Board of Directors
Mental Health America (MHA) is overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors composed of mental health and business professionals, affiliate leaders, people with lived experience, and advocates for our mission. Meeting quarterly, the Board directs the strategic objectives and policy of the organization. Get to know our national Board of Directors below.
Peter Carson
Peter Carson leads the Public Affairs Practice in North America for Weber Shandwick, bringing with him more than a decade of experience on Capitol Hill and in political campaigns, as well as more than 17 years in strategic…
Jennifer L. Bright, MPA
Jennifer L. Bright, MPA, is a business strategy consultant with over twenty years of accomplishment in healthcare policy, issue management, patient advocacy and executive leadership. As President of Momentum Health Strategies, Ms.…
Tom Starling, Ed.D
Tom Starling, Ed.D is currently on the board of directors of Rolling Hills Hospital, a UHS psychiatric hospital. In Franklin, TN. He has also served six years on the state board of Community Health Charities of Tennessee, where he…
Lacy Dicharry, MS, MBA
Lacy Dicharry, MS, MBA, is an internationally known expert in youth engagement. Her expertise spans beyond the application of lived-experience to systems transformation to include child welfare, mental health, adoption, leadership,…
Aimee Falchuk, MPH, M.Ed, CCEP
Aimee Falchuk, MPH, M. ED, CCEP holds a B.A. in Women's Studies from Barnard College, a Master's in Public Health from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Master's in Education in Counseling and Psychology from Cambridge College…
Amy L. Kennedy
Amy L. Kennedy is the Education Director of The Kennedy Forum where she pursues partnerships and collaborations that emphasize evidence-based research and programming to facilitate policy change in the areas of education and mental…
Bonnie Cook, MAS
Bonnie is the chief executive of Mental Health America of Greater Dallas. Prior to assuming this role in April, 2018 she was the executive director of Mental Health America of Kentucky. Bonnie has over 17 years experience working in the mental health…
Chris Wood
Chris Wood is an actor, writer, and activist. Chris received his bachelor degree from Elon University in North Carolina before beginning his professional career in stage and film. In 2017, Chris founded IDONTMIND, a mental health awareness campaign…
Courtney Lang, JD
Courtney Lang is the founder and principal of Langco + Partners, a public affairs and strategic communications firm recognized for advocacy, activism, and grassroots mobilization. Courtney advises clients on achieving health equity, access,…
Dwight Hollier, LPC, NCC
Dwight Hollier, LPC, NCC, is a National Board Certified Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor with extensive experience working with adolescents, families, and adults around a variety of clinical and non-clinical issues. Dwight…
Fatima Mncube-Barnes, Ed.D, MPH, MSIS, MBA
Fatima Mncube-Barnes, Ed.D, MPH, MSIS, MBA is the executive director of the Louis Stokes Health Sciences Library at Howard University. Dr. Mncube-Barnes is responsible for the management and administration of the library and all other…
Gustavo Loera, EdD
Gustavo Loera, Ed.D is an educational psychologist and leader in community mental health and education. For more than two decades, his work in education and research has been devoted to historically underserved communities in addressing health and…
John Boyd, Psy.D, MHA
John Boyd, Psy.D, MHA, is Sutter Health’s CEO for Mental Health Services. John has an extensive background in healthcare administration including mental health. John has been appointed a commissioner by Governor Jerry Brown for the…
Kana Enomoto
Kana Enomoto is a Senior Expert at McKinsey & Company, where she co-leads the Center for Societal Benefit through Healthcare. She has more than 20 years of experience as a federal executive in mental-health and substance-use policy, data, programs…
Laura Bay
Laura Bay is the immediate past president of National PTA, a nonprofit association dedicated to making a difference for the education, health, safety and well-being of every child. In her role as the president of National PTA, she…
Luis B. Perez, LCSW
Luis B. Perez, LCSW is the President and CEO of Mental Health Connecticut. He has a proven track record in leadership positions, both in the private and public sectors, with particular expertise in the areas of behavioral health…
Marie Morilus-Black
Marie Morilus-Black has an impressive array of clinical, administrative, leadership, and human services skills gained over more than two plus decades in the mental health, child welfare, and juvenile justice arenas. She was recently…
Pierluigi Mancini, PhD
With over 30 years of experience in culturally and linguistically appropriate behavioral health treatment and prevention, Dr. Mancini is one of the most sought after national and international consultants and speakers on the subject of mental health…
Russell C. Petrella, PhD
Dr. Petrella is a clinical psychologist with more than 40 years of experience as a clinician, state official, and health care executive. Early in his career, Dr. Petrella practiced at the Center for Forensic Psychiatry in Ann…