Day 1
April 24, 2025
Navigating Unprecedented Federal Policy Challenges
Chuck Ingoglia, President and CEO, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Jennifer Mathis, Deputy Director, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
Paolo del Vecchio, former Director, SAMHSA Office of Recovery
Caren Howard, Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy, Mental Health America
Taking on the Mental Health Crisis in New York State and New York City
Moira Tashjian, Executive Deputy Commissioner, NYS Office of Mental Health
Dr. H. Jean Wright, II, Executive Deputy Commissioner, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Lara Kassel, Coalition Coordinator, Medicaid Matters NY
Ruth Lowenkron, Director, Disability Justice Program, NY Lawyers for the Public Interest
Jihoon Kim, CEO, InUnity Alliance
Moderator: Luke Sikinyi, Vice President for Public Policy, Alliance for Rights and Recovery
Charting the Course: A Leadership Roundtable
* Board Development – Amy Dorin, Consultant
* Organizational Capacity Building – Marta Hiczewski, MS, Partner, The Magellan Group
* Infrastructure and Staff Development – Kate Lewis, CEO, GoClarity
* Human Resources – Cecily Rodriguez, PHR, MS, Sr Grant Writer/Human Resources, Upper Edge Consulting
Concurrent Sessions (1)
Bridging the Gap: Supporting Peer Staff in Provider-Run Agencies
Melissa Wettengel, CEO, Hands Across Long Island (HALI)
Jeremy Reuling, LCSW, NYCPS, CRPA, Senior Director of Special Projects, Hands Across Long Island (HALI)
Amy Piroli, FPA-C, Co-Director of Peer Support Training, PeerTAC
Transforming Your Community’s Mental Health Crisis System: Is Everyone at the Table?
Cherene Caraco, CEO, Promise Resource Network
Sarah Bonk, LMSW, Commissioner of Mental Health, Erie County
Jane Mogavero, Esq., Executive Director, Patrick P. Lee Foundation
Jennifer Levesque, MA, LMHC, Chief Executive Officer, Recovery Options Made Easy
Moderator: Shannon Higbee, Chief Strategy Officer, Alliance for Rights and Recovery
Exploring the AI Landscape in Behavioral Health Services – Supporting Rights, Recovery and Community Inclusion
Dr. Alexander Pelaez, 5e Analytics
Concurrent Sessions (2)
Unlocking Funding: What Funders Really Want
Jane Mogavero, Esq., Executive Director, Patrick Lee Foundation
Daniel Frascella, PhD, Chief Programs and Grants Officer, Mother Cabrini Foundation
Avital Havusha, M.P.H., Vice President of Programs, NY Health Foundation
Moderator: Shannon Higbee, Chief Strategy Officer, Alliance for Rights and Recovery
Brave Leaders and Courageous Cultures
Roni DeKoning, Consultant
What Makes Us Stay: Listening to the New Generation of Staff
Hannah Taber, Psychiatric Rehabilitation Specialist, Alliance for Rights and Recovery
Sydney Robinson, MS, NYCPS, CORE & CFTSS Coordinator, Recovery Options Made Easy (ROME)
Jessica Trainor, LCSW, CASAC-t (she/her/hers), Home & Community Engagement Clinical Team Leader Adult HCBS/CORE, Access: Supports for Living
Moderator: Alex Frisina, Hands Across Long Island
Day 2
April 25, 2025
DEI: Keeping Our Commitment Strong
Cristino Chavez, Jr., LMSW, CTP, NYU Legal Aid Society
Dr. Felecia Pullen, CEO, The Pillars
Dr. Ashley Stewart, PhD, MSSW, LSW, Director, Center on Health Equity, Center 4 Innovations
Moderator: Len Statham, MS, Alliance for Rights and Recovery
Concurrent Sessions
National Best Practices in Peer Services Delivery and Financing
Dana Foglesong, MSW, NCPS, CRPS, National Senior Director of Recovery and Resiliency Services, Magellan Healthcare
Patrick Hendry, Vice President of Peer Services, Firsthand
Wendy White Tiegreen, MSW, Partner, Lexicon Strategies
Cherene Caraco, CEO, Promise Resource Network
Moderator: Harvey Rosenthal, CEO, Alliance for Rights and Recovery
Building Out the Continuum: Best Practices in Outreach, Engagement, Recovery and Re-Entry
Melissa Wettengel, CEO, Hands Across Long Island (HALI)
Dr. Nadjete Natchaba, CPO, Services for the Underserved
Steve Miccio, CEO, People USA
Taina Laing, CEO, Baltic Street Wellness Solutions
Blaise Sackett, Executive Director, Hudson Valley Clubhouse
Moderator: Shannon Higbee, Chief Strategy Officer, Alliance for Rights and Recovery
Transforming Medicaid: Navigating the 1115 Waiver and Strengthening Community Connections
Emily Engel, Director of the Bureau of Social Care and Community Supports at the Office of Health Insurance Programs of the NYS Department of Health (DOH)
Shannon Buckley, Deputy Director, Bureau of Medicaid Program and Policy at NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH)
Jeff McQueen, Executive Director, Mental Health Association of Nassau County
Brett Scudder, Community Advocate
Lori Andrade, Executive Vice President, Health and Welfare Council of Long Island
Moderator: Luke Sikinyi, Vice President of Public Policy, Alliance for Rights and Recovery
General Session: Where Do We Go From Here?
Bill Gettman, CEO, Northern Rivers
Jeff McQueen, MBA, LCDC, Executive Director, Mental Health Association of Nassau County
Jody Rudin, CEO, Institute for Community Living (ICL)
Marta Durkin, LMSW, VP of Behavioral Healthcare
Moderator: Shannon Higbee, Chief Strategy Officer, Alliance for Rights and Recovery