Oversee the statewide after-hours emergency response system designed to ensure the safety and protection of children across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Judge Baker Children's Center operates the Emergency Line for the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, partnering with DCF on-call supervisors and emergency response social workers after hours. Responsible for working closely with DCF senior management to align policies and procedures with DCF daytime operations and ensuring effective communications on a day-to-day basis. Responsible for effectiveness and efficiency of overall program functioning, managing a diverse staff of 50+ entry level and professional staff, creating a culture of teamwork and collaboration, driving continuous quality improvement, and managing the 4.3 million dollar budget. Developing and maintaining excellent relationships with key stakeholders is critical including, but not limited to, mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect, a variety of state agencies, foster families, and residential programs.

Lead the expansion of The Quality Care Initiative, through which JBCC uses thoughtful, evidence-informed, and carefully planned implementation strategies, to close the research-to-practice gap to achieve the best outcomes for children and families facing behavioral health challenges. Provide high quality consultation, training, and technical assistance across systems including behavioral health, pediatrics, child welfare, juvenile justice and education. Oversee initiatives focused on implementation and sustainability of of best and evidence-based practices and programs for children and families on the local, regional and national levels. Promote the use of quality improvement strategies to improve performance and outcomes of programs both internal and external to JBCC. Strengthen existing relationships and develop new partnerships and collaborations.

Strategic Consulting specializes in helping mission-driven organizations maximize their impact through focused vision, strategic planning, and enhanced visibility. Strategic Consulting also provides personal health/behavioral health advocacy for individuals and families and assistance navigating complex health care systems.

Passionate about integrating behavioral health as integral to overall health and wellness, I provided leadership and strategic direction for two innovative statewide Psychiatric Access Programs funded by the MA Department of Mental Health in collaboration with MassHealth for 4.6 million dollars. Created in 2004, MCPAP supports primary care providers with child psychiatry consultation to manage the behavioral health needs of their pediatric patients in the primary care setting and MCPAP for Moms, created in 2014, replicates the model to provide perinatal psychiatric consultation for obstetric and psychiatric providers caring for pregnant and postpartum women. Both programs increase universal screening and access to care, promote integration of behavioral health within health care, and mitigate the shortage of specialty psychiatry. This innovative model has been replicated across the country.I contracted with and oversaw service delivery through provider teams at eight major academic medical centers providing behavioral health consultation to over 95% of pediatric primary care and 65% of obstetric practices statewide. I initiated and facilitated strategic planning resulting in the successful program redesign and restructuring of MCPAP resulting in: increased programmatic consistency and improved positioning to meet the needs of primary care in an integrated and value-based payment environment moving forward. In response to the opioid crisis, I identified and seized on opportunities to collaborate with developing statewide initiatives, expanding the focus of MCPAP for Moms perinatal psychiatric consultation program to include substance use disorders.I was selected to be a member of the MA Department of Public Health Young Children's Advisory Council. I presented on MCPAP and child psychiatric access programs in 2016 and 2017 at the "Annual Research and Policy Conference on Child, Adolescent, and Young Adult Behavioral Health" in Tampa Florida.

In this senior management position I was responsible for creating a comprehensive philanthropy and marketing program for a dynamic health center undergoing significant growth and expansion into new communities, and overseeing a $2.2 million dollar portfolio of community-based public health programs.I participated in a multi-stakeholder collaboration led the effort to secure $6 million in funding for new satellite of the health center in Milford. I designed and implemented the infrastructure on which to build philanthropy and marketing functions including creation of contact database, selection and implementation of donor management system, and roll-out of re-branding initiative.Having newly acquired the "Kennedy" name (formerly Great Brook Valley Community Health Center), I upgraded graphic design standards, introduced a new website, implemented use of social media, and created a comprehensive communications plan. I led the Community Programs division through a center-wide reorganization and secured continued funding for its community-based public health programs valued at 2.5 million dollars. I renegotiated subcontracts to ensure sustainability. During a time when the impact of social determinants of health were beginning to be recognized, I created new relationships with community-based organizations with a particular focus on food insecurity, healthy eating, and exercise. Through these collaborations, I was able to bring a mobile farmer's market and community shared agriculture program to benefit the patients of the health center. Due to my extensive experience with behavioral health and program development, I was asked to participate in co-locating a health center satellite within a local outpatient/methadone addictions provider facility.

This was a new position created to be primarily responsible for articulating the Foundation’s first policy agenda to improve access to children’s behavioral health services while assisting with ongoing Foundation work on advancing health care reform.Working collaboratively with key stakeholders statewide, the we identified workforce as a significant barrier to behavioral health access, I commissioned a statewide study of the issue, and produced “Accessing Children’s Mental Health Services in Massachusetts: Workforce Capacity Assessment." This study was the first study of its kind in MA to identify barriers, gaps, and strengths of the current landscape and propose policy solutions. I then developed, planned, and emceed Improving Access to Children’s Behavioral Health Services: Challenges and Opportunities conference for 250+ participants focused on the release of the workforce capacity assessment, implementation of Chapter 321: An Act Relative to Children’s Mental Health, and the EOHHS Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative. As a model, I initiated and led stakeholder advisory panels for three research initiatives, each comprised of 20+ professionals and consumers with expertise, experience, and/or professional authority resulting in Foundation Board involvement, consensus-building, and enhanced support of each project.I was selected to co-chair Family Supports and Mental Health sub-committee of State Street Foundation’s Youth Violence Prevention Funders Learning Collaborative.

As Program Manager, I was responsible for managing a federally qualified community health center-controlled network of seven community health centers affiliated with BIDMC serving 70,000+ patients in Eastern Massachusetts including Cape Cod.Recognized by health centers and medical center as subject matter expert in new health care reform law, I interpreted complex information for multiple target audiences in the rapidly changing environment. I designed and conducted training for over 300 managers and staff at BIDMC in the Commonwealth Care, Commonwealth Choice and Health Safety Net programs.Maximized CCA health center participation in new Commonwealth Care program by successfully advocating with physician organizations to contract with all participating managed care organizations (MCOs) and expedited provider credentialing. Simultaneously, I a conceived multi-lingual marketing campaign ensuring current patient retention and new business development for patients covered by any insurance plan.Recognizing the newly competitive environment created by health care reform, I replicated a "secret shopper" program implemented at BIDMC for the CCA health centers, promoting customer service as a differentiating marketing strategy.Ensuring the financial sustainability of the Community Care Alliance, I secured $125,000 in federal HRSA Office of Health Information Technology funding to manage planning and pilot implementation of health information exchange between five community health centers and BIDMC, all on varying electronic heath record platforms.

Having held two previous positions at the organization, I created and led the Marketing and Community Relations department responsible for all strategic and operational marketing plans, contracting with commercial payers, provider credentialing, grant and contract preparation, new program development, public relations strategies and activities, media relations, community relations, fundraising and internal and external communications.The hallmark of the new department was to create a centralized interface for external customers: payers, health care providers, media and community organizations, resulting in simplified contracting processes, increased numbers of contracts, improved relations with payers, and increased referral volume. The increased visibility for SSMH resulted in my appointment to two managed behavioral health provider advisory councils.Similarly, I created a centralized internal point of contact for communications, grant and contract preparation, and participation in external community activities resulting in consistent messaging, a 95% success rate in securing funding, and the ability to strategically deploy scarce resources to maximize community relations. I introduced organizational, program and service branding and standardized all marketing materials, contributing to increased contract and patient volume and positioning SSMH staff as subject matter experts for media, schools and other community organizations. SSMH was awarded “Merit for Marketing Communications Campaign” Publicity Club of New England Bell Ringer Award, June 2003.I wrote, designed and prepared complex proposals successfully resulting in municipal, state, and commercial insurance contracts, and private grants worth millions of dollars annually. I planned and implemented three annual full-day conferences on child and adult mental health.Served as Coordinator of Special Projects 1986-1990Served as Director of Planning and Development 1990-1995