Agenda At-A-Glance

Tuesday, August 11

• 11:30 am – 1:30 pm

  • Registration
    Registration

• 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

  • Lunch On Your Own
    Networking

• 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm

  • Optimizing Health Plan Contracting: The 2026 OPEN MINDS Executive Seminar On Building Referrals, Revenue & Margins
    Executive Seminar
    • Rick Gutierrez, Ph.D., BCBA, Senior Associate, OPEN MINDS
    • Murray Beachtel, Senior Associate, OPEN MINDS
  • Portfolio Management To Optimize Organizational Performance: The 2026 OPEN MINDS Executive Seminar On How To Build A Service Line Portfolio For The Future
    Executive Seminar
    • Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, EdM, Senior Associate, OPEN MINDS
    • Ivan Haskell, Ph.D., Executive Director, Joseph J. Peters Institute
    • Rich Rose, Senior Business Intelligence Consultant, Qualifacts

• 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm

  • Grand Opening of The Exhibit Hall
    Networking

Wednesday, August 12

• 7:00 am – 7:45 am

  • Morning Yoga
    Networking
    • Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, EdM, Senior Associate, OPEN MINDS

• 7:30 am – 8:30 am

  • Executive Breakfast & Registration
    Networking

• 8:15 am – 8:30 am

  • 2026 Community Impact Innovation Award Presentation
    Innovation Award Presentation
    • Josh Schoeller, Chief Executive Officer, Qualifacts

• 8:30 am – 9:30 am

  • Integrated Behavioral Health In Action: Lessons From Kaiser Permanente’s Whole Person Care Model
    Keynote
    • James E. Tong, M.D., Assistant Regional Medical Director, Care of Children Service Line Leader, Kaiser Permanente

• 9:45 am – 10:45 am

  • Thought Leader Discussion
    Networking
    • James E. Tong, M.D., Assistant Regional Medical Director, Care of Children Service Line Leader, Kaiser Permanente

• 9:45 am – 11:15 am

  • Perfecting Patient Engagement & Experience From Beginning To End
    Core Session
    • J.J. Johnston, Ed.D., BCBA, Vice President, Experience & Service Excellence, Easterseals Southern California
    • Rene Hurtado, MBA, Chief of Staff, Emergence Health Network
  • Beyond The Launch: Embedding Behavioral Health In Emergency Departments
    Knowledge Partner
    • Jose C. Salazar, DrPH, MPH, Director of Program Development & Contract Compliance, Tarzana Treatment Centers
    • Amy Radtke, BSN, CCRN Alumnus, Vice President, Client Alignment, Netsamrt

• 9:45 am – 10:15 am

  • Rejoyn 2026 Digital Therapeutics Expo Presentation
    Digital Therapeutics Expo
    • Marc Weiss, Senior Director, Business Development, Otsuka Precision Health

• 10:00 am – 11:15 am

  • Integrating Technology, Housing & Health To Support Independent Aging
    Aging Services & Supports Summit
    • Stephen Samuels, Vice President, Innovation & Impact Investing, Volunteers of America
    • Kari Evans, Senior Evaluation Manager, Institute For Public Health Innovation
    • Charlotte Yeh, M.D., FACEP, Former Chief Medical Officer, AARP

• 10:15 am – 10:45 am

  • VX Therapy 2026 Digital Therapeutics Expo Presentation
    Digital Therapeutics Expo
    • Shan Padda, Chief Executive Officer, Harvard MedTech
    • Don Fowls, Senior Clinical Advisor & Chief Medical Officer, Harvard MedTech

• 11:00 am – 11:30 am

  • MamaLift 2026 Digital Therapeutics Expo Presentation
    Digital Therapeutics Expo
    • Shailja Dixit, M.D., MS, MPH, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Curio Digital Therapeutics

• 11:30 am – 12:45 pm

  • Private Equity For ABA Unpacked: Balancing Innovation, Profit & Mission
    Core Session
    • Michael Zhe, BCBA, Chief Executive Officer, Alora Behavioral Health
    • Rob Haupt, MS, BCBA, Chief of Revenue & Business Operations, LEARN Behavioral
    • Neil Hattangadi, M.D., Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Cortica Care
    • Aaron Blocher-Rubin, Ph.D., BCBA, President & Chief Executive Officer, Arizona Autism United
  • Breaking The Silence: Addressing Mental Health & Social Isolation In Older Adults
    Aging Services & Supports Summit
    • Scott Kaiser, M.D., Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Determined Health, Geriatrician & Adjunct Professor, USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology
    • Kristen Brooks, M.D., Psychiatrist Associate, Assistant Physician In Chief, Kaiser Permanente, San Rafael
  • Financial Leadership In Uncertain Times
    Breakout Session
    • Paul Duck, Chief Strategy Officer, OPEN MINDS
    • Ken Carr, Senior Associate, OPEN MINDS
  • Knowledge Partner Session
    Knowledge Partner Session

• 11:30 am – 12:00 pm

  • Floreo 2026 Digital Therapeutics Expo Presentation
    Digital Therapeutics Expo
    • Marsha Stepensky, MS.Ed, BCBA, Vice President of Clinical Product, Floreo

• 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm

  • Maximizing Value For Financing For ABA & Services For Consumers With ASD: A Private Thought Leader Lunch & Learn Discussion
    By Invitation Only Luncheon sponsored by OPEN MINDS and AHP

• 12:45 pm – 2:15 pm

  • Lunch On Your Own
    Networking

• 1:45 pm – 2:15 pm

  • Apple-A-Day Giveaway
    Networking

• 2:15 pm – 3:45 pm

  • Integrated Supports For Dual-Diagnosis: The Convergence of Mental Health & I/DD Services
    Core Session
    • Angela Yen, MA, BCBA, Regional Vice President, Consultation Services, Easterseals Southern California
    • Terri Gowey, MS, BCBA, LBA, Chief Operating Officer, Chileda Institute
    • Valerie Wilmink, MS, BCBA, LBA, Shine Clinical Supervisor, Chileda Institute
    • Kate Lopas, MS, BCBA, Vice President of Residential Services, Chileda Institute
  • Inside Payer Innovation: Emerging Programs Transforming Care Delivery
    Breakout Session
    • James Giammarco, Chief Financial Officer – Medicaid Programs, UPMC Insurance Services Division
    • Carmen Katsarov, LPCC, CCM, Executive Director, Behavioral Health Integration, CalOptima
  • State & Local Strategies For The Next Decade: Building Age-Ready Systems of Care
    Aging Services & Supports Summit
    • Sarah Steenhausen, Deputy Director of Policy, Research & Equity, California Department of Aging
    • Amy Ramirez, MSW, Executive Director, Healthcare Foundation Northern Sonoma County

• 2:45 pm – 3:15 pm

  • Arcade Therapeutics, Inc. 2026 Digital Therapeutics Expo Presentation
    Digital Therapeutics Expo
    • Raj Amin, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Arcade Therapeutics, Inc.

• 3:15 pm – 3:45 pm

  • Darmiyan 2026 Digital Therapeutics Expo Presentation
    Digital Therapeutics Expo
    • Padideh Kamali-Zare, Ph.D., Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Darmiyan

• 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

  • Safety Drives Success: Reducing Risk While Building Resilient Care Teams
    Core Session
    • Veronica Regueiro, Psy.D., Clinical Director, CBEM, LLC
  • Aging In Place: Care Models That Are Improving Outcomes
    Aging Services & Supports Summit
    • Jessica Santos, MS, BSN, RN, CWOCN, Director of Patient Care Services, National Home Health Services
    • Kasey Cheal, Founder, United Home Care
    • Paula Digerness, MLTCA, NHA, Executive Director/Administrator, Carlsbad By The Sea/Front Porch
  • The AI Operating System For Behavioral Health Clinics
    Demo Session
    • Dominik Middlemann, Chief Executive Officer, mdhub

• 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm

  • GrayMatters Health 2026 Digital Therapeutics Expo Presentation
    Digital Therapeutics Expo
    • Kirk Thelander, Chief Commercial Officer, GrayMatters Health

• 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm

  • Executive Networking Reception
    Networking

Thursday, August 13

• 7:30 am – 8:30 am

  • Executive Breakfast
    Networking

• 8:30 am – 9:30 am

  • Combining Smart Data & Collaboration For Better Performance With Banner Health
    Keynote
    • Marjorie Bessel, M.D., Executive Vice President & Chief Clinical Officer, Banner Health

• 9:45 am – 10:45 am

  • Thought Leader Discussion
    Thought Leader Discussion
    • Marjorie Bessel, M.D., Executive Vice President & Chief Clinical Officer, Banner Health

• 9:45 am – 11:00 am

  • From Assessment To Treatment: What AI Brings To Today’s Clinicians
    Core Session
    • Correnda Perkins, LCSW, Chief Program Officer, Hillsides
    • Iris Lopez, LMFT, Division Chief, Community-Based Services, Hillsides
    • Michael Zelman, Psy.D., Executive Vice President, Enki Health Services, Inc.
  • From Reactive To Strategic: Building A Coherent Technology Roadmap For Behavioral Health
    Breakout Session
    • Michael Allen, Executive Vice President, OPEN MINDS
    • Sharon Hicks, MSW, MBA, Senior Associate, OPEN MINDS

• 11:15 am – 12:30 pm

  • Driving Outcomes For High-Needs Youth: Innovations In Foster Care Services
    Core Session
    • Leigh Ann Pray, LMFT, Executive Director of Clinical Services, The Omni Family of Services
    • Patricia Cavanaugh, Ed.D., Chief Clinical Officer, Health Connect America

• 11:15 am – 12:15 pm

  • Building High-Performing Teams Through Effective Clinical Supervision
    Core Session
    • Isaac L. Bermudez, MS, BCBA, IBA, LBA-TX, Chief Innovation Officer, Brett DiNovi & Associates, LLC

• 12:15 pm – 2:00 pm

  • Chief Executive Officer Member Network Luncheon
    Networking
    • Monica E. Oss, Chief Executive Officer, OPEN MINDS
    • Michael Allen, Executive Vice President, OPEN MINDS
  • Clinical Leaders Member Network Luncheon
    Networking
    • Sharon Hicks, MSW, MBA, Senior Associate, OPEN MINDS
    • Stuart Buttlaire, Ph.D., MBA, Vice President Of Clinical Excellence & Leadership, OPEN MINDS

• 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm

  • Lunch On Your Own
    Networking

• 1:45 pm – 2:00 pm

  • Raffle Prize Drawing
    Networking

• 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

  • Beyond The Numbers: The CFOs Role As A Strategic Asset
    CFO Consortium
    • Steven Collins, Chief Financial Officer, South Coast Community Services
  • Ethical Uses Of AI In Operational & Clinical Decision-Making: An Interactive Discussion Session  
    Breakout Session
    • Stuart Buttlaire, Ph.D., MBA, Vice President Of Clinical Excellence & Leadership, OPEN MINDS

• 3:10 pm – 3:40 pm

  • Building Momentum That Lasts: Leadership & Operational Strategies To Advance Better Care
    Closing Keynote
    • Monica E. Oss, Chief Executive Officer, OPEN MINDS