carole is accountable to assure the development of a fully integrated medical/behavioral program that is centered in whole person attention and care. She assists with representing the company externally to assure our members, providers and stakeholders have the information and support they need.

Carole has more than 30 years of behavioral health-related experience, with 20 of those years of experience in health plan operations. She joined WellCare in 2011 as VP Behavioral Health Operations at WellCare Corporate office. Previously she worked for Magellan Health Services, first as a general manager for call center operations, and then as Chief of Clinic Operations, where she led practice management and operations of 23 mental health clinics and a psychiatric urgent care center in Arizona. Her additional experience includes serving as Vice President of Public Sector Operations for Schaller Anderson, a Medicaid managed care organization and helped to develop their integrated model; and as Vice President for Value Options, a managed behavioral health care company whose contracts included carve out managed care for state and government agencies, where Carole was executive lead on a large carve out program in Texas. Carole spent her early career as a licensed social worker providing direct clinical services in a group practice, community mental health and a residential treatment center.

Carole has been recognized by Mental Health America and NAMI Texas for her dedication to mental health advocacy. Carole earned both her undergraduate and Master of Social Work degrees from Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Angel McClellan serves as Chief Information Officer at Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare, in Northeast Florida. For over 30 years, Starting Point has been on a mission to promote emotional wellness through psychiatric, mental health, and substance use disorder treatment services combined with community education and awareness. They have a vision to incorporate new technologies and evidence-based practices to continue to improve and sustain the outcomes. The adoption of AI in clinical documentation has kept them true to their vision.

Angel brings more than 26 years of experience in the behavioral healthcare nonprofit sector. With a career including a background in patient access, medical billing, medical records, health information management, compliance and information technology management, she offers a comprehensive understanding of behavioral healthcare operations, compliance, and information systems.

As CIO, Angel provides strategic leadership for the organization’s technology and information infrastructure, including EHR administration, information technology management, systems implementation, and project management. She is responsible for the management and oversight of staff across Data Reporting, Quality Improvement and Compliance, Health Information Management, and Information Technology, ensuring alignment between technology, regulatory standards, and organizational goals.

Kevin McKnight brings more than two decades of experience building trusted, transformative partnerships across the healthcare landscape. In his role at Qualifacts, he supports behavioral health agencies across the southern United States by helping leaders navigate complex technology decisions, modernize care delivery, and strengthen operational outcomes through relationship‑driven collaboration. Known for his consultative approach and ability to translate real‑world provider needs into clear, sustainable solutions, Kevin excels at uniting stakeholders, aligning executive vision, and shaping strategies that improve access, elevate client experience, and advance community impact. His career—including leadership roles at Concord Technologies, Concert Genetics, and national healthcare organizations—reflects a deep commitment to helping providers thrive through strong partnerships and shared purpose.

Mindy joined the VOAMASS team in 2011 and has served as its Chief Operating Officer since 2022. As COO, Mindy oversees program planning, development, and implementation across multiple service areas, including residential and outpatient treatment, veteran services, and re-entry for justice-involved individuals.

Mindy began her career at VOAMASS as a mental health clinician, later serving as Director of Outpatient Services and Vice President of Integrated Services. Mindy has led the development of the VOAMASS integrated care model; implemented standardized quality metrics and continuous quality improvement processes to support migration toward measurement-based care; and designed and implemented consistent protocols for engagement, intake, assessment, and triage.

Mindy holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado, a master’s degree in forensic psychology from Roger Williams University, and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Mental Health Counseling from Bridgewater State University. Mindy is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and Licensed Substance Use Disorder Counselor (LADC1). She is a past awardee of the national Volunteers of America (VOA) Leadership in Excellence award and a VOA Commissioned minister.

Jennifer Nadeau serves as Senior Vice President of Child & Family Services at Community Health Resources (CHR), where she oversees a comprehensive continuum of programs including crisis services, outpatient and school-based clinics, residential programs, intensive home-based therapy, foster care, and family support services.

Since joining CHR in 2009, Jennifer has advanced through multiple leadership roles, previously directing child and family outpatient clinics, evidence-based community programs such as Functional Family Therapy (FFT) and Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT), along with school-based therapy programs. She began her career as a therapist in 2006 and is widely recognized for her expertise in evidence-based, trauma-focused outpatient services for children, adolescents, and families. Jennifer is also a statewide trainer in Connecticut for the Modular Approach to Therapy for Children with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma or Conduct Problems (MATCH-ADTC) model.

Throughout her tenure at CHR, Jennifer has spearheaded the development and successful launch of innovative programs that address emerging needs in the community, foster cross-disciplinary collaboration, and expand access to high-quality behavioral health care. Her leadership has been instrumental in shaping services that are both responsive and sustainable, ensuring that children and families receive the support they need to thrive.

Jennifer is passionate about leveraging real-time data to evaluate program outcomes and drive continuous improvement. She is also recognized for her leadership in innovation and system change, actively participating in regional, statewide, and national trainings and collaboratives focused on child and family services.

She earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Franklin Pierce University and her Master of Social Work (MSW) with a focus in serving Children & Families from Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work.

Kevin O’Connor is the Chief Revenue Officer at Radicle Health, where he leads go-to-market strategy across sales, marketing, and revenue operations. With over 20 years in healthcare and enterprise SaaS, Kevin has built and scaled high-performing teams through rapid growth and private-equity-backed expansion. He brings a disciplined, customer-centered approach to revenue strategy—turning complex challenges into scalable partnerships and measurable outcomes. Known for his collaborative leadership and data-driven decisions, Kevin is passionate about creating lasting value for customers and the communities they serve.

Dr. Patterson is an advanced practice registered nurse, Vice President at CVS Health, and Chief Nurse Practitioner Officer of Retail Health. In her current role, Angela is accountable to providing clinical and professional practice governance for more than 3,500 Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants who staff the organization’s more than 1,000 retail health clinics located across 36 states and the District of Columbia. Key responsibilities include leading the organization’s Clinical Quality Program, Clinical Practice Training & Education, Professional Practice Advancement, and Provider Workforce Development programs. Angela also has broader organizational and enterprise responsibilities including senior-level membership on key governance committees including Strategic Growth, Enterprise Patient Safety, and Strategic Diversity Management.  During her more than twelve years with the organization, CVS/MinuteClinic grew from several hundred to more than 1,100 clinics and has increased care delivery volume from less than one million to more than 45 million patient visits. In addition, the organization successfully achieved ANCC Pathway to Excellence® designation for nursing practice excellence. Angela was the recipient of the 2018 AANP Sharp Cutting Edge Award for her exemplary work in nursing organizational leadership and inducted in 2019 as a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.  Angela received her BSN from Simmons College in 1985 and worked as an RN at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. In 1988, she received her MSN and certification as a Nurse Practitioner from Simmons College with distinction. Angela received her Executive DNP from MGH Institute of Health Professions in 2016.  Prior to joining CVS MinuteClinic, Angela spent 20 years as a primary care provider and clinical director in an urban-based, family medical practice which she co-owned. She also served for 10 years as a principal lecturer and clinical instructor for the Family Nurse Practitioner program in the School for Health Studies at Simmons College in Boston. Currently, Angela holds board member appointments for the Convenient Care Association, the Rhode Island State Nurses Action Coalition, and the Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College.

Jorge R. Petit, MD is a board-certified Adult, Community and Public psychiatrist and healthcare executive leader with over 30 years of focused attention on innovation and healthcare transformation for those most in need and vulnerable.

Dr. Petit is the founder and CEO of Quality Healthcare Solutions (QHS) providing consultation, strategic planning, advisory and technical assistance services to health care systems, community-based providers, emerging technology start-ups, and regulators with a special focus on behavioral health, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and health and human services. Dr. Petit’s work includes strategic planning, C-suite and board development/governance best practices, medical leadership education, training and mentorship, workforce development (DEIBA and Cultural Humility), holistic and comprehensive integration initiatives, data and quality assessments and planning and other healthcare transformation efforts, such as Crisis Services and Certified Community-Based Health Centers (CCBHC) throughout the U.S. He is bilingual and bicultural and a thought leader, speaker, author and blogger BH: Matters. 

He serves as Strategic and Development Advisor for Zero Overdose as well as Chief Clinical Advisor to Cantata Health Solutions and Clinical Advisor to Emotivo Health, Metta Health and Verity Health.  Dr. Petit is an active member of SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) National Advisory Council and sits on the board of Cantata Health Solutions, Primary Care Development Corporation (PCDC) and Mental Health News Education (MHNE). He is a member of the Committee on Psychiatric Administration & Leadership in the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP), United Hospital Fund (UHF) Health Policy Forum, as well as a member of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing’s Medical Director Institute (MDI).

Dr. Petit has held executive leadership roles in community-based health and human services organizations, managed care, city and state government and hospital systems. He was the Settlement Compliance Coordinator for 8 years at a leading NYC H+H system leading a successful turnaround project.

Dr. Petit is extensively published and the author of Handbook of Emergency Psychiatry and The Seven Beliefs: A Step-by-Step Guide to Help Latinas Recognize and Overcome Depression and the recipient of the 2023 Honoreefrom Marquis Who’s Who, Crain’s New York Business 2022 Notable LGBTQ Leader, City & State New York 2022 Nonprofit Power 100, and City & State New York 2022 Responsible 100.

Craig Poe is the Chief Executive Officer of High Plains Mental Health Center, serving rural and frontier communities across Northwest Kansas. He leads a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic responsible for outpatient services, 24 hour mobile crisis response, and a Crisis Stabilization Unit, with a strong focus on access, workforce sustainability, and operational resilience in under resourced settings.

Since joining High Plains Mental Health Center in 2024, Craig has overseen significant system expansion, including launching one of the first Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation programs within a Community Mental Health Center nationally and advancing development of a regional Crisis Intervention Center to strengthen crisis response and reduce pressure on emergency rooms and law enforcement.

Craig brings extensive experience in rural behavioral health operations, workforce strategy, reimbursement challenges, and cross sector partnerships. Prior to his current role, he served as Chief Operating Officer at Pawnee Mental Health Services, overseeing operations across ten rural counties. His background also includes leadership roles in human resources, business management, and operations outside healthcare, giving him a practical, systems focused perspective on organizational leadership.

A sixth generation Kansan, Craig holds a master’s degree in management and leadership and is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources. His work is grounded in real world experience and a deep commitment to building sustainable behavioral health systems that meet rural communities where they are.

Norman Racine is an accomplished technology executive with more than 20 years of leadership experience spanning healthcare, non-profit, telecommunications, manufacturing, and distribution industries. Most recently, he has served as Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Sycamores, where he oversees IT strategy, infrastructure evolution, security, and business process innovation in support of the organization’s mission.

In previous leadership roles, he has directed enterprise system modernization, strengthened cybersecurity and compliance in highly regulated environments, led cloud migrations, and managed large-scale IT operations with multimillion-dollar budgets and teams of over 100 professionals. His other work has included enterprise architecture design, acquisition integrations, and international technology initiatives across Europe, South America, and North America. With a focus on aligning technology to organizational goals, he has consistently delivered secure, scalable solutions that balance innovation with cost efficiency.

Don Reimer brings over forty years of dedicated experience to the behavioral healthcare field in both the management and provision of clinical services across various levels of care. He currently serves as Director of the Behavioral Health Crisis Center at Avita Community Partners in Gainesville, GA. Don’s career has included several leadership roles, such as serving as Director of a Crisis Stabilization Unit at SalusCare in Florida, supervising multiple inpatient care units. He also directed Crisis and Recovery Services at Charlotte Behavioral Health Care Services, overseeing the 24/7 units, including inpatient psychiatric, detox, residential rehab, and a mobile crisis team. Earlier in his career, he directed the Emergency and Stabilization Services at W.G. Nord Community Mental Health Center, where he established a comprehensive crisis stabilization program and later a partial hospitalization program. Don has been a team leader for the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team. He is an experienced psychotherapist, focusing on trauma-centered psychotherapy, and is certified in EMDR. Don holds an MBA from Cleveland State University and an MSW from Columbia University School of Social Work. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in both Florida and Georgia and is fluent in Spanish

Katie Reinemeyer, DNP, APRN serves as the Clinical Education Leader for Kroger Health’s The Little Clinic, where her work extends beyond education to the evaluation, enablement, and sustainability of clinical services across more than 200 retail healthcare clinics across multiple states. She partners with clinical leaders, operations, finance, and industry stakeholders to assess new and existing services for clinical appropriateness, workforce readiness, and financial viability, translating strategy into frontline practice. Katie brings an enterprise perspective on how data, education, and workflow design support access-focused care models across diverse community settings. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Cincinnati, with a focus on education-driven quality improvement.

Adrian leads the Channel Partnerships team at Greenspace Health, where he works with Behavioral Health EHR providers to support their customers’ adoption of integrated Measurement-Based Care. Prior to joining Greenspace, Adrian spent 7 years in healthcare software at PointClickCare, where he helped North America’s largest skilled nursing facility operators make strategic technology investments to enhance their clinical, financial, and operational workflows. He’s passionate about technology’s ability to improve mental healthcare for those who need it most.

Joe Robitaille is a leader in the non-profit sector with a distinguished career dedicated to improving the lives of children with developmental disabilities and special healthcare needs. As Senior Vice President of Children’s Services at Advocates, Joe oversees a diverse portfolio of programs and leads large, multidisciplinary teams, combining clinical expertise in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) with strategic leadership to drive organizational growth and service excellence.

Before joining Advocates, Joe directed a range of children’s programs focused on early intervention, home and center-based treatment, and specialized school services. He has a proven track record of managing complex budgets, implementing quality improvement initiatives, and aligning operational strategies with mission-driven goals. Joe holds a license in Applied Behavior Analysis, is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst, and earned his MBA, equipping him with a unique blend of clinical and business acumen.

With years of experience guiding organizational performance and supporting workforce development, Joe brings practical insights into leadership practices that improve outcomes for both employees and the individuals they serve. Outside of work, Joe enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, running, and tackling home renovation projects.

Bree Rondina is a strategic and multifaceted leader with more than 25 years of executive experience spanning operations, human resources, marketing, customer service, and leadership development. She has a proven track record of leading high-growth organizations through transformation and scale, always with a focus on operational excellence and a strong, people-centered culture. At Elite DNA Behavioral Health, Bree’s expertise touches multiple areas of the organization, including Patient Success, New Patient Experience, Business Development, and Marketing. 

As Chief Performance Officer, Bree’s primary focus is optimizing the performance of Elite DNA by creating sustainable processes that enable growth while ensuring employees are empowered, valued, and recognized. She champions strategies that balance efficiency with meaningful engagement, leading high-functioning teams to deliver quality care and positive patient experiences. Her leadership approach combines disciplined execution with a commitment to innovation and continuous improvement. 

Prior to joining Elite DNA, Bree spent over two decades in senior leadership roles across multiple industries, including serving as COO and CEO in the B2B marketing sector. She led cross-functional teams encompassing sales, marketing, human resources, client services, information technology, product development, and finance, consistently delivering measurable results while fostering cultures of collaboration, accountability, and growth. 

Bree is deeply committed to developing emerging leaders across the organization, equipping them with the skills, confidence, and perspective to succeed in a rapidly changing healthcare environment. She leads with passion, grace, and wisdom, ensuring the next generation of leaders can carry forward Elite DNA’s mission of providing accessible, high-quality behavioral health care to the communities it serves. 

Mary Lauren Salvatore is the Executive Director of Education Plus Health, a public health-focused nonprofit organization based in Philadelphia providing school-based healthcare services and related supports. Mary Lauren joined Education Plus Health in May 2025 after spending 6 years with the Georgia Department of Education, where she helped to build and sustain the Office of Whole Child Supports. Her work in Georgia was dedicated to identifying and addressing non-academic barriers to learning for students in public schools, particularly through physical and mental health programs and services. Prior to working for GaDOE, Mary Lauren worked in the School of Medicine at Emory University, where she developed the Medical Nutrition Therapy for Prevention program, which provides support to patients with rare diseases in obtaining adequate healthcare access. Originally from northern Virginia, Mary Lauren has a BS in Human Nutrition from West Virginia University and a Masters of Public Health from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory in Atlanta. 

Dr. Santayana is a board-certified Family Medicine physician with diverse experience in academic, hospital, and outpatient settings. He has held various leadership roles throughout his career, and helped launch a private, physician-owned medical group. Skilled in broad-spectrum Family Medicine, he focuses on preventive care, chronic disease management, and procedures. His guiding principle is empowering patients to take control of their health.

His role has evolved to encompass oversight of Quality Improvement initiatives, where he integrates Quality Assurance, Auditing, Training, and Program Evaluation through a data-driven approach. Since joining The Bridge in 2005, Eric has worked extensively with Radicle’s AWARDS platform, beginning as an end user before taking on management of the internal helpdesk in 2019. He now oversees special projects and new initiatives aimed at transforming the agency’s Electronic Health Record system into a vital tool for serving vulnerable populations across New York City.

John M. Sheehan, MBA, FACHE, is the Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer at RevDoc, where he leads national growth strategy, partnerships, and market expansion focused on integrated, value-based care models. A mission-driven healthcare executive with more than 20 years of experience, John has led organizations through periods of significant uncertainty and transformation, aligning clinical operations, revenue cycle performance, and payer strategy to stabilize finances while expanding access to care. His work has consistently focused on reducing avoidable emergency department utilization and inpatient admissions through integrated behavioral health, telehealth, and care-continuum redesign. A former CEO, president, and board member, John has built and scaled behavioral health, hospital, and digital health organizations, launched systemwide service lines, restored regulatory compliance, and driven sustainable growth across complex, multi-entity systems. He is also an Open Minds Circle Board Member and brings to RevDoc—and the Open Minds community—a pragmatic, operator’s perspective on leading change, strengthening revenue integrity, and delivering measurable clinical and financial impact in highly regulated healthcare environments.

Sheetal Sood is a visionary technology executive and the Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer for Cohen Veterans Network (CVN). With a distinguished career dedicated to the digital transformation of the healthcare industry, Sheetal oversees the strategic implementation and optimization of CVN’s entire enterprise architecture ranging from clinical information systems and advanced data analytics built on a secure platform.

A recognized expert in the fields of AI/ML, cybersecurity, and information governance, Sheetal bridges the gap between complex technical infrastructure and patient-centric care. Her leadership is defined by a unique ability to leverage emerging technologies to drive organizational efficiency and clinical excellence, marking her as a premier authority in digital health security and strategy.

Sheetal holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering and maintains an elite tier of professional certifications, including CISSP, CHC, and CIPP/US

Sandra Stein, M.D. has been the Chief Medical Director of Banner University Health Plans since December of 2020. Previously, she was the Medical Director of Care Integration of Banner Health Network from Oct. 2017 to Dec. 2020. From Oct. 2015-Sept. In 2017, Sandra served as the chief medical officer for Intermountain Centers in Arizona. From March- September 2015 Sandra served as the Behavioral Medical Director for the Arizona Comprehensive Medical Dental Program (CMDP)/State of Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS). From July 1997 to March 2015 Dr. Stein served as a Medical Director for the Community Partnership of Southern Arizona (CPSA), the Regional Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA). Dr. Stein is a double board certified in general and child and adolescent psychiatry. Sandra Stein, M.D. graduated from Albany Medical College in Albany, NY in 1992 and did an internship, general psychiatry residency, and child psychiatry fellowship in 1997 at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center in Tucson, Arizona.

Eric Strickland is President & CEO of 3LS, Inc., a family of employee-owned companies empowering good in the world. With nearly 25 years in human services, he founded 3LS in 2015 as the parent company of the Omni Family of Services and has since launched multiple ventures, including The Omni Family Foundation, SigBee, HopeNation Consulting, and 3LS Ventures.

Eric began his career at the National Children’s Advocacy Center in Huntsville, Ala. and rose through the ranks at Omni Visions to become CFO and later CEO. A strategic leader committed to innovation and long-term impact, he has built eight companies focused on behavioral healthcare, professional services, and employee ownership, believing that to do the most good, good must grow.

Sherry Tucker has been at the helm of WellLife Network as its Chief Executive Officer since 2018, following her tenure as the Chief Financial Officer beginning in 2015.   WellLife Network offers housing, treatment, care coordination, nutritional and employment services to over 25,000 vulnerable individuals and families across New York City and Long Island. Sherry takes pride in leading a dedicated team of over 1,500 who provide these services.

Before joining WellLife Network, Sherry offered executive and financial consulting services to non-profit and for-profit organizations in New York and Florida in addition to holding various CFO positions in the for-profit market. She began her career in public accounting after attaining her BS, CPA and MBA.

Jim Wallis, B.S., M.A. is the Director of Business Development at Chestnut Health Systems, www.chestnut.org since October of 2016.

With 35 years in behavioral health in the Mid-West, Jim began his career in Missouri in 1989 as a Deputy Juvenile Officer. He was further employed with the Missouri Division of Youth Services. From 2004 – 2016, Jim worked at a large not-for-profit behavioral health organization in the Midwest US in several clinical and development administrative executive roles. A primary focus during this tenure was patient access to rural healthcare.

Jim has served on numerous State level and National Board of Directors, and Advisory Boards including the National Frontier and Rural ATTC Advisory Board.

Education includes: B.S. in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Missouri – St. Louis (1992), and M.A. in Professional Counseling from Lindenwood University (2002.)

As an alumni and adjunct faculty member at the University of Missouri St. Louis, Jim teaches a master’s level “Family Policy and Advocacy” class at the School of Social Work.

Jim currently focuses on growing and fostering Chestnut Health Systems business development services lines as they relate to the agency’s Behavioral Health footprint in the Mid-West,  as well as our robust research institute, Lighthouse, which currently serves the entire United States, Canada, and 16 Countries internationally.

Elsa Warren is the Director of Communications at I Am Boundless, where she leads strategies that strengthen brand identity, engage employees, and drive referral growth. She brings a strong background in internal communications and recruitment marketing, with a particular focus on content strategy as a tool for organizational success. Elsa began her career as a marketing copywriter and earned her MBA in Marketing and Leadership & Organizational Behavior from Fisher College of Business in 2018. In her current role, she is passionate about creating clear, meaningful communications that advance the Boundless mission and connect with diverse audiences.

Brandie has over 21 years of experience serving individuals with Behavioral Health needs and Developmental Disabilities.  For the past 16 years, Brandie has worked at the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board, a non-profit organization dedicated to education, recovery, treatment, and wellness of individuals affected by mental health and substance use disorders and developmental disabilities.  In her role as Deputy Executive Director, she brings subject-matter and operational knowledge of integrated care, data analytics, and behavioral health care to support the use of analytics to improve clinical performance, patient health, and organizational efficiencies.  In addition to day-to-day operations, Brandie oversees reporting and analytics to inform a data-drive quality improvement process.  Throughout her professional career, Brandie has fostered a deep passion for the opportunities created by advanced science and technology in the health and human services quality improvement space. She believes building and growing a high-quality workforce is the foundation for meeting our community’s needs. 

Jerel Lynn Wilson is a dynamic behavioral health leader, innovator, and visionary known for applying strategic analytics to complex systems to drive superior client outcomes. As the Vice President of Business Development and Strategy for Monarch, Ms. Wilson is instrumental in the organization’s efforts to expand and enhance quality service delivery, both within North Carolina and into new markets.

Ms. Wilson brings a rare 360-degree perspective to her work, combining frontline clinical experience with high-level corporate strategy. Her expertise is highly sought after for her ability to translate clinical data into actionable business intelligence—the subject of her current presentation, which focuses on leveraging analytics to streamline funding opportunities and improve critical payer relationships.

Prior to joining Monarch in 2022, Ms. Wilson demonstrated a powerful track record of organizational growth and systems improvement. She rapidly grew a national youth development nonprofit’s footprint from 18 to 31 states in under four years, showcasing her prowess in large-scale strategic expansion. Earlier in her career, she was a fierce advocate for vulnerable populations as a clinical social worker in youth and family settings and in education. Specializing in working with expelled, gang-involved youth with special education needs, she eventually transitioned into school administration where she successfully improved outcomes for gang-involved and English Language Learner (ELL) special education students across diverse urban, rural, and suburban districts. Ms. Wilson started her career with valuable experience in the payer perspective, having worked in sales for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL).

A dedicated leader with master’s degrees in Social Work (MSW) and Education (M.Ed.), Ms. Wilson is focused on building sustainable models that marry clinical excellence with operational efficiency in community behavioral health.

Jane Wintz is CEO of Omni Family of Services, a leading child welfare organization and the foundation of the broader 3LS family of companies. With more than 25 years in nonprofit leadership, Jane has spent her entire career in the child welfare industry working to improve outcomes for youth and families.

Before joining Omni in 2017, she held senior roles at Specialized Alternatives for Families and Youth (SAFY) and Pressley Ridge in Cincinnati. A respected leader in both the behavioral health and ESOP communities, Jane is demonstrating how mission-driven, for-profit/for-good companies can diversify, grow, become more resilient, and do more good for the populations they serve.

Liz Worth, LSCSW is the Deputy Director at Johnson County Mental Health Center.  The Mental Health Center is a Department of Johnson County (KS) Government and employs more than 500 staff who provide behavioral health services to nearly 17,000 residents annually. 

She holds a BS in Sociology from Baker University and a Masters in Social Work from the University of KS.  She is a clinically licensed Mental Health Professional and has worked in Community Mental Health in Kansas for 23 years. 

She is a passionate leader with a deep commitment to empowering individuals to take control of their well-being and lead fulfilling lives.  With her background in mental health treatment and advocacy, she has dedicated her career to promoting a whole health approach – addressing the interconnectedness of mental, physical, emotional and social health.  Drawing from wellness philosophies in both personal experience and professional expertise, she strives to inspire others to cultivate resilience, practice self-compassion and build strong support networks. 

As an advocate for accessible mental health resources, she has worked with diverse communities to break down the stigma surrounding mental health, while fostering environments that prioritize healing, growth and self – care.  Liz’s leadership style focuses on collaboration, creating spaces where others feel heard, valued and empowered to take proactive steps toward mental wellness. 

When not working, Liz enjoys reading, being outdoors, running and spending time with her husband and dog.

As the Chief Executive Officer of one of the largest behavioral health organizations in the nation, Wayne Young is passionate about the planning and delivery of large-scale behavioral health and intellectual and developmental disabilities services to a population who rely upon safety net systems of care. Wayne previously served as the chair of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s Behavioral Health Advisory Council and currently services on Texas HHSC’s Joint Forensic Committee on Access and Forensic Services. He was recently appointed by the Supreme Court of Texas to the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health and also service as a board member of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers. Wayne was honored to have received the Charley H. Shannon Advocate for Justice Award from NAMI Texas in 2019 as well as to have been named to Modern Healthcare’s list of Top 25 Innovators in 2019 and again 2021.  In 2023, Wayne was recognized as one of Houston’s Most Admired CEO’s. While honored by individual recognitions, Wayne is most proud to have been a part of The Harris Center as it received the Excellence Award for Innovation from the National Council on Behavioral Health and was named as a Best Place to Work by The Houston Business Journal who also honored them with a Diversity in Business Award in 2023 and 2024. 

The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD is the state-designated Local Mental Health Authority and Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability Authority for Harris County, Texas.  

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).