National Council Names New Board Officers, Regional Directors

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 3, 2023) — The National Council for Mental Wellbeing today announced the appointment of newly elected officers and regional directors to its board of directors.

“I want to thank all the outgoing officers and regional directors for their service on the board and welcome the new slate as they begin their terms of service,” National Council President and CEO Chuck Ingoglia said. “Serving on the board requires a major commitment of time and effort, and I’m deeply appreciative for their service to the National Council and its members.”

New officers on the National Council board of directors include:

• Edward Woods, who will serve as board chair. Woods previously served as first vice chair and currently serves on the board of LifeWays in Jackson, Mich., and the Mid-State Health Network in Lansing, Mich.
• Vitka Eisen, MSW, EdD, who will serve as first vice chair. Eisen previously served as secretary/treasurer and is CEO of HealthRIGHT 360 in San Francisco.
• Heather Gates, MBA, who will serve as second vice chair. Gates previously served as regional director for Region 1 (Conn., R.I., Mass., Vt., N.H., Maine) and is president and CEO of Community Health Resources in Windsor, Conn.
• Shauna Reitmeier, MSW, LGSW, who will serve as secretary/treasurer. Reitmeier previously served as regional director for Region 5 (Ill., Ind., Mich., Minn., Ohio, Wisc.) and is CEO of Alluma in Crookston, Minn.

Three new regional directors also were appointed:

• Maria Hadjiyane, PhD, MA, LPC, CSAC, who will serve as regional director for Region 1 (Conn., Maine, Mass., N.H., R.I., Vt.). Hadjiyane is COO of Maine Behavioral Healthcare in Portland, Maine.
• Brandy Vandermark-Murray, BA, MA, who will serve as regional director for Region 2 (N.J., N.Y., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands). Vandermark-Murray is president of Horizon Corporations in Buffalo, N.Y.
• Lisa Dominisse, MBA, CTACC, who will serve as regional director for Region 5 (Ill., Ind., Mich., Minn., Ohio, Wis.). Dominisse is president and CEO of Radiant Health in Marion, Ind.
• Mike Chavers, BA, MA, who will serve as regional director for Region 8 (Ariz., Colo., Mont., N.D., S.D., Utah, Wyo.). Chavers is CEO of Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch in Billings, Mont.
• Joan Miller, BA, JD, who will serve as regional director for Region 10 (Alaska, Idaho, Ore., Wash.). Miller is CEO of the Washington Council for Behavioral Health (a 100% Association member) in Seattle.

In addition, Jinny Palen, BA, MPH, was named chair of the Association Executives Committee. Palen is executive director of Minnesota Association of Community Mental Health Programs (a 100% Association member) and Convergence Integrated Care in St. Paul, Minn.

We are grateful to the following individuals, who departed the National Council board on June 30, 2023, for their service:

• Doyle Forrestal, who served as chair of the Association Executives Committee. Forrestal previously served as CEO of Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council (a 100% Association member) in Denver.
• Jodi Daly, PhD, who served as regional director for Region 10. Daly is president and CEO of Comprehensive Healthcare in Yakima, Wash.

The terms of all newly elected members of the board of directors began July 1, 2023.