Mercy Behavioral Health Summit Speakers

MEET THE 2026

  • A man wearing glasses, a dark suit, a light-colored shirt, and a striped tie, smiling against a dark background.

    Gyanesh Agrawal, MD, FASAM

    Director SUD Services - Ambulatory Care Network
    Los Angeles County Department of Health Services

  • Professional portrait of a smiling man in a business suit, wearing glasses, plaid shirt, and patterned tie, against a dark background.

    Joe Avelino, RN, BSN, MHSA, CPHQ

    CEO | College Medical Center Hospital

  • A woman with blonde hair smiling and wearing a black blazer

    Dora Barilla, DrPH

    Co-Founder & President
    HC2 Strategies

  • Kelly Bruno-Nelson, DSW

    Executive Director, Medi-Cal/CalAIM
    CalOptima Health

  • A smiling man with short gray hair, wearing a blue blazer and light blue shirt, against a dark background.

    Clayton Chau, M.D., Ph.D, MASL

    Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer | National Healthcare & Housing Advisors

  • Smiling woman with short brown hair wearing a yellow blouse and gray cardigan against a dark background.

    Jennie Crooms

    Health Information Management Director
    Adjunct Faculty
    Gateways Hospital and Mental Health Center East Los Angeles College

  • Portrait of a woman with dark curly hair, wearing red lipstick, gold earrings, and a red sleeveless dress with a circular cutout pattern, smiling against a dark gray background.

    Gayani Desilva, M.D.

    Inland Psychiatric Medical Group

  • Close-up portrait of a woman with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a friendly smile, wearing a black top, against a dark background.

    Donna Dominion, LCSW, CCM

    Director, Care Management
    L.A. Care Health Plan

  • Headshot of a man in a suit and tie, with short dark hair and a beard, against a dark background.

    Christian A. Espinoza, MD

    Director of Clinical Operations, Epic Physician Builder
    Tarzana Treatment Centers, Inc.

  • A woman with curly, light brown hair and blue eyes, smiling at the camera, wearing a black top and jewelry, against a dark background.

    Kalene Gilbert, L.C.S.W.

    Mental Health Program Manager IV
    LA County Dept. of Mental Health

  • Headshot of a smiling middle-aged man with glasses, wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and a red striped tie, against a dark background.

    Michael Hunn

    CEO | CalOptima Health

  • Professional portrait of a man in a suit with a light-colored tie, smiling at the camera against a dark background.

    Brian Hurley, MD, MBA, FAPA, DFASAM

    Medical Director, Substance Abuse Prevention and Control | Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

  • Portrait of a man wearing a dark suit and black shirt, smiling lightly, against a dark background.

    Hugo Izquierdo

    Lead Data Analyst
    Social Model Recovery Systems, Inc.

  • A portrait of a smiling woman with a shaved head, wearing a black blazer, silver necklace, and earrings, against a dark background.

    La Tina Jackson, LCSW

    Deputy Director, Countywide Engagement Division
    Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health

  • A smiling man with short curly dark hair, wearing a navy blazer and a white dress shirt with small dark patterns, against a dark gray background.

    Noah Kaplan Ng, LCSW

    Director of Enhanced Care Management
    L.A. Care Health Plan

  • A young Asian man with short black hair, wearing glasses, a light gray suit, light gray shirt, and dark tie, smiling against a plain dark background.

    Tony Kuo, MD, MSHS, FAAFP

    Director, Chronic Disease & Injury Prevention
    LA County Dept. of Public Health

  • A woman with long dark hair, wearing a black blazer and patterned blouse, smiling against a dark gradient background.

    Yun Hee Anna Lee, DSW, LCSW

    Director of Innovation
    Social Model Recovery Systems, Inc.

  • Close-up portrait of a young woman with long, wavy dark hair and a slight smile, against a dark gray background.

    Katherine Li, MBA

    Section Manager, Integrated Health Initiatives
    Substance Abuse Prevention and Control
    LA County, Dept. of Public Health

  • Mario Ortega

    CEO
    Abrazar, Inc.

  • A woman with long dark hair smiling and wearing a light blue shirt and dark blazer against a dark background.

    Vanessa Ramos, CYT

    Senior Advisor
    Disability Rights California

  • A young man with glasses, earrings, wearing a suit and tie, smiling for a professional portrait.

    Nolan Ross Samé-Weil, MBA-HCM, CADC II, ICAD

    Director of Development
    Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol & Drug Abuse

  • A woman with long brown hair wearing a beige turtleneck sweater smiling at the camera

    Michelle Smith

    Senior Manager | Behavioral Health Services 
    OC Health Care Agency

  • Smiling woman with short blonde hair wearing a sleeveless navy blue top with white patterns, against a dark background.

    Susan Stone MD MPH FACEP FAAHPM

    Senior Medical DirectorL.A. Care Health Plan

  • Black-and-white portrait of a man with glasses, smiling, wearing a dark collared shirt, against a dark background.

    Eddie Turner

    Founder & Principal
    Common Goal Consulting

  • Professional portrait of a smiling man wearing a white shirt and a dark tie against a dark background.

    Warren Yamashita, M.D.

    Director of Addiction Medicine and Family Medicine | Harbor Community Health Centers

  • A smiling man with glasses wearing a navy suit, striped tie, and white dress shirt, against a dark background.

    Ali Zadeh, MD

    Chief Medical Officer
    LANES

MBHS 2025 Speakers

  • A smiling man with a beard, glasses, and a bald head, wearing a light gray blazer and a dark shirt against a dark background.

    Jerry P. Abraham, M.D., MPH, CMQ

    Director of Integration & Public Health | Kedren Health

    BIO
  • A smiling middle-aged man with glasses wearing a gray blazer and a blue collared shirt, against a dark background.

    Eric Arimoto, LMFT

    Clinical Supervisor | Long Beach MET Team

    BIO
  • Professional portrait of a smiling man wearing glasses, a plaid shirt, a patterned tie, and a suit jacket against a plain dark background.

    Joe Avelino, RN, BSN, MHSA, CPHQ

    CEO | College Medical Center Hospital

    BIO
  • A man with glasses and a beard wearing a suit and tie, against a dark background.

    Michael Brodsky, M.D.

    Senior Medical Director, Community Health | L.A. Care Health Plan

    BIO
  • Close-up portrait of a woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a black patterned top, smiling softly against a dark background.

    Lei Portugal Calloway

    AOT Peer Team Lead | Telecare Corporation

    BIO
  • A man with dark hair smiling, wearing a navy suit, white shirt, and patterned tie, against a dark background.

    Jury Candelario, LCSW

    Division Director | APAIT - a division of Special Service for Groups, Inc.

    BIO
  • Smiling middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair wearing a blue suit and light blue button-up shirt against a dark background.

    Clayton Chau, M.D., Ph.D, MASL

    Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer | National Healthcare & Housing Advisors

    BIO
  • Close-up of a smiling woman with dark curly hair wearing a bright pink top and a small microphone clipped to her collar, against a dark background.

    Gayani Desilva, M.D.

    Behavioral Health Medical Director | San Bernardino County DBH

    BIO
  • Close-up of a smiling woman with long dark hair, wearing makeup including lipstick and eye makeup, against a dark background.

    Ebony Nicole Funches, DNP, FNP-C

    Nurse Practitioner III | Venice Family Clinic

    BIO
  • A woman with long dark hair smiling at the camera, wearing a white top, with a dark blurred background.

    Anna Grauerholz, LMFT

    (FCT) Clinical Supervisor | Masada Community Mental Health Services

    BIO
  • A smiling man with short dark hair wearing a colorful plaid shirt against a dark background.

    Steven Hochman, MD, MPH, AAHIVS

    Medical Director of Street Medicine | AkidoCare, Los Angeles County

    BIO
  • A smiling middle-aged man with glasses, wearing a business suit and tie, against a dark background.

    Michael Hunn

    CEO | CalOptima Health

    BIO
  • Portrait of a smiling man in a suit with a PIN and a small pin on his lapel, wearing a light purple patterned tie and a white shirt, against a dark background.

    Brian Hurley, MD, MBA, FAPA, DFASAM

    Medical Director, Substance Abuse Prevention and Control | Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

    BIO
  • Professional woman with dark brown hair, wearing a gray blazer and white blouse, smiling against a dark background.

    Carmen Katsarov, LPCC, CCM

    Executive Director, Behavioral Health Integration | CalOptima Health

    BIO
  • Professional headshot of a man in a suit and dress shirt smiling at the camera against a dark background.

    Steve Kim, L.C.S.W.

    Executive Director | Project Kinship

    BIO
  • Portrait of a smiling woman with short curly gray hair, glasses, hoop earrings, wearing a white shirt and a necklace with a pendant, against a dark background.

    Alison King

    Director of Health and Human Services | City of Long Beach

    BIO
  • Portrait of an older man wearing glasses, a blue suit, a light blue shirt, and a pink polka dot tie, smiling against a dark background.

    Paul Leon, RN, BSN, PHN, FAAN

    CEO | National Healthcare & Housing Advisors

    BIO
  • Smiling woman with short light brown hair, wearing a blue top, small earrings, a necklace with a gold pendant, and set against a dark background.

    Aubree Lovelace, MFT

    Division Chief, Countywide Engagement Division | LA County Department of Mental Health

    BIO
  • A woman with short, twisted hair, smiling, wearing a multicolored plaid jacket, gold necklace, and gold hoop earrings, against a dark background.

    April McClellan, MS, LMFT

    Director of FSP | Masada

    BIO
  • A man with curly dark hair, wearing glasses and a blue jacket, looking directly at the camera against a dark background.

    Shayan Rab, M.D.

    Associate Medical Director | LA County Department of Mental Health

    BIO
  • A woman with long dark hair, smiling, wearing red lipstick and a red blazer, posing against a dark background.

    Amrita Rai

    Clinical Director, Community Behavioral Health | Inland Empire Health Plan

    BIO
  • Portrait of a woman with long blonde hair, smiling, wearing a black top and a small necklace, against a dark background.

    Kaitlyn Wagner, MSOL

    Implementation Director | Family Centered Treatment Foundation

    BIO
  • A smiling man with glasses and a beard, wearing a beige button-up shirt, against a dark background.

    Noah Warren

    Partner & Business Development Director | Roots Through Recovery

    BIO
  • A smiling woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a black sleeveless top, against a dark background.

    Lisa M. Whittington, MS, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP

    Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacy | USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

    BIO
  • Headshot of a young man with short dark hair, smiling, dressed in a white shirt and tie, against a dark background.

    Warren Yamashita, M.D.

    Director of Addiction Medicine and Family Medicine | Harbor Community Health Centers

    BIO
  • Headshot of a woman with long dark hair, smiling, wearing a gray blazer and black top against a dark background.

    Glareh “Gigi” Zanganeh, MSW

    Homeless Court Coordinator | City Prosecutor’s Office, Long Beach

    BIO