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
Melissa Bartlett
Senior Vice President, Health Policy, The ERISA Industry Committee
Melissa Bartlett
Senior Vice President, Health Policy, The ERISA Industry Committee
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
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
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)
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)
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
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
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
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
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)
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)
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
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
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
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
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)
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
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
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
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)
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
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
Kay Matthews
Founder and Executive Director, Shades of Blue Project
Kay Matthews
Founder and Executive Director, Shades of Blue Project
Kevin J. Malone
Member of the Firm, Epstein Becker & Green, PC
Kevin J. Malone
Member of the Firm, Epstein Becker & Green, PC
Heather Meade
Principal, Washington Council, Ernst & Young LLP
Heather Meade
Principal, Washington Council, Ernst & Young LLP
Brett Meeks
Executive Director, Health Innovation Alliance
Brett Meeks
Executive Director, Health Innovation Alliance
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)
Leah G. Newkirk, JD
Senior Counsel, Government Relations, Kaiser Permanente
Leah G. Newkirk, JD
Senior Counsel, Government Relations, Kaiser Permanente
Thomas Oliverson, MD
State Representative (R), District 130 Texas House of Representatives
Thomas Oliverson, MD
State Representative (R), District 130 Texas House of Representatives
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
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)
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
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
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
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)
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
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)
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
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)