Advisory
American Hospital Association Committee on Behavioral Health 2026 Membership Roster
Behavioral Health Services Committee - 2026 Roster
| CHAIR Mary Marran, MS, OT, MBA Chief Administrative Officer, Care New England President and COO, Butler Hospital Providence, RII 02906 | PAST CHAIR Zelia Baugh, LCSW, MSW Executive Vice President Behavioral Health JPS Health Network Fort Worth, TX 76104 |
| CHAIR ELECT Tracey Lavallias, DBA Executive Director Behavioral Health Service Line Lancaster General Health Penn Medicine (LG Health) Lancaster, PA 17602 | AHA BOARD LIAISON Robert L. Trestman, PhD, MD Professor and Chair Department of Psychiatry Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Carilion Clinic Roanoke, VA 24014 |
| TERM EXPIRES 2026 | |
| Kelly Barton, MPH, FACHE President Behavioral Health MaineHealth President MaineHealth Behavioral Health at Spring Harbor Westbrook, ME 04092 | Erica Richards, MD, PhD Chair and Medical Director Sibley Memorial Hospital Washington, DC 20016 |
| Thomas Saggio, RN-BC, MSN, MHS Director Director of Behavioral Health Operations St. Louis Children's Hospital Saint Louis, MO 63110 | Mary Sparks Thompson, RN, LISW President Trillium Place, A Carle Health Affiliate Peoria, IL 61604 |
| TERM EXPIRES 2027 | |
| Brent Forester, MD, MSc. Dr. Frances S. Arkin Chair of Psychiatry & Professor, Department of Psychiatry Tufts University School of Medicine Chief & Chair, Department of Psychiatry Tufts Medical Center Co-Physician Executive, Neuroscience & Behavioral Health Service Line Tufts Medicine Burlington, MA 80204 | Amanda Klahr, MSN, RN Nursing Director Inpatient Behavioral Health Services Denver Health Denver, CO 80204 |
| Marlene Martin, MD Director, Addiction Care Team University of California San Francisco Medical Center San Francisco, CA 94110 | Paul Rains, RN, MSN Senior Vice President, Behavioral Health CommonSpirit Health President, St. Joseph’s Behavioral Health Center Chicago, IL 60606 |
| TERM EXPIRES 2028 | |
| Chris Beamish, MHA, MSW Service Line Executive Mental Health & Addiction Services M Health Fairview Minneapolis, MN 55454 | Maurice W. Fried, PhD Program Manager Outpatient Behavioral Health Services Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health Alameda Health System San Leandro, CA 94578 |
| Frank A. Ghinassi, PhD, ABPP President & CEO Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care Senior Vice President Behavioral Health & Addictions Service Line RWJBarnabas Health Piscataway, NJ 08854 | Stephanie Greer, MBA President, Avery Healthcare Market UNC Health Appalachian Boone, NC 28607-2600 |
| Brandy Hart Regional Vice President HCA Healthcare Behavioral Health Services Nashville, TN 37203 | Shannah Martin, RN, MSN, LNHA Chief Executive Officer Appling Healthcare Baxley, GA 31513 |
| Rob Ryan, PhD, LMHC, NCSP President & Chief Executive Officer Bowen Health Warsaw, IN 46580 | Vicky Sabharwal, MBA Vice President & Chief Executive Officer Jackson Behavioral Health Hospital Jackson Health System Miami, FL 33136 |
| AHA Staff | |
| Elisa Arespagochaga MBA Group Vice President Clinical Affairs and Workforce Chicago, IL 60606 | Rebecca Chickey, MPH Vice President Behavioral Health & Trustee Services Chicago, IL 60606 |
| Sue Gergely Sr. Vice President Chief People Officer Human Resources Chicago, IL, 60606 | Caitlin Gillooley, MPH Director Quality & Behavioral Health Policy Development Washington, DC, 20001 |
| Jordan A. Steiger, MPH, MA, LSW Director Behavioral Health & Violence Prevention Clinical Affairs and Workforce Chicago, IL, 60606 | Thifeen Deen Sr. Associate Director Governance Relations and Public Policy Washington, DC, 20001 |
| Mark Lecker, MA Program Specialist Clinical Affairs and Workforce Chicago, IL, 60606 | Jim Nichol Administrative Coordinator Clinical Affairs and Workforce Chicago, IL 60606 |
Key Resources
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