2024 Speakers

Brian Altman, JD

Director of the National Mental Health and Substance Use Policy Laboratory (NMHSUPL), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Brian Altman, JD

Director of the National Mental Health and Substance Use Policy Laboratory (NMHSUPL), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Brian Altman is Director of the National Mental Health and Substance Use Policy Laboratory (NMHSUPL). He previously served as Acting Director of the NMHSUPL.

Prior to these roles, Altman served as the Deputy Director at the Administration on Community Living’s Administration on Aging within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and prior to that as the Director of Federal and Political Affairs at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

From 2011-2019, Altman served at various times as both SAMHSA’s Director of the Division of Policy Innovation and Director of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs. In these roles, Altman worked closely with HHS, other federal agencies, the White House, Congress and external stakeholders. Altman also helped lead SAMHSA’s policy efforts on behalf of LGBTQ+ and aging populations. For his work as part of a team that expanded treatment options for individuals with opioid use disorder, he received an HHS Distinguished Service award. During his tenure at SAMHSA, Altman also completed a detail at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Before joining SAMHSA in 2011, Altman worked on behalf of a broad range of health care entities, including professional associations, hospitals, community-based providers, public health advocacy organizations, medical device corporations and social science research entities at a law and government relations firm.

Altman’s long history of working on behavioral health issues includes having served as the Director of Public Policy and Program Development at the Suicide Prevention Action Network USA (SPAN USA). At SPAN USA, he directed public policy initiatives, initiated, and maintained relationships with other national organizations, coalitions and federal elected and appointed officials, and provided advocacy training. He also was the Acting Chief Operating Officer, providing strategic guidance and operational management during the organization’s transition from an independent nonprofit to a division of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Prior to joining SPAN USA, Altman advocated on behalf of licensed professional counselors for the American Counseling Association.

Altman graduated from Duke University, cum laude, with a B.A. in public policy studies and received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

Malekeh Amini

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Trayt Health

Malekeh Amini

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Trayt Health

Rebecca Bagley

President and Chief Executive Officer, The Kennedy Forum

Rebecca Bagley

President and Chief Executive Officer, The Kennedy Forum

Rebecca Bagley has more than 20 years of experience collaborating with stakeholders through strategic partnerships that achieve shared goals and outcomes. Utilizing a vast professional network of experts and resources to forge partnerships, she is deeply focused on inspiring cultures of progress and innovation. Prior to joining The Forum, Rebecca was CEO of Cannex Scientific, responsible for commercializing a new anti-anxiety medication. Earlier in her career, as Vice Chancellor of Economic Partnerships at the University of Pittsburgh, she successfully expanded a network of global partnerships with financial groups, corporations, and government entities to support $850M+ in research. Rebecca was formerly the Chief Executive Officer of NorTech, a technology-focused organization that accelerated products to market by compiling diverse teams. While at NorTech, she also led a national effort to create the Innovation Advocacy Council (IAC), which successfully secured a $50 million line item in the federal budget and contributed to the creation of a $1 billion Build Back Better regional challenge.

Melissa Bartlett

Senior Vice President, Health Policy, The ERISA Industry Committee

Melissa Bartlett

Senior Vice President, Health Policy, The ERISA Industry Committee

Melissa Bartlett is the Senior Vice President, Health Policy for ERIC, leading the development of ERIC’s health policy and advocacy for its legislative and regulatory priorities at the federal, state, and local levels. Specifically, she supports ERIC member companies in advancing policies impacting all aspects of employer-sponsored health coverage, including the taxation of benefits, health care costs, quality, safety, and access, as well as laws and regulations affecting how health care benefits are administered on a nationwide basis. Prior to joining ERIC, Melissa was a Principal at Chamber Hill Strategies, providing a broad range of health care stakeholders with strategic counsel, policy development, and congressional and agency engagement on health care legislative and regulatory matters. A long-time health policy and government relations professional, Melissa brought to the firm her previous experience working within government, corporations, and associations to help drive success for her clients. She previously served as Associate Vice President for Government Relations for Sanofi. Additionally, Melissa served as Vice President for Government Relations and Representation for Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC) and represented health insurers through her regulatory work for America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP). Her first health policy experience was working with large, multi-specialty group practices as legislative counsel for the American Medical Group Association (AMGA).   Melissa’s government experience includes serving as Counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce for Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX) as the lead Medicare counsel in addition to working on a wide range of health policy issues within the Committee’s jurisdiction, including: Medicaid/CHIP, health reform, health insurance, mental health parity, health information technology, health privacy, patient safety, quality initiatives and measurement, FDA, and Ryan White HIV/AIDS funding. She also managed oversight and investigation issues before the Committee, including oversight of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).   Prior to her work for Congress, Melissa developed Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) strategies, policies, and program improvements as a HIPAA Privacy Program Specialist for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and assisted with investigations to secure HIPAA compliance.   Melissa earned her J.D. at the University of Kentucky College of Law, and her B.A. in Journalism from Franklin College.

Rhonda Robinson Beale, MD

Senior Vice President and Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Mental Health Services, UnitedHealth Group

Rhonda Robinson Beale, MD

Senior Vice President and Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Mental Health Services, UnitedHealth Group

Dr. Rhonda Robinson Beale is a seasoned healthcare executive with over 30 years of experience in health care systems, managed care and quality improvement in behavioral health and medical care. She is the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Mental Health Services within UHG. Dr. Robinson Beale has served in the past as Senior Vice President, Chief Medical Officer for Blue Cross of Idaho and for several other large national and local health care organizations, such as Optum, PacifiCare, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Health Alliance Plan in Michigan. She has been involved with many national organizations as a subject matter expert, National Institute of Health, National Institute of Mental Health, Institute of Medicine, National Quality Forum, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, American Society of Addiction Medicine, NCQA and others.Dr. Robinson Beale has served on many national boards, engaged with key committees and workgroups and has been significantly involved in influencing changes in the system. She was on the IOM committee that created “Crossing the Quality Chasm and “To Err is Human.” Dr. Robinson Beale has been involved in influencing local and national legislation particularly around Parity and ACA issues. Her involvements led to her having the opportunity to testify before the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee (HELP) on the state of behavioral health care.

Tania Calle

Health Policy Adviser, Representative Lauren Underwood (D-IL), U.S House of Representatives

Tania Calle

Health Policy Adviser, Representative Lauren Underwood (D-IL), U.S House of Representatives

Tania is a proud Corona, Queens native and first-generation Ecuadorian-American. Her passions lie at the nexus of health equity, policy, and immigrants’ rights advocacy. She strongly believes that health is a human right and the key to community empowerment. Professionally, Tania seeks to continue to engage research and policy analysis to promote public health and ensure healthcare is affordable and accessible. She is trained in the formulation and execution of rigorous, interdisciplinary, and mixed-methods research and has worked in federal agencies, academic institutions, and Congress. She holds a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in public health and pre-medical sciences from Williams College and an MPhil in Public Health from the University of Cambridge.

Kathryn Cohen, JD

Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs, Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW)

Kathryn Cohen, JD

Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs, Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW)

Kathryn Cohen is the Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs, where she oversees federal regulatory advocacy efforts on the organization’s priority areas, including substance use disorders, mental health parity, telehealth, 42 CFR Part 2, workforce, youth behavioral health, suicide prevention, and crisis services. Kathryn has over ten years of policy experience working with federal, state, and local governments in health and human services, including behavioral health. Prior to ABHW, Kathryn advocated to expand access to health care services at the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers (MLCHC), where she was responsible for managing the state legislative and regulatory agendas on behalf of the state’s health centers. She also worked at the Treatment Advocacy Center, where she worked to expand mental health treatment in numerous states and at the federal level. Kathryn has also worked as an attorney at the White House Office of General Counsel.Kathryn received a B.A. from Brown University and a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School.

Shawn Coughlin

President and Chief Executive Officer, National Association for Behavioral Healthcare (NABH)

Shawn Coughlin

President and Chief Executive Officer, National Association for Behavioral Healthcare (NABH)

Shawn Coughlin is the president and CEO at NABH. In this role, he serves as the association’s principal lobbyist, oversees the association’s advocacy work on Capitol Hill, and helps to set and implement strategic policy goals that support high-quality evidence based behavioral healthcare for Americans who live with mental and substance use disorders. Mr. Coughlin brings more than 30 years of advocacy experience to his role. Prior to joining NABH, Mr. Coughlin served as advocacy consultant to the association on behavioral health policy during his almost 16 years with Capitol Health Group as principal and chief operating officer. He is a leading healthcare advocate and policy expert who works with diverse external stakeholder organizations, including patient and provider groups, regulators, public and private payors, and trade associations. He has extensive experience in Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance policy, as well as a broad experience with many sectors of the healthcare industry. Mr. Coughlin began his health policy career working on Capitol Hill, handling various healthcare policy needs for members of the House Ways and Means Committee. He was a professional staff member on the prestigious House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, served as senior health policy advisor for a senior member of the Committee, and a legislative assistant.

Gabrielle de la Guéronnière

Vice President of Health and Justice Policy, Legal Action Center

Gabrielle de la Guéronnière

Vice President of Health and Justice Policy, Legal Action Center

Gabrielle leads LAC’s policy advocacy to expand and improve the health responses to substance use disorders, and to end discrimination against people with drug and alcohol histories and arrest or conviction records. Upon joining LAC’s Washington, DC office in 2003, she directed LAC’s federal advocacy toward successful inclusion of strong addiction and mental health provisions in the Affordable Care Act and passage into law of the Second Chance Act reentry legislation.Gabrielle currently works nationally to improve health access for people with addiction and mental health service needs, including through her work coordinating the national Coalition for Whole Health. She is a member of LAC’s No Health = No Justice campaign team which, in 2018, launched a multi-state advocacy and organizing campaign to highlight the intersection of historic and ongoing racism in the health care and criminal legal systems, and to ground decarceration efforts in ensuring that people are no longer prosecuted and criminalized for their health needs. She also works to eliminate legal and policy barriers faced by people with arrest and conviction records and substance use histories.Gabrielle is a frequent presenter and technical assistance provider nationally on a variety of health and criminal justice policy issues and is a graduate of Boston University and American University’s Washington College of Law.

Bernard DiCasimirro, DO

Chief Medical Officer, Lucet Healthcare; Board Member Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW)

Bernard DiCasimirro, DO

Chief Medical Officer, Lucet Healthcare; Board Member Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW)

Dr. DiCasimirro joined Lucet in 2018 and served as Vice President, Regional Medical Director before stepping into the role of CMO in December 2020.

Prior to his position with Lucet, he was the Medical Director for PerformCare, the behavioral health arm of AmeriHealth Caritas, managing Medicaid benefits for nine Pennsylvania counties. He also spent over four years as an Associate Medical Director for Optum/United Healthcare. From 2002-2009, he was the primary psychiatric consultant for the Pennsylvania Bureau of Program Integrity partnering with facility-based providers throughout the commonwealth. Dr. DiCasimirro’ s experience also extends to correctional psychiatry culminating with a stint as The Statewide Psychiatric Director for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.

Dr. DiCasimirro has extensive clinical experience having worked in all levels of care in both psychiatry and substance use for more than twenty-nine years. He is board-certified in general psychiatry and licensed in Pennsylvania, Iowa, Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, District of Columbia, South Carolina, Louisiana and New Jersey.

Peter Eckrich

Senior Director of Government Affairs Centene Corporation

Peter Eckrich

Senior Director of Government Affairs Centene Corporation

Adam Easterday

Vice President of Policy & Regulatory Affairs, Optum; Health Board Chair, Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness

Adam Easterday

Vice President of Policy & Regulatory Affairs, Optum; Health Board Chair, Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness

Mr. Easterday currently serves as Vice President of Policy & Regulatory Affairs for Optum Health at United Health Group. His current role encompasses regulatory affairs and policy advocacy on behalf of the Optum Health division of UHG including Optum Behavioral Health Solutions which administers mental health and substance use disorder benefits and delivers behavioral health care on behalf of over 20 million Americans in commercial, Medicare and Medicaid plans. Mr. Easterday also serves as the current Board Chair for the Association for Behavioral Health & Wellness (ABHW) which is a leading voice for behavioral health and wellness payer organizations. Mr. Easterday has been with United Health Group in successive roles for the past 18 years.

Prior to joining United, Mr. Easterday served as Senior Corporate Counsel for PacifiCare Behavioral Health. Mr. Easterday also has prior in-house counsel experience with ValueOptions, Inc. as Senior Vice President & Chief Legal Officer. Mr. Easterday engaged in private practice in Richmond, Virginia with the firm of Christian & Barton, LLP as well as serving as Deputy Project Director for the Center for Health Dispute Resolution, the CMS contracted external review agent for Medicare Advantage appeals. His background includes experience in hospital administration with a large academic medical center’s mental health department.

Laura Evans

AVP, Public Policy and Government Affairs, Vibrant Emotional Health

Laura Evans

AVP, Public Policy and Government Affairs, Vibrant Emotional Health

Laura leads the Public Policy & Government Affairs Department as AVP, overseeing a policy portfolio that includes appropriations, telecommunications, healthcare financing, health equity, and suicide prevention. As the inaugural leader of our department, Laura has ensured the organization’s footprint has expanded into and across states, territories, and federal policy arenas. Laura holds psychology and political science degrees from Xavier University and has served on a number of committees, task forces, and boards, including the Women in Government Relations State Relations Task Force and Mental Health America’s Regional Policy Council. Her voice and work have been featured in the media including The New York Times, Tradeoffs podcast, and as a regular host for the 988 Crisis Jam.

Karen Ferguson

Deputy Director of Clinical Practice, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Karen Ferguson

Deputy Director of Clinical Practice, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Deborah Fernandez Turner

Deputy Chief Psychiatric Officer, Aetna, a CVS Health Company

Deborah Fernandez Turner

Deputy Chief Psychiatric Officer, Aetna, a CVS Health Company

Dr. Deborah Fernandez-Turner is the Deputy Chief Psychiatric Officer for Aetna, a CVS Health company. In this role, Dr. Fernandez-Turner is a physician-leader for mental health within CVS Health, leading the consultation and implementation of evidence-based practices and holistic treatments for all levels of care. In addition, she provides support in mental health to Aetna’s care management program and provides input into national mental health policy in close conjunction with key stakeholders across CVS Health.As a child and adolescent psychiatrist, Dr. Fernandez-Turner was Children’s Medical Administrator for the Arizona Aetna Medicaid plan. In this role, she was responsible for the oversight of psychiatric medical programs covering over 400,000 covered lives as well as Quality Management, Utilization Management and Medical Management programs operated by the plan for children and adolescents. With a focus on patient and family centered, evidence-based care, she also helped create programs and policies.Dr. Fernandez-Turner is Board Certified both in General Psychiatry as well as Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She graduated from New York University, then Nova Southeastern College of Osteopathic Medicine, and completed a psychiatric residency at Long Island Jewish Medical Center–Hillside hospital and a child psychiatry fellowship at the University of Arizona. Prior to her work for Aetna, she has held administrative and clinical positions in both private and public sectors in New York, Arizona and Minnesota. She is a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Kristin (Flukey) Fritsch

Professional Staff Member, Health; Energy and Commerce Committee, Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, U.S House of Representatives

Kristin (Flukey) Fritsch

Professional Staff Member, Health; Energy and Commerce Committee, Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, U.S House of Representatives

Kristin Flukey Fritsch currently serves as Professional Staff Member to Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers on her Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee team. She is specifically focused on issues related to DEA, SAMHSA, and HRSA and she previously served in the Chair’s personal office, handling health care related issues. Prior to her time on the Hill, she supported the health care team at Mehlman Consulting.

John Giles

Director, Managed Care Group, Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

John Giles

Director, Managed Care Group, Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

John Giles joined the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in 2014 and is currently the Director for the Managed Care Group (MCG) within the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS). In this role, John leads and directs all of the Medicaid managed care policy and operations across several primary portfolios of work, including Medicaid managed care policy development, delivery system and provider payment initiatives (State directed payments), in lieu of services and settings (ILOS), capitation rate development, Medicaid managed care medical loss ratios (MLRs), Federal Medicaid managed care authorities, managed care plan contract oversight, Medicaid managed care program monitoring and oversight, and Medicaid managed care strategy and performance management.Specifically, John leads and directs CMS’s work on all aspects of the nation’s Medicaid managed care delivery system. John oversees the development of oversight tools for monitoring, proposes rules and policy to enhance managed care delivery, and collaborates with providers, states, and other stakeholders to ensure beneficiaries who receive their Medicaid benefits through managed care have a seamless experience. John leads the Managed Care Group to establish program policy that ensures access to care, high quality of care, and prudent financial accountability, as well as supports delivery system reform, across the nation’s Medicaid managed care programs.John has served in a number of Federal roles within CMCS, including as the Director for the Division of Managed Care Policy (DMCP), Senior Policy Advisor to the Center Director, and Technical Director for managed care policy. John has also been the principal author for several significant Medicaid managed care Federal regulations, including the recent 2024 final Medicaid managed care rule on access, finance, and quality, as well as the 2016, 2017, and 2020 Medicaid managed care final rules.Prior to joining CMS, John served in a mix of leadership roles in the State of Oklahoma, including as the Director of the Center for Health Innovation and Effectiveness for the Oklahoma State Department of Health and Senior Policy Advisor for the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. John has 18 years of experience in Federal and State Medicaid policy and operations. John received a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Oklahoma and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) from the University of Central Oklahoma.

Maeghan Gilmore

Vice President of Government Affairs Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW)

Maeghan Gilmore

Vice President of Government Affairs Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW)

Maeghan has worked with local governments for over 14 years on behavioral health, health, human services, and justice policies and programs. Prior to joining ABHW, Maeghan was the program director for health, human services and justice at the National Association of Counties. She previously served as the Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy for the National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Directors. Ms. Gilmore received a B.S. in Health Education from Western Michigan University and a Masters of Public Health, health policy concentration, from The George Washington University

Julie Goldstein Grumet

Vice President and Director of Zero Suicide Institute, Education Development Center

Julie Goldstein Grumet

Vice President and Director of Zero Suicide Institute, Education Development Center

Julie Goldstein Grumet, EDC vice president, is an expert in behavioral health transformation, state and local community suicide prevention, and the use of evidence-based practices for suicide care in clinical settings. She translates complex topics into engaging and impactful resources for health care leaders, school leaders, and others.As director of the Zero Suicide Institute, Goldstein Grumet provides strategic direction and leadership for the Zero Suicide framework and oversees the development, dissemination, evaluation, and effective implementation of the framework nationwide. She leads a team dedicated to ensuring that safe and effective suicide care practices are accessible to all via an online implementation toolkit for suicide care in health care systems.Goldstein Grumet is the senior health care advisor to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center. A highly acclaimed trainer and speaker, her work has been spotlighted in the Washington Post, Science Magazine, and Military Times.Goldstein Grumet holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology from George Washington University. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in School Mental Health at the University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Center for School Mental Health.

Gioia Guerrieri, DO, DFAPA, FASAM

Physician, Digital Behavioral Health; Digital Health Center of Excellence (DHCoE);Office of Strategic Partnership and Technology Innovation (OST); Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Gioia Guerrieri, DO, DFAPA, FASAM

Lisa M. Gomez

Assistant Secretary, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) U.S. Department of Labor

Lisa M. Gomez

Assistant Secretary, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) U.S. Department of Labor

Lisa M. Gomez was sworn in as Assistant Secretary for Employee Benefits Security on October 11, 2022. Previously, Gomez was a partner with the law firm Cohen, Weiss and Simon LLP and the Chair of the firm’s Management Committee. She has deep technical and practical experience in the multifaceted field of employee benefits law and has spent almost three decades representing various Taft-Hartley and multiemployer pension and welfare plans, single employer plans, jointly administered training program trust funds, a federal employees health benefit (FEHB) plan, supplemental health plans, and VEBAs covering employees in a wide array of industries.Lisa served as a Co-Chair of the Board of Senior Editors of the Bloomberg BNA treatise Employee Benefits Law. She also served in various leadership positions with the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Labor and Employment Law, including as the Union Co-Chair of its Employee Benefits Committee. She is a graduate of the ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law’s Leadership Development Program and served as the Union Co-Chair for that Program. She was a member of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and the AFL-CIO Union Lawyers Alliance. Lisa was inducted as a Fellow of The American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, Inc. in recognition of her over twenty years of practice in employee benefits law and her contributions to the field, including as a frequent speaker on numerous employee benefits issues. Lisa was also a member of the Advisory Board of The Peggy Browning Fund, a non-profit organization devoted to advancing law students who wish to pursue careers protecting workers’ rights. She previously served as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association as well as a volunteer mediator for the New Jersey state courts. She was also a guest lecturer for the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations on employee benefits. Lisa was named as a Super Lawyer for Employee Benefits on the Super Lawyers New York Metro Annual Lists for 2021 and 2022.Lisa earned her law degree from the Fordham University School of Law and her undergraduate degree from Hofstra University.

Pamela Greenberg, MPP

Past President and Chief Executive Officer, Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW)

Pamela Greenberg, MPP

Past President and Chief Executive Officer, Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW)

Pamela Greenberg is the President and CEO of the Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW). She joined the association in 1998 and since that time has become a nationally recognized leader on managed behavioral health care policy. ABHW is the leading association working to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and advance federal policy to improve mental health and addiction care. ABHW represents major national and regional health plans who care for more than 200 million people. Pamela has extensive experience in behavioral health policy, particularly in the areas of parity, prevention, access, integration, and outcomes. She currently serves on the Joint Commission’s Behavioral Health Care Accreditation Advisory Council and URAC’s Health Standards Committee and Parity Advisory Council. Prior to joining ABHW Pamela was the Deputy Director of Federal Affairs for America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP). Before joining AHIP Ms. Greenberg was a Legislative Assistant at Capitol Associates, a healthcare consulting firm in Washington, D.C. Pamela has a B.A. from Mount Holyoke College and a Masters in Public Policy from Georgetown University.

Michelle Greenhalgh

Director of Legislative Affairs, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Michelle Greenhalgh

Director of Legislative Affairs, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Al Guida

Principal, Guide Consulting Services

Al Guida

Principal, Guide Consulting Services

Alfonso (Al) Guida is a principal for Guide Consulting Services (GCS), a government relations and public affairs firm based in Washington, D.C. In collaboration with his team, including Sarah Corcoran, Al seeks to impact federal policy across an array of issue areas encompassing health care, social services, child poverty and technology. What sets GCS apart is our commitment to achieve tangible results for our clients: Medicare, Medicaid, the federal appropriations process, pharmaceutical pricing, privacy law: you name it, we’ve done it…on behalf of corporations, trade associations and patient advocacy organizations.

Alexis Horan

Chief of Advocacy and Practice Transformation, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Alexis Horan

Chief of Advocacy and Practice Transformation, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Alexis is a Senior government relations executive with a focus on addiction and mental health policy.

James Laughman MSW, LSW

President, PerformCare; President, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Solutions, AmeriHealth Caritas

James Laughman MSW, LSW

President, PerformCare; President, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Solutions, AmeriHealth Caritas

James A. Laughman is President of AmeriHealth Caritas’ full-service behavioral health managed care organization (MCO).Prior to his current appointment, Laughman served as Executive Director of the behavioral health MCO doing business in Pennsylvania, and developed a national behavioral health strategy for the AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies.Additionally, he is President of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Solutions for AmeriHealth Caritas, leading the team that coordinates care and social services for members with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Laughman has devoted the majority of his career to improving the quality of life for people with behavioral, intellectual, or developmental challenges. He is a staunch advocate for funding efforts to address social determinants that impact health and wellness, in particular breaking the cycle of homelessness and increasing access to quality health care.Laughman has also dedicated many years of service to helping combat the opioid epidemic, promoting mental well-being, and reducing stigma associated with behavioral health challenges. He has been responsible for overseeing various initiativesto increase evidence-based treatment aimed at reducing hospital readmissions for people with opioid use disorder.Before joining AmeriHealth Caritas, Laughman spent more than 10 years in private practice to provide counseling services to individuals challenged with behavioral health issues and substance use disorders. This includes his role from 2001 to 2004as Chief Executive Officer for psychiatric outpatient clinic T.W. Ponessa and Associates Counseling Services Inc.He has been a featured panelist at national conferences offering insights on topics such as the impact and future of telemedicine for behavioral health, the Substance Use Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities (SUPPORT) Act, and the future of behavioral health and sustainability. He has also contributed articles on accessing medical services during the COVID-19 pandemic for U.S News & World Report and acute anxiety and chronic post-traumatic stress disorder for Fierce Healthcare.Laughman earned a master’s degree in social work from Temple University.He serves on the board for Special Olympics Pennsylvania and helps advance its mission promoting inclusivity in all dimensions of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Laughman also serves on the boards of Norristown State Hospital and the Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness.

Angela Lee

Director of Communications and Programs Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW)

Angela Lee

Director of Communications and Programs Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW)

As the Director of Communications and Programs, Angela Lee oversees all aspects of ABHW’s communications strategies, increases ABHW’s visibility as the leading voice for health payers that manage behavioral health insurance benefits, and leads ABHW’s Corporate Partner Program and Stamp Out Stigma initiative. Angela’s career has focused on developing and executing strategic communications that advance federal and state policy. Angela has worked on a broad range of subject matters including mental health, substance use disorders, workforce development, economic mobility, and sexual assault and harassment. Angela also currently serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the Diversity in Government Relations Coalition and previously served on the leadership team for Women in Government Relations’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.

Brad Lerner, JD

Director, Public Policy, Behavioral Health, Elevance Health; Board Chair-Elect, Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness; Board Treasurer, Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness; Board Member, Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness; Board Member, Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness

Brad Lerner, JD

Brad Lerner is a Director of Public Policy of Behavioral Health for Elevance Health and formerly served as Vice President Government Affairs/Associate General Counsel for Beacon Health Options. He is a government relations professional with more than 29 years of public and private sector experience analyzing and addressing regulatory issues, including complex legal and policy issues in health care. He is a leading expert on Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) analysis and compliance and works with federal and state policymakers on ways to improve mental health and substance used disorder system of care. He is currently serving as Chair-Elect for the Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness. Previously, he worked as a regulatory attorney at the Federal Communications Commission and as in-house counsel at Cavalier Telephone, LLC. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Michigan and a Juris Doctor from Wayne State University Law School.

Kay Matthews

Founder and Executive Director, Shades of Blue Project

Kay Matthews

Founder and Executive Director, Shades of Blue Project

As the founder of The Shades of Blue Project, Kay Matthews and her team are on a mission to uplift all birthing individuals with the care, respect, and dignity they deserve – no matter their social status or birth outcome. We focus on the birthing experience, and this is how we bridge the gaps by acknowledging everyone's birth story matters. Through education, advocacy, and support, we are dedicated to helping birthing individuals of color whose lives are impacted by racial disparities that amplify their birthing struggles. It is from my own personal experience of infant loss and postpartum depression, that I've recognized a critical diversity gap in mental health resources and emotional support for Black and minority birthing individuals and their families which is what we are working to dismantle through our work and advocacy.

Kevin J. Malone

Member of the Firm, Epstein Becker & Green, PC

Kevin J. Malone

Member of the Firm, Epstein Becker & Green, PC

Kevin Malone draws on more than a decade of experience working at the highest levels of health care financing policy and law to help managed care organizations navigate the web of federal and state regulations and program policies governing the health care financing system. Kevin is a go-to lawyer on issues concerning the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (the federal parity law) and also represents several national behavioral health specialty societies, providing legal support and strategic advice on trends in the regulation of utilization management and efforts to license intellectual property to managed care entities for inclusion in medical necessity criteria. Through Epstein Becker & Green’s (EBG) affiliate, EBG Advisors, Inc. (EBGA), and EBGA's affiliate, National Health Advisors, LLC, Kevin also offers strategic counsel in health policy and on health care reimbursement changes. He joined EBG in 2016 after six years in health care financing policy roles at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, most recently with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). As a Public Health Analyst with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) prior to joining CMS, Kevin managed multiple multimillion-dollar federal procurements and led the agency’s efforts to help substance abuse and mental health treatment providers implement advanced contracting, billing, and care coordination practices. In addition, he spearheaded SAMHSA’s efforts at public and private insurance enrollment following the enactment of the Affordable Care Act.

Heather Meade

Principal, Washington Council, Ernst & Young LLP

Heather Meade

Principal, Washington Council, Ernst & Young LLP

Heather is a principal at Washington Council Ernst & Young, where she guides health care companies, nonprofits, employers and stakeholders through the complex federal political and policy process.A former ERISA attorney, Congressional staffer and political campaign operative with over 15 years of experience, Heather brings strategic business, political and policy insights to clients.Using legislative and regulatory strategies, coalition building, data and policy development, communications and bipartisan advocacy, Heather helps clients create change on Capitol Hill.Heather is a frequent public speaker on Congress and health policy issues and is a member of the New York State and the District of Columbia Bars.

Brett Meeks

Executive Director, Health Innovation Alliance

Brett Meeks

Executive Director, Health Innovation Alliance

Brett Meeks leads the Alliance on its policy positions. Brett is an expert on issues related to a new federal data infrastructure and rules related to the privacy, use, and exchange of health data.Brett brings a wealth of experience to HIA, most recently as Deputy Health Policy Director of the Senate HELP Committee where he helped write the 21st Century Cures Act, which outlawed information blocking, the business practice of refusing to share information for legitimate healthcare needs. The law also established interoperability standards and reformed privacy rules for personal health information.Brett is a graduate of the University of Virginia, the National Defense University, and the University of Mississippi School of Law.

Douglas Nemecek, MD, MBA

Chief Medical Officer, Behavioral Health Evernorth Health Services; Board Member Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW)

Douglas Nemecek, MD, MBA

Chief Medical Officer, Behavioral Health Evernorth Health Services; Board Member Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW)

Dr. Doug Nemecek is the chief medical executive for behavioral health quality, integration, and clinical operations. He helps ensure network access and availability, patient safety, compliance with clinical guidelines, customer and provider satisfaction, and utilization management. Additionally, he works directly with customers and clients to mold operations and provides clinical expertise in new and existing behavioral health and integrated program development. Dr. Nemecek has helped establish workflows, protocols, and collaborative procedures to create a unified medical management team across the company. He leads clinical initiatives and provides thought leadership to key issues such as the national opioid epidemic, and loneliness. Additionally, he continues to develop unique relationships with our network providers to ensure our customers and providers achieve optimal total health outcomes. Dr. Nemecek previously served as Executive Medical Director for Allina Behavioral Health Services in Minneapolis, overseeing five outpatient clinics and four inpatient mental health units with over 80 mental health providers. He also has 10 years of clinical experience with an inpatient and outpatient psychiatric practice in Minneapolis. Dr. Nemecek received his M.D. and completed his psychiatric residency at Washington University in St. Louis. He is recognized as a Distinguished Fellow with the American Psychiatric Association, is board certified by the America Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians and holds an M.B.A. from the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis. Dr. Nemecek currently serves on the Board of the Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness. He also serves on the Scientific Board for Shatterproof, a national non-profit organization dedicated to ending the devastation that addiction causes families.

Leah G. Newkirk, JD

Senior Counsel, Government Relations, Kaiser Permanente

Leah G. Newkirk, JD

Senior Counsel, Government Relations, Kaiser Permanente

Leah Newkirk serves as Senior Counsel in Kaiser Permanente’s Government Relations group in Oakland, California. As part of Kaiser Permanente’s health policy and advocacy team, Leah focuses on mental health, women’s health, workforce and delivery system policy. She provides legislative support and strategic advice to Kaiser Permanente’s California team.Prior to joining Kaiser Permanente in 2017, Leah was a health care consultant with LSN Health Strategy and the Vice President of Health Policy at the California Academy of Family Physicians. In both positions, her work focused on the implementation of health care reform and workforce issues. Leah was also a health care associate at the law firm Proskauer Rose LLP.Ms. Newkirk received a B.A. in History and Women’s Studies from Harvard University and a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Thomas Oliverson, MD

State Representative (R), District 130 Texas House of Representatives

Thomas Oliverson, MD

State Representative (R), District 130 Texas House of Representatives

Dr. Tom Oliverson represents Texas’ 130th State House District in northwest Harris County, including the communities of Tomball, Cypress, Waller, and Hockley. He was selected by Speaker Phelan to Chair the Committee on House Insurance and also serves on the Public Health and Healthcare Reform committees. Additionally, Dr. Oliverson was selected to be the Vice-Chair of the House Republican Caucus.His first session culminated with him being chosen by his Republican colleagues as “Best Freshman Legislator” of the 85th legislative session. In his second session, he was named by Texas Monthly as one of the “best legislators of the 86th session”. Dr. Oliverson has authored legislation on a diverse set of issues including: healthcare, education, local government, religious freedoms, the 2nd amendment and protecting the unborn.Dr. Oliverson is active with the National Council of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL), where he serves as the Chairman of the Workers Compensation Insurance Committee and as a member of the Executive Committee. He is also active with the National Association of Christian Lawmakers where he is the Chair of the National Legislative Council. Dr. Oliverson serves on multiple healthcare taskforces including the Texas Conservative Coalition, American Legislative Exchange Council, and National Conference of State Legislatures.In his professional career, Dr. Oliverson is a managing partner and practicing anesthesiologist in US Anesthesia Partners, the largest anesthesia group in Texas with over 1100 anesthesia providers. A tireless advocate for patients and their safety, Dr. Oliverson is recognized as an expert in office-based anesthesia and consults with doctors and dentists throughout the state to make office surgery safer for patients.

Stephen L Ondra, MD

Vice President, Center for Transforming Health, Director, Health Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC), MITRE

Stephen L Ondra, MD

Vice President, Center for Transforming Health, Director, Health Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC), MITRE

Dr. Stephen L. Ondra is vice president of MITRE’s Center for Transforming Health and director of the CMS Alliance to Modernize Healthcare (Health FFRDC). In this role, Ondra leads our collaboration with government, industry, and academia to achieve data-driven innovation in healthcare, public health, and social services. Ondra will continue to serve as the center’s chief medical adviser, a role he began at MITRE, building partnerships with the private sector to promote health and well-being. Ondra’s career has spanned the entirety of the healthcare ecosystem, including clinician, researcher, educator, entrepreneur, and policy expert. Ondra served as chief medical officer at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, senior vice president and chief medical officer at Health Care Service Corporation, founder of North Star Healthcare Consulting, LLC, and CEO of CygnusAI. He is a founding member of the Core Quality Measure Collaborative, a public/private collaboration among CMS, AHIP, NQF, and professional medical organizations.During the Obama administration, Ondra served as senior health policy adviser for health affairs at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and in the Executive Office of the President. He was co-chair of the National Science and Technology Council for Health Information Technology and a member of the Implementation Deputy Group for the Affordable Care Act. Ondra was a professor of neurosurgery, residency program director, and interim chair of Neurological Surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He led breakthroughs in surgical care and developed multiple medical devices to improve patient care and outcomes. He is a trustee of Illinois Wesleyan University and other charitable boards.An Army veteran, Ondra was awarded a Bronze Star and the Army Commendation Medal for his service during combat deployments in Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield and has chaired scientific advisory boards for the Department of Defense.Ondra attended the U.S. Military Academy West Point, holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Illinois Wesleyan University, and a medical degree from Rush University.

John Rancourt

Deputy Director; Office of Standards, Certification, and Analysis (OSCA); Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy (ASTP), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

John Rancourt

Deputy Director; Office of Standards, Certification, and Analysis (OSCA); Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy (ASTP), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Mr. Rancourt serves as Deputy Director of the Office of Technology (OTECH). This office advises the National Coordinator and the Deputy National Coordinator on health information technology matters and fosters health information innovation. OTECH oversees coordination with federal agencies and industry stakeholders for advancing health information technology interoperability for improved health care delivery. OTECH is also responsible for ONC’s standards coordination activities with all of the health IT standards development organizations, including administration of the ONC Health IT Certification Program, the Certified Health IT Product Lists, and the certification testing tools. Mr. Rancourt joined ONC in 2011 as a Presidential Management Fellow. During his fellowship, he worked on ONC’s State Health Information Exchange Program and performed a rotation with Inova Health System’s Informatics Department. Since then, he has held a variety of leadership positions at ONC, including serving as the Deputy Director of the former Office of Care Transformation and most recently as the Director of the Interoperability Division in the Office of Policy. During his tenure at ONC, Mr. Rancourt has led policy and programmatic activities for the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA), state and Medicaid interoperability efforts, social determinants of health data interoperability, value-based transformation enabled by health IT, consumer engagement and data access, and interoperability activities for public health, behavioral health, emergency medical services, and long-term and post-acute care providers. Prior to his work at ONC, Mr. Rancourt built both wide and deep health policy expertise through a range of roles, including on Capitol Hill, for the Government Accountability Office, on a political campaign, for pharmaceutical companies, as a patient advocate, and as a health care industry journalist. Mr. Rancourt was also a Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellow with the Institute of Medicine (now the National Academy of Medicine). Mr. Rancourt holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and a Master of Public Administration from American University.

Rachel Roberts

House Minority Whip, State Representative 67th District Kentucky House of Representatives

Rachel Roberts

House Minority Whip, State Representative 67th District Kentucky House of Representatives

Sworn into office on March 3, 2020, Representative Rachel Roberts is the first woman to hold the House District 67 seat, serving the people of Campbell County and Kentucky. In 2022 she was elected House Minority Whip, making her one of only six women in Kentucky history to be elected to House leadership. Rachel is a champion for health care, children, crime victims, public schools and teachers, and as a businesswoman, she is a strong voice for economic issues and job creation. She serves on the board of directors for Newport Business Council and Buenger Boys & Girls Club. She is Chair of the NCOIL Joint State, Federal, and International Insurance Issues Committee, a Legislative Committee Member for the Interstate Insurance Compact, State Director for Women in Government (WIG), and Vice-Chair of the Kentucky-Taiwan Caucus. She and her husband Michael live in Newport with a dog named Steve and a cat named Kevin. Representative Rachel Roberts is owner of The Yoga Bar, a locally founded center for mindfulness, which has been voted Best of Northern Kentucky, and she is co-owner of RAKE Strategies a branding and communications consultancy. She grew her businesses from scratch and had the savvy and dedication to build The Yoga Bar into a thriving hub for community involvement and charitable fundraising. Her clients have included partnerships with The Cincinnati Reds, Cincinnati Bengals, FC Cincinnati, as well as some of the area’s most respected employers.

David Schwartz

Vice President, Public Policy and Federal Affairs, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield

David Schwartz

Vice President, Public Policy and Federal Affairs, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield

Melicia Seay

Assistant Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Melicia Seay

Assistant Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Melicia Seay is the Assistant Inspector General for the Office of Evaluation and Inspections at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In this capacity, Melicia leads an office that conducts large-scale program evaluations to drive meaningful change in federal health care programs. Currently, her portfolio consists of oversight of Medicare Parts A&B, behavioral health services, the opioid crisis, emergency preparedness and response, CDC, HRSA, and SAMHSA. Prior to working at HHS OIG, Melicia was a policy analyst at the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). While working at ASPR, Melicia was responsible for implementing legislation and national policy directives, drafting policy and guidance related to planning for and responding to public health emergencies, and leading major projects to advance the mission. Prior to joining ASPR, Melicia served as a consultant at various firms in the Washington, D.C. metro area working on issues related to prescription drug access, coverage, and payment policy. Melicia has a Bachelor and Master’s Degree in Health Care Management with a focus on health care policy from Howard University and Marymount University, respectively.

June Sivilli

Public Health Expert, Office of Public Health, Office of National Drug Control Policy, (ONDCP); Executive Office of the President

June Sivilli

Public Health Expert, Office of Public Health, Office of National Drug Control Policy, (ONDCP); Executive Office of the President

June Sivilli is a public health policy expert in the Office of Public Health, Office of National Drug Control Policy in the Executive Office of the President. Ms. Sivilli has had an extensive public health policy career in multiple leadership and technical roles at ONDCP including Assistant Director for Public Health, Education and Treatment, Acting Deputy Director for Demand Reduction, Public Health Division Chief, Treatment Branch Chief and International Advisor for Demand Reduction, developing and advancing the agencies public health policies and priorities to improve services for people with substance use disorders, both domestically and internationally. She led the agencies initiatives to integrate screening and treatment into mainstream health, the expansion of the use of medication for opioid use disorder including in carceral settings, and the establishment of Addiction Medicine as a medical sub-specialty. She drafted the National Treatment Plan, and led its implementation across Federal Agencies and with national non-profit stakeholders. June was the 2023 recipient of the American College of Academic Addiction Medicine’s ‘Keeper of the Flame’ Award.June is currently leading efforts across government and the medical field to: populate a SUD Cascade of Care in collaboration with Federal partners; increase screening and case-finding to bring more people who need treatment into care; increase training of the existing health professions workforce on substance use disorder; develop and disseminate SUD core curriculum elements for health and medical academic programs; and continue efforts to increase access to MOUD for people in carceral settings.Prior to joining ONDCP, Ms. Sivilli conducted research for Federal agencies in the private sector.

Jennifer Snow

National Director, Government Relations, Policy & Advocacy, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

Jennifer Snow

National Director, Government Relations, Policy & Advocacy, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

Jennifer Snow is National Director of Government Relations and Policy for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization. Jennifer is responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of NAMI’s overall federal agenda to advance public policies that support people with mental health conditions. Jennifer joined NAMI in 2018 with nearly two decades of experience in health policy working in a variety of roles at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Jennifer grew up in New Jersey and earned a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health, both from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

John Snook

Chief Policy Officer Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute

John Snook

Chief Policy Officer Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute

John is a nationally recognized expert on the criminalization of those with behavioral health needs with nearly twenty years of mental health and substance use disorder policy experience at the local, state, and national levels.

Prior to joining the Meadows Institute, John led federal government relations for the National Association for Behavioral Healthcare (NABH) representing the interests of provider systems that treat children, adolescents and adults with mental health and substance use disorders. Before NABH, John served as Executive Director of the Treatment Advocacy Center, now recognized as one of the United States’ most influential mental health advocacy organizations. Under his leadership, one-third of states made substantial reforms to their mental health treatment laws with the Center’s support, and he contributed to the Center’s increasing influence in the mainstream of mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) policy nationally. In 2017, John was appointed to serve as one of 14 non-federal national experts on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee.

In his role with the Meadows Institute, John helps lead the Institute’s work on national policy issues as they affect Texas, with a particular focus on the transformation of crisis response and the intersection of the justice and health systems. He also works closely with John Petrila and other Institute leaders on the design and implementation of the Institute’s Center for Justice and Health.

John received his law degree from the George Mason School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington & Jefferson College.

Jennifer Stoll

Chief External Affairs Officer, OCHIN

Jennifer Stoll

Chief External Affairs Officer, OCHIN

Jennifer Stoll is the Chief of External Affairs for OCHIN, a national nonprofit health IT innovation and research network that provides solutions, expertise, clinical insights, and advanced technology support to drive health equity.Jennifer is a national expert on the intersection of technology, health policy, and advocacy. Jennifer leads a multidisciplinary team that strategically advocates and partners on behalf of more than 22,000 providers across OCHIN’s national network to sustain and expand access to care for rural and underserved communities. Jennifer has established key partnerships and led advocacy efforts that have scaled critical initiatives for OCHIN network members and secured OCHIN as national leader supporting underserved communities across the nation.Jen holds degrees from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and the University of Connecticut, and she currently advises on multiple boards and committees to inform the future of health care delivery.

Kelly Vaillancourt Strobach, PhD, NCSP 

Director of Policy and Advocacy, National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

Kelly Vaillancourt Strobach, PhD, NCSP 

Director of Policy and Advocacy, National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

Dr. Kelly Vaillancourt Strobach is the Director of Policy and Advocacy for the National Association of School Psychologists, where she works collaboratively with public policy makers, educational and health professionals, and elected officials to advocate for the importance and value of school psychology, school psychologists and school psychological services. She also represents NASP in a number of coalitions working to advocate for public policies and practices that support NASP’s mission and serves on the Board of Directors for the Committee for Education Funding and the Title-IVA coalition.  Prior to joining the NASP staff in 2011, Kelly spent seven years practicing as a school psychologist in Loudoun County Public Schools (VA).  Dr. Strobach has developed, authored, and coauthored numerous articles, book chapters, policy briefs, and resources, including NASP's Framework for Safe and Successful Schools and has presented nationally on issues related to school safety, school mental health, effective discipline policies, and the relationship between education policy and school practices. Kelly earned her B.A. in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, her M.A. and Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) in School Psychology from Appalachian State University, and her PhD in Education Policy at George Mason University.

Reyna Taylor, MS, MBA

Senior Vice President, Public Policy and Advocacy, National Council for Mental Wellbeing

Reyna Taylor, MS, MBA

Senior Vice President, Public Policy and Advocacy, National Council for Mental Wellbeing

ReynaTaylor brings extensive experience with federal public policy initiatives to protect access and affordability to her role as Vice President of Public Policy and Advocacy at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing where she leads public policy and government affairs activities, supervises legislative matters and guides overall public policy strategy. With nearly two decades of specialty pharmaceutical and medical device experience, Ms. Taylor has a wide range of knowledge on public policy issues, including Medicare, Medicaid and commercial management of managed care organizations, hospitals, pharmacies and mental health centers. She holds a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience from Bates College and earned a Master of Science in biotechnology and Master of Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University.

Brooke Trainum

Director, Practice Policy, American Psychiatric Association

Brooke Trainum

Director, Practice Policy, American Psychiatric Association

Claire Wulf Winiarek, PhD

Director of Health Care Policy, Amazon Health Services

Claire Wulf Winiarek, PhD

Director of Health Care Policy, Amazon Health Services

Debbie Witchey

President and Chief Executive Officer, Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW)

Debbie Witchey

President and Chief Executive Officer, Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW)

Debbie Witchey is a seasoned association executive with extensive experience leveraging strong relationships with key stakeholders on Capitol Hill and the health care community to influence laws and regulations affecting all sectors of the health care industry. She began her tenure as the President and CEO of the Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW) on October 1, 2024. ABHW member companies provide coverage to over 200 million people in both the public and private sectors to treat mental health, substance use disorders, and other behaviors that impact health and wellness. Celebrating its 30th year, ABHW provides thought leadership and advocates for regulations and policies that help provide high quality health care to promote healthy living and improved quality of life.An effective communicator and skilled administrator, Debbie served for more than 20 years as the Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of the Healthcare Leadership Council (HLC), an alliance of leading health industry CEOs representing all sectors of health care. In this role she managed association operations and interacted and built rapport with health care organizations and government officials to achieve significant legislative and regulatory progress on priorities such as health care access and coverage, population health, and Medicare. Debbie directed HLC’s government affairs and grassroots operations including six regional field directors covering all 50 states, coordinating 200 in-district meetings and events with members of Congress annually. Previously she built an award-winning community health program for a hospital system in Charleston, SC and served as deputy assistant secretary at the US Treasury Department in both a Republican and Democrat administration.Debbie has a master’s in health administration from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and a bachelor’s degree in public policy from Duke University. She serves on the board of an MUSC advisory board and on the board of a women’s service organization in McLean, VA. She is also a member of the Women Business Leaders of the US Health Care Industry Foundation. In addition, she fosters dogs for Lab Rescue.

Advancing Behavioral Health and Policy Summit | October 28 - 29, 2024 | Washington, DC

Advancing Behavioral Health and Policy Summit October 28 - 29, 2024 | Washington, DC

2024 Speakers

Substitution & Cancellation Policy: