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Tim Swinfard is the president and CEO of Compass Health Network. Compass is large Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic and Federally Qualified Health Center with over 2,600 employees serving 35 counties in Missouri. He previously served as chief executive officer of the Missouri Coalition of Community Mental Health Centers. The Coalition has led efforts in Missouri to integrate primary care with behavioral healthcare and to implement disease management services for those with co-morbid chronic health conditions. Swinfard earned a bachelor of science in psychology from the Missouri University of Science and Technology and a master of science in counseling from Missouri State University. He is a licensed professional counselor. He serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and is a former Chairperson of the Board of the Missouri Foundation for Health.
Susie Huhn is the CEO of Casa de los Ninos a nationally accredited child welfare and behavioral health organization providing a comprehensive network of services promoting safe and stable families. Casa de los Ninos has a staff of 350 employees and over 150 volunteers.
Susie Huhn holds a Master Degree in Organizational Management and has over 35 years experience in the provision of Human Services in Arizona. During the last 10 years Susie has grown Casa de los Ninos from a small single service organization to a diverse organization integrating child abuse prevention programs, child welfare and behavioral health services touching the lives of over 5,000 children and 3600 families.
In addition to her paid positions Ms Huhn works on many boards and committees, at a local state and national level with a focus on child welfare, behavioral health, early childhood education, and child abuse prevention. Ms Huhn has held leadership roles with the Arizona Council of Human Service Providers( state trade association), Past Chair and current Advocacy Chair and Treasurer and Child Welfare League of America. Susie is also current chair of a statewide child abuse prevention agency Prevent Child Abuse Arizona.
Edward Woods was first appointed to the Board of Directors for LifeWays Community Mental Health in 1990. Mr. Woods has served on the boards of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce, Jackson County Community Foundation, The Enterprise Group, Jackson Area Manufacturers Association, Jackson County Foster Care Review Board, National Association of Foster Care Reviewers, Allegiance Health Quality Council, and Catholic Charities. In 2010 Mr. Woods was elected to serve as president of the Michigan Association of Community Mental Health Boards (MACMHB), is an active member of the MACMHB Executive committee, and is chairperson of the MACMHB Cultural Diversity Committee. On March 27, 2012, Ed was reappointed to the LifeWays Board by the Jackson County Commissioners for another 3-year term. During his tenure at LifeWays, he has held every board officer position and has chaired all board standing committees at least once.
Dr. Vitka Eisen is the CEO of HealthRIGHT 360, a Federally Qualified Health Center and one of the largest providers of behavioral health services to homeless and low income individuals in California. With over 25 years of experience in the human services field, Dr. Eisen has dedicated her career to supporting people and communities struggling with addiction and incarceration through the provision of integrated, compassionate, and relevant care. Since being named CEO of HealthRIGHT 360 in 2010, Dr. Eisen has led the organization through seven mergers, growing the organization to serve over 40,000 individuals annually.
Dr. Eisen earned an M.S.W. from San Francisco State University, and a Doctorate in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is a person in long term recovery from substance use disorder; having participated in treatment 30 years ago at the agency she now leads.
Jeff Richardson has served as the Executive Director of Mosaic Community Services (MCS) part of the Sheppard Pratt Health System, for twenty-three years and brings over thirty years of experience in behavioral health. He has been instrumental in Mosaic’s growth to become the largest community-based behavioral health service provider in Maryland. Sheppard Pratt is Maryland’s largest provider of mental health, special education, and substance use services, helping more than 70,000 individuals annually.
Mr. Richardson holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Maryland and a master’s in business administration from Loyola University.
Forrestal has nearly 20 years’ experience guiding, developing and implementing legislative strategy and policy at the federal level, and with state legislatures, business and healthcare communities. She served as the CBHC Director of Public Policy/Lobbyist prior to joining the U.S, Department of Health and Human Services as the Regional Outreach Specialist in 2010. She served as the Executive Officer/Senior Intergovernmental Affairs Specialist. Prior to becoming Chief Executive Officer of the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council.
Melanie Brown Woofter is currently the President/CEO of the Florida Behavioral Health Association (FBHA), a non-profit organization representing community mental health and substance abuse treatment providers statewide. FBHA a result of the consolidation of two long standing respected organizations, the Florida Council for Community Mental Health and the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association. The FBHA’s members include a broad range of provider types, ranging from small specialty organizations to comprehensive treatment organizations with multiple locations within a geographic region. With over 70 provider members, the FBHA is the largest BH association in Florida and is considered a thought leader for behavioral health policy and practice. The FBHA works closely with state partners including the Agency for Healthcare Administration/Medicaid, the Department of Children and Families and the Florida legislature and is the voice for both providers and their 250,000+ clients.
Melanie is an active member of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, currently serving as Chair of the Public Policy Committee. Additionally, she serves on several state level committees was recently appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to his Re-Open Florida Task Force, and to the Statewide Task Force on Opioid Abuse.
Before joining the FBHA, she held a variety of positions with the Agency for Health Care Administration including bureau chief of Medicaid managed care. Melanie holds a BSN from the University of Florida, attended the graduate program in Nursing at University of Texas at Austin and has held numerous clinical positions in neuroscience in Florida and Texas.
At-Large Directors
Topher Hansen started his career in the behavioral health field as a volunteer for the Drug Crisis Center in 1975. After a brief time as a counselor with CenterPointe, Topher attended law school and practiced law from 1985-1993. During his time in private practice, he also served as a CenterPointe Board member and as legal counsel for the organization. In 1993, he returned to the CenterPointe staff as Director of Development/Legal Counsel. He became Executive Director in 2000. Topher has served on numerous local and state committees to help develop Nebraska’s policies and delivery of behavioral health services.
Dr. Carl Clark’s early experience with his father’s bipolar disorder sparked a commitment to helping people with mental illness regain their lives, hopes and aspirations. As President & Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Center of Denver, Dr. Clark leads the organization in “focusing on what people can do, not what they can’t do. He is dedicated to achieving the organization’s vision of touching all lives in Denver and creating extraordinary experiences that improve well-being.
Dr. Clark’s has extensive involvement at the local, State and national levels. Dr. Clark’s colleagues and the Denver community recognize his valuable contributions. Dr. Clark joined the Mental Health Center of Denver in 1989. He became the Medical Director in 1991, Chief Executive Officer in 2000 and President & CEO in 2014.
Over ten years ago, Dr. Clark challenged the Mental Health Center of Denver to be “The Center of Excellence” with the best and most innovative mental health services in the country. Since then he has led the way in delivering strengths-based, person-centered, culturally-proficient services as well as employing trauma-informed, evidence-based practices.
Under his leadership, the Mental Health Center of Denver has recently been named a finalist for a 2018 World Changing Idea Award from Fast Company Magazine, and recently won the 2018 Excellence in Behavioral Healthcare Management Award from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. The Mental Health Center of Denver is proud to be a Denver Post Top Work Place for 7 years running.
Mark Fontaine serves as Executive Advisor to the Florida Behavioral Health Association (FBHA) and Director of the Services Association of FBHA. In 2019 he was instrumental in merging the four Florida mental health and substance use disorder associations into one unified behavioral health association, FBHA, with both a Services and Advocacy association supporting the work of FBHA. The Association has a budget of $22 million with a staff of 25 professionals.
Mr. Fontaine participates in the development of public policy efforts specializing in substance abuse and justice initiatives. His experience includes behavioral medicine, substance use disorder prevention and treatment, mental health, juvenile and adult corrections, and recovery initiatives.
Prior experience includes serving as Executive Director of the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association, Executive Director of the Florida Juvenile Justice Association and Project Manager for the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD).
Mr. Fontaine is on the Board of Directors of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and serves as Chair of the Addictions Committee. He is a Governor Scott appointee to the State of Florida Drug Policy Advisory Council and serves as President of Floridians for Recovery. He has been providing leadership in the behavioral health and justice fields for over 40 years.
Mark Fontaine has a Master’s in social work (MSW) degree from Florida State University, holds Certified Addiction Professional (CAP) and Certified Criminal Justice Addiction Professional (CCJAP) credentials, and is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) with the American Society of Association Executives. In 2019, Mr. Fontaine was the recipient of National Council for Mental Wellbeing Visionary Leadership Award.
Brigitte D. Johnson, Esq., is a licensed attorney with over thirty years’ experience in the legal field. Employed at Care Plus, NJ since 1998, recruited initially as a Director, she was promoted to the position of Vice President in 2001 and Sr. Vice President in 2015.
As a member of the Executive Management team of Care Plus, she provides input and oversight on major operational decisions of the Agency including financial, budgetary, and employee relations, future expansion, development and compliance. As General Counsel, she manages all legal affairs of the Agency, including but not limited to contract negotiations, insurance, regulatory matters, and lawsuits. As a member of the Board of Trustee’s Governance committee, Ms. Johnson has assisted with the Board’s re-organization, bylaw revisions and creation of subsidiary corporations and development of corporate strategies including potential mergers and affiliations.
For the past 10 years, Ms. Johnson has served as lead counsel on the establishment of three (3) non-profit subsidiary corporations of the parent organization Care Plus NJ, Inc., one (1) for profit LLC and in 2017, one (1) stand-alone non-profit management entity. In the formation of the stand-alone entity, in 2017, Ms. Johnson served as lead counsel in Care Plus NJ’s bid and eventually the negotiation of a contract to manage Bergen County’s psychiatric hospital (formerly Bergen Regional Medical Center), one of the largest such hospitals in the State of NJ. With the formation of Care Plus Bergen, Inc. (the non-profit management corporation), she lead negotiations for the sublease and lease management agreement with the County of Bergen, employment contract with the CEO and third party operating agreements. Further, Ms. Johnson lead efforts to transition operations of the hospital, the employment of over 2000 employees (including C-Suite executives and unionized employees) and the establishment of Board of Trustees, under the new management structure of Care Plus Bergen, with the renaming of the hospital now known as New Bridge Medical Center.
As Sr. Vice President, Ms. Johnson is responsible for supervising the Human Resources, Quality Assurance (includes Privacy and Compliance), Information Management, Clinical Informatics and Information Technology departments. She also supervises the Work Incentive Services Division of Care Plus NJ.
Ms. Johnson serves as Executive Director over Care Plus Workforce Solutions, Inc., one of the non-profit subsidiaries of Care Plus NJ, which houses several business tracks: Care Plus Laundry, Care Plus Laser Imaging and Care Plus Janitorial. Over the past several years, she has taken CPWS from an annual gross of $15,000 to $6 million. This company provides employment and training opportunities for the disabled and economically disadvantaged through the sales of goods and services to the end-users. Goods sold are shipped nationwide, laundry and janitorial services span throughout Northern NJ regions.
Admitted to New Jersey Bar 1988
J.D. Howard University School of Law, 1987
BA Cum Laude, Virginia State University, 1984
Memberships:
Legal and Professional: Member Healthcare Compliance Association, New Jersey Bar Association, Association of Corporate Council, American Healthcare Lawyer, American Health Information Management Association, and Former Chair Bergen County Youth Investment Council.
Regional Directors
Region I
Heather M. Gates, MBA, is the President/CEO of Community Health Resources (CHR), the most comprehensive, nonprofit behavioral health care organization in Connecticut. Under her direction, CHR has remained true to its core vision of providing expert mental health and addiction services to people of all ages and has expanded its scope to also provide primary care, supportive housing, therapeutic foster care and a range of other critical services.
Prior to coming to Connecticut Ms. Gates worked in the Western Massachusetts community service system in a variety of capacities since 1976. Her first role was as a legal advocate representing individual’s rights as well as participating in the oversight of the implementation of the Brewster V. Dukakis Consent Degree. Ms. Gates went on to become the Executive Director of a small supported housing program in Holyoke and later worked for the Department of Mental Health as the Director of Managed Care for the Holyoke/Chicopee Area. In all of these positions Ms. Gates provided leadership for system change and reforms.
Ms. Gates is a member of the Medicaid Behavioral Health Partnership Oversight Council and served on the state’s Alcohol and Drug Policy Council. She currently is co-chair of the Public Policy Committee for the Connecticut Nonprofit Alliance and is a member of the Practice Transformation Task Force for the Connecticut SIM. Ms. Gates received her BA from Hampshire College and her MBA from the University of Massachusetts Isenberg School of Management.
Karin Jeffers is President & CEO of Western MA-based nonprofit community behavioral health agency Clinical & Support Options Inc. (CSO). She has served in this role since 2005. During her tenure at the helm, the agency has grown from a $4 Million organization with fewer than 90 employees across just three Western MA locations to what is now a $45 million agency with more than 750 employees at 20 locations across Western and Central Mass. CSO’s service area includes both rural and urban settings, giving Jeffers’ a unique understanding of the challenges of service delivery and staffing challenges across the spectrum of demographics. A major focus of development at CSO under Jeffers’ leadership has been the shift to a trauma informed care (TIC) healthcare delivery system and a commitment to continuous quality improvement through a TIC lens.
From 1992 through 2005, Jeffers worked at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (MSPCC), beginning her career as a clinician and ending her tenure there as Western MA Regional Director.
In 2005, Jeffers joined Clinical & Support Options Inc. (CSO) as President and CEO. Under Jeffers’ leadership, CSO has seen year-over-year growth in both revenue and program expansion. The agency has added more than 650 jobs in the last decade and prides itself as a community collaborator. CSO has earned national accreditation and has been awarded several key State and Federal grants, including two SAMHSA CCBHC grant awards. CSO provides mental health and addiction services; is the designated Emergency Services behavioral health crisis services provider in two counties; is a designated CCBHC; has two Fountain-house model Clubhouses; and operates a large homeless shelter providing integrated medical, behavioral health, housing and shelter supports.
Jeffers’ has been an advocate on the State and Federal level for behavioral health issues during her tenure in the field, and has served on the Board of Directors for the Association for Behavioral Health since 2010, including serving as the ABH board Chair and as the Children’s CEO Committee chair, currently holding the Emergency Services Program CEO Committee Chair role. She also sits on the ABH MassHealth (Medicaid) executive committee and the Medicaid-convened Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative stakeholder workgroup.
In addition to her role with ABH and membership with the National Council for Behavioral Health, Jeffers advocacy has included roles on the local Department of Children and Families Advisory board; Board member of the Children’s League of MA; and an appointed member of the MA Health Care Workforce Transformation Fund Advisory Board. Jeffers maintains licensure as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of MA.
Region II
New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands Mr. Klemanski serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Helio Health and The Helio Health Foundation. He is the current Chair of the Board of the NYS Association of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers, and the Chair of the governing Board of Omnes, a Behavioral Health Care Collaborative which is also an IPA. During his leadership, Helio Health has grown to a 1,345-bed continuum of care comprised of Inpatient, Residential Treatment, Housing, Outpatient, Training, In-Community, Recovery and Aftercare Services divisions, with operations in Binghamton, Rochester, Utica and Syracuse, NY. Helio Health operates one of the original CCBHC’s opened 7/1/2017. He also founded the Helio Health Training Institute. Helio Health is experiencing significant growth as a result of a vision to increase both access to, and the quality of, care by developing more regionally integrated continuums of care. Most recently, he has been focused on the development of the CNY Behavioral Health Care Collaborative and its transition into the Omnes IPA. All of these efforts are designed to form a more integrated continuum of care for behavioral health in Upstate New York. He earned an M.B.A. from the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University, and completed his undergraduate degree at the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute. He has served as a private equity consultant specializing in the field of behavioral healthcare operations, finance, and governance. He regularly speaks and trains on the topics of non-profit board development, Leadership, Management, Communications, and Team Development. He has also served as an independent monitor for government and private treatment programs. Currently he serves on the NYS Association of Addiction Services and Addiction Professionals Board of Directors (Chair), Onondaga County Criminal Justice Advisory Board, NYS OASAS Residential Re-design Workgroup, NYS OASAS Administrative/Regulatory Relief Task Force, NYS OASAS SUD Treatment/Insurance Workgroup, and the Boards of Directors of both the CNY and Finger Lakes Behavioral Health Care Collaboratives. Additionally, in June 2013, Mr. Klemanski was appointed by Governor Andrew Cuomo, and confirmed by the NYS Legislature, to serve on the New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs Advisory Council, on which he currently serves as the chair of the Investigator and Law Enforcement Training Committee. Previously, he has served on the CCSI Board of Directors, NYS DOH/OASAS Detox Reform Task Force, CNY Alcohol and Drug Association (President), CNY Care Collaborative Compliance Committee, and Salvation Army Mohawk Valley Advisory Board. Mr. Klemanski was born in New Jersey, has lived in numerous east coast states, and currently resides in upstate NY with his wife and children. Yaberci Perez-Cubillan is a hands-on, driven leader with a solid track record in the behavioral health industry, possessing a rich mix of technical, financial, and operations experience. As Chief Program Officer, Yaberci oversees Acacia Network’s Primary Care and Behavioral Health program portfolios, in addition to Special Projects & Initiatives, as well as the operational functioning of Acacia Network’s programs and operational initiatives, in coordination with the Director of Operations. She also provides guidance and support in the strategic development of various goals, including integration of the programs and healthcare systems to meet high standards and best practices. In her prior role, Yaberci served as Acacia’s Senior Vice President for Behavioral Health and Primary Care Integrated Services, in charge of overseeing operations for Acacia Network’s Behavioral and Primary Care Portfolios, including Health Homes, which comprise 39 programs in total. Acacia Network’s behavioral health portfolio employs over 500 individuals and provides services to a unique patient population of 5,700 individuals and families. This diverse portfolio includes a combined total of twenty-two outpatient and residential programs licensed by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) and six programs licensed by the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH), in addition to a significant number of federal and local grants ranging from the provision of integrated care to work performed at Ryker’s Island. Yaberci has been on the cutting edge of service delivery, and successfully led one of a few programs to become a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). CCBHC is an outgrowth of the Federal Mental Health Excellence Act, establishing the highest standards for integrated behavioral health treatment, the foundation to the movement into value-based payment in the behavioral health field. She has become a topic expert and has participated in various panels with the National Council for Behavioral Health to highlight innovative approaches to care and the use of the CCBHC model to treat co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Yaberci is a recipient of the 2016 Leadership Award by the Latino Social Work Coalition, a 2020 recipient of Entre Nosotras Leadership Award, as well as a 2020 SAPHIRE Leadership Award, NASW. She is a Hunter College School of Social Work graduate and is a trained Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-R). She completed a Post-Master’s Certificate Program in Executive Leadership at New York University, Silver School of Social Work. Yaberci is also an Adjunct Professor at Adelphi University, and serves as a Board Member at the National Council for Behavioral Health, As-One Behavioral Health Care Collaborative, ASAP C-3 Board, NYS Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, the Coalition for Behavioral Health, Treatment Communities of America and iHealth.
Region III
District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia Through unanimous endorsement, in June of 2015, the Community Residences, Inc. Board of Directors appointed Arthur M. Ginsberg as the President and CEO of CRi. Mr. Ginsberg has significant experience in mental health and intellectual disability services in the nonprofit and private sector. Under his leadership, agencies in the District of Columbia, California, Idaho, Washington, Utah and Pennsylvania, earned new provider market places, received CARF accreditation, and enhanced program revenues through existing and new program development. Mr. Ginsberg’s historical and ongoing operational successes are mission driven, with a focus on community integration and choice, advocacy, early intervention, and services that are comprehensive and innovative. Mr. Ginsberg has also served as an educator. From 2012 through 2014, he was appointed as an Adjunct Faculty member for George Washington University School of Public Health. He was also preceptor for Arizona State, Tulane and George Washington Universities. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and in 1995 was honored as an Up and Comer by Modern Healthcare Magazine. Mr. Ginsberg earned a B.S. in Health Services Administration from Ithaca College, and an M.S. in Hospital and Health Administration from Xavier University. Richard Edley is lead executive for RCPA, responsible for all aspects of operations and direction for the association. His professional career began in 1988 and most recently he was president and CEO of PerformCare/Community Behavioral HealthCare Network of Pennsylvania, Inc., a national, full-service, behavioral health managed care organization. Dr. Edley oversaw all aspects of the organization including operations, business development, provider contracting, and finance with annual revenue of over $350 million. His baccalaureate degree is from Boston University and he holds master’s and doctorate degrees in clinical psychology from Emory University. He was an intern and post-doctoral fellow at McLean Hospital, where he held a faculty appointment at Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Edley is a national presenter and is published in a broad variety of areas.
Region IV
Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee Melissa Larkin-Skinner is Regional CEO of Centerstone in Florida. As a licensed mental health counselor Larkin-Skinner has worked with children and adults of all ages in diverse mental health and substance use prevention and treatment programs. During the past 26 years she has designed and operated innovative programs to meet community needs. Her career in behavioral health began as a volunteer on Centerstone’s rape crisis team. It was there that Larkin-Skinner learned the essence and potential of activism and representing the underserved. Today, she regularly provides state and federal policy feedback and engages in legislative advocacy as a mental health and addiction subject-matter expert in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C. She is Chair of the Florida Council for Behavioral Health. Through her suicide prevention advocacy efforts, Larkin-Skinner works with public and private sectors to increase access to mental healthcare and substance use treatment services. The belief that ‘everyone in our community has a role to play in suicide prevention’ is her driving force. In August 2016, she received the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association Administrator of the Year for her efforts toward combating the opioid epidemic. Larkin-Skinner currently serves as the only behavioral health provider on the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission and recently served on the Florida Alliance to End Human Trafficking board. Linda McKinnon has been the President and CEO of Central Florida Behavioral Health Network for the past 17 years. Central Florida Behavioral Health Network is responsible for assuring high quality accessible and coordinated services and a system of care that is community driven for persons with no other resources. Central Florida Behavioral Health Network has grown to include over 100 Provider Agencies in 14 Counties and serving 150,000 people in treatment. McKinnon is the Chairperson of the Florida Association of Managing Entities (FAME) and is the former State President of NAMI Florida. McKinnon has also been a Florida Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Marriage and Family Therapist working at all levels of care for substance abuse and mental health treatment for both private not for profit and for profit settings. Additionally, she has been appointed to serve on the board of the newly formed West Coast healthcare Coalition.
Region V
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin Mark has dedicated his entire career to advocating for the rights of stigmatized and vulnerable people. For the past seven years, he has led Thresholds, an innovative community-based organization that provides behavioral healthcare and supportive housing to more than 10,000 people each year in Illinois. During his tenure at Thresholds, he has overseen explosive growth, but also a culture shift that embraces change, innovation, transparency, and yes – love. Thresholds has been recognized for five consecutive years as a Chicago Tribune Top Workplace and a Chicago’s 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. Prior to his work at Thresholds, Mark spent decades as a leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS as CEO of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. Mark holds an MA in Political Science from Northwestern University and a BA in Government and International Studies from the University of Notre Dame. Shauna Reitmeier serves as the Chief Executive Officer at Alluma. Shauna has led the organization through dynamic growth and development, including the successful implementation of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic model of service delivery. Under Shauna’s leadership, Alluma doubled its revenue, increased its staff by 35 percent, and doubled the number of clients served. In addition to her leadership and management responsibilities at Alluma, she is a Licensed Graduate Social Worker and sees clients at the Crookston clinic location. Shauna holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks. Before joining Alluma, Shauna worked with the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, providing contract management and technical oversight to integrate primary and behavioral healthcare across the country. While serving in multiple roles at Washtenaw Community Health Organization, she gained extensive experience in quality and process improvement, strategic planning, and integration of systems. Shauna currently serves on several boards, including the National Association of Rural Mental Health, The MN Association of Community Mental Health Programs, North Region Health Alliance, H.O.P.E. Coalition, and the Crookston Lions. Most recently, Shauna was appointed by MN Governor Tim Walz to serve on the newly created Blue Ribbon Commission on Health and Human Services. She lives in Crookston with her husband and stepson.
Region VI
Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas David J. Ley, PhD. is a clinical psychologist in Albuquerque, NM. Since 2004, he has served as Executive Director of New Mexico Solutions, a nonprofit outpatient behavioral health agency serving several communities in central New Mexico. Dr. Ley is a founding member of the Board of Directors of the New Mexico Behavioral Health Providers Association, and also serves on the Board of Directors of an Albuquerque FQHC. Lee Johnson, MPA, serves as the Deputy Director for the Texas Council of Community Centers, a state association that represents the 39 Community Centers of Texas. In this role, Mr. Johnson advises on legislative strategy, appropriations issues, strategic communications, public policy development and implementation. Prior to joining the Texas Council, he served as Legislative Director for a State Representative and, in the private sector, managed the Urban and Land Use Planning efforts of a commercial development firm in Austin, Texas, engaging county and city officials across the state. Mr. Johnson holds undergraduate and masters degrees in Public Administration and Political Science from Texas State University.
Region VII
Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska Dr. Richard K. Whitaker, Jr. began his career in the Quad Cities in 1994 as a doctoral intern at the historic Marriage and Family Counseling Service in Rock Island, Illinois prior to receiving his Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Brigham Young University. Since that pivotal year, Dr. Whitaker has pursued a career in community mental health, providing services, supervision, and executive administration at community mental health centers in Grand Island, Nebraska (9 years) and Jasper, Indiana (12 years as CFO). Since January, 2017, Rich has served as the CEO of Vera French Community Mental Health Center in Davenport, Iowa. Rich also serves as a Governor-appointed commissioner for the Iowa Mental Health and Disability Services (MHDS) Commission, as a member of the Iowa Children’s Behavioral Health State Board, as a board member for the Iowa Association of Community Providers, as an Eastern Iowa MHDS Regional Advisory Board member, and as a steering committee member and Innovation Team Co-Lead for the Quad Cities Behavioral Health Coalition. Rich and Miriam are the parents of 3 daughters and 1 son and are proud grandparents. Rich puts a top priority on his family time and also finds time for service in the community, sports of all kinds, vocal performance, and occasional travel. Rich is fluent in Spanish as a second language and helps to lead and support a Spanish-speaking church congregation. Pat Coleman is President and CEO of Behavioral Health Response, Inc. (BHR). BHR is a professionally staffed and accredited clinical contact center that provides expert behavioral health and crisis response services through a variety of platforms 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to agencies and companies worldwide. Pat’s professional career and educational achievements exemplify her belief that faith, family and community can shape and reshape the course of one’s life. She holds an MBA from Fontbonne University and a Bachelor of Science from St. Louis University. She’s been with BHR since 1997; has held various positions and in December 2012 was appointed to her current role. Pat is adjunct faculty for Washington University Brown School of Social Work and teaches a class titled: (Managing People). Pat serves as Advisory Board Chair for Fontbonne University Eckelcamp’s Business School, board member of Metropolitan Zoological Parks and Museum District, executive committee board member of the St. Louis Regional Chamber, and Director (Region 7) -National Council for Mental Wellbeing. Driven by challenge, undaunted by obstacles, decisive and hands on, Pat Coleman integrates faith, family, and community by valuing innovation, remaining flexible to change and being committed to excellence through teamwork.
Region VIII
Arizona, Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming Joseph (JC) Carrica III is the Chief Executive Officer of Southeast Health Group, which serves a six-county rural and frontier region in the southeast corner of Colorado. This outpatient organization provides integrated psychiatric care, mental health counseling, substance use disorder services, primary care, wellness and prevention services, physical therapy, vocational training, and extensive peer support. Carrica has established two social enterprises for the purposes of job training and economic opportunity in the impoverished region. A fourth-generation native of southeast Colorado, Carrica earned a Doctorate in Interdisciplinary Leadership from Creighton University, and is a master’s level counselor and certified addictions counselor. His 2014 dissertation, sponsored by both Creighton University and the University of Colorado Department of Family Medicine, focused on the referral barriers that affect the integration efforts of behavioral health and primary care in eastern Colorado. He currently serves as the president-elect of the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council, the statewide membership organization for Colorado’s network of community behavioral health providers. He also serves as treasurer of Southern Colorado Healthcare Network. A Board of Managers made up of the chief executive officers of the 11 organizations serving the 30 counties of southern Colorado; five community health centers, five community mental health centers and one hybrid organization combining both. He regularly speaks with health providers, policy makers, and behavioral health students at both the statewide and national level about rural and frontier integrated whole health initiatives and reform. Carmen Heredia is the Chief Executive Officer of Valle del Sol, a nonprofit organization originally founded in 1970 to provide advocacy, mental health, and leadership training to Latino communities in Phoenix. Today, Valle del Sol provides integrated behavioral health and primary care health to underserved populations through eight locations in Maricopa County. Valle del Sol is a system of comprehensive Federally Qualified Health Centers and dually Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers. She is currently serving as the Chairwoman of the Community Board of Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center and Westgate hospitals. Carmen also serves on the boards of the Center for the Future of Arizona, the Arizona Council of Human Service Providers, the Arizona Alliance of Community Health Centers, National Council of Behavioral Health, and was recently invited to serve on ASU President’s Community Council, the Arizona Coyotes Latino Advisory Council, and the Advisory council of the Phoenix Community Development and Investment Corporation. She is an alum the National Council’s Addressing Healthcare Disparities Leadership Program, and Valle del Sol’s Hispanic Leadership Institute. Carmen is a member of Greater Phoenix Leadership. A leader in her community and organization, Carmen strives for equality and inclusion of underserved populations especially regarding access to quality healthcare and education. As a Mexican immigrant, she passionately volunteers in Latino civic engagement, various political campaigns, and voting efforts with her family. Carmen lives in Mesa, Arizona, with her husband and three children.
Region X
Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington Heather Jefferis, as the Executive Director of the Oregon Council for Behavioral Health, participates in a wide variety of forums to ensure our members voice is present and actionable. Over the last 22 years of working in Behavioral Health both Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health, Ms. Jefferis has been privileged to sit in a variety of seats. She has provided direct services as a master’s level clinician, served as a program director, an Executive and Board Chair. Ms. Jefferis developed, implemented and operated programing within government BH clinics, non-profit clinic settings and criminal justice programs. In each of these seats she has typically served individuals who are multi-system involved and frequently with co-occurring concerns. Ms. Jefferis intimately understands Oregon systems that support Oregonians on their path to whole person and family health. As the Executive Director of the Oregon Council for Behavioral Health, she has been charged by the OCBH Board to grow this local association representing the statewide integrated continuum of Behavioral Health Care in Oregon. OCBH has over 40 members providing the full continuum of services from prevention through residential services and detox. Jodi Daly, Ph.D. is the President and CEO of Comprehensive Healthcare in Yakima Washington. Comprehensive Healthcare is a non-profit behavioral health agency that serves six counties in the State of Washington, and offers an all-inclusive continuum of services to those in need of mental health and substance use education, support, and treatment. Comprehensive Healthcare has earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval, symbolizing the organization’s commitment to providing safe, high-quality, and effective care. Jodi has worked in health care for 25 years in various settings and roles, but found her niche in Community-Based Mental Health – a field that treats clients and their families with compassion and empathy, while focusing on strengths that allow individuals to make informed choices. Additionally, Jodi has been a strong voice for clients, advocating on their behalf for desperately needed funding as well as regulatory and policy changes. She is a member of the Washington State Council for Behavioral Health, the Joint Commission Behavioral Health Care Accreditation Advisory Council, and has been appointed to the Governor’s Social Supports Community Leaders Group in Washington. Jodi holds an undergraduate degree in Social Work, a Master of Arts in Counseling and Guidance, and a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology. She attributes much of her community-based mental health knowledge to the many, varying mentors and coaches she has encountered throughout her career. Their expertise and passion greatly contributed to her professional success, and inspired her to serve historically marginalized populations.
Off-Board Appointees
Strategic Partners
