NRI's Board of Directors
NRI's Board of Directors is composed of 16 leaders in the behavioral health field who serve as program directors, researchers, consultants, advocates, and finance experts. Their individual and collective competencies provide strategic guidance to NRI as it fulfills its mission to benefit both providers and consumers of health and behavioral health services. The term of office for all Board members is two years.
Dena Stoner, Director of Innovation Strategy for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s IDD / Behavioral Health Division, has over 38 years of design and implementation experience, including long term services, acute care, managed care and behavioral health. She currently concentrates on behavioral health integration, including research and demonstration projects, Medicaid state plan and waiver initiatives. Her work has been featured in peer-reviewed publications. She also chairs the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors’ Finance Policy Division, serves on the NASMHPD Research Institute (NRI)’s Board of Directors, is a member of the Executive Committee of the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) and chairs NASHP’s Long Term and Chronic Care Committee.
Vice President
Ann Marie Sullivan, M.D.
Dr. Ann Marie Sullivan serves as Commissioner for the New York State Office of Mental Health. Previously, she was the Senior Vice President for the Queens Health Network of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation. Dr. Sullivan is an active advocate for her patients and her profession, is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and has served as the Speaker of the American Psychiatric Association’s Assembly and on its Board of Trustees.
Secretary
Valerie L. Mielke, MSW
Valerie Mielke is the Assistant Commissioner for the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) in the Department of Human Services and serves as the Single State Agency (SSA) for Substance Abuse and the State Mental Health Authority (SMHA) as designated by the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Treasurer
Katherine Warburton, D.O.
Dr. Warburton is the Medical Director, and Deputy Director of Clinical Operations, for the California Department of State Hospitals. Dr. Warburton is board certified in adult and forensic psychiatry. She is an Associate Professor on the Clinical Faculty at the UC Davis School of Medicine. Dr. Warburton has lectured and published on forensic topics related to violence and competence to stand trial. She is editor of a textbook titled Violence in Psychiatry. In 2021, she published a textbook called Decriminalizing Mental Illness.
Drew Adkins is the current commissioner of the Behavioral Health Services Commission, which manages mental health services in Kansas, working with 26 community mental health centers across the state. In addition, it oversees addiction and prevention service programs for the State of Kansas, including targeted workforce development initiatives.
The commission works in close collaboration with the Governor’s Behavioral Health Services Planning Council. The commission is also charged with overseeing the state’s two psychiatric hospitals, Larned State Hospital and Osawatomie State Hospital.
Their work is supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and KDADS. KDADS is responsible by statute and holds the authority and responsibility to coordinate and provide substance abuse and mental health services in Kansas. They promote effective public policy and develop and evaluate programs and resources for behavioral health prevention, treatment and recovery services.
Wendy Bailey is the Executive Director, Mississippi Department of Mental Health. She has been with the agency for 16 years beginning her career at Mississippi State Hospital in 2005. During her years at the agency, she has focused on strategic planning, performance development, and budget management.
Member at Large
Barbara Bazron, Ph.D.
Barbara J. Bazron, PhD was appointed by Mayor Muriel Bowser as Director of the Department of Behavioral Health. Dr. Bazron previously served as Interim Director and Senior Deputy Director of the District’s Department of Behavioral Health where she led initiatives to expand evidence-based practices for children and youth, integrate peer leadership in treatment models and increase access to care in non-traditional settings
Member at Large
Melissa M. Beck, ESQ
Melissa Beck is the inaugural Executive Director of the Sozosei Foundation. Prior to joining the Sozosei Foundation, she served as Executive Director of The Educational Foundation of America (EFA), a family foundation that supports a range of organizations through grantmaking and impact investing activities.
Member at Large
Lindsey Browning
Lindsey Browning is Director of Medicaid Programming at the National Association of Medicaid Directors. In her role, she leads various grant-funded projects to support Medicaid Directors and their senior staff in navigating the Medicaid program’s most pressing policy issues. She previously worked at the Children’s Hospital Association where she conducted research and analysis on state policy trends in Medicaid and CHIP.
Ebony Clarke, Oregon Health Authority’s Behavioral Health Director, brings over 25 years of experience in administration, management, and clinical work. She has shaped policy in public and nonprofit behavioral health with a focus on equity and consumer needs.
Previously, Ebony served as Multnomah County’s Health Department Director, overseeing public health, behavioral health, corrections health, and federally qualified health centers. She also led the county’s Behavioral Health Department and directed child and family services at Lifeworks NW.
During the pandemic, she guided a staff of 1,900 with a $400M budget, leading regional COVID-19 efforts and launching the Behavioral Health Resource Center, serving 1,000+ people weekly. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Ebony holds an MSW from Portland State University and a BA from the University of Oregon.
Member at Large
Sarah L. Desmarais, PhD
Sarah L. Desmarais, PhD, has been President and CEO of Policy Research Associates (PRA) since 2022, overseeing its success and performance. She holds a PhD in Forensic Psychology and Law from Simon Fraser University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Public Health at the University of British Columbia.
Previously, Dr. Desmarais was a Professor at NC State University, directing the Center for Family and Community Engagement and leading graduate programs. She also held faculty positions at the University of South Florida.
Her research focuses on public health, community safety, and social justice, with an emphasis on reducing detention rates for individuals with behavioral health needs. She has authored 140+ peer-reviewed publications and led research funded by NIH, NIJ, and the MacArthur Foundation.
Member at Large
Ron Manderscheid, Ph.D.
Ron Manderscheid, Ph.D.'s career has included national work with the Congress and Administration, federal agencies, NGOs, and university teaching. He serves currently as Principal at Capstone Solutions Consulting Group and as Adjunct Professor at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, and the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California. Until recently, he was President/CEO, National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors and National Association for Rural Mental Health. Both organizations represent county and local authorities in the DC community. Concurrently, Dr. Manderscheid serves on the boards of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare, the National Grand Challenge for Social Work Initiative, the Danya Institute, and the NASMHPD Research Institute. He also served until recently as the Co-Chair of the National Coalition for Whole Health.
Kevin Martone is a nationally recognized expert in behavioral health policy, system financing, Olmstead planning, and housing for people with disabilities. With nearly 30 years of leadership in public and private sectors, he navigates the complexities of Medicaid, homelessness, social services, and criminal justice.
Previously, he was president of NASMHPD, advocating for public mental health policy at the federal level, and served as Deputy Commissioner of New Jersey’s Department of Human Services, managing a $1.5 billion budget to expand community-based behavioral health services. He has also led a supportive housing agency, provided clinical services, and taught at Tufts and Rutgers. Martone is currently president of the National Association for Rural Mental Health.
Member at Large
Joe Parks, M.D.
Dr. Parks serves as the Senior Medical Director for the National Council for Behavioral Health. He most recently served as the Director of the Missouri HealthNet Division of the Missouri Department of Social Services. He oversees th Medicaid program that provides health coverage to about 850,000 lower-income children, custodial parents, disabled residents and seniors. He previously served as the Chief Medical Officer for the Missouri Department of Mental Health.
Member at Large
Megan Quattlebaum, JD
Megan Quattlebaum serves as Director of the Justice Center of The Council of State Governments. Before joining the organization, Megan most recently served as a research scholar in law and the program director of the Justice Collaboratory at the Yale Law School, where she taught as well as developed and oversaw research projects and led the organization’s work on behalf of the National Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice.
Member at Large
Tiffany Wolfgang
Tiffany Wolfgang oversees the Division of Behavioral Health and the Human Services Center in South Dakota to provide a wide range of mental health and substance use disorder treatment and prevention. Tiffany is also an advisory committee member of the Avoid Opioid SD organization.
Executive Director / CEO
Carrie Slatton-Hodges
After a thorough search, NRI’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce Carrie Slatton-Hodges as the next Executive Director/CEO. Carrie started on January 5, 2025. She recently served as a Senior Behavioral Health Program Director for the National Association of Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD). Prior to this role, she served as the Commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substances Abuse Services. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a master’s degree in psychology and a bachelor’s degree in human resources management.