National Council for Mental Wellbeing Names Mohini Venkatesh Chief of Staff

WASHINGTON, DC (October 20, 2022) — The National Council for Mental Wellbeing today announced the appointment of Mohini Venkatesh, MPH, as its first-ever chief of staff. Venkatesh will support efforts on behalf of the organization’s over 3,100 members, who provide substance use and mental health treatment services and supports.

Venkatesh will guide internal initiatives and special projects as part of the National Council’s strategic leadership team. She will also manage stakeholder engagement, including board of director relations.

Venkatesh will report to President and CEO Chuck Ingoglia.

“The pandemic has harmed our nation’s collective wellbeing and emphasized the urgent need for the lifesaving work our members provide. More people need care than ever before, and the work of the National Council and our dedicated members is more important as a result,” Venkatesh said. “I’m honored to step into this new role, and I will do all I can to ensure our organization remains focused on the needs of members and on driving the entire field of mental health and substance use care forward.”

Since beginning with the National Council in 2007, Venkatesh has served in numerous roles, including vice president of business and strategy and vice president of practice improvement and consulting, helping to develop some of the field’s strongest programs for transforming clinical and business strategies to meet the ever-changing needs of organizations providing mental health and substance use treatment.

“Throughout 15 years with the National Council, Mohini Venkatesh has developed a deep understanding of our role, priorities, challenges, staff and our members,” Ingoglia said. “She is the most qualified person I can think of to assume this new role, and I’m confident that she will improve the National Council and be an amazing asset for our members.”

Venkatesh’s appointment comes at a pivotal time in the National Council’s history. It represents the start of a bold new commitment to lead the mental health and substance use field today and well into the future. It also the latest step in an organization-wide effort intended to clarify and focus the National Council’s mission while building out its capabilities.

Prior to Venkatesh’s appointment, the National Council engaged in an exhaustive strategy and rebranding effort, completed in May 2021, to outline its vision — to make mental wellbeing, including recovery from substance use, a reality for everyone. The organization then began a painstaking review of its structure and initiated changes to maintain alignment with the needs of its growing membership. Investing in the strategic leadership team gives the organization the resources to support its mission, meet its goals and serve members now and into the future.

“The National Council is experiencing a watershed moment. The investments we’ve made so far give us and our members the momentum to succeed, and we aren’t done yet,” Venkatesh said. “I will stand shoulder to shoulder with Chuck to ensure that we continue to develop and strengthen our internal structure for the purpose of achieving our strategic goals and serving our members.”

Venkatesh earned her Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and her Master of Public Health in health policy from the Yale School of Public Health.