Michelle Baass 
Director
California Department of Health Care Services  
Michelle Baass was appointed Director of the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) in 2021. She leads a team of more than 4,800 individuals at DHCS. Before her appointment to DHCS, Ms. Baass served as Undersecretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) since 2018 and Deputy Secretary of the Office of Program and Fiscal Affairs at CalHHS from 2017 to 2018. Prior to joining CalHHS, she worked for the California Legislature for 13 years, including in positions at the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, Senate Office of Research, and Legislative Analyst’s Office. 

Emily Baldwin, MD, EdM
Medical Director, Behavioral Health Services
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center
Emily Baldwin, MD, EdM, is Medical Director for the behavioral health service line at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, and President of Bay Psychiatric Associates. At Alta Bates-Summit she has served in various leadership positions including as Medical Director for Eating Disorders services and Adult Inpatient services. Her clinical work is presently primarily in the Consult-Liaison service at Alta Bates-Summit. 

Megan Barajas, MPA
Regional Vice President
Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC)
Megan Barajas represents hospitals across Riverside and San Bernardino counties. She leads regional policy and advocacy efforts on HASC’s strategic priorities, including behavioral health and emergency medical services, and is a key driver behind multi-agency initiatives that strengthen hospital operations and care delivery. She works closely with hospital executives, county departments, managed care plans, and elected officials to advance policies that support access, coordination, and sustainability across the health care system.

Bryan J. Bucklew, FACHE
President & CEO
Hospital Council – Northern & Central California
Mr. Bucklew leads advocacy efforts on behalf of hospitals and community health. Representing hospitals and healthcare needs of 50 of California’s 58 counties, he works closely with California Hospital Association and its southern association regional partners, the Hospital Association of Southern California and the Hospital Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties.

Tandy Burton, RN, MSN
Behavioral Health Director
Woodland Memorial Hospital
Ms. Burton is the Director of Behavioral Health at Woodland Memorial Hospital with Dignity Health (CommonSpirit Health). Serving behavioral health in Yolo County for the last 10 years, she is committed to making medical care available to patients in psychiatric crisis and has helped positively impact patient care and emergency department throughput in Northern California.

Stuart Buttlaire, PhD, MBA
Retired, Regional Director of Behavioral Health, Inpatient Psych, Continuum of Care and Addiction Medicine
Kaiser Permanente
Dr. Buttlaire is a strategic and innovative leader with a proven record of driving change and advancing healthcare excellence. With over 37 years of experience enhancing clinical quality, implementing strategic innovation, and improving operational efficiency in complex healthcare systems, he is renowned for advancing collaborative care models, integrating behavioral and physical health services, and improving population health outcomes.

Paul Jorge Dizon, MSN, RN, PMH-BC
Senior Clinical Development Nurse 1,
GSAA Nursing Professional Development
Kaiser Permanente – Fremont Medical Center
Paul Jorge Dizon, MSN, RN, PMH-BC, is a Senior Clinical Development Nurse and board-certified psychiatric-mental health nursing leader and educator with 17 years of combined clinical, academic, and leadership experience. He was instrumental in shaping and advancing Kaiser Permanente Fremont’s first Medical-Psychiatric Unit, driving Magnet-aligned excellence through innovative workflows, high-reliability practices, and nursing professional development. As a Caring Science leader and HeartMath® Resilience Instructor, he champions trauma-informed, healing-centered care that strengthens therapeutic connection, staff well-being, and patient outcomes. Paul also leads a collaborative partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to expand community support, improve transitions of care, and reduce avoidable readmissions.

Linda Garrett, JD  
Partner 
Garrett Law, LLP 
Linda Garrett has been providing risk management services to public entity healthcare facilities and providers for over 30 years. She trains healthcare providers on a variety of medical/legal topics including consent, mandated reporting, involuntary mental health treatment, and federal and state medical confidentiality laws. Prior to working as a risk manager, Ms. Garrett practiced as a medical malpractice defense attorney for a law firm in San Francisco, California. 

Janelle Ito-Orille, MA
Chief, Licensing and Certification, Behavioral Health  
California Department of Health Care Services 
Janelle has over 17 years of State of California experience, and is currently serving as the Division Chief of the Licensing and Certification Division for the Department of Health Care Services. In this capacity, she is responsible for engaging with various stakeholders on local issues brought forward by constituents; implementing licensing policy and clinical changes; monitoring budgets and expenditures; and conducting on-site and virtual technical assistance. Prior to this, Janelle served as a Branch Chief for Licensing and Complaints in the Substance Use Disorder Compliance Division. As the Division Chief, Janelle serves as the central point for planning, implementing, and evaluating program policy on all matters related to behavioral health licensing and certification.

Harris F. Koenig
President  
Harris Koenig & Associates 
Mr. Koenig has broad healthcare experience including strategic development, health care policy, and hospital operations. He served for 20 years as a hospital Chief Executive Officer, the culmination of a 45-year career in healthcare administration. He served as a member of the San Bernardino County COVID response team as the hospital liaison and currently provides support to the County Response Transport and Treatment Executive Group whose goal is improving service to 911 callers. This Group has monitored the implementation of SB 43 and the impact of behavioral health on the RTT system.  Mr. Koenig has served as the HASC Inland Empire Board Chair and as a member of the HASC Board of Directors.

Hillary Kunins, MD, MPH
Director, Behavioral Health Services and Mental Health San Francisco
San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH)
During her time with SFDPH, Dr. Kunis has played a part in San Francisco’s significant behavioral health reform, including establishing behavioral health street health teams, an Office of Coordinated Care to have a single point of access to the system of care, and expanding its residential care system by more than 400 beds, including a drug sobering center and crisis stabilization unit. San Francisco has also implemented a coordinated overdose response system, including expanding its treatment network to include, among other initiatives, an evening telehealth program for immediate initiation of medications for addiction treatment.

Maggy Krell 
Assemblywoman  
District 6 
As Deputy Attorney General, Maggy Krell developed a breakthrough legal theory that dismantled the largest on-line sex trafficking operation in the nation. She received a career achievement award from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children for her work helping survivors. Maggy Krell brings legal scholarship and policy leadership to the California State Assembly.  

James Kwon
Deputy Director
Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health
Mr. Kwon has extensive experience in working with vulnerable populations within California, including serving as a program manager for Clausen House, a non-profit agency dedicated to the empowerment of adults with developmental disabilities in Oakland, a Social Worker at Golden Gate Regional Center in San Francisco, a Supervising Deputy Public Guardian at the County of Santa Clara, and the Chief Deputy Public Guardian at the County of Orange.

Alicia Macklin, JD, MPH 
Partner 
Hooper Lundy & Bookman P.C.  
Ms. Macklin is a trusted advisor to a range of inpatient and outpatient behavioral health care providers, along with hospitals and health systems. She has counseled many of California’s hospitals on unsettled areas of law, with an emphasis on compliance with the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). Her work with providers includes advising on licensing and accreditation, Medicare and Medi-Cal reimbursement, federal and state privacy and confidentiality requirements, and operational issues. She also helps California providers navigate voluntary and involuntary treatment under the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act (LPS Act). 

Keris Jãn Myrick, MBA, MS
Senior Vice President of Partnerships and Innovation
Inseparable
Keris Jãn Myrick brings over twenty years of experience advancing mental health policy and systems change at the local, state, and federal levels. A nationally recognized researcher of peer support services, Keris has helped shape the evidence base for peer roles in crisis care, hospital settings, justice settings and community programs. Her work centers dignity, autonomy, and culturally responsive care.

Anantha Panyala, PhD
Executive Director-Mental Health Treatment Center/Division Manager, Behavioral Health Services
Sacramento County
Dr. Panyala has more than 35 years in the field with 20 plus years working in inpatient psychiatric facility.  During those years, she held several leadership positions overseeing crisis stabilization and acute inpatient programs. Working collaboratively with Law Enforcement and other community partners, she implemented several initiatives that focused on reducing behavioral health clients being taken to the Emergency Department. Dr. Panyala is currently working on the State’s new legislative changes to the LPS Act.

Mike Phillips, JD 
Senior Director of Patient Advocacy and Housing Services 
Jewish Family Service of San Diego 
In his role at the Jewish Family Service of San Diego, Mike Phillips provides instruction and training for the behavioral health community, including providing information on due process rights for individuals receiving behavioral health treatment throughout the County of San Diego. He also oversees permanent supportive housing programs throughout the Coachella Valley, and safe parking programs throughout San Diego County. He is currently consulting at the state level on behavioral health reform, including participation in the statewide Behavioral Health Action Coalition, and provides both local and statewide law enforcement training on behavioral health issues. 

Jason Robinson
Chief Program Officer
Share!
Jason Robison has worked in non-profit management for over 20 years, focusing on education, recovery, housing and health, and serves nationally as a subject matter expert on Peer Services and Recovery-Oriented practices. SHARE! is a peer-run organization in Los Angeles that operates two client-run Centers, two peer-run respite homes, SHARE! Collaborative Housing, and provides advanced peer specialist training throughout California.

Sharmil Shah, MA, Psy.D
Branch Chief, Behavioral Health and Policy
California Department of Health Care Access and Information
Sharmil Shah is a dynamic and innovative leader serving local and state agencies in both the public and private sectors with more than 20 years of clinical, management, community outreach, and business development experience, and a seasoned professional with a high degree of integrity. Her strengths are in behavioral health, team building, collaboration with a broad spectrum of community partners, public speaking, relationship building, outreach, office administration, marketing, and health program administration involving monitoring, evaluating, and assessing community health programs.

Khatera Tamplen
Consumer Relations Manager, Office of Peer Support Services, Health Equity Division
Alameda County Behavioral Health Department
Ms. Tamplen has over 20 years of community service and deep commitment to recovery-oriented systems, peer leadership, and equitable behavioral health care. She also served as a Public Health Advisor within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Office of Recovery, leading high-impact national initiatives aimed at transforming crisis response systems and integrating peer support across the behavioral health continuum. This included overseeing the National Mental Health and Substance Use Peer Respite Initiative, uniting leaders from policy, research, and the peer support community to shape forward-thinking federal strategies.

Tony Vartan, MSW, LCSW
Founder & CEO
Tony Vartan, LLC – Behavioral Health & Healthcare Consultants
Tony Vartan is a senior healthcare executive and consultant with over 37 years of leadership experience spanning behavioral health, hospital administration, and acute medical care. He served as Director of Behavioral Health for both Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties, managing budgets exceeding $265 million and leading more than 600 staff. Prior to his public-sector leadership, Tony spent 19 years with Tenet Health Systems, holding executive roles including Hospital Administrator of a 67-bed psychiatric hospital and Associate Administrator of a 465-bed acute medical center. Through Tony Vartan, LLC, he advises hospitals, health systems, and counties on behavioral health integration, LPS and EMTALA compliance, and strategic service-line development.

Stephanie Welch 
Deputy Secretary of Behavioral Health 
California Health and Human Services Agency 
Committed professional with 20 years of professional experience in mental health policy analysis and advocacy, program development, management and evaluation, and public and community relations at state and local levels. 

Paula Wilhelm
Deputy Director, Behavioral Health
California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS)
Ms. Wilhelm joined DHCS in 2022 as an Assistant Deputy Director for Behavioral Health. She oversees behavioral health licensing, certification, and grant programs, and leads policy development and implementation for an array of Medi-Cal and other behavioral health initiatives.

MCG Health, part of the Hearst Health network, is the industry’s source of truth in AI technology and evidence-based guidelines. Rooted in trust and scientific rigor, we deliver reliable, innovative solutions that empower healthcare professionals to make confident, accurate decisions. Learn more at www.mcg.com. 

Talkiatry is a national, physician-led behavioral health group and the largest private employer of psychiatrists in the U.S. With over 600 W-2 providers, we partner with health systems to expand fast, in-network access to high-quality outpatient care. Referrals are seamless via EMR with no contracts needed. We handle patient outreach, insurance, scheduling, and follow-up. Most patients are seen within 7 days, helping reduce ER visits, hospitalizations, and system strain while supporting continuity of care. 

At Anthem, we’re committed to being a valued health care partner and working together to transform health care with trusted and caring solutions. We’re developing the technology, solutions, and programs that give members greater access to care and working with providers to ensure quality health care experience for members. 

Branches Outpatient Greater Sacramento offers flexible, structured outpatient behavioral health support across seven regional clinics. These Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) empower adults and teens to pursue mental wellness while maintaining work, school, and family responsibilities. With personalized care and therapeutic guidance, participants build coping skills and resilience in a supportive environment. This approach ensures continuity of care while receiving the intensive treatment needed for lasting emotional and psychological growth. 

At Bristol Myers Squibb, our mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. We are pursuing bold science to define what’s possible for the future of medicine and the patients we serve. 

St. Joseph’s Behavioral Health Center is a licensed, not-for-profit facility providing comprehensive services to the Stockton community since 1974. St. Joseph’s Behavioral Health features inpatient and outpatient facilities offering a variety of services for adults and adolescents. Our specially trained staff of board-certified psychiatrists, physicians, and licensed professionals are committed to providing compassionate, quality care, and creating an atmosphere that fosters communication, trust, and personal growth. 

Alkermes applies its deep neuroscience expertise to develop medicines designed to help people living with complex and difficult-to-treat psychiatric and neurological disorders. A fully-Integrated, global biopharmaceutical company, with U.S. locations in Massachusetts and Ohio, and locations in Dublin and Athlone, Ireland, we seek to make a meaningful difference in the way people manage their diseases. Visit www.alkermes.com to learn more. 

Alter Behavioral Health is a premier mental health treatment organization specializing in high-acuity, evidence-based residential care. Our multidisciplinary team provides compassionate, individualized treatment for complex mental health conditions, offering a safe and restorative environment for healing. With a focus on clinical excellence, technology-driven outcomes, and trauma-informed care, Alter helps individuals achieve lasting recovery and improved quality of life. We are committed to transforming mental health care through innovation, integrity, and empathy. 

ARGO Healthcare Solutions 
Traditional UR workflows cause insurance denials, delaying patient care. ARGO streamlines evidence gathering and interpretation to improve UR performance, reduce staff burnout, and boost patient LOS. With 40+ years of expertise, ARGO delivers reliable, data-driven solutions that enhance margins and let providers focus on care—not tech barriers. 

Grand Canyon University 
As Arizona’s premier private Christian university, Grand Canyon University offers an affordable private-education experience that helps students discover their purpose. We provide more than 340 academic programs — including well over 250 online — serving both on-campus traditional learners and adult working professionals. Our 100 %-online degrees give students the flexibility to learn when it works best for them while continuing to work full-time. 

Hooper, Lundy & Bookman (HLB) is the nation’s largest law firm devoted exclusively to health care providers and suppliers. Founded in 1987, HLB combines deep industry insight, legal strategy, government relations acumen and business innovation to serve clients in all 50 states and two U.S. territories. With a boutique ethos and full-service capabilities, HLB guides clients through complex regulatory, transactional, litigation and policy matters to help build a viable, equitable health care system. 

Iris Telehealth is a leading provider of telepsychiatry services for hospitals and health systems across the United States. Our quality-focused behavioral health care models seamlessly integrate into your health system to drive expanded access across the continuum, scalable quality measure improvements, and a financially sustainable service line.    

Montage Health Ohana 
At Ohana, we know every child’s mental health journey is different, with its own ups and downs. That’s why we offer a range of services and programs to match each child’s unique situation; including residential, PHP, IOP, and OP programs. We’re big believers in the power of family, so we involve you closely in the care process. This way, you stay informed and involved as your child heals. They never have to go through it alone.   

Mood Health partners with hospitals and medical groups to ensure their patients have access to affordable mental health care. As a trusted referral resource, their team of in-house clinicians provide tele-psychiatry and tele-talk therapy to adult and adolescent patients and staff, and accept Medi-cal, Medicare and commercial insurance. Partnerships with Mood are incredibly easy to implement, and allow groups to solve for their outpatient mental health needs quickly, effortlessly, and at no cost to them. 

ObservSMART 
A comprehensive safety Solution, designed for behavioral health, substance recovery, EDs, and acute care settings. Over 425 organizations use ObservSMART to promote, validate, and document compliance while reducing the risks and costs related to adverse events. We help improve the quality of care by advancing accountability, efficiency, staff interaction, and consistent communication. Event-driven alerting, reminders, and proactive alerting to protect patients from sentinel and non-sentinel events with no cameras or added staff. 

Whitehall® plumbing products and accessories are specifically developed with the healthcare industry in mind. Our BestCare® product line is an extensive array of ligature-resistant products and accessories developed for increased safety in behavioral healthcare environments. Whitehall products are developed with consideration for universal design principles, ADA compatibility, and bariatric suitability. 

XFERALL is a leading healthcare technology platform that connects hospitals, behavioral health facilities, and community agencies to expedite patient transfers and improve access to care. By enabling real-time communication, data sharing, and transparency across partners, XFERALL reduces wait times and ensures patients receive the right level of care faster. Trusted nationwide, XFERALL empowers healthcare teams to collaborate seamlessly and deliver smarter, more efficient care coordination across the continuum. 

The Braille and Talking Book Library serves Northern California residents with visual, physical, print, or temporary disabilities that make reading traditional books difficult. We offer over 160,000 free audiobooks and braille books for all ages, delivered by mail with a specialized audio player. In addition to individual accounts, we support institutional accounts for hospitals, rehabilitation centers, VA facilities, and skilled nursing homes. Our services provide meaningful recreation and access to reading across 43 Northern California counties.