Meeting the Moment and Preparing for the Future

Le Ondra Clark Harvey, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
California Behavioral Health Association

Dr. Clark Harvey received a B.A. in psychology, from Cal Poly Pomona, and a M.S. in community counseling and Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While pursuing her Ph.D., she was licensed as a Professional Counselor and practiced in community and hospital settings in Wisconsin for 5 years. She completed a pre-doctoral internship at USC's Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and a post-doctoral fellowship at UCLA's Mattel Children's Hospital. Dr. Clark Harvey was a Social Justice Fellow at the Center for Policy Analysis where she researched the mental health provisions of the Affordable Care Act. She was a Science and Technology Fellow at the California Senate where she worked as a fellow and then Principal Consultant in the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development (BPED) Committee. She served as the Chief Consultant to the Assembly Committee on Business and Professions before transitioning to the California Behavioral Health Association where she served as the Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs before her appointment to the CEO. She also serves as the Executive Director of the California Access Coalition. Dr. Clark Harvey was appointed by the California Lieutenant Governor to the CIRM Board, and is an appointee to SAMHSA’s Advisory Committee for Women’s Services. She is a Board member of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, California Association of Non Profits and is a past Board member of the American Psychological Association, Association of Black Psychologists, First 5 California Advisory Committee, Sacramento Children's Coalition and Sacramento County Public Health Advisory Committee. She is an alumna of the Nehemiah Emerging Leaders Program and an American Leadership Forum fellow. 

Kelechi Ubozoh, BA
Author, Mental Health Advocate, & Consultant

Kelechi Ubozoh is a Nigerian-American writer, mental health advocate, and public speaker with over a decade of experience advancing equity in behavioral health. She is the co-editor of We’ve Been Too Patient: Voices from Radical Mental Health, a groundbreaking anthology that amplifies the lived experiences of individuals navigating mental health systems and recovery. Kelechi’s work weaves personal storytelling with advocacy, challenging stigma and centering BIPOC voices in conversations around mental health, suicide prevention, and healing. Her writing and advocacy have been featured in O, The Oprah Magazine, The New York Times, CBS This Morning, and the award-winning documentary The S Word.

Rusty Selix Award of Merit: Annually given to a member who has contributed significantly to CBHA and the behavioral health field. The award is named after CBHA’s founder who made incredible contributions to CA’s behavioral health system.

Member Advocate Award: Annually given to a member who has shown support of CBHA’s legislative and policy efforts via participation with CBHA’s internal committees and with the legislature.

Curley L. Bonds, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer
Los Angeles Country Department of Mental Health

Oversees all clinical practices for the Los Angeles Country Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) in his role as Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Bonds is a board-certified adult psychiatrist with extensive experience in a variety of clinical, academic and research settings. Prior to his current position, he was the Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at Charles R. Drew University School of Medicine in Los Angeles and the Medical Director for Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services. His areas of expertise include healthcare disparities, cross cultural psychiatry, psychosomatic medicine, and collaborative healthcare. Dr. Bonds is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a Fellow of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry. He is a past president of the Southern California Psychiatric Society and the recipient of their 2018 Distinguished Service Award. He completed his B.A. in sociology at Emory University and earned his M.D. from Indiana University School of Medicine.

Reyna Taylor, MS, MBA
Vice President of Policy & Advocacy
National Council for Mental Wellbeing

In her role as Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Advocacy at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, Reyna Taylor leads the organization’s public policy and government affairs activities, supervises legislative matters and guides overall public policy strategy on both a State and Federal level. Ms. Taylor brings extensive experience with federal public policy initiatives to protect access and affordability to her role as Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Advocacy at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing where she leads public policy and government affairs activities, supervises legislative matters and guides overall public policy strategy. With nearly two decades of specialty pharmaceutical and medical device experience, Ms. Taylor has a wide range of knowledge on public policy issues, including Medicare, Medicaid and commercial management of managed care organizations, hospitals, pharmacies and mental health centers. She holds a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience from Bates College and earned a Master of Science in biotechnology and Master of Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University. Currently, she serves on the board of the Mental Health Liaison Group.

Monica E. Oss, BS, MS
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Open Minds

Monica E. Oss, MS, is the founder of OPEN MINDS and serves as its chief executive officer, executive editor of its publications and websites, and executive lead of its consulting engagements. For the past three decades, Ms. Oss has led the OPEN MINDS team and its research on health and human service market trends and its national consulting practice. She is well known for her numerous books and articles focused on the strategic and marketing implications of the evolving health and human service field – and its focus on the verticals of the field serving consumers with chronic conditions and complex support needs.

Ms. Oss has extensive experience in developing and implementing growth strategies for a wide array of organizations in the field. She has expertise in industry trend analysis, in reimbursement and rate setting, and creating actionable plans for market success. In her role, she has led numerous engagements with state Medicaid plans, county governments, private insurers and health plans, service provider organizations, technology vendors, neurotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations, and investment banking firms – with a focus on the implications of financing changes on delivery system design.

Prior to founding OPEN MINDS, Ms. Oss served as an executive with a national managed behavioral health organization, with responsibility for market development and actuarial analysis and capitation-based rate setting. She also held a position as vice president of the U.S. risk management and underwriting division of an international insurance company.

Ms. Oss has been the keynote speaker at the conferences of dozens of national associations and has been published in a wide range of professional journals and trade publications. She has provided Congressional and state legislative testimony on issues as diverse as the financial impact of parity and payer medication access policies.

Adriana Ramos-Yamamoto, BA, MA
Senior Policy Analyst
California Budget & Policy Center

Adriana Ramos-Yamamoto, Senior Policy Analyst, leads research and analysis on policies that affect access to health care services in California. She is dedicated to advancing solutions that create a more just and equitable health care system, ensuring that all Californians can access the care they need to live healthy and fulfilling lives. While her primary expertise lies in health care access and behavioral health, Adriana has also contributed to the Budget Center’s work on the broader factors that influence health and well-being, including housing, education, and economic security. Prior to joining the Budget Center, Adriana worked as a health policy associate at The Children’s Partnership and as a graduate student intern and health educator at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Adriana earned her master’s degree in public health from the University of Southern California and her bachelor’s degree in government from Claremont McKenna College. A daughter of Mexican immigrants and a proud representative of the Inland Empire, Adriana takes pride in her roots and the experiences that shape her perspective. In her free time, she enjoys creating playlists on Spotify and playing board games with friends. 

Madhuri Jha, MPH, LCSW
Principal and Founder
Thriving For All LLC

Nationally recognized public health leader, clinical social worker, and equity strategist with over 15 years of experience spanning direct clinical practice, research, policy, and executive leadership. As the Founder and Principal of Thriving For All LLC, she offers psychotherapy services and expert consulting in public health, specializing in trauma, crisis response, and culturally sensitive therapy, aiming to make mental health services accessible and equitable.

April Szabo, J.D
Senior Associate
Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo

April Szabo focuses her practice on employment matters, with an emphasis on practical, cost-effective client counseling and litigation. She specializes in providing clients with Human Resources guidance, including wage/hour counseling, conducting workplace investigations, and drafting employer documents, including handbooks and training materials. Her background also includes many years of litigation, with an emphasis on wage/hour matters, particularly classification issues concerning independent contractors.

Prior to completing law school, Ms. Szabo worked as an Employee Relations Consultant for a national bank, where she conducted workplace investigations into allegations of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, and assisted managers with a wide range of workplace issues, including performance documentation, terminations, and proper handling of meal and rest periods. This prior work has created a solid foundation for her current employment practice.

Kelechi Ubozoh, BA
Author, Mental Health Advocate, & Consultant

Kelechi Ubozoh is a Nigerian-American writer, mental health advocate, and public speaker with over a decade of experience advancing equity in behavioral health. She is the co-editor of We’ve Been Too Patient: Voices from Radical Mental Health, a groundbreaking anthology that amplifies the lived experiences of individuals navigating mental health systems and recovery. Kelechi’s work weaves personal storytelling with advocacy, challenging stigma and centering BIPOC voices in conversations around mental health, suicide prevention, and healing. Her writing and advocacy have been featured in O, The Oprah Magazine, The New York Times, CBS This Morning, and the award-winning documentary The S Word.

Vitka Eisen, MSW, Ed.D
President and CEO
HealthRIGHT 360

Vitka is the President and Chief Executive Officer of HealthRIGHT 360, a healthcare provider for very low income and otherwise marginalized Californians. With over 30 years of experience in human services, Vitka has dedicated her career to supporting people and communities struggling with addiction and incarceration through the provision of integrated, compassionate, and relevant care. Since being appointed to her current role in 2010, Vitka has led HealthRIGHT 360 through a series of mergers, growing the organization to serve over 40,000 people annually. A frequent speaker on innovative practices, Vitka is the first vice-chair of the board of directors of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, the vice president of the board of directors of the California Association of Drug and Alcohol Program Executives (CAADPE), and the former president of the board of directors of the California Council of Community Behavioral Health Agencies (CCCBHA). Vitka earned an M.S.W. from San Francisco State University, and a Doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Vitka is a former injection heroin user; she participated in substance use disorder treatment over 30 years ago at the agency she now leads.

Pete Nielsen, BS, MA
President and CEO
California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP)

Pete Nielsen is the President & Chief Executive Officer for the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP), CCAPP Credentialing, CCAPP Education Institute and the Behavioral Health Association of Providers (BHAP). CCAPP is the largest statewide consortium of addiction programs and professionals, and the only one representing all modalities of substance use disorder treatment programs. BHAP is the leading and unifying voice of addiction-focused treatment programs nationally. Mr. Nielsen has worked in the substance use disorders field for 20 years. In addition to association management, he brings to the table experience as an interventionist, family recovery specialist, counselor, administrator, and educator, with positions including campus director, academic dean, and instructor. Mr. Nielsen is the secretary of the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium, and the publisher for Counselor magazine. He is a nationally known speaker and writer published in numerous industry-specific magazines. Mr. Nielsen holds a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management.

Gary Tsai, MD
Medical Director
Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (SAPC)
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

Gary Tsai, M.D. is a physician executive who is the Director of the Substance Abuse Prevention and Control, a division of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. In this role, he is responsible for leading nearly 500 staff with a budget of approximately $460M, overseeing a full spectrum of substance use prevention, harm reduction, and treatment services for the 10 million residents of Los Angeles County. Dr. Tsai is a physician board certified in both general psychiatry and addiction medicine and also serves as a Commissioner on the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, the Board of Directors of NAMI California, and the California Health and Human Services Agency’s Behavioral Health Task Force. Having experienced the stigma and criminalization that often accompanies serious mental illness as the son of a mother with schizophrenia, Dr. Tsai is a passionate advocate for improving our behavioral health systems. In his pursuit of meaningful change, he founded Forgotten Films, a film production company focusing on social issue projects, specializing in behavioral health. Its first film, Voices (www.VoicesDocumentary.com), premiered on public television in May 2015 for Mental Health Awareness Month and was awarded a SAMHSA Voice Award. He is also the award-winning author of Against All Odds: A Practical Guide to Successfully Navigate Psychosis and Behavioral Health Systems (www.AgainstAllOddsToday.com), which was published in July 2022. 

Philip Rutherford, BA
Vice President, Substance Use Continuum
National Council for Mental Wellbeing

Philip Rutherford is Vice President, Substance Use Continuum at The National Council for Mental Wellbeing. Rutherford has managed strategy and operations for several recovery-focused organizations. He is a member of committees at the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration and other federal agencies. He serves as board chair for Serve Minnesota and the Police Treatment and Community Collaborative. He also holds board seats at the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers and the Recovery Policy Collaborative. In 2020 Rutherford launched Black Faces Black Voices, a community-focused collaborative centering the needs of Black communities. This group now represents roughly 100 organizations around the country. Prior to the nonprofit world, he spent most of his career at Microsoft, Micron Electronics, and the Taylor Corporation. Rutherford is an active member of the recovery community and has considerable experience in the areas of reentry and equity.

Nic Sheff
Author, Screenwriter,
and Mental Health Advocate

Nic Sheff is an American writer best known for his candid memoirs on addiction, including the New York Times bestseller “Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines” and “We All Fall Down: Living With Addiction.” He also writes young adult novels and has worked as a writer, story editor, and co-producer for film and television. Sheff's life and work are deeply intertwined. His memoir Tweak chronicles his battle with methamphetamine addiction and multiple relapses, offering an unflinching look at substance abuse and recovery. He collaborated with his father, David Sheff, on Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction, further detailing their family's journey. Sober since 2011, Nic Sheff is a sought-after speaker known for his raw, compelling talks on addiction, mental health, and recovery. His presentations address prevention, teen communication, dual diagnosis, and the use of mindfulness practices like prayer and meditation. As a self-identified “bipolar addict,” Nic Sheff advocates for greater awareness of dual diagnosis and the link between addiction and untreated mental illness. Through his storytelling, he brings a human face to the substance abuse epidemic, offering hope and empathy to those affected.

Thaddeus Dickson, BA
Founder and CEO
Xpio Health

Founder and CEO of Xpio Health and has spent the past 25 years immersed in behavioral healthcare and technology. Thad comes from a case management and counseling background and has spent much of his career focused on helping people and organizations use technology and tools to improve the quality of care they deliver with a focus on organizations in the behavioral healthcare space. Starting his career as a clinician, and then as a board member in behavioral health and housing, Thaddeus has a practical perspective on community and healthcare needs. This background has guided him in as his endeavored to fuse his passion for helping strengthen communities with his tech journey, where he co-founded software companies throughout the 2000’s.

Ari Kirshenbaum, PhD
Senior Behavioral Scientist
Advocates for Human Potential, Inc

Dr. Ari Kirshenbaum is an established and prolific researcher in behavioral science, digital interventions, and psychopharmacology. With nearly three decades of experience researching and developing innovative behavioral health interventions, including a patented app-based technology for detecting effects of cannabis on driving, Ari brings extensive insights to establishing novel, evidence-based content.

Melissa Giampietri, MBA
Founder and Chair of the Board
Behavioral Health Strategy

As Executive Vice President of Behavioral Health Strategy at Clinically AI, Melissa leads strategic efforts to align AI-powered solutions with the needs of mission-driven organizations across the country. With over 20+ years of community mental health service delivery and behavioral health enterprise EHR consulting and commercial leadership experience, she brings a rare blend of clinical, operational, and commercial expertise to help advance whole-person care, reduce administrative burden, enhance care delivery, and support the workforce behind our nation’s safety-net systems.

Ross Young, BS, MBA, MS
CEO and Co-founder
Clinical Notes AI

Ross Young is an experienced executive and revenue leader, passionate about driving growth while making a positive impact on society. As the Chief Executive Officer of Clinically AI, Ross is at the forefront of integrating AI into healthcare to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of clinical documentation. He is dedicated to leveraging technology to solve real-world problems faced by behavioral and physical healthcare professionals. By automating administrative tasks, Ross helps clinicians focus more on patient care.

Kirsten Mangers
Chief Operating
Officer of DeepBlue

Kirsten Mangers is the Chief Operating Officer of DeepBlue Therapeutics, an end-to-end technology company serving the behavioral health community.
Kirsten’s career spans over three decades as a pioneer in the software and interactive economy in what she refers to as “B.G.,” before Google. As an early innovator, she founded WebVisible, which became a leading name in the industry as a software-as-a-service platform, assisting companies with customer acquisition through a broad network of media options. Under her leadership, WebVisible expanded significantly through partnerships in 14 countries, raised over $35 million in venture funding, and included major clients such as AT&T, British Telecom, Intuit, Microsoft, and The New York Times Company.

Kirsten later established Companies with Causes, a consultancy and incubator focused on technologically supporting entrepreneurial companies aiming for social impact. As a self-professed “tech-nerd,” her companies have been recognized by Fortune, Inc., Ernst & Young and others, for outstanding growth, leadership and corporate responsibility, and she is frequently cited as one of the “women innovating technology.”

Additionally, Kirsten is deeply involved in charitable and advocacy work in the world of brain science as her family has been fundamentally touched by Alzheimer’s Disease. She is past-Chair of the Board for the Alzheimer’s Association of Orange County, founded their Visionary Women’s Circle assisting caregivers, and continues to lobby our elected officials for support and research funding.
Kirsten is a native Southern Californian, attended Loyola Marymount University, married her high school best friend, and is a proud mother of two children, Katie an attorney and Zachary, a middle-school history teacher and her rescue dog the “Rock.”

Jennifer Cardenas, MS, LCSW
Chief Executive Officer
Cardenas Consulting Group

Cardenas is a licensed Clinical Social Worker and the founder and Principal of Cardenas Consulting Group, based in Oakland, California. With over 18 years of experience in behavioral healthcare, she specializes in clinical and operational management, offering expertise in areas such as training, quality management, organizational analysis, implementation, and technical assistance on electronic health record systems. Her work focuses on supporting leaders in behavioral health and child welfare organizations to enhance service delivery and system performance.

Harry Bruell, BA
President and CEO
PathPoint

Harry Bruell has served as CEO/President of PathPoint since 2017. PathPoint annually supports over 3,700 people with developmental disabilities, people with mental health diagnoses, and children and families formally or informally connected to the child welfare system. PathPoint’s nearly 500 employees operate employment, residential, community integration and counseling programs in five southern and central California counties. Prior to joining PathPoint, Harry served for 26 years in the conservation corps field and transitioned to PathPoint after losing his daughter to mental illness. He serves on several boards including the California Council of Community Behavioral Health Agencies (CBHA) and the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder (NEABPD).

Nicole Bennett, M.P.H.
Executive Director
CalAIM Programs, The Wisdom Center

Executive Director of CalAIM Programs at The Wisdom Center, where she leads initiatives focused on improving healthcare access, equity, and outcomes for Medi-Cal beneficiaries across California. With extensive experience in public health, care coordination, and Medicaid program administration, Nicole plays a key role in supporting California’s CalAIM (California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal) reforms. She has dedicated her career to enhancing services for underserved communities and advancing whole-person care models that address both physical and behavioral health needs. Nicole holds a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) and continues to be a passionate advocate for health equity and community-centered care.

Stephanie Welch, MSW
Deputy Secretary of Behavioral Health
California Health and Human Services Agency

Stephanie Welch has been the Deputy Secretary of Behavioral Health for the California Health and Human Services (CalHHS) Agency since 2020. She serves as the senior advisor to the Secretary of CalHHS and other state departments on behavioral health policy and builds bridges across diverse government sectors and stakeholders. Previously, Stephanie was the Executive Officer of the Council on Criminal Justice and Behavioral Health at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Stephanie has twenty-five years of experience in behavioral health policy, program administration, and advocacy at both the state and county level, working at organizations such as the California Mental Health Services Authority, the County Behavioral Health Directors Association, and the California Council of Community Behavioral Health Agencies. Stephanie approaches systems improvement by examining the impact to individuals and communities, always striving for better-quality experiences and outcomes. Stephanie holds an MSW from the University of Southern California and a BA in Sociology, from the University of California, Davis.

Brenda Grealish, MA
Executive Director
Commission for Behavioral Health

Brenda Grealish joined the Commission as executive director in April 2025. With more than 25 years of service in California state government, Grealish most recently served as Executive Officer for the Council on Criminal Justice and Behavioral Health. Her previous leadership roles include Chief of the Medi-Cal Behavioral Health Division and Acting Deputy Director of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services at the California Department of Health Care Services. Grealish also held leadership positions at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where she was appointed Deputy Director in 2012.

With a fusion of intimate storytelling and broad reportage, NO ONE CARES ABOUT CRAZY PEOPLE takes us inside the tragedy, chaos, and crisis of severe mental illness in America. It was inspired by Ron Powers’ acclaimed book of the same name, a hybrid narrative of tragic family memoir and searing social history.

The film follow the stories of individuals and families grappling with schizophrenia, bipolar and related disorders, all caught in the maelstrom of a disastrous system. And they go a step further, to explore the genesis-in-progress of a national crusade by a growing army of advocates. 

Click here to view the trailer and for more information.

Gail Freedman, BA, MSJ
Founder & Executive Producer
Crazy People Productions LLC

Gail Freedman is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and producer with a career spanning over 25 years. She began her professional journey in broadcast journalism, working for CBS 60 Minutes and ABC 20/20, before transitioning into independent documentary film production. Freedman is the founder of both Parrot Productions and Crazy People Productions LLC, through which she has created a diverse portfolio of acclaimed documentaries. Her notable works include Hot to Trot, a feature documentary celebrating same-sex competitive ballroom dancing, which earned critical praise from outlets like the Los Angeles Times. Other prominent projects include Making the 9/11 Memorial for The History Channel, People in Motion: Breaking the Silence Barrier, and A Forever Family. Freedman has also served as Executive Producer for PBS’s World@Large with David Gergen and produced the indie feature The Onyx Project, the world’s first hyper-linked movie starring David Strathairn. Committed to character-driven, socially conscious storytelling, she blends journalistic integrity with cinematic empathy in her work. In addition to her filmmaking, Freedman has taught at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Currently, she is developing No One Cares About Crazy People, a feature-length documentary inspired by Ron Powers’ book, examining the American mental health care system. Her career reflects a consistent dedication to telling untold stories and amplifying voices from underrepresented communities.

Taun Hall
Executive Director
The Miles Hall Foundation

Hall is the Executive Director of The Miles Hall Foundation, a nonprofit organization she co-founded in 2019 following the tragic death of her son, Miles Hall, during a mental health crisis. In her leadership role, Taun drives the foundation’s mission to advocate for compassionate, non-police crisis intervention, educate communities to dismantle stigma and bias, and promote systemic reform in law enforcement response to mental health emergencies. She is a sought-after public speaker and panelist, engaging with policymakers, community groups, and national media to spearhead initiatives like California’s AB 988 "Miles Hall Lifeline Act".

Le Ondra Clark Harvey, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
California Behavioral Health Association

Dr. Clark Harvey received a B.A. in psychology, from Cal Poly Pomona, and a M.S. in community counseling and Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While pursuing her Ph.D., she was licensed as a Professional Counselor and practiced in community and hospital settings in Wisconsin for 5 years. She completed a pre-doctoral internship at USC's Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and a post-doctoral fellowship at UCLA's Mattel Children's Hospital. Dr. Clark Harvey was a Social Justice Fellow at the Center for Policy Analysis where she researched the mental health provisions of the Affordable Care Act. She was a Science and Technology Fellow at the California Senate where she worked as a fellow and then Principal Consultant in the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development (BPED) Committee. She served as the Chief Consultant to the Assembly Committee on Business and Professions before transitioning to the California Behavioral Health Association where she served as the Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs before her appointment to the CEO. She also serves as the Executive Director of the California Access Coalition. Dr. Clark Harvey was appointed by the California Lieutenant Governor to the CIRM Board, and is an appointee to SAMHSA’s Advisory Committee for Women’s Services. She is a Board member of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, California Association of Non Profits and is a past Board member of the American Psychological Association, Association of Black Psychologists, First 5 California Advisory Committee, Sacramento Children's Coalition and Sacramento County Public Health Advisory Committee. She is an alumna of the Nehemiah Emerging Leaders Program and an American Leadership Forum fellow.