2025
Presentations
Lunch On Your Own
Enjoy Rusty’s Bistro or Mainstay Tavern conveniently located inside the Sheraton Sand Key resort.
Getting To The Right Scale: The 2025 OPEN MINDS Executive Seminar On Growth Through Mergers, Acquisitions & Affiliations
How big is big enough for your organization to sustain talent, market reach, and financial resources? In deciding the right path for staying competitive in the constantly shifting health and human services marketplace, many executives from specialty provider organizations are pursuing merger, acquisition, and affiliation (MA&A) strategies. In the last few years, the field has experienced a record number of MA&A among specialty provider organizations serving consumers with complex conditions. Join us for this information-packed seminar examining growth strategies and successful implementation plans from previous combinations and collaborations occurring in the health and human services field. Learn how to position your organization for sustainability and growth as we move forward into the “post-pandemic” world.
This seminar will focus on:
- Designing an effective strategy for growth and scale
- Assessing the options for growth – from investors to mergers
- Identifying prospective organizational partners
- Overcoming the challenges to create successful collaborations
Rick Rowley
Rick Rowley brings over 10 years of experience driving improved performance, quality, and costs of the health care system to OPEN MINDS as a Senior Associate. Mr. Rowley is focused on bringing together health care physicians, provider organizations, health care payers, and data-driven strategies.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Rowley was the Chief Data & Analytics Officer at the State of Colorado, Behavioral Health Administration. In this role, he designed and implemented the Colorado behavioral health performance monitoring system, which focused on the impact of care across privately and publicly funded services including health care, criminal justice, and social services. Mr. Rowley served as the state’s subject matter expert on quality and performance measures for behavioral/mental health services, grants, and contracts worth over $200 million annually. He brokered data-sharing agreements with both public and private organizations and advised senior executives and state leaders on data trends utilizing data visualizations and formal presentations. He spoke at national and state-level conferences focused on improving mental health care.
Previously, Mr. Rowley was the Vice President of Healthcare Strategy and Operations at Redwood Family Care Network, a private equity-backed provider of services for those with severe mental illness disabilities within California, Washington, Nevada, and Arizona. He developed strategies and implemented the use of operational guidelines for physicians, psychiatrists, behavioralists, and social workers caring for residents within our 124 facilities located across the four states. He also served as a merger and acquisition (M&A) consultant on the business development team providing subject matter expert insights on revenue cycle management, quality of services, and the strategic synergies of potential healthcare acquisitions.
Mr. Rowley was also the project manager for the development of a specialty mental health/primary care medical group contracted with Medicare Innovations Value-Based “Primary Care First” program that performed services through a hybrid telehealth and satellite facility environment. He designed and engineered a data warehouse (BigQuery) for the integration and coordination of care between insurance payers and state services.
Prior to that role, Mr. Rowley served as the Vice President of Corporate Wellness at OC Wellness Physicians Group. In this role, Mr. Rowley drove B2B sales for corporate wellness contracts that generated $18 million worth of new business. He provided operational and strategic leadership creating and maximizing payer agreements with Medicare, Anthem Blue Cross, Aetna, and UnitedHealthcare.
Previously, Mr. Rowley served as the Executive Director for Regenerative Orthopedic Clinic, where he turned the company around from a negative EBITDA to $2.5 million. He was responsible for $10.1 million annual P&L grown from $750k in 2011. While working with the CEO, Mr. Rowley oversaw the operations and strategies for the company’s three southern California facilities and 45 employees with support from eight direct reports.
Mr. Rowley earned his Doctorate of Chiropractic degree at Southern California University of Health Sciences. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree at Brigham Young University, majoring in Microbiology with a minor in business management.
Kimberly Bond, MS
Kimberly Bond, MS, LMFT, brings more than 30 years of experience providing behavioral health treatment in the public and community settings to the OPEN MINDS team. She currently serves as the Executive Vice President of Business Development. In this role, Ms. Bond focuses on growing the OPEN MINDS client portfolio across all nine verticals of OPEN MINDS business.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Bond served concurrently as a Program Coordinator III and Clinical Manager of Adult Services and a Program Coordinator II and Clinical Manager of Recovery Services for the Ozark Guidance Center. In these roles, Ms. Bond was responsible for the administrative and clinical oversight of the adult outpatient and adult intensive mental health services on the Springdale Campus as well as the adult recovery/co-occurring services, including domestic violence and anger management treatment.
Prior to joining the Ozark Guidance Center, Ms. Bond served as the Executive Vice President of Center Point, Inc, a large substance abuse provider agency in California. In this role, Ms. Bond was responsible for the clinical and administrative supervision of all community-based programs as well as the women and children residential programs. In addition, Ms. Bond also managed budgets, interacted with funding agencies, and built positive relationships with all stakeholders. Ms. Bond was also in charge of proposal and grant writing, staff management, and training, facilities’ licensing and certifications renewals. Additionally, she prepared and submitted monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual reports to various funders.
Previously, Ms. Bond served as the President and CEO of Mental Health Systems, Inc. Ms. Bond was very instrumental in growing the agency from $12 million in annual revenue to more than $100 million and becoming one of the largest providers of behavioral health services in California. In this role, Ms. Bond was responsible for the strategic, clinical, financial, and administrative health of the agency, including direct supervision of Senior Executive Staff. In addition, Bond ensured contract compliance of the agency’s 125 different contracts across federal and state agencies and eight counties.
Ms. Bond received her bachelor’s degree in psychology, with honors, and her master’s degree in counseling education from San Diego State University. She is licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist in both California and Arkansas.
Paul M. Duck
Paul M. Duck brings more than 40 years of experience in leadership and management focusing on managed care, health information technology organizations, strategy, business development, and market expansion, and customer experience optimization to the OPEN MINDS team.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Duck served as the Vice President, Strategy & Development at Beacon Health Options. In this role, Mr. Duck led the organization’s strategy and business development efforts, which led to a 30% increase in net revenue and initiated more than $1 billion in revenue generation. Mr. Duck was active in national behavioral health initiatives as an executive of Beacon Health Options, including participating as a speaker at national and state association meetings.
Before joining Beacon Health Options, Mr. Duck was the Vice President of Business Development at Netsmart Technologies. During his tenure, Mr. Duck was responsible for business planning including the oversight of strategic activities including acquisitions, development, and execution of strategic initiatives, and positioning, and sales of large strategic customers. He also led the rollout of the company’s benchmarking and data analytics product suite.
Prior to Netsmart, Mr. Duck served as the Chief Executive Officer for Coastal Orthopedics and Pain Management, a large group practice with five clinic locations and two ambulatory surgical centers. As the organization’s chief executive officer, Mr. Duck was responsible for significant positive changes in leadership and corporate culture, financial and operational performance, compliance, and governance. Mr. Duck improved net collections by over $1 million per month and grew the practice through negotiating better contract rates with payers. He also implemented an organizational rebranding initiative and launched a new marketing campaign.
Prior to Coastal Orthopedics and Pain Management, Mr. Duck served as the President and Chief Executive Officer for Florida Radiology Imaging, one of the largest outpatient diagnostic imaging service companies serving the greater Orlando market. During his tenure, Mr. Duck led the construction of three new, full modality, diagnostic imaging locations. Mr. Duck revolutionized the company’s culture by creating a highly attractive and functional work environment.
Mr. Duck earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from Case Western Reserve University. He earned his Associate of Arts in Electronic Engineering Technology from the Electronic Technology Institute. Mr. Duck received an award by Inc magazine for leading Florida Radiology Imaging as one of America’s fastest-growing companies. Mr. Duck recently served as a contributing author to the book The New Health Age: The Future of Health Care in America.
Best Practice Data-Driven Decision Making For Performance-Based Management & Compensation: The 2025 OPEN MINDS Executive Seminar
The dynamics of accelerated change in the market have created new performance challenges for health and human services organizations. This seminar will focus on the latest performance landscape and critical domains for measuring and managing business and clinical effectiveness. Health and human services organizations have unique and evolving competition in the market—from new digital-first applications demonstrating speedy access, engagement, and satisfaction with consumers to industry disrupters such as retail health clinics providing convenient access to care right where individuals shop. Showing value through data is a must have in this competitive environment, and the ability to demonstrate value through data means that organizations must also use data to drive performance improvement—clinically and administratively. In addition, leaders within organizations are challenged to make rapid course corrections, and having immediate access to the correct data has become critical to organizational success. Key objectives for this seminar will include the following:
- Look at the critical strategic performance domains and metrics for managing business and clinical health effectiveness
- Scorecard and framework for becoming a data-driven organization and for evaluating business health operations
- Decision-making model for prioritization and selection of measures
Ray Wolfe, J.D.
Raymond “Ray” Wolfe, J.D. brings over 40 years of experience in the health and human services sector to the OPEN MINDS team. Mr. Wolfe currently serves as a Senior Associate, a position in which he utilizes his expertise to successfully lead varying projects for OPEN MINDS. His areas of expertise include financial analysis and management, mergers and acquisitions, performance improvement, and strategic planning.
Before joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Wolfe served in a 22 year tenure with Pittsburgh Mercy Health System in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Most recently, Mr. Wolfe served as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) where he was responsible for oversight of all system operations, strategic planning, and performance management. Under his direction Pittsburgh Mercy achieved over $850K in value-based reimbursement contract quality bonus awards, integrated three organizations through merger/acquisition, and adopted a new performance management program for managers.
Before acting as Pittsburgh Mercy’s COO, Mr. Wolfe served as the organization’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and was responsible for the development of internal costing methodologies, contract rate negotiations, and financial forecasting activities. In addition, he coordinated an integrated care program with local partner hospitals to develop a series of diversion and respite programs, as well as, specialized primary care, integrated care management and high utilizer teams, while maintaining 15 straight years profitability.
Mr. Wolfe was promoted to CFO after serving as the Director of Fiscal and Information Security/Compliance for the health system. In this role, he was responsible for managing the transition of service contracts from fee-for-service (FFS), leading all compliance activities, and implementing a next generation electronic health record (EHR) system.
Prior to his time at Pittsburgh Mercy Health System, Mr. Wolfe served as Chief Fiscal Officer with the Summit Center for Human Development in Clarksburg, West Virginia, where he was responsible for reporting and budgeting functions and preparing Summit Center’s programs for FFS billing.
Previously, Mr. Wolfe served in billing and collections for two Pennsylvania-based hospitals. First, as an Accounts Receivables Manager for Brownsville General Hospital in Brownsville, PA, where he managed the accounting and billing system transition systems. Later as a Patient Account Manager for St. Francis Medical Center in Pittsburgh, PA, where he improved collections to hit 95% rate through the implementation of new billing software and department reorganization.
Prior to working in the health and human services market, Mr. Wolfe spent five years practicing as a Lawyer with at Law Offices of Arch A. Moore in Moundsville, WV. In this role he provided general legal practice, created and established bylaws for multiple corporation, and handled West Virginia licensing of first vision insurance plan.
Mr. Wolfe earned his Juris Doctor from the West Virginia University School of Law in Morgantown, WV and his Bachelor’s degree with a focus in Political Science and Sociology from West Liberty University, in Wheeling, WV, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.
Joe Naughton-Travers, EdM
Joe Naughton-Travers, EdM has more than 30 years of experience in the health and human service field. During his tenure as a Senior Associate with OPEN MINDS since 1998, he has served as lead of dozens of client initiatives, served as editor of OPEN MINDS publications, and is the author of many groundbreaking articles and presentations.
Mr. Naughton-Travers brings to OPEN MINDS a broad range of experiences in private and public sector delivery of behavioral health and social services. He started his career as a behavioral health clinician, working in both child welfare and community mental health clinic settings. Subsequently, Mr. Naughton-Travers held a senior business operations management position for a psychiatric hospital system and its community mental health clinics. Later, he was vice president of a firm specializing in information systems and billing and receivables management for community-based mental health programs.
Since joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Naughton-Travers has developed business solutions for provider and professional organizations, state and county government, technology companies, and venture capital firms. For the past decade, over half his consulting practice has focused on aiding organizations in technology selection and implementation, including all aspects of strategic technology planning, functional specifications development, request for proposal development, vendor selection, and contracting.
He has written numerous articles, including “Winning the Human Resource Wars: Tried, True and New Strategies for Behavioral Health and Social Service Organizations,” “Five Pillars of Management Competency,” “Data Driven Decision Making: Moving to an Organizational Measurement Culture,” “Survival of the Smartest: What is Your Organization’s Information Literacy IQ?,” and “Strategic Human Resource Management: Aligning Compensation with Employee Performance and Organizational Strategy.” Mr. Naughton-Travers is also a nationally recognized speaker, having conducted hundreds of executive and professional executive training events around the nation.
Mr. Naughton-Travers received his Bachelor’s degree from Miami University of Ohio and his Masters’ of Education in Counseling Psychology from Boston University.
Grand Opening Of The Exhibit Hall
Sponsored By: 
Join us for an unveiling of all of our great exhibitors while enjoying a cocktail and hors d’oeuvres!
Karaoke Night
Sponsored By: 
Are you ready to unleash your inner rock star or belt out your favorite ballads? We’re hosting a karaoke night, and we’d love for you to be a part of the fun! And even if you don’t sing, stop by for some light snacks, an open bar, and some great entertainment. Thank you to our sponsor, Alera Health!
Morning Beach Walk
Begin your day by joining us for a refreshing hour long walk along the ocean on Clearwater Beach! Bottled water to take on your walk will be provided by OPEN MINDS. Meet at the beach entrance by the towel stand at the swimming pool.
Executive Breakfast & Registration
If you haven’t registered yet, check in with us at the registration desk and then enjoy breakfast in the exhibit hall!
Paying For Health-Related Social Needs: Emerging Models Of Funding Every Executive Should Know About
With increased attention to value-based care, improved outcomes, and the metrics that define them, it is key that providers build services around their community’s unique array of health-related social needs (HRSN). These may include housing instability, food insecurity, employment, personal safety, lack of transportation, etc.
Equally as important is for provider executives to have a thorough understanding of what kind of payment models can be leveraged to support those services. In this plenary session, hear from a diverse group of payers on innovative models for payment and contracting that providers can leverage to support unconventional lines of service delivery to address HRSN and community health outcomes on a broad scale.
Yvonne Copeland, MBA
Yvonne Copeland is the inaugural Director for the newly established Division of Child and Family Well-Being (DCFW) at the NC Department of Health and Human Services, which brings together health, behavioral health, early childhood development, and nutrition programs that support children and families using a whole-person approach to care. Yvonne provides strategic direction and oversight for 1000+ employees in the operation of federal and state programs within DCFW’s portfolio including Whole Child Health, Early Intervention, Community Nutrition Services (WIC and CACFP), and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). She is driven to ensure all children have the opportunity to thrive in safe, stable, and nurturing families, schools, and communities.
Yvonne’s 30 years of executive leadership, health policy, system design and implementation, change management, and operations in public sector health and human services have given her a unique understanding of the complexity of systems and the impact of practical solutions. Yvonne served as Senior Vice President of Operations for a multi-state Quality Improvement Organization, where she led all federal and state service lines (population health, external quality review, utilization management, and program integrity). As the former Vice President of Community Operations for a behavioral health managed care organization Yvonne increased provider capacity using innovative payment models, increased access to timely care, and amplified the member voice. Yvonne holds an MBA from Meredith College and a BA from Rutgers University and has two amazing adult children, a loving daughter and son-in-law, and a grand-dog that bring her joy.
Cindy Ehlers, MS, LCMHC
Cindy Ehlers, MS, LCMHC, serves as the Chief Operations Officer for Trillium Health Resources. She is focused on improving access to health and affordability through emerging analytics and innovative solutions. She leads several major components of Trillium, overseeing the strategy and innovation for Trillium along with member services, care management, network operations, and innovative development. Trillium Health Resources is a leader in innovation for behavioral health and IDD and the life-long support needed by these populations in NC.
Cindy is a champion for the implementation of evidence based practices. Cindy has developed a robust department within Trillium focused on approaches that address opportunities for health and health disparity throughout eastern NC. She has worked as a public servant for the past 32 years. Cindy has developed many programs and services in behavioral health and intellectual and developmental disabilities across more than half of North Carolina, overcoming rural barriers and many health disparities to meet the service needs of the BH-IDD population.
Cindy offers a unique perspective in her role as an Executive in the NC system, as she is both a parent and professional. Cindy has six children- several who have special needs; she was a therapeutic foster parent and is an adoptive parent. Cindy understands the system from the perspective of the MCO, from the inside out, and as a parent of children with special healthcare needs from the outside in. Her lived experience is unique to find in healthcare at this level in an organization. Trillium is the only health plan in the state with a parent who has been a foster parent and adoptive parent and is the parent of children with IDD on the Executive team of the organization.
Stephanie Franklin, MPS
Stephanie Franklin, MPS, is the Director of Insights & Business Intelligence for Humana, Inc., a leading, national health care company that offers a wide range of insurance products and health and wellness services that incorporate an integrated approach to lifelong well-being. Humana has a vision of influencing and enabling an equitable healthcare ecosystem so that every person has a fair, just and dignified opportunity to reach their full health potential. Stephanie leads the Insights and Business Intelligence team within Humana’s Health Equity and Social Impact organization, whose objectives are to leverage data analytics and visualization to bring to light those social risk factors and non-medical needs that prevent members and patients from achieving their best health and to build enterprise capacity for disparities-focused reporting, analytics and strategy development.
Stephanie is a published researcher and speaker on the topics of social determinants of health and health equity. She is passionate about helping teams and organizations translate research and analytics into policy and practice to create a healthier, more equitable society. She has worked across sectors – public, private, and non-profit – where she has developed an understanding of barriers and facilitators to implementation of evidence-based practices.
Stephanie joined Humana in 2014. Previous roles included leading clinical programs aimed at preventing and delaying progression of chronic disease. Prior to joining Humana, Stephanie was the Senior Legislative Aide for a Member of Congress. Stephanie has a Master of Professional Studies in Political Management from The George Washington University and a B.A. from Centre College. She lives in Louisville, KY with her husband and two sons.
Dismantling Silos: An I/DD Non-Profits Journey In Fostering A Person-Centered Approach For Achieving Integrated Care
In this presentation, we will explore the transformative journey of a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing comprehensive services, including integrated primary care, dental, mental health services, psychiatry, autism services, speech therapy, and programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The nonprofit successfully dismantled the silos that once separated these vital services and created a collaborative environment where each department works together to enhance consumer outcomes. These efforts showcase not only improved quality of care but also fostered a more cohesive and consumer-centered approach, ultimately leading to better outcomes for the communities served. Learn how, through this process, they improved the efficiency of care delivery and empowered consumers by offering more integrated and personalized care options.
The presentation will guide the audience through three key learning objectives:
- Understanding the importance of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in measuring the success of integrated care,
- Recognizing the value of consumer choice in shaping personalized care plans, and
- Exploring the benefits of collaborative care models that bring together diverse disciplines under one roof.
Jennifer Riha
Jennifer Riha is the Chief Strategy Officer of I Am Boundless, based in Worthington, Ohio. Jennifer is a long-time health and human services executive with experience leading clinical treatment and recovery services, intellectual and developmental disability and autism support services, technology and innovation, and business operations. As a mother of a neurodiverse son and experienced leader in the field, Jennifer is passionate about leading organizations to implement sound business practices, evidence-based care and treatment, and demonstrate the value of the services provided. Jennifer has built her career leading teams toward growth, improvement, and innovation including roles as the VP of Operations, VP of Strategic Business Development, Chief Administrative Officer, and VP of Performance Improvement and Service Delivery in organizations across Ohio.
Jennifer is a frequent speaker across the country on key issues in the health and human services sector and is a strong advocate for parity, recognition, and elevation of the importance of the work provided by the IDD and behavioral health sectors. In addition to her role with I Am Boundless, she also serves as a Technical Assistance provider and Behavioral Health Consultant for providers and peer-led organizations across the country. She serves on many state and national taskforces and workgroups as part of her advocacy, including the Alternative Payment Models workgroup led by ANCOR focused on innovation in the provision of care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Katie Babcock, MHA
Katie Babcock is the Director of Healthcare Operations at I Am Boundless – Ohio’s largest not-for-profit provider of services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and/or behavioral health challenges. She oversees primary care, dental, psychiatry, and speech services in outpatient settings– as well as nursing services in 22 Intermediate Care Facilities across the state. She has spearheaded the development of a dental program, integrated behavioral health into primary care, optimized psychiatry services, and is focused on building an innovative and collaborative culture across teams. Prior to this, she served as the Director of Strategic Initiatives at an FQHC, overseeing strategic planning and the Project Management Office. Katie holds a Master’s Degree in Health Administration from the University of South Carolina and a B.A. in Psychology from Ohio State University. She holds a PMP certification, bringing a strong background in project management and strategic growth. She is passionate about enhancing integrated services and fostering data-driven improvements in healthcare.
Thought Leader Discussion
Join our keynote panelists for an interactive discussion where you can take time to ask your own questions and continue the conversation.
Yvonne Copeland, MBA
Yvonne Copeland is the inaugural Director for the newly established Division of Child and Family Well-Being (DCFW) at the NC Department of Health and Human Services, which brings together health, behavioral health, early childhood development, and nutrition programs that support children and families using a whole-person approach to care. Yvonne provides strategic direction and oversight for 1000+ employees in the operation of federal and state programs within DCFW’s portfolio including Whole Child Health, Early Intervention, Community Nutrition Services (WIC and CACFP), and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). She is driven to ensure all children have the opportunity to thrive in safe, stable, and nurturing families, schools, and communities.
Yvonne’s 30 years of executive leadership, health policy, system design and implementation, change management, and operations in public sector health and human services have given her a unique understanding of the complexity of systems and the impact of practical solutions. Yvonne served as Senior Vice President of Operations for a multi-state Quality Improvement Organization, where she led all federal and state service lines (population health, external quality review, utilization management, and program integrity). As the former Vice President of Community Operations for a behavioral health managed care organization Yvonne increased provider capacity using innovative payment models, increased access to timely care, and amplified the member voice. Yvonne holds an MBA from Meredith College and a BA from Rutgers University and has two amazing adult children, a loving daughter and son-in-law, and a grand-dog that bring her joy.
Cindy Ehlers, MS, LCMHC
Cindy Ehlers, MS, LCMHC, serves as the Chief Operations Officer for Trillium Health Resources. She is focused on improving access to health and affordability through emerging analytics and innovative solutions. She leads several major components of Trillium, overseeing the strategy and innovation for Trillium along with member services, care management, network operations, and innovative development. Trillium Health Resources is a leader in innovation for behavioral health and IDD and the life-long support needed by these populations in NC.
Cindy is a champion for the implementation of evidence based practices. Cindy has developed a robust department within Trillium focused on approaches that address opportunities for health and health disparity throughout eastern NC. She has worked as a public servant for the past 32 years. Cindy has developed many programs and services in behavioral health and intellectual and developmental disabilities across more than half of North Carolina, overcoming rural barriers and many health disparities to meet the service needs of the BH-IDD population.
Cindy offers a unique perspective in her role as an Executive in the NC system, as she is both a parent and professional. Cindy has six children- several who have special needs; she was a therapeutic foster parent and is an adoptive parent. Cindy understands the system from the perspective of the MCO, from the inside out, and as a parent of children with special healthcare needs from the outside in. Her lived experience is unique to find in healthcare at this level in an organization. Trillium is the only health plan in the state with a parent who has been a foster parent and adoptive parent and is the parent of children with IDD on the Executive team of the organization.
Stephanie Franklin, MPS
Stephanie Franklin, MPS, is the Director of Insights & Business Intelligence for Humana, Inc., a leading, national health care company that offers a wide range of insurance products and health and wellness services that incorporate an integrated approach to lifelong well-being. Humana has a vision of influencing and enabling an equitable healthcare ecosystem so that every person has a fair, just and dignified opportunity to reach their full health potential. Stephanie leads the Insights and Business Intelligence team within Humana’s Health Equity and Social Impact organization, whose objectives are to leverage data analytics and visualization to bring to light those social risk factors and non-medical needs that prevent members and patients from achieving their best health and to build enterprise capacity for disparities-focused reporting, analytics and strategy development.
Stephanie is a published researcher and speaker on the topics of social determinants of health and health equity. She is passionate about helping teams and organizations translate research and analytics into policy and practice to create a healthier, more equitable society. She has worked across sectors – public, private, and non-profit – where she has developed an understanding of barriers and facilitators to implementation of evidence-based practices.
Stephanie joined Humana in 2014. Previous roles included leading clinical programs aimed at preventing and delaying progression of chronic disease. Prior to joining Humana, Stephanie was the Senior Legislative Aide for a Member of Congress. Stephanie has a Master of Professional Studies in Political Management from The George Washington University and a B.A. from Centre College. She lives in Louisville, KY with her husband and two sons.
The Art Of Change—An Informed Approach To Building Your Change Management Strategy: The Gaudenzia & Grafton Integrated Health Network Case Study
Change management is no longer a static, structured process—because the need to change is no longer driven by a singular event. Instead, market changes are overlapping—simultaneous and synergistic. The key to change management is clearly communicating future vision, developing and monitoring the metrics of strategy success, and creating an iterative process that shifts with the market metrics.
Hear from Grafton Integrated Health Network, a 66-year-old non-profit service provider specializing in services for high acuity children and adults with I/DD and Autism. They will share their transformative journey of redefining their company culture and the strategic path they’ve taken to ensure the new way of working is embraced, adopted, and sustained over time.
Subsequently, learn from Gaudenzia, one of the largest non-profit substance use and co-occurring disorders treatment providers in the northeast United States. They have gone through extensive organizational change over the last five years and are embracing performance management through organizational change and co-creating a vision for the future that provides treatment to diverse communities.
Attendees will explore strategies for:
- A guide to the planning and implementation of change management
- Understanding common implementation challenges and solutions
- Using data to manage change and develop approaches to finance integration
Patricia McKernan, DSW, LSW
Dr. McKernan started working at Gaudenzia in 2019 and is responsible for overseeing all program operations of Gaudenzia as well as compliance and quality improvement.
Prior to joining Gaudenzia, she was Chief Operating Officer at a nationwide human services agency, where she spent 23 years providing services to disadvantaged individuals, including the homeless population, people with developmental disabilities, veterans dealing with substance use disorders or mental illness, and individuals transitioning from the criminal justice system to community life.
Dr. McKernan has worked as a social worker since 1990. She was president of the New Jersey Reentry Coalition where she served in leadership positions for over 15 years. In 2014, she was appointed to the New Jersey Board of Social Work Examiners.
Dr. McKernan received her B.A. from Trenton State College. In addition, she earned her Master of Social Work and Doctor of Social Work from Rutgers University.
Stephanie Dixon, SPHR
Stephanie joined Grafton in September 2022 as Chief Human Resources Officer, where she leads the HR function across the organization, shaping strategy and driving impactful change.
Before joining Grafton, she served as HR Director at Bon Secours Mercy Health, where she spearheaded HR strategic partnerships, workforce planning, organizational design, and employee experience initiatives across multiple locations. Stephanie’s expertise spans across various HR disciplines, including, total rewards, change management, HR analytics, and HRIS, with a focus on creating innovative, results-driven solutions.
Stephanie holds a B.S. in Business Management and International Business from Old Dominion University, where her academic journey took her abroad as a foreign exchange student in South Korea and China. She also earned an M.S. in Human Resources from the University of Richmond.
Based in Richmond, VA, Stephanie is passionate about travel, DIY home projects, and reading, and she thrives on learning new things in both her professional and personal life.
Alternative Roads To Revenue Diversification With Omni Family Of Services
Achieving financial sustainability means creating a performance framework full of possible solutions to the market problems an organization faces. Central to that framework is revenue diversification, which allows health care organizations to grow their core business while securing future survival against environmental pressures. Revenue diversification is a key tool in preparing for and managing the financial sustainability of the organization.
In this session, learn how Omni Family Of Services has expanded into different industries with a product approach, created more custom contracts with states outside of Medicaid, as well as partnering with other organizations in care coordination.
During this session, attendees will:
- Explore the changing funding landscape and projections for future trends
- Discover proven strategies from organizations who have used alternative methods to revenue diversification
- Examine key considerations of building a comprehensive diversification strategy that is right for your organization
Jane Wintz
Jane Wintz, CEO of Omni Family of Services, has spent her entire career in the child welfare industry working to improve outcomes for youth and families.
Prior to joining the Omni Family in 2017 as Omni Visions’ President & CEO, she served in numerous roles at Specialized Alternatives for Families and Youth (SAFY) including Chief Operating Officer and Interim Chief Executive Officer. (Omni Visions is now known as Omni Family of Services.)
A leader with over 25 years of non-profit experience, Jane has worked in 15 States where she has implemented Treatment Foster Care, Family Preservation, Residential and Congregate Care, and Education service delivery models.
Prior to her time with SAFY, Jane worked with Pressley Ridge for over 12 years in Cincinnati, Ohio and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She currently serves as a Board member for Family Focused Treatment Association (FFTA).
She holds a Bachelor of Science in social work from St. Louis University and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Cincinnati.
Gwen Koenig
Gwen Koenig brings 30 years of social work clinical and administrative experience as the Chief Of Strategic Growth for the Omni Family of Services, a national leader of child and family services in behavioral health, child welfare, and juvenile justice. Throughout her career, Gwen has led foster care, family preservation, and community mental health organizations. In 2016, Gwen transitioned from operations to business development and innovation in the human services space. She has represented companies throughout fifteen states and has been responsible for business procurement, strategic planning, grants management, staff development, and technology innovation in this role. Since 2016, Gwen has been an adjunct faculty at the Colorado State University School of Social Work, teaching courses in macro social work and nonprofit management. From 2021 to 2023, Gwen co-founded SigBee, a technology platform to improve workforce retention in human services.
Gwen holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Cincinnati. Gwen has presented at numerous national and international conferences, including a key presentation at the National Association of Child Care Workers in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. She has served on various boards and committees with the Family Focused Treatment Association and the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities, among other trade organizations. Gwen resides in Fort Collins, CO where she enjoys the beautiful outdoors with her three sons, volunteers in her community, and keeps active with her rescue animals.
Launching Whole Person Care Programs Through Organizational Partnerships: How A Virginia Non-Profit Innovatively Financed New Integrated Service Programs
States, MCOs and other payers are increasingly interested in using whole person care models to better manage health costs and health outcomes for complex populations. But for many specialty care providers, finding dollars to cover the cost of creating an integrated program is a major challenge. This session, designed for organizations considering how to launch a whole person care practice, explores how one Virginia agency used partnership strategies to finance its integrated service program.
- Understand common strategies for covering start-up and ongoing costs of delivering integrated care
- Learn how to build value-based payer partnerships to expand your whole person care programs
- Learn how to develop a strategic re-investment model for growing services over time
Brandie D. Williams, M.Ed, Ed.S
Brandie has over 20 years of experience serving individuals with Behavioral Health needs and Developmental Disabilities. For the past 15 years, Brandie has worked at the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board, a non-profit organization dedicated to the 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-driven 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.
Mitigating Threats To Patient Safety: Tools & Strategies From Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health & The Arc Of The Ozarks
Patient safety is a top priority for health care providers, and advances in technology are making it easier to assess and monitor safety risks every day.
Join us to hear from Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, one of the nation’s largest specialty mental health and I/DD providers, for the story of how they took a technology solution that was first created for the corrections environment and modified it for children and adolescents in their care to minimize and prevent incidents that occur overnight.
Then, hear from The Arc of the Ozarks, a leader in service delivery for people with disabilities in Missouri, and how their own staff use remote monitoring technology to improve patient safety, contact emergency medical teams, respond to patient requests and even thwart potential crimes.
Attendees will leave with:
- An understanding of how to evaluate treatment risks and develop safety management plans
- Key considerations when using technology solutions for patient safety management
- Tools for mitigating organizational and consumer risk in integrated care settings
Tom Shurer, MA, MS
As vice president of information resources, Tom Shurer, M.A., M.S., is responsible for Devereux’s information technology (IT) function, including maintaining the organization’s IT infrastructure and applications and implementing future strategies to enable innovation.
Shurer joined Devereux in 1984 as a speech language pathologist at Devereux Pennsylvania’s Leo Kanner Center and health services units. During his tenure at Devereux, Shurer has held various management and administrative positions, including residential program supervisor, director of quality improvement/regulatory affairs, program director – information resources, director of clinical technologies, and national director of information resources. He has served in his current role since 2013.
Before joining Devereux, Shurer was a speech language pathologist at Elwyn, a human services organization serving individuals with disabilities.
Shurer has earned the following degrees: a Bachelor of Science in communications disorders from Pennsylvania State University; a Master of Arts in speech language pathology from George Washington University; and a Master of Science in information science from Pennsylvania State University. He has presented on a variety of topics, including clinical technology best practices, business continuity, technology planning, data analysis and reporting, and system implementation strategies during national/regional conferences.
He is a former board member of the Arc of Chester County.
Philip Putnam, MS, J.D., CPPS
As vice president of risk and safety, Philip A. Putnam, M.S, J.D, CPPShas over 26 years of risk and safety leadership expertise in the behavioral healthcare field. Philip has provided risk and safety expertise to all levels of staff including frontline direct care staff, clinical, medical/nursing as well as executive leadership.
Philip has experience with both creating new risk and safety programs where one did not previously exist as well as experience with revising and modifying existing programs to meet the changing risk and safety environment. This includes the development of risk and incident reporting systems, systems to ensure regulatory and accreditation compliance as well as system to reduce overall operational risk to an organization.
Philip has earned the following degrees: Bachelor of Science in speech pathology and a Master of Science in healthcare administration from the University of Central Florida; and a Juris Doctor (cum laude) from the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University College of Law. He holds a certificate in Quality and Safety as well as a Certificate in Patient Safety from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. In addition, for over 20 years, Philip was an adjunct professor at the University of Central Florida’s School of Global Health Management and Informatics.
Carla Carigga, CSPO, CSM
Carla is a National Operations Systems Manager at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, where she leads technological initiatives to enhance operational efficiency that aligns with strategic goals. With over seven years of experience in healthcare, she has successfully managed projects that drive organizational change, including a national IT implementation across six operational programs.
A Certified Scrum Master (CSM) and Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), Carla holds a Bachelor’s degree in Health Care Management from Towson University. She combines her healthcare expertise with a passion for creating systems that empower teams and improve outcomes.
Before her current role at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, Carla served as a National Project Management Specialist and an Executive Assistant. Earlier in her career, she supported multiple healthcare initiatives at MedStar Health in Marketing and Communications.
With a passion for innovation and a commitment to excellence, Carla strives to drive impactful change in her professional role and is dedicated to sharing insights and fostering collaboration that will contribute to the future of operational and program risk management technology within the behavioral healthcare industry.
Clay McGranahan, MPA
Clay is currently the Vice President of Program Services for The Arc of the Ozarks, a nonprofit agency that provides support to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through Medicaid, insurance, and government contracts. The Arc’s main program buildings are located in Springfield and Kansas City, Missouri, with multiple divisions across the state. The organization serves over 350 individuals in residential support and another 3000 individuals in community-based support, counseling, therapies, and employment services. The Arc employs 1800 staff members across its program services, including Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), therapists and a medical service line.
Before joining The Arc of the Ozarks, Clay served as an Executive Director for a Senate Bill 40 Board, a local government entity providing services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He has also held various leadership positions in state and county agencies and boards, demonstrating a long-standing commitment to this field.
In addition to his professional roles, Clay is a parent of two children, one of whom has a developmental disability, giving him a personal connection to his work. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Columbia College and a master’s degree in Public Affairs from the University of Missouri.
Clay is also actively involved in the community, serving as an officer on the Board of Directors for the Missouri Mental Health Foundation.
On a personal note, Clay has been married for many years to his wife Jamie and enjoys spending time with their French bulldog, Trudy. He is also a seasoned musician and singer, playing guitar in a band, showcasing his passion for music alongside his dedication to his professional and personal commitments.
Planning For Politics: Likely Market Effects Of The New Administration On Health & Human Services
Sponsored By: 
A new presidential administration often signals significant changes for the health and human services sector, bringing both challenges and opportunities. How can your organization prepare for 2025, and how will advanced technology play a critical role in managing new policy requirements and operational demands?
Join our expert speakers as they explore potential shifts in federal administration policies and their impact on human service agencies. This session will provide insights into likely changes, including an analysis of past actions by key incoming leaders. Gain valuable strategies and road maps to help your organization adapt effectively to evolving policy and funding landscapes.
Attendees will:
- Learn strategies to anticipate and align organizational priorities with emerging regulatory and funding trends.
- Identify actionable steps using electronic health records to mitigate risks and leverage opportunities in a shifting political and economic environment.
- Identify key policy changes and data requirements expected under the new administration and their implications for health and human services providers.
Terence Blackwell
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.
Monica E. Oss
Monica E. Oss, M.S. is the founder of OPEN MINDS and serves as its chief executive officer, executive editor of its publications and websites, and executive lead of its consulting engagements. For the past three decades, Ms. Oss has led the OPEN MINDS team and its research on health and human service market trends and its national consulting practice. She is well known for her numerous books and articles focused on the strategic and marketing implications of the evolving health and human service field – and its focus on the verticals of the field serving consumers with chronic conditions and complex support needs.
Ms. Oss has extensive experience in developing and implementing growth strategies for a wide array of organizations in the field. She has expertise in industry trend analysis, reimbursement, rate setting, and creating actionable plans for market success. In her role, she has led numerous engagements with state Medicaid plans, county governments, private insurers, and health plans, service provider organizations, technology vendors, neurotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations, and investment banking firms – with a focus on the implications of financing changes on delivery system design.
Prior to founding OPEN MINDS, Ms. Oss served as an executive with a nationally managed behavioral health organization, responsible for market development, actuarial analysis, and capitation-based rate setting. She also held a position as vice president of the U.S. risk management and underwriting division of an international insurance company.
Ms. Oss has been the keynote speaker at the conferences of dozens of national associations and has been published in a wide range of professional journals and trade publications. She has provided Congressional and state legislative testimony on issues as diverse as the financial impact of parity and payer medication access policies.
Ms. Oss has led a range of industry research and consultation initiatives, serving as principal investigator on research projects that include the examination of national managed care enrollment and service patterns, development of provider rate structures for government entities, creation of return-on-investment models for technology investments; design of performance-based compensation models within public and private health plans; and analysis of the economic impact of changes in benefit design, adoption of evidence-based practices, and new technologies.
From CIN To Integrated System Of Care (ISC): Leveraging The Power Of The Network To Optimize Quality & Performance In Value-Based Contracts
This live-streamed conference session designed to explore the intricacies of assessing, prioritizing, and impacting the various quality and cost measures inherent in value-based contracts. This session will equip participants with the knowledge to initiate quality improvement efforts, enhance ongoing initiatives, and strategically leverage their Clinical Integration Network (CIN) as a cohesive integrated system of care. The focus will be on achieving improvements through enhanced communication, connection, coordination, and anticipation.
Key takeaways from this session include:
- Identifying and Prioritizing Key Measures: Learn to pinpoint critical quality and cost measures within value-based contracts and prioritize initiatives to maximize their impact.
- Implementing Effective Strategies: Gain insights into practical tools and methodologies for driving quality improvements and cost efficiencies.
- Leveraging CIN for Better Care Coordination: Discover how to utilize your CIN to foster better care coordination and integration.
- Enhancing Communication and Collaboration: Understand the importance of communication and collaboration across multidisciplinary care teams to achieve superior patient outcomes.
This session will provide valuable insights and actionable strategies to elevate your organization’s performance and deliver exceptional patient care through innovative approaches and best practices.
Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your organization’s performance and deliver superior patient care through innovative approaches and best practices.
Jaimica Wilkins, MBA, CPHQ, ICP, CLSSYB
Jaimica Wilkins is the Vice President of Quality at Alera Health and co-chair of Health Equity. With over 17 years of distinguished experience in health equity, quality management, innovation, and continuous improvement, she has led transformative initiatives at macro, meso, and micro levels, significantly enhancing outcomes and operations. Jaimica is also a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ), Certified Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt, and ICAgile Certified Professional (ICP). Her career is marked by impactful collaborations with large health systems, government agencies, and payers building quality improvement departments from the ground up. Her visionary leadership, creating sustainable systems that drive health improvements, has earned her positions as a thought leader on boards and councils, most recently, NCQA’s Public Sector Advisory Council. Most importantly, Jaimica thrives on improving the world around her.
Deb Aldridge
Deb Aldridge, a seasoned healthcare professional with over 28 years of experience, specializes in Practice Transformation, Clinical Informatics and Quality Improvement. Currently serving as Senior Vice President of Network Operations 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 technology integration and process improvement initiatives.
Chief Financial Officer Networking Lunch
Join us for this private luncheon for executive leaders of OPEN MINDS member organization – created for Chief Financial Officers. The objective of this networking session is to provide opportunities for executive leaders from across the country to share solutions to the challenges in serving consumers with complex needs. Our hosts for the luncheon are Ray Wolfe and Dee Dewitt, Senior Associates at OPEN MINDS.
RSVP is Required to attend! To register, contact Erin Deppen, Education Events Manager, at 717-334-1329 or edeppen@openminds.com.
Dee Dewitt
Dee DeWitt has extensive experience as a consultant and corporate leader in the healthcare field. Mr. DeWitt brings over 28 years of experience in healthcare finance and operations, M&A, use of technology, strategic planning, and change management in healthcare organizations to OPEN MINDS as a Senior Associate.
Previously, Mr. DeWitt was the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Momentum For Health, a CARF-accredited non-profit behavioral health organization providing services to individuals with a diagnosed serious mental illness (SMI) and/or substance abuse disorder, in San Jose, California. During his tenure, Mr. DeWitt increased outpatient productivity by 25% and contributed to growing revenues from $55 million to a projected $71+ million for the fiscal year of 2023. Mr. DeWitt also oversaw Momentum ‘s pilot with Santa Clara County’s transition to Netsmart Provider Connect and led a successful grant award and implementation of a multi-year paid intern program in partnership with Santa Clara University, San Jose University, and Palo Alto University.
Mr. DeWitt was also the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Veridian Financial Group, a strategic consulting firm specializing in performing long-term, on-site C-level and Director roles, evaluating and implementing financial strategies, strategic operational planning, and development strategies for companies that are poised for significant growth, change, or require turnaround attention, in San Jose, California. During his time at Veridian Financial Group, Mr. DeWitt focused primarily on healthcare, finance, technology, and private equity and coordinated licensing, compliance, and external audits for 42 state licenses, including managed care organizations, managed care plans, Medicare, Medicaid, and service provider organizations.
In addition, Mr. DeWitt served as Chief Financial Officer and a Consultant in Strategic Planning and Finance for Home Recovery – Home Aid, Inc., a private equity-backed, for-profit company that provides personal care and skilled care in 35 locations and in-home care throughout Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. During his time there, Mr. DeWitt was a member of the company’s executive management team, audit team, and License & Compliance team. Mr. DeWitt also served as Chief Financial Officer of Professional Healthcare Resources, Inc., a for-profit holding company comprised of 5 home health companies, 4 hospice companies, and 2 private duty/personal care companies. Mr. DeWitt has also been the Chief Financial and Technology Officer for The Filson, a nationally renowned non-profit archive and research institute, and Director of Strategic Development for Signature Healthcare, LLC, a national private equity-backed for-profit, long-term care company operating over 180 facilities, with 18,000 employees, and over $1 billion in revenues.
Mr. DeWitt also held the positions of Deputy Director of Behavioral Health at the County of Ventura, CA Behavioral Health Services Department, and Director of Finance and Management Services of the Southeastern Arizona Behavioral Health Services (SEABHS), a joint commissioned accredited non-profit.
Mr. DeWitt graduated from the University of Louisville, Kentucky with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and a Master’s in Political Science with a concentration in Economics and Public Policy.
Rick Rowley
Rick Rowley brings over 10 years of experience driving improved performance, quality, and costs of the health care system to OPEN MINDS as a Senior Associate. Mr. Rowley is focused on bringing together health care physicians, provider organizations, health care payers, and data-driven strategies.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Rowley was the Chief Data & Analytics Officer at the State of Colorado, Behavioral Health Administration. In this role, he designed and implemented the Colorado behavioral health performance monitoring system, which focused on the impact of care across privately and publicly funded services including health care, criminal justice, and social services. Mr. Rowley served as the state’s subject matter expert on quality and performance measures for behavioral/mental health services, grants, and contracts worth over $200 million annually. He brokered data-sharing agreements with both public and private organizations and advised senior executives and state leaders on data trends utilizing data visualizations and formal presentations. He spoke at national and state-level conferences focused on improving mental health care.
Previously, Mr. Rowley was the Vice President of Healthcare Strategy and Operations at Redwood Family Care Network, a private equity-backed provider of services for those with severe mental illness disabilities within California, Washington, Nevada, and Arizona. He developed strategies and implemented the use of operational guidelines for physicians, psychiatrists, behavioralists, and social workers caring for residents within our 124 facilities located across the four states. He also served as a merger and acquisition (M&A) consultant on the business development team providing subject matter expert insights on revenue cycle management, quality of services, and the strategic synergies of potential healthcare acquisitions.
Mr. Rowley was also the project manager for the development of a specialty mental health/primary care medical group contracted with Medicare Innovations Value-Based “Primary Care First” program that performed services through a hybrid telehealth and satellite facility environment. He designed and engineered a data warehouse (BigQuery) for the integration and coordination of care between insurance payers and state services.
Prior to that role, Mr. Rowley served as the Vice President of Corporate Wellness at OC Wellness Physicians Group. In this role, Mr. Rowley drove B2B sales for corporate wellness contracts that generated $18 million worth of new business. He provided operational and strategic leadership creating and maximizing payer agreements with Medicare, Anthem Blue Cross, Aetna, and UnitedHealthcare.
Previously, Mr. Rowley served as the Executive Director for Regenerative Orthopedic Clinic, where he turned the company around from a negative EBITDA to $2.5 million. He was responsible for $10.1 million annual P&L grown from $750k in 2011. While working with the CEO, Mr. Rowley oversaw the operations and strategies for the company’s three southern California facilities and 45 employees with support from eight direct reports.
Mr. Rowley earned his Doctorate of Chiropractic degree at Southern California University of Health Sciences. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree at Brigham Young University, majoring in Microbiology with a minor in business management.
Ray Wolfe, J.D.
Raymond “Ray” Wolfe, J.D. brings over 40 years of experience in the health and human services sector to the OPEN MINDS team. Mr. Wolfe currently serves as a Senior Associate, a position in which he utilizes his expertise to successfully lead varying projects for OPEN MINDS. His areas of expertise include financial analysis and management, mergers and acquisitions, performance improvement, and strategic planning.
Before joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Wolfe served in a 22 year tenure with Pittsburgh Mercy Health System in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Most recently, Mr. Wolfe served as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) where he was responsible for oversight of all system operations, strategic planning, and performance management. Under his direction Pittsburgh Mercy achieved over $850K in value-based reimbursement contract quality bonus awards, integrated three organizations through merger/acquisition, and adopted a new performance management program for managers.
Before acting as Pittsburgh Mercy’s COO, Mr. Wolfe served as the organization’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and was responsible for the development of internal costing methodologies, contract rate negotiations, and financial forecasting activities. In addition, he coordinated an integrated care program with local partner hospitals to develop a series of diversion and respite programs, as well as, specialized primary care, integrated care management and high utilizer teams, while maintaining 15 straight years profitability.
Mr. Wolfe was promoted to CFO after serving as the Director of Fiscal and Information Security/Compliance for the health system. In this role, he was responsible for managing the transition of service contracts from fee-for-service (FFS), leading all compliance activities, and implementing a next generation electronic health record (EHR) system.
Prior to his time at Pittsburgh Mercy Health System, Mr. Wolfe served as Chief Fiscal Officer with the Summit Center for Human Development in Clarksburg, West Virginia, where he was responsible for reporting and budgeting functions and preparing Summit Center’s programs for FFS billing.
Previously, Mr. Wolfe served in billing and collections for two Pennsylvania-based hospitals. First, as an Accounts Receivables Manager for Brownsville General Hospital in Brownsville, PA, where he managed the accounting and billing system transition systems. Later as a Patient Account Manager for St. Francis Medical Center in Pittsburgh, PA, where he improved collections to hit 95% rate through the implementation of new billing software and department reorganization.
Prior to working in the health and human services market, Mr. Wolfe spent five years practicing as a Lawyer with at Law Offices of Arch A. Moore in Moundsville, WV. In this role he provided general legal practice, created and established bylaws for multiple corporation, and handled West Virginia licensing of first vision insurance plan.
Mr. Wolfe earned his Juris Doctor from the West Virginia University School of Law in Morgantown, WV and his Bachelor’s degree with a focus in Political Science and Sociology from West Liberty University, in Wheeling, WV, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.
Lunch On Your Own
Enjoy Rusty’s Bistro or Mainstay Tavern conveniently located inside the Sheraton Sand Key resort.
Post Lunch Pick Me Up
Sponsored By: 
Join us for a cool treat, an ice cream bar! Grab your favorite ice cream and toppings, and check out the great exhibitors while you’re here, located in the exhibit hall! A big thank you to Pups Software.
OPEN MINDS Circle Membership & Leadership Management Program Information Session
Are you an OPEN MINDS Circle member who’s interested in learning more about your membership, how to navigate the resources that OPEN MINDS has to offer or the benefits such as the Leadership & Management Certificate Program? If so then join us for this informational session and view demos of the OPEN MINDS website and resources, and be able to ask questions of OPEN MINDS staff members.
Our team is here to help you take advantage of everything your membership has to offer!
Christina Melvin-DeWees
Data-Driven Approaches To Access—How Trillium Health Resources Is Improving Continuity Of Care
With increased attention to value-based and integrated care, many organizations are striving to embrace a “No Wrong Door” approach, designed to bridge the gap between behavioral health, physical health, and health-related social needs. This approach ensures seamless access to care, allowing individuals to seek assistance through multiple entry points without encountering barriers or delays. It emphasizes continuity of care, addressing fragmentation and gaps commonly seen in traditional health care systems.
Hear how Trillium Health Resources’s new model, the Healing Place of New Hanover County, helps restore consumers with substance use disorders to a healthy lifestyle through a variety of services, such as non-medical detoxification, residential alcohol and drug services, and transitional living.
During this session, attendees will:
- Understand key metrics and considerations to address opportunities for improved access throughout your organization
- Examine the link between improved access and improved revenue, plus strategies for ensuring one supports the other
- Learn from real world case studies on how other providers have leveraged community partnerships and innovative solutions to improve access to care for their consumers
Christie Edwards, MS, LCMHC, LCAS
Christie earned two master’s degrees from East Carolina University, one in Rehabilitation Counseling and one in Substance Abuse and Clinical Counseling. She has worked in the private sector and Managed Care setting during her 18 years in the field as a direct support professional, licensed clinician, educator and project manager and as a senior leader. Christie has managed projects related to Assistive Technology and implementation of Evidence Based Practices. Christie currently oversees member and provider teams in operations at Trillium Health Resources.
So You Want To Become A FQHC?—The Cherokee Health Systems & Community Health Network Case Studies
This comprehensive training program is designed for professionals interested in establishing or transitioning to a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) or FQHC Look-alike status. Participants will gain essential knowledge about the requirements, benefits, and challenges associated with these designations, equipping them with the insights needed to make informed decisions and navigate the complex process effectively.
Immerse yourself into Cherokee Health Systems’ pioneer journey to becoming an FQHC. Opening in 1960 as a mental health center in Eastern Tennessee and then expanding to primary care services, CHS adopted an “Integrated Health Care Home” model, integrated primary care, behavioral health, and substance use disorder treatment all in one. They have been nationally recognized for its innovative and consumer-centered health care approach.
Learn from Community Health Network, formed in 2008 in Texas and replacing an FQHC that lost its funding, how they went from one location and three exam rooms to 14 clinical locations with over 14 years of service. Some of their services include dental oral health, behavioral health, home health, and medical/primary care.
Attendees will:
- Understand the fundamental criteria and regulatory requirements for obtaining FQHC or FQHC Look-alike status, including eligibility criteria, scope of services, governance structure, and compliance standards
- Explore the unique benefits and challenges associated with operating as an FQHC or FQHC Look-alike, including access to federal funding, reimbursement mechanisms, quality improvement initiatives, and integration within the health care ecosystem
- Develop practical strategies and action plans for navigating the application process, establishing effective partnerships with stakeholders, and sustaining organizational viability and success as an FQHC or FQHC Look-alike
Parinda Khatri, Ph.D.
Dr. Parinda Khatri is Chief Executive Officer at Cherokee Health Systems (CHS). CHS is a Federally Qualified Health Center and licensed Community Mental Health Center that provides comprehensive and integrated primary, behavioral health, dental, vision, pharmacy, and outreach services to 70,000 patients across 25 counties in Tennessee. She serves on several national committees and boards, including the Mental/Behavioral Health Advisory Committee for the Association of American Medical Colleges, the National FQHC Advisory Board for United Healthcare, Board of Directors for Advocates for Community Health (ACH), Board of Directors for Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU), and the AHRQ National Integration Academy Council. She has been awarded the Susan P. Smith Award of Excellence by the Tennessee Primary Care Association, the Don Bloch Award by the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association, the Excellence in Education and Teaching award by the Society of Health Psychology, and is a Fellow of the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved.
Penny Pabst, M.Ed., OHCC
Penny Pabst, CAO, holds a Bachelor of Science in Child Development and Human Relationships and a Master of Education in Educational Psychology. She worked for eight years as a Child Life Specialist at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston before obtaining her master’s degree in 1997 and “found” her work mission in community health. Ms. Pabst has 27 years of experience working in federally qualified health centers. Ms. Pabst first worked at Fort Bend Family Health Center, Inc., where she served as a Children with Special Health Care Needs case manager before moving into administration. As Associate Director of Health Care Services (2002-2012), Ms. Pabst managed the daily operations of six physician land-based medical clinics and supervised the clinical and administrative support staff, including the front desk, nursing, patient registration, and medical records. She served as the project lead for clinic process measurement improvement (Access and Redesign Collaborative). As the Special Projects Officer from 2012-2017, Ms. Pabst served in the role of Project manager and implemented an integrated practice management/electronic health record system, and as system administrator; obtained contracts for new copier and phone systems; served as the Grant and Contract Manager and coordinated evaluation and monitoring of grant and contract funded programs, including reports and other communications with funding sources. Ms. Pabst was responsible for preparing and submitting the federal, state and private grant proposals and report, and managing the programs.
In her current position as CAO, Ms. Pabst oversees quality, risk management, compliance, credentialing, grants development, medical records, and social determinants of health (SDOH) duties. Ms. Pabst is responsible for overseeing the patient satisfaction survey process, private foundation and the state and federal contracts to ensure compliance with all contract components. Ms. Pabst is responsible for ensuring all staff receive cultural competency and LEP training through the Risk management program. Ms. Pabst oversees the HRSA site visit as the Compliance Officer, adds new sites and services to scope, and is responsible for any audits that occur at the organization.
Reinvention & Relevance—The Our House, Inc. & Connections Health Solutions Approach To Refining The Role & Mission Of Your Organization
This session is designed to empower behavioral health and health care professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to refine the role and mission of their organizations to stay competitive in the ever-evolving landscape of health care. By embracing the principles of ‘reinvention and relevance’, participants will explore strategies to adapt to changing market trends, meet the evolving needs of their communities, and drive positive outcomes for individuals seeking care.
Attendees will:
- Understand the importance of refining the role and mission of specialty provider organizations in response to dynamic industry shifts and emerging trends
- Learn practical strategies for reinventing organizational best practices and processes to stay relevant in a rapidly changing health care landscape, with a focus on compliance, efficiency, and quality of care
- Develop actionable plans to create a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning within the organization, fostering adaptability and resilience in the face of uncertainty.
Michele DelCorsano
Michele joined Our House in 2005 after spending 5 years at Morgan Stanley. Over her 20-year career at Our House, she has held a number of positions including Recruiter, HR Director, COO and CEO. Michele has been instrumental in leading the organization, which provides services to individuals with developmental and other disabilities. Under her leadership, Our House has expanded its programs and services, enhancing the quality of life for many individuals and their families. She sits on the ABCD Board of Trustees, as well as a number of other boards. Michele holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology from Kean University and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Susquehanna University. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family, traveling, skiing, and rooting on the NY Mets.
Natalie Tortorello
Since 2015, Natalie has served as Chief Operating Officer at Our House, Inc., a not-for-profit social services agency serving adults with developmental disabilities. Her focus as COO is in the behind the scenes operations of the $20MM agency including HR and QA. Prior to that, Natalie spent 15 years working on curriculum and assessment development and policy development in private education. She holds a Master’s in Organizational Psychology from Kean and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Rutgers. Having served on numerous Boards, including the American Lung Association, Natalie recently completed four years as an elected member of her local Board of Education. She is heavily involved in her children’s’ school PTAs and serves on several committees for ABCD-NJ. Through these affiliations, Natalie participates in local and statewide advocacy for children and adults with developmental disabilities. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family at beach and traveling.
Tory Kania
Tory started at Our House in 2008 in the Employment Services field and operated as a job coach for individuals with developmental disabilities after graduating from Towson University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Criminology. After two years of entry level experience, Tory moved into the Residential Department where she held various roles. During her time in the residential department, she operated as a Site Manager, Area Director, Assistant Director and eventually Sr. Director of Residential Services. Tory was promoted to the Vice President of Programs and Services in 2024, following 16 years of experience with Our House and in the field of social services. Tory has a passion for working with individuals with disabilities and is creative and innovative in her approach to her role as VP. Tory chaired the ABCD Residential Committee in 2023 and has shown to be a true advocate on many levels. Her different levels of experience have given her a vast understanding of the innerworkings of many departments and operations. In her free time, she loves to bake, read and go to the beach.
Chris Santarsiero, MBA
Chris Santarsiero is a seasoned professional with over 26 years of experience in government relations, contract procurement, and strategic consulting. As the Vice President of Government Affairs at Connections Health Solutions, Chris focuses on developing and executing policy outcomes that drive market access, innovative value-based care models, thought leadership, and new business opportunities with the Growth and Development Team. He is a passionate advocate for behavioral health crisis care, providing alternatives to emergency departments and jails for individuals experiencing behavioral health emergencies.
Chris’s expertise spans federal and state government affairs, Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement, legislative relations, public policy, political campaigns, and public relations. His career includes significant roles such as Government Markets Director at National Strategies (NSI) in Washington, DC, where he served as a healthcare policy expert and led strategic sales teams in the state, local and education (SLED) market. At VITAS Healthcare, Chris was instrumental in negotiating regulatory structures and securing approvals for high-quality hospice care, generating substantial annual revenues, and protecting the Medicare Hospice Benefit.
As a co-founder and senior partner at DNB Lobby, Chris efficiently managed the firm’s operations and led successful grassroots campaigns, setting national fire safety code policies and advocating for diverse clients, including major corporations and public entities. His tenure as Executive Director of the Connecticut Republicans saw unprecedented electoral successes and record-breaking fundraising achievements.
Chris holds a Bachelor’s degree in English with a communications emphasis from La Salle University and an MBA in Finance from the Malcolm Baldrige School of Business. He is also certified in Mental Health First Aid by the National Council of Mental Wellbeing.
Chris Santarsiero’s career is marked by his strategic leadership, dedication to public service, and commitment to improving healthcare and public policy.
Convenient Care, Behavioral Health & Chronic Disease Management: Challenges & Opportunities In The Changing Market
The number of retail health, also known as “convenient care” locations in the U.S. has grown substantially in the last few years. But it is not just the numbers that have changed. Convenient care clinics are offering more services, including treatment for behavioral health conditions and management of chronic diseases. In this session, learn the retail clinic perspectives on serving these consumer groups – where they plan to go in the future and what they see as opportunities for collaboration.
George Barakat
George Barakat is the Co-founder of Jack Nathan Health®. Named after his son Jack Nathan Barakat. George served as CEO of Jack Nathan Health® for the past 15 years. He is also Past President and CEO of Laila’s Inc. (art publishing and manufacturing), and a proud partner of Walmart® for more than 28 years.
A longtime believer in empowering customers, patients and associates. George created strategic partnerships taking Jack Nathan Health from a lean start-up, to a national leader in healthcare, servicing over 2 million patients across Canada and expansion into Mexico. With a clear “Patient First” vision. He has helped redefined the face of healthcare by improving access to quality healthcare for all communities utilizing retail and digital environments.
George excels at working with business leaders in different organizations to facilitate change and acceptance of new approaches.
Today, he possesses a comprehensive knowledge and understanding for retail healthcare and manufacturing, with a clear vision on how to implement related business strategies. He has travelled extensively nationally and internationally building and sustaining important global relationships and partnerships. George maximizes business growth by creating effective operational strategies, while delivering an unparalleled customer experience.
Mary Kathryn Fallon
Connie Palakodeti
Roy Leitstein
Tine Hansen-Turton, MGA, J.D., FCPP, FAAN
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.
Innovations & Sustainability In Integrated Care: The Denova Collaborative Health Case Study
Essential ingredients for successful whole person care include technical savvy, compassionate clinicians, a strong team-based approach, and financial models that make it all sustainable. Denova Collaborative Care, one of Arizona’s largest integrated outpatient providers, is changing the conversation on whole person care with its “integrated collaborative healthcare” approach that delivers all the essentials and more. Denova’s model combines holistic team-based care and delivery of primary, behavioral health, and social treatments with medical case management and patient progress tracking. This winning combination is expanding Denova’s reach into new markets and attracting value-based payer partnerships from around Arizona and across the country.
Key takeaways from this session include:
- Understand Denova’s successful formula for holistic “integrated collaborative care”
- Discover how whole person care financing models support clinical quality, care management, and market expansion
- Learn about Denova’s suite of trademarked health assessment tools for monitoring satisfaction and symptom management
Graham Johnson, MAcc, CPA
As the CEO of Denova Collaborative Health, Graham spearheads the strategic vision and operational success of the company. With a direct supervisory role over key executives, Graham’s leadership extends across various departments. Before taking on the role of CEO, he was an integral team member as Denova’s CFO, bringing extensive experience from a 15-year tenure at Deloitte & Touche. His expertise in audit engagements and financial strategy in diverse sectors like Technology and Healthcare helped bolster Denova’s growth. Graham’s academic achievements include a BS and a Master of Accountancy from Brigham Young University, and a CPA certification. Outside work, Graham dedicates time to mentoring youth at his church and enjoys family time with his wife and four children.
George Orras, Ph.D., LCSW, MBA
Dr. George Orras, the Chief Clinical Officer at Denova, has been pivotal in revolutionizing Arizona’s behavioral health sector. His role at Denova encompasses strategy formulation, innovation, and enhancing patient care. Dr. Orras’s professional career includes being a co-founder and CEO at Windstone Behavioral Health/Windstone Health Services, alongside his academic contributions as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Southern California. He brings a rich background in managing behavioral healthcare, clinical operations, and strategic expansion. His prior roles include executive positions at various healthcare organizations, highlighting his versatility as a clinician and leader.
Angela Roumain, RN, MPH
Angela Roumain is the Vice President of Medical Operations at Denova Collaborative Health. Angela specializes in integrating clinical expertise with operational leadership to improve care quality and outcomes. A passionate educator and advocate, they have spearheaded initiatives in perinatal mental health, health equity, and preventive care programming. Recognized for their innovative approaches to healthcare delivery, Angela is committed to fostering collaboration and advancing patient-centered care. They hold a Bachelor’s in Nursing from Arizona State University and a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Arizona.
Executive Networking Reception
Sponsored By: 
End your day by unwinding with your peers, colleagues, thought leaders, and vendors. Join us in the exhibit hall and enjoy a cocktail and hors d’oeurvres!
A New Wave Of Care: Beachfront Dinner & Product Launch Party
Sponsored By: 
Join Mend for an exclusive and immersive beachfront dinner and product launch party. Interact first-hand with groundbreaking patient engagement tools and learn from industry leaders on how Mend technology seamlessly integrates into care workflows, driving deeper connections and better outcomes in a one-of-a-kind setting. Guests will enjoy a complimentary dinner, drinks, a live DJ, and the chance to network with peers while experiencing the next wave of care against the stunning backdrop of the Gulf Coast shore.
Space is limited for this event, use the button below to submit a request to attend.
In order to ensure the highest quality experience for all attendees, RSVPs will be hand-selected based on organizational fit.
Elise Herman, M.D., FAPA
Warren Bates
Morning Yoga
Rejuvenate your creativity, focus, and mindfulness by starting your day with an all-level yoga session. This class will wake you up and get you moving for the rest of the day! Join OPEN MINDS own registered yoga instructor, Joe-Paul Naughton-Travers, RYT-200, for this fun morning activity.
Yoga mats and bottled water will be provided.
Joe Naughton-Travers, EdM
Joe Naughton-Travers, EdM has more than 30 years of experience in the health and human service field. During his tenure as a Senior Associate with OPEN MINDS since 1998, he has served as lead of dozens of client initiatives, served as editor of OPEN MINDS publications, and is the author of many groundbreaking articles and presentations.
Mr. Naughton-Travers brings to OPEN MINDS a broad range of experiences in private and public sector delivery of behavioral health and social services. He started his career as a behavioral health clinician, working in both child welfare and community mental health clinic settings. Subsequently, Mr. Naughton-Travers held a senior business operations management position for a psychiatric hospital system and its community mental health clinics. Later, he was vice president of a firm specializing in information systems and billing and receivables management for community-based mental health programs.
Since joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Naughton-Travers has developed business solutions for provider and professional organizations, state and county government, technology companies, and venture capital firms. For the past decade, over half his consulting practice has focused on aiding organizations in technology selection and implementation, including all aspects of strategic technology planning, functional specifications development, request for proposal development, vendor selection, and contracting.
He has written numerous articles, including “Winning the Human Resource Wars: Tried, True and New Strategies for Behavioral Health and Social Service Organizations,” “Five Pillars of Management Competency,” “Data Driven Decision Making: Moving to an Organizational Measurement Culture,” “Survival of the Smartest: What is Your Organization’s Information Literacy IQ?,” and “Strategic Human Resource Management: Aligning Compensation with Employee Performance and Organizational Strategy.” Mr. Naughton-Travers is also a nationally recognized speaker, having conducted hundreds of executive and professional executive training events around the nation.
Mr. Naughton-Travers received his Bachelor’s degree from Miami University of Ohio and his Masters’ of Education in Counseling Psychology from Boston University.
Executive Breakfast
Start your day off right with a hot breakfast, served in the exhibit hall. Take this time to speak with our great exhibitors and talk to peers about what you’ve heard this week!
Driving Innovation In Medicaid—The CareSource Approach To Serving Complex Health Populations
Medicaid programs serving individuals with complex needs have largely remained as fee-for-service arrangements, accounting for nearly 50% of spending. As a result, the coordination of care has been significantly fragmented, placing these individuals at increased risk of experiencing a crisis or institutionalization. (CareSource, 2021)
In this session, hear from Dr. Tracey Green, Vice President of Clinical Innovation and Product at CareSource, as she shares an inside look into CareSource’s innovative complex managed care model, which is focused on four key foundational elements – member voice and choice, medical and non-medical services, caregiver support, and quality improvement.
Tracey Green, M.D.
Dr. Tracey Green joined CareSource in April of 2023 as Vice President, Clinical Innovation and Product. Dr. Green works closely with subject matter experts across the enterprise to help us design and deliver on product development solutions and industry best practices. Dr. Green came from Molina, serving as a Chief Medicaid Officer (CMO) and has held other nationwide Medicaid managed care leadership roles in population health, trauma transformation and health equity. Dr. Green also served as the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services CMO and Division of Public and Behavioral Health State Health Officer in addition to working as a Family Practice Physician.
Measuring What Matters—The Kaiser Permanente Exploration Of Patient-Centered Outcomes & Feedback Informed Care
Treating individuals with mental health and co-occurring health conditions and social needs is proving to be a great market opportunity. But while providing comprehensive care that addresses physical, mental, and social well-being is the ultimate goal of more provider organizations, this is extremely difficult without mastering two components—feedback-informed care and patient-centered outcomes.
In patient-centered care, a consumer’s specific health needs and outcomes drive health care decisions and quality metrics. In feedback-informed care, the relationship between the consumer and clinical professional is leveraged to promote communication and allow the provider organization to know what consumers both need and want. Numerous studies have highlighted the positive impact of this consumer feedback on clinical outcomes.
During this one-hour live presentation, Stuart Buttlaire, Ph.D., Regional Director of Behavioral Health and Addiction Medicine at Kaiser Permanente, will discuss the underlying principles and framework supporting this methodology and provide insights into enhancing your organization’s practices for optimal results.
Executive attendees of this session will learn:
- Why no one theoretical approach or discipline can claim superiority over others
- Why patient-centered approaches improve clinical outcomes
- How other organizations are putting feedback-informed care into practice
Stuart Buttlaire, Ph.D., MBA
Stuart Buttlaire has over 35 years of clinical, management, and leadership experience. His career includes diverse experience in both the public and private sectors of healthcare providing leadership and direction in healthcare delivery.
Dr. Buttlaire currently serves as the Regional Director of Behavioral Health and Addiction Medicine for Kaiser Permanente. In this role, Dr. Buttlaire designs and oversees a broad continuum of services and programs for both inpatient, ambulatory, and emergency settings for mental health and addiction medicine. Dr. Buttlaire previously served as the Regional Director of Inpatient Psychiatry and Continuing Care at Kaiser Permanente and the lead Mental Health Representative within Kaiser Permanente’s State Program Initiatives including Medicaid and Medicare.
Additionally, Dr. Buttlaire served as a regional leader in the development of best practices at Kaiser Permanente. Dr. Buttlaire developed and led major program redesigns including Integrated Urgent Services for adults and youth with mental health and substance use disorders, Kaiser Permanente Post-Acute Center (SNF) Behavioral Health Program, mental health and emergency room consultation and suicide prevention, multi-family groups for adults and teens in treatment of severe psychiatric conditions, and intensive outpatient treatment programs for adults and youths. Recently, Dr. Buttlaire implemented a mobile application for eating-disordered patients that won Kaiser’s Innovation Award. Dr. Buttlaire also developed and implemented two psychiatric inpatient units at Kaiser Permanente, one of them was a medical/psychiatric unit to treat those members with both medical and psychiatric co-morbidities and the other, was a free-standing psychiatric health facility.
Additionally, Dr. Buttlaire often provides expertise and consultation on state and federal legislation and its impact on behavioral health within Kaiser Permanente, the State of California, and nationally. Dr. Buttlaire is currently the Board President of the Institute for Behavioral Health Improvement. He was selected to the American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board for Western Section after serving as AHA’s Chair of Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse section. He is currently on the Board of Directors of NAMI California, and the California Hospital Association’s Advisory Board of Behavioral Health.
Dr. Buttlaire is a graduate from the University of California, Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business with a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Health Care Management, Finance, and Marketing. Dr. Buttlaire also graduated from the California Institute of Integral Studies with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Additionally, Dr. Buttlaire holds a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from California State University, Humboldt, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Political Science from the University of Colorado.
Thought Leader Discussion
Join our keynote presenter for an interactive discussion where you can take time to ask your own questions and continue the conversation.
Tracey Green, M.D.
Dr. Tracey Green joined CareSource in April of 2023 as Vice President, Clinical Innovation and Product. Dr. Green works closely with subject matter experts across the enterprise to help us design and deliver on product development solutions and industry best practices. Dr. Green came from Molina, serving as a Chief Medicaid Officer (CMO) and has held other nationwide Medicaid managed care leadership roles in population health, trauma transformation and health equity. Dr. Green also served as the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services CMO and Division of Public and Behavioral Health State Health Officer in addition to working as a Family Practice Physician.
How Citrus Health Assesses & Improves Margin Issues For The Organization & Its Service Lines
Health and Human Service providers are expected to provide more care to consumers, increase reporting, and coordinate across more organizations than ever before. At the same time, transitioning to funding models with decreasing margins leads to fiscal instability for a frighteningly large number of organizations across the country. Mr. Garcia, Chief Financial Officer of Citrus Health, shares how they evaluate service line margins and diagnose financial issues across mental health, primary care, and foster care services. He will share how Citrus Health weighs the value of service line synergies and contracting opportunities against poorly performing services and strategies to increase margins while maintaining its mission.
During this session, attendees will:
- Identify three key metrics utilized to diagnose margin issues across service lines
- Learn how Citrus Health weighs the benefits of service line synergies against poor performance
- Discover service line improvement strategies and how Citrus Health determines when a service line is no longer in the best interest of its mission
Jose Garcia, MBA, CHCQM
Jose F. Garcia, MBA, CHCQM, brings over 30 years of experience in Health and Human services. A unique background as a former medical doctor (D. Med.), with an MBA, he has held a variety of supervisory and management positions at Citrus Health Network Inc., culminating in his current role of Chief Financial Officer.
In his role as Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Garcia has played a pivotal role alongside the CEO and COO in guiding the organization through the ever-evolving healthcare landscape. His knowledge of programs and services leads to thorough analysis of the financial position of each line of service which brings about recommendations and strategies which are instrumental in successfully navigating the challenges and opportunities for the company.
Prior to being the Chief Financial Officer Mr. Garcia served as Contract and Grants Administrator for Citrus Health Network Inc. In this role Mr. Garcia was responsible for overseeing the entire process of grants management, budget preparation and financial reporting on a large scale. This experience has equipped him with a deep understanding of the intricacies involved in financial planning and compliance.
Due to Mr. Garcias work experience providing direct services, he has been invited to present at national conferences, including The Innovation Forum in Atlanta, where he presented on Citrus Health Network’s initiatives on “Working to End Homelessness and Hunger” as well as Flexible Resources Data Driving Solutions conference in Atlanta.
Mr. Garcia is a Certified Health Care Quality Manager by the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians (ABQAURP). This certification underscores his commitment to ensuring the highest standard of quality and efficiency in healthcare delivery. Mr. Garcia has also completed the Leadership Institute with the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) gaining the necessary skills and knowledge to lead the organization in delivering high quality healthcare services and financial management.
Ivonne Ruiz, Psy.D.
Ivonne Ruiz, Psy.D., is a licensed Psychologist with over 25 years of clinical experience working clinically with severe mental illness. She completed her doctoral degree at Nova Southeastern University’s Center for Psychological Studies where she obtained extensive experience in working with children and adolescents. Afterwards, she completed her pre-doctoral internship and post-doctoral residency at Citrus Health Network (1999-2001) as a supervisor in the assessment and emergency services department. Following completion of her residency, she became a clinical coordinator for the School Based Clinical Services Program (2001-2007) where she oversaw the provision of intensive therapeutic on- site clinical services. Her work in this community setting focused on providing intensive wrap around services in order to preserve the in-home placement. Additionally, she worked closely with the training program, directly supervising both pre-doctoral interns as well as post doctoral residents in Outpatient Psychotherapy (2001-2007), as well as in the Child Crisis Stabilization Unit (CCSU) (2001-2014). Dr. Ruiz then served as clinical coordinator in the Residential Inpatient Treatment Services Program (RITS), (2007-2014) a Statewide Inpatient Psychiatric Program (SIPP), which provides behaviorally based services to children and adolescents with significant behavioral and emotional difficulties. Additionally, the program focuses on the treatment of juvenile sexual offenders, as such, she has worked closely with the Juvenile Division of the Miami Dade County Courts. As clinical supervisor for the Foster Care Program, (2014-2015) Dr. Ruiz also worked to develop a manualized group treatment protocol for survivors of human trafficking. Since 2015, Dr. Ruiz has served as clinical coordinator to the Utilization Management program working closely with Medicaid Managed Care companies as well as providers to ensure positive clinical outcomes. In 2021, care coordination teams were integrated with utilization management in order to improve clinical outcomes and decrease recidivism rates in our more intensive programs, including crisis stabilization and SIPP. Additionally, Dr. Ruiz implemented and supervises the chronic care management program focusing on the provision of care coordination to Medicare patients who have chronic conditions, and as of 2025 will be supervising the Accountable Care Organization (ACO).
From Silos To Synergy—Delivering Value-Based Whole-Person Care
Sponsored By: 
Led by David Strocchia, SVP & Managing Director of Provider Solutions, Netsmart, this engaging panel will explore how organizations can leverage data-driven strategies and innovative technologies to provide comprehensive, value-based whole-person care.
This session will showcase:
- Breaking down silos with interoperability: Enable bidirectional data communication across internal and external stakeholders to foster seamless collaboration and visibility into an individual’s complete health record.
- Facilitating whole-person care: Address behavioral, physical and social health needs holistically, whether using one platform or through interoperability, while leveraging closed-loop referrals for actionable insights and informed decisions.
- Simplifying value-based care with data-driven solutions: Streamline outcomes measurement, reporting compliance and financial sustainability while enhancing competitiveness with unified workflows for behavioral and primary care.
Learning Objectives:
1. Understand how interoperability can enhance collaboration and enable holistic care delivery across health systems and networks.
2. Strategies to integrate behavioral, physical and social health care needs into cohesive workflows, driving whole-person care and better outcomes.
3. Explore how data analytics and innovative tools can improve financial sustainability, risk management and organizational competitiveness in value-based care.
Bart Beattie, MSW
Bart joined Spurwink in 2023, before which he was the Chief Operating Officer of Pathways Human Services, a national behavioral healthcare company providing behavioral health and related educational and human services across 24 states and the District of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked in a variety of clinical and leadership roles in several behavioral healthcare organizations here in Maine. He is passionate about developing strong leaders and teams to lead and grow innovative, mission-driven organizations. A licensed Clinical Social Worker, Bart received his bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Oregon and his master’s degree in Social Work from the University of New England. He is an avid outdoorsperson and Registered Maine Guide enjoying kayaking, hiking, and skiing, and has led treks in the Himalayas among the world’s highest mountains. Bart lives on Orr’s Island with his wife, daughters and dogs, where he can be found painstakingly crafting an old cottage into his family’s home.
Julie Edwards, APN, FNP-C
Julie Edwards is the Medical Director of Integrated Care and the ISC Program at CPC, where she leads the integration of wellness and physical health into CPC programs. Julie is responsible for ensuring that client services at CPC are at the forefront of integrated, client-centered, and comprehensive whole-person care.
Dr. Yolanda Graham, FAPA, CFAACAP
As senior vice president and chief clinical/medical officer, Yolanda Graham, M.D., FAPA, DFAACAP, is responsible for overseeing Devereux’s clinical strategies, treatment and outcomes. Specifically, she works to integrate the latest scientific and medical advancements with time-tested philosophies and compassionate family engagement to provide practical, effective and efficient care for the tens of thousands of children, adolescents and adults served by the organization every year.
Graham is board certified in general psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry, and is an expert in the areas of: mental health, child advocacy, psychotropic medication management, behavioral management, childhood sexual exploitation and trauma, and the treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals. She joined Devereux in 2011 as the medical director of Devereux Georgia and, in 2016, was promoted to executive director of mental health services at Devereux. In 2018, she assumed her current position of senior vice president and chief clinical/medical officer. Graham, who is widely recognized across the nation as a leading expert in the treatment of sexually exploited children, developed and launched Devereux’s Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) program in 2012.
Prior to Devereux, Graham was the medical director at Youth Villages, Inner Harbour campus, in Douglasville, Georgia. She also served as a consultant for STRIVE, LLC, where she helped develop a clinical curriculum for commercially sexually exploited children. In addition, she worked as a clinical psychiatrist for organizations including Positive Impact, the Fulton County Metro Youth Detention Center and DeKalb County Community Service Board, among others. Graham lectures nationally, and has been published widely on issues related to child/adolescent behavioral health and the commercial exploitation of children. She is an adjunct assistant clinical professor at Morehouse School of Medicine.
Graham earned a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a Doctor of Medicine from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. She completed her residency and two fellowships at Emory University. Graham serves as president of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry’s (AACAP) Regional Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry of Eastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey, and is a member of the Advisory Board of the National Center on Child Trafficking, the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Leadership Council, Shared Hope International’s JuST Response Council, and the American Medical Association. She is the past president of the Georgia Council on Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Georgia Psychiatric Physician’s Association. In 2018, Graham was named Psychiatrist of the Year by the Georgia Psychiatric Physician’s Association. She is recognized as a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, after earning Distinguished Fellow status in 2016. She was awarded Distinguished Fellow status with AACAP in 2023.
Dave Strocchia
Dave Strocchia leads the human services and post-acute care organization for Netsmart. In this role, he works closely with the clinical, development, and product teams to ensure all Netsmart technology solutions and professional services align with client and market needs. This allows clients across our communities to thrive in emerging models of care, like value-based reimbursement.
An active participant in advancing healthcare technology since 2003, Dave’s career at Netsmart began in 2007. Over his tenure, he has held various roles in areas such as consulting, client alignment, and product management. He holds a Bachelor of Science in industrial and management engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.
Strategies To Reduce Unit Costs & Improve Contract Profitability With Mainstay Life Services & Spindletop Center
Reducing service expenses and increasing revenue for services are the foundation for improving profitability. Join Ms. Esper, Chief Financial Officer of Mainstay Life Services, as she shares proven strategies for reducing unit costs and negotiating improved contracted rates.
During this session:
- Identify the three most impactful tools for reducing unit costs and the situations in which they are most effective
- Discuss what homework should be done before any rate negotiation and what metrics should be prepared to share during the meeting
- Learn how strategies to reduce unit costs and increase rates can be factored into an organization’s strategic plan and annual budget
Jodie Esper
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.
Denise LeBlanc
Denise LeBlanc, a Groves, TX native, holds both a BBA in Finance and MBA from Lamar University and has more than 35 years of experience in the financial and accounting fields. Denise is proud to work alongside talented, caring individuals who work hard to make a difference in the lives of our clients, and does so through the oversight of the Finance, Facilities Management, Fleet Management, and Consumer Benefits teams. In addition to being a published author and board member for three local non-profits, Denise is committed to ensuring the assets of Spindletop Center are utilized transparently, responsibly, and purposefully to promote healthy living in our community.
Building Continuity Of Care By Leveraging Vital Collaborators & Community Stakeholders: The Berks Counseling Center & CPC Integrated Health Case Studies
This session is tailored for provider executives aiming to strengthen the capacity and efficiency of essential partners in providing holistic care for individuals. Participants will delve into the dynamics of collaboration, explore best practices for interprofessional communication and coordination, and acquire tools to enhance the delivery of comprehensive care across diverse settings.
In this session, attendees will develop a deep understanding of Berks Counseling Center, opening in 1977 and serving Berks County Community, growing to fit the needs of its target population and scope of services. Starting as a licensed substance abuse treatment provider, they have expanded into mental health and co-occurring disorders treatment, housing services, case management, community-based programming, peer support, physical health, and wellness services.
Then, hear how CPC Integrated Health, founded in 1960 and the largest nonprofit integrated care provider in Monmouth and Northern Ocean Counties of New Jersey, began as a Children’s Psychiatric Center and grew into adult services and community programs, becoming a certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic.
Key takeaways include:
- Gain insight into the significance of collaboration among vital stakeholders in delivering comprehensive care for consumers with complex health needs, emphasizing the integration of physical, mental, and social aspects of health
- Explore strategies for fostering effective communication, teamwork, and coordination among interdisciplinary teams, enhancing the efficiency and quality of care delivery
- Learn new approaches for overcoming barriers to collaboration and promoting a culture of shared decision-making among health care providers, community organizations, and other essential collaborators
Christine Axford, M.Ed., LPC
Christine Axford has been employed in the behavioral health field for over 38 years. She currently serves as President and CEO of Berks Counseling Center. Christine has degrees in both Counseling Psychology and Economics and Business Administration and is a licensed professional counselor in the state of PA. In addition to her role at Berks Counseling Center, Christine serves as an Adjunct Instructor at Alvernia University. Having been one of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic demonstration grantees, Berks Counseling Center is now a PA Integrated Community Wellness Center. BCC’s main offices are in urban Reading, and BCC has approximately 120 employees. Christine led BCC’s implementation of integrated physical and behavioral healthcare and its transition to the CCBHC/ICWC models of care. She has previously presented at local, state, and national workshops on these and other relevant topics in the field.
Bonnie Triebig, MS
Bonnie Triebig is a graduate of Temple University and Chestnut Hill College and has worked in the behavioral health field for over 20 years. She has been with Berks Counseling Center for 10 years and has grown from Clinician to Clinic Director in that time. Bonnie serves as Project Director for grant funding and oversees the daily operations of Berks Counseling Center while building relationships with community partners.
LeeAnn Wagner, LPC, LCADC, ACS
With over 20 years of non-profit experience working in behavioral health, LeeAnn joins the CPC team with extensive leadership expertise. She oversees all facets of information management, including technology, billing practices, quality management, corporate compliance, and data analysis. LeeAnn is committed to improving client outcomes through strategic technology use, data-driven decision-making, and ongoing improvement initiatives in alignment with CPC’s mission.
Julie Edwards, APN, FNP-C
Julie Edwards is the Medical Director of Integrated Care and the ISC Program at CPC, where she leads the integration of wellness and physical health into CPC programs. Julie is responsible for ensuring that client services at CPC are at the forefront of integrated, client-centered, and comprehensive whole-person care.
Health Plan Roundtable: The 2025 Landscape
Explore the landscape of 2025’s health care trends in innovation with executives from leading organizations. During this roundtable discussion, health plans will be presenting innovative programs they are working on in 2025, while giving providers an inside look at what’s new and on the horizon for payers. Join this interactive discussion session to gain insights into exciting advancements in the complex health care field.
Stuart Buttlaire, Ph.D., MBA
Stuart Buttlaire has over 35 years of clinical, management, and leadership experience. His career includes diverse experience in both the public and private sectors of healthcare providing leadership and direction in healthcare delivery.
Dr. Buttlaire currently serves as the Regional Director of Behavioral Health and Addiction Medicine for Kaiser Permanente. In this role, Dr. Buttlaire designs and oversees a broad continuum of services and programs for both inpatient, ambulatory, and emergency settings for mental health and addiction medicine. Dr. Buttlaire previously served as the Regional Director of Inpatient Psychiatry and Continuing Care at Kaiser Permanente and the lead Mental Health Representative within Kaiser Permanente’s State Program Initiatives including Medicaid and Medicare.
Additionally, Dr. Buttlaire served as a regional leader in the development of best practices at Kaiser Permanente. Dr. Buttlaire developed and led major program redesigns including Integrated Urgent Services for adults and youth with mental health and substance use disorders, Kaiser Permanente Post-Acute Center (SNF) Behavioral Health Program, mental health and emergency room consultation and suicide prevention, multi-family groups for adults and teens in treatment of severe psychiatric conditions, and intensive outpatient treatment programs for adults and youths. Recently, Dr. Buttlaire implemented a mobile application for eating-disordered patients that won Kaiser’s Innovation Award. Dr. Buttlaire also developed and implemented two psychiatric inpatient units at Kaiser Permanente, one of them was a medical/psychiatric unit to treat those members with both medical and psychiatric co-morbidities and the other, was a free-standing psychiatric health facility.
Additionally, Dr. Buttlaire often provides expertise and consultation on state and federal legislation and its impact on behavioral health within Kaiser Permanente, the State of California, and nationally. Dr. Buttlaire is currently the Board President of the Institute for Behavioral Health Improvement. He was selected to the American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board for Western Section after serving as AHA’s Chair of Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse section. He is currently on the Board of Directors of NAMI California, and the California Hospital Association’s Advisory Board of Behavioral Health.
Dr. Buttlaire is a graduate from the University of California, Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business with a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Health Care Management, Finance, and Marketing. Dr. Buttlaire also graduated from the California Institute of Integral Studies with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Additionally, Dr. Buttlaire holds a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from California State University, Humboldt, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Political Science from the University of Colorado.
Briana Duffy, MBA, LSW
Briana Duffy, Market President for Carelon Behavioral Health, has over 25 years of experience in behavioral health and developmental disability services. Her mission is to partner with stakeholders across the social and healthcare continuum to ensure that needed care is within reach. Through strategically focused continuous quality improvement and a bias for action, she is a proven collaborator and innovator. Briana has extensive leadership experience within the provider and payer behavioral health and developmental disability service sectors. Accomplishments include designing a model of care for one of the country’s first dual-eligible (Medicare and Medicaid) programs, helping governments and payers diversify product and service portfolios, and implementing Medicaid managed care reform across multiple states. She is a licensed social worker and holds an MBA from Cambridge College.
James Henderson
James Henderson, VP of Innovation, is a proficient management professional with over 15 years of experience in health care data management and business operations. He has successfully managed all aspects of enterprise-wide health care solution development including analysis, design, and deployment of stand-alone, and n-tiered Web-based and Client/Server software applications. His skills include needs planning, team building, project management, resource allocation, and staff management. His relevant experience includes Medicaid Management Information Systems (MMIS), managed care information systems, data warehouses, electronic health records and other large- scale data management projects.
Prior to joining ILS, James was the Physician Service Manager for PCA Humana Health Plans in Miami, Florida. He was responsible for a wide range of data management activities related to physician networks including the development of systems to integrate utilization, quality improvement and financial data into provider report cards. Later in 1996, he served as Chief Technology Officer for eHDL in Miramar, Florida where James directed a team of software engineers, database administrators, network technicians and operations staff to plan, architect, and develop enterprise software solutions for the health care marketplace.
James earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Edinburgh and a degree in Project Management from the Project Management Institute.
Knocking Down Tech Silos To Build A Financially Sustainable Future
Leveraging the right data is critical for financial leaders to be able to extract actionable insights, drive innovation, and revolutionize revenue operations. Join ContinuumCloud for an exploration of key metrics and data points every CFO needs to support long-term financial sustainability in their organizations.
Key areas of focus include:
- Managing Human Capital Margins by Role or Position: Understand how to track and optimize labor costs at the granular level to improve margins.
- Productivity Tracking with EHR and HCM Data: Learn how integrating data from EHR and HCM systems can streamline operations and enhance productivity.
- Performance Trends by Program: Leverage performance data to identify opportunities for program optimization and long-term financial growth.
Led by General Managers of Welligent and DATIS, Heather Prather and MJ Craig, this session will highlight how to unify data from multiple systems to increase productivity, improve outcomes, and secure your organization’s financial future in an increasingly competitive industry.
Gwen Koenig
Gwen Koenig brings 30 years of social work clinical and administrative experience as the Chief Of Strategic Growth for the Omni Family of Services, a national leader of child and family services in behavioral health, child welfare, and juvenile justice. Throughout her career, Gwen has led foster care, family preservation, and community mental health organizations. In 2016, Gwen transitioned from operations to business development and innovation in the human services space. She has represented companies throughout fifteen states and has been responsible for business procurement, strategic planning, grants management, staff development, and technology innovation in this role. Since 2016, Gwen has been an adjunct faculty at the Colorado State University School of Social Work, teaching courses in macro social work and nonprofit management. From 2021 to 2023, Gwen co-founded SigBee, a technology platform to improve workforce retention in human services.
Gwen holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Cincinnati. Gwen has presented at numerous national and international conferences, including a key presentation at the National Association of Child Care Workers in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. She has served on various boards and committees with the Family Focused Treatment Association and the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities, among other trade organizations. Gwen resides in Fort Collins, CO where she enjoys the beautiful outdoors with her three sons, volunteers in her community, and keeps active with her rescue animals.
Denny Morrison, Ph.D.
Dr. Dennis Morrison is the owner of Morrison Consulting which has provided consulting services to the behavioral health information technology field since 2017. In that role, he serves as Chief Clinical Officer for Eleos Health and Chief Scientist for ContinuumCloud, providers of the Welligent EHR. Prior to that, he served as the Chief Clinical Officer for Netsmart Technologies from 2012 through 2017. From 2008-2012, he served as CEO of Centerstone Research Institute (CRI). CRI was recognized in IBM’s Smarter Planet Series and won the Best Practices Award from TDWI (Transforming Data With Intelligence) for Leading Innovations in Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing. From 1995-2008, Dr. Morrison was the CEO of one of the merger partners that created Centerstone – Center for Behavioral Health (CBH). Under his leadership, CBH won the Joint Commission of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) Ernest A. Codman Award for excellence in the use of outcomes measurement and the Health Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Nicholas E. Davies Award for Excellence in the implementation of Electronic Health Records (EHR). CBH is still the only organization in the world to have won both awards.
Academically, Dr. Morrison holds two master’s degrees in Psychology and Exercise Physiology from Ball State University. His doctorate is in Counseling Psychology also from Ball State University. In 2022, Ball State awarded him the Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest award given to an alum. He is a prolific author, frequent presenter (including a TEDx talk), podcast host and co-inventor on a patent for a behavioral healthcare outcomes software product. He has served on numerous academic and non-profit boards and was a founder and board member for the International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership (IIMHL) now Global Leadership Exchange. He was an officer in the United States Navy and received his Aerospace Physiologist wings training, among others, members of TOPGUN in the physiological hazards of flight and land and water survival. He is a licensed, instrument-rated private pilot and triathlete completing 19 triathlons since turning 70.
MJ Craig
MJ Craig serves as the General Manager of DATIS e3, where she plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of the platform. With her deep understanding of product dynamics and a keen ability to translate complex customer needs into actionable strategies, MJ is dedicated to positioning DATIS e3 as the premier HCM & Payroll solution specifically designed for behavioral health organizations.
With over a decade of experience at DATIS and ContinuumCloud, MJ has been instrumental in the platform’s growth and success. Her innovative approach and forward-thinking vision have played an essential part in driving product enhancements that evolve the platform and support behavioral health leaders in achieving their mission. Under her leadership, DATIS e3 is not only advancing as a top-tier solution but also setting new standards for excellence in the industry.
Heather Prather
Chief Executive Officer Networking Lunch
If you’re the Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director of an OPEN MINDS member organization, join us for this private networking luncheon. This is an opportunity to share leadership experiences and solutions with your peers from across the nation. Our host for the luncheon is Monica E. Oss, Chief Executive Officer and Kim Bond, Executive Vice President at OPEN MINDS. (To register, contact Erin Deppen, Education Events Manager, at 717-334-1329 or edeppen@openminds.com.)
Monica E. Oss
Monica E. Oss, M.S. is the founder of OPEN MINDS and serves as its chief executive officer, executive editor of its publications and websites, and executive lead of its consulting engagements. For the past three decades, Ms. Oss has led the OPEN MINDS team and its research on health and human service market trends and its national consulting practice. She is well known for her numerous books and articles focused on the strategic and marketing implications of the evolving health and human service field – and its focus on the verticals of the field serving consumers with chronic conditions and complex support needs.
Ms. Oss has extensive experience in developing and implementing growth strategies for a wide array of organizations in the field. She has expertise in industry trend analysis, reimbursement, rate setting, and creating actionable plans for market success. In her role, she has led numerous engagements with state Medicaid plans, county governments, private insurers, and health plans, service provider organizations, technology vendors, neurotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations, and investment banking firms – with a focus on the implications of financing changes on delivery system design.
Prior to founding OPEN MINDS, Ms. Oss served as an executive with a nationally managed behavioral health organization, responsible for market development, actuarial analysis, and capitation-based rate setting. She also held a position as vice president of the U.S. risk management and underwriting division of an international insurance company.
Ms. Oss has been the keynote speaker at the conferences of dozens of national associations and has been published in a wide range of professional journals and trade publications. She has provided Congressional and state legislative testimony on issues as diverse as the financial impact of parity and payer medication access policies.
Ms. Oss has led a range of industry research and consultation initiatives, serving as principal investigator on research projects that include the examination of national managed care enrollment and service patterns, development of provider rate structures for government entities, creation of return-on-investment models for technology investments; design of performance-based compensation models within public and private health plans; and analysis of the economic impact of changes in benefit design, adoption of evidence-based practices, and new technologies.
Kimberly Bond, MS
Kimberly Bond, MS, LMFT, brings more than 30 years of experience providing behavioral health treatment in the public and community settings to the OPEN MINDS team. She currently serves as the Executive Vice President of Business Development. In this role, Ms. Bond focuses on growing the OPEN MINDS client portfolio across all nine verticals of OPEN MINDS business.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Bond served concurrently as a Program Coordinator III and Clinical Manager of Adult Services and a Program Coordinator II and Clinical Manager of Recovery Services for the Ozark Guidance Center. In these roles, Ms. Bond was responsible for the administrative and clinical oversight of the adult outpatient and adult intensive mental health services on the Springdale Campus as well as the adult recovery/co-occurring services, including domestic violence and anger management treatment.
Prior to joining the Ozark Guidance Center, Ms. Bond served as the Executive Vice President of Center Point, Inc, a large substance abuse provider agency in California. In this role, Ms. Bond was responsible for the clinical and administrative supervision of all community-based programs as well as the women and children residential programs. In addition, Ms. Bond also managed budgets, interacted with funding agencies, and built positive relationships with all stakeholders. Ms. Bond was also in charge of proposal and grant writing, staff management, and training, facilities’ licensing and certifications renewals. Additionally, she prepared and submitted monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual reports to various funders.
Previously, Ms. Bond served as the President and CEO of Mental Health Systems, Inc. Ms. Bond was very instrumental in growing the agency from $12 million in annual revenue to more than $100 million and becoming one of the largest providers of behavioral health services in California. In this role, Ms. Bond was responsible for the strategic, clinical, financial, and administrative health of the agency, including direct supervision of Senior Executive Staff. In addition, Bond ensured contract compliance of the agency’s 125 different contracts across federal and state agencies and eight counties.
Ms. Bond received her bachelor’s degree in psychology, with honors, and her master’s degree in counseling education from San Diego State University. She is licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist in both California and Arkansas.
Lunch On Your Own
Enjoy Rusty’s Bistro or Mainstay Tavern conveniently located inside the Sheraton Sand Key resort!
Post Lunch Pick Me Up & Raffle
Sponsored By: 
Get energized for the next round of sessions with a local popcorn bar, sodas and infused water in the exhibit hall! Thank you to FasPsych for this post lunch break.
We will also have our much-anticipated raffle drawing at 1:15pm, so come see if you’ve won any of the great prizes provided by our generous sponsors! (Must be present to win!)
Paul M. Duck
Paul M. Duck brings more than 40 years of experience in leadership and management focusing on managed care, health information technology organizations, strategy, business development, and market expansion, and customer experience optimization to the OPEN MINDS team.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Duck served as the Vice President, Strategy & Development at Beacon Health Options. In this role, Mr. Duck led the organization’s strategy and business development efforts, which led to a 30% increase in net revenue and initiated more than $1 billion in revenue generation. Mr. Duck was active in national behavioral health initiatives as an executive of Beacon Health Options, including participating as a speaker at national and state association meetings.
Before joining Beacon Health Options, Mr. Duck was the Vice President of Business Development at Netsmart Technologies. During his tenure, Mr. Duck was responsible for business planning including the oversight of strategic activities including acquisitions, development, and execution of strategic initiatives, and positioning, and sales of large strategic customers. He also led the rollout of the company’s benchmarking and data analytics product suite.
Prior to Netsmart, Mr. Duck served as the Chief Executive Officer for Coastal Orthopedics and Pain Management, a large group practice with five clinic locations and two ambulatory surgical centers. As the organization’s chief executive officer, Mr. Duck was responsible for significant positive changes in leadership and corporate culture, financial and operational performance, compliance, and governance. Mr. Duck improved net collections by over $1 million per month and grew the practice through negotiating better contract rates with payers. He also implemented an organizational rebranding initiative and launched a new marketing campaign.
Prior to Coastal Orthopedics and Pain Management, Mr. Duck served as the President and Chief Executive Officer for Florida Radiology Imaging, one of the largest outpatient diagnostic imaging service companies serving the greater Orlando market. During his tenure, Mr. Duck led the construction of three new, full modality, diagnostic imaging locations. Mr. Duck revolutionized the company’s culture by creating a highly attractive and functional work environment.
Mr. Duck earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from Case Western Reserve University. He earned his Associate of Arts in Electronic Engineering Technology from the Electronic Technology Institute. Mr. Duck received an award by Inc magazine for leading Florida Radiology Imaging as one of America’s fastest-growing companies. Mr. Duck recently served as a contributing author to the book The New Health Age: The Future of Health Care in America.
Financial Sustainability Through Participation In Provider Networking: The WakeMed Case Study For Increasing Consumer Volume
Contracts for consumer care are increasingly being awarded to larger organizations capable of simplifying payers’ referral, coordination, and data reporting needs. Mr. Klatt, Executive Director of WakeMed’s Behavioral Health Network, shares how and why he recently brought together 17 outpatient behavioral health organizations to win contracts that increase all organizations’ patient volumes and associated overall rates. This session will:
- Showcase how smaller organizations have partnered together to compete for larger contracts
- Examine critical performance and metrics required for developing high-performing behavioral health provider networks
- Learn about the national trend where providers are winning management contracts from payers, that they then subcontract out services to their peer organizations
Thomas Klatt
Behavioral health and substance use issues consistently top the list of priorities to address for communities throughout the United States, and Wake County is no exception. As the Executive Director of the Behavioral Health Network, Thomas Klatt is leading a comprehensive, first-of-its-kind strategy to help behavioral health patients receive the right care, in the right environment, at the right time. Tom is stationed at WakeMed, the convening entity of an innovative effort to bring together behavioral health leaders in the county and region in developing a multi-disciplinary integrated network of inpatient, outpatient, and community-based organizations. Together, their goal is to provide enhanced access to the care behavioral health patients and their families need and deserve.
Tom brings more than 35 years of experience in behavioral health care delivery to WakeMed and Wake County.
Lessons In Cybersecurity—How Shura, Inc. Assesses External Risks In A Growing Organization
The health care sector is evolving digitally, and providers are facing various internal and external threats. This underscores the need for a profound reassessment of external risks and control tactics across the organization.
Join us to hear Shura, Inc., a premier provider of support services for intellectual and developmental disabilities, discuss their cybersecurity attack, the investigation, and how they worked with cybersecurity specialists to tackle this tough issue.
Attendees will leave with:
- Updates on the evolving risks of cybersecurity
- Strategies for developing and running cybersecurity risk assessments
- Technology tools for mitigating cybersecurity risks
Tarika Boyd
Tarika Boyd is a seasoned leader with decades of experience at Shura Incorporated, where she has served as Executive Director and CEO since 2020, overseeing an operating budget of $13 million. Throughout her tenure, she has held key leadership roles, including Assistant to the Leadership Team, Human Resources Director, and Deputy Director of Programs under the organization’s founding CEO. Now at the helm, Tarika is committed to expanding Shura’s mission and vision, ensuring that individuals in need receive comprehensive, high-quality services.
In her role, she provides strategic oversight of all operations, supervises departmental directors, and collaborates closely with the executive leadership team and Board of Directors. Tarika’s expertise lies in coordinating service delivery systems across multiple regions in Maryland, supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), physical disabilities, emotional and behavioral disorders, and trauma. Under her leadership, Shura offers a broad range of services, including meaningful day programs, employment and residential services, behavioral health support, and other essential resources that empower individuals to lead fulfilling lives as active members of their communities. She is deeply committed to strengthening organizational leadership, enhancing service quality, and fostering a culture of compassion and inclusion.
Tarika holds a bachelor’s degree in counseling psychology from Coppin State University and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in strategic communications from University of Maryland Global Campus.
Evaluating Your Leadership Structure For Enhanced Performance Optimization
As organizations build capacity for and embrace growth, a key challenge that arises is how to structure leadership and which management styles best support the changing business models.
This session will also touch on the topics of reconfiguring how people report in the organization, how they view leadership, and how they fulfill their roles. Being able to change staffing, reporting, and accountability will make any strategic plan go higher, farther, and faster with a more reliable and consistent outcome
In this engaging session learn from industry leaders who have had to reevaluate, restructure, and embrace new management styles to support organizational capacity for growth.
In this session, attendees will explore:
- Key strategies for assessing your leadership structure
- Approaches for structuring leadership across early, middle, and late-stage maturity
- Real-world examples of how leading organizations have restructured and realigned leadership teams and management styles to support organizational growth
Joel Conger, MBA
Joel Conger is a highly experienced professional with a distinguished career spanning over 30 years in the behavioral health community in Arizona. Currently, he holds the esteemed position of Arizona Market President for Connections Health Solutions, a leading organization dedicated to serving the behavioral health needs of individuals in the state. Under his leadership, Connections Health Solutions successfully serves approximately 30,000 Arizonans each year who are facing behavioral health crises.
Before joining Connections Health Solutions, Joel served as the Associate Vice President of Behavioral Health for Molina Healthcare. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in the procurement of integrated healthcare contracts across multiple states, including Iowa, Nebraska, Indiana, and California. His strategic contributions were instrumental in expanding the reach of behavioral health services and ensuring the seamless integration of care for diverse populations.
Joel’s expertise lies in the domain of public sector behavioral health service delivery, where he possesses acute knowledge from both the health plan perspective and as a network provider. This comprehensive understanding allows him to navigate the complexities of braided funding mechanisms, encompassing state, federal, and grant funding. His ability to navigate and optimize these funding streams has resulted in enhanced access to vital behavioral health services for countless individuals in need.
Throughout his career, Joel has demonstrated exceptional leadership and accountability, consistently driving positive change and improving the lives of those with behavioral health challenges. His extensive experience and in-depth understanding of the field make him a trusted authority in the behavioral health community in Arizona and beyond.
Joel Conger is committed to making a difference in the lives of individuals facing behavioral health crises, and his contributions continue to shape the landscape of behavioral healthcare delivery in Arizona.
The Path To Financial Sustainability: How To Estimate The Financial Resources Required For Growth
All organizations are focused on growth opportunities, but estimating the financial resources required for growth can be difficult. In an industry primed for heavy consolidation over the next few years, do you have the resources to be the acquirer, or does your financial position suggest you be the one acquired? Whether you are interested in growth organically or through acquisition, being able to objectively calculate where your organization stands financially is the first step most organizations have been missing.
During this session, hear from OPEN MINDS’ Senior Associate, Ray Wolfe, as he breaks down his financial assessment tool and the key metrics every organization needs to know when reviewing their financial sustainability.
Then hear from Greg Santilli, Chief Financial Officer of Hillsides, a leading health and human services nonprofit organization, who will share real-world examples of how the organization has created its own financial sustainability and the tools they used to assess service lines, create revenue diversification and cut unnecessary expenses.
During this session, attendees will:
- Identify the metrics and formulas to calculate financial growth requirements objectively
- Learn key indicators for an organization that suggests difficulty in growth without external intervention
Greg Santilli, CPA, CIA
Greg P. Santilli, CPA, CIA, was appointed Chief Financial Officer in February 2021 and is responsible for all finances of Hillsides and its affiliate Bienvenidos. Prior to this role, Greg was the Director of Accounting and Financial Reporting for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and before that, he was the Chief Financial Officer for New Horizons: Serving Individuals with Special Needs.
Greg brings to Hillsides extensive for-profit and nonprofit experience across multiple industries. This experience includes financial reporting and analysis, financial planning, budgeting and forecasting, internal auditing, treasury management, and staff member participation in nonprofit finance, development, strategic planning, facilities, and risk management committees.
After losing his only sibling brother to suicide in 2005, Greg became a staunch mental health advocate. He is an Advisory Board Member for Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services’ Survivor After Suicide (SAS) Program, is a trained co-facilitator for the SAS program, and attends monthly SAS drop-in meetings to provide newer survivors of suicide loss with a sense of hope and purpose. Greg’s mental health and suicide prevention commitment includes congressional advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C. while he was a board member of the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Greg has a strong commitment to community service, which includes being a former member of the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocesan Finance Council and former Finance Council Chair at Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Church in Santa Clarita for eight years where he led a capital campaign that resulted in the construction of the second-largest Catholic church in the Los Angeles Archdiocese; and former Treasurer and Board Member of the Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry for four years.
Greg holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, Option in Accounting from California State University, Northridge, and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in California. He also holds a Certified Internal Auditor designation. In 2017 he was recognized with the CFO of the Year designation by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal.
Ray Wolfe, J.D.
Raymond “Ray” Wolfe, J.D. brings over 40 years of experience in the health and human services sector to the OPEN MINDS team. Mr. Wolfe currently serves as a Senior Associate, a position in which he utilizes his expertise to successfully lead varying projects for OPEN MINDS. His areas of expertise include financial analysis and management, mergers and acquisitions, performance improvement, and strategic planning.
Before joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Wolfe served in a 22 year tenure with Pittsburgh Mercy Health System in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Most recently, Mr. Wolfe served as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) where he was responsible for oversight of all system operations, strategic planning, and performance management. Under his direction Pittsburgh Mercy achieved over $850K in value-based reimbursement contract quality bonus awards, integrated three organizations through merger/acquisition, and adopted a new performance management program for managers.
Before acting as Pittsburgh Mercy’s COO, Mr. Wolfe served as the organization’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and was responsible for the development of internal costing methodologies, contract rate negotiations, and financial forecasting activities. In addition, he coordinated an integrated care program with local partner hospitals to develop a series of diversion and respite programs, as well as, specialized primary care, integrated care management and high utilizer teams, while maintaining 15 straight years profitability.
Mr. Wolfe was promoted to CFO after serving as the Director of Fiscal and Information Security/Compliance for the health system. In this role, he was responsible for managing the transition of service contracts from fee-for-service (FFS), leading all compliance activities, and implementing a next generation electronic health record (EHR) system.
Prior to his time at Pittsburgh Mercy Health System, Mr. Wolfe served as Chief Fiscal Officer with the Summit Center for Human Development in Clarksburg, West Virginia, where he was responsible for reporting and budgeting functions and preparing Summit Center’s programs for FFS billing.
Previously, Mr. Wolfe served in billing and collections for two Pennsylvania-based hospitals. First, as an Accounts Receivables Manager for Brownsville General Hospital in Brownsville, PA, where he managed the accounting and billing system transition systems. Later as a Patient Account Manager for St. Francis Medical Center in Pittsburgh, PA, where he improved collections to hit 95% rate through the implementation of new billing software and department reorganization.
Prior to working in the health and human services market, Mr. Wolfe spent five years practicing as a Lawyer with at Law Offices of Arch A. Moore in Moundsville, WV. In this role he provided general legal practice, created and established bylaws for multiple corporation, and handled West Virginia licensing of first vision insurance plan.
Mr. Wolfe earned his Juris Doctor from the West Virginia University School of Law in Morgantown, WV and his Bachelor’s degree with a focus in Political Science and Sociology from West Liberty University, in Wheeling, WV, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.
Surprise! Sustainability & Survival In A Time Of Market Chaos
To go the distance and stay competitive amidst changing market trends executive teams performance is key, but improving performance begins with an internal examination of programs and services, finances, technology systems, staffing, operations….and the list goes on. Balance and growth come from monitoring and managing these internal processes and identifying the need to make strategic adjustments along the way. In her closing keynote, Monica E. Oss will discuss planning not only for success and sustainability, but for performance excellence and the necessary characteristics for becoming a performance-based organization.
Monica E. Oss
Monica E. Oss, M.S. is the founder of OPEN MINDS and serves as its chief executive officer, executive editor of its publications and websites, and executive lead of its consulting engagements. For the past three decades, Ms. Oss has led the OPEN MINDS team and its research on health and human service market trends and its national consulting practice. She is well known for her numerous books and articles focused on the strategic and marketing implications of the evolving health and human service field – and its focus on the verticals of the field serving consumers with chronic conditions and complex support needs.
Ms. Oss has extensive experience in developing and implementing growth strategies for a wide array of organizations in the field. She has expertise in industry trend analysis, reimbursement, rate setting, and creating actionable plans for market success. In her role, she has led numerous engagements with state Medicaid plans, county governments, private insurers, and health plans, service provider organizations, technology vendors, neurotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations, and investment banking firms – with a focus on the implications of financing changes on delivery system design.
Prior to founding OPEN MINDS, Ms. Oss served as an executive with a nationally managed behavioral health organization, responsible for market development, actuarial analysis, and capitation-based rate setting. She also held a position as vice president of the U.S. risk management and underwriting division of an international insurance company.
Ms. Oss has been the keynote speaker at the conferences of dozens of national associations and has been published in a wide range of professional journals and trade publications. She has provided Congressional and state legislative testimony on issues as diverse as the financial impact of parity and payer medication access policies.
Ms. Oss has led a range of industry research and consultation initiatives, serving as principal investigator on research projects that include the examination of national managed care enrollment and service patterns, development of provider rate structures for government entities, creation of return-on-investment models for technology investments; design of performance-based compensation models within public and private health plans; and analysis of the economic impact of changes in benefit design, adoption of evidence-based practices, and new technologies.