NBC’s BHO Discussion Group
The BHO Discussion Group’s purpose is to improve the delivery of behavioral health through sharing and dialogue between member companies about relevant clinical, operational, administrative, and regulatory topics that impact the members we serve. The group includes senior leaders who provide for the organization, management, and/or financing of behavioral health services for members who need care. Member companies include health plans covering commercially insured members, companies providing managed behavioral health services for employers, state Medicaid programs, and regional/county behavioral health programs.
Below you will find the following information regarding BHO Discussion Group meetings, contact lists, and planning processes.
- 2025 BHO Calendar (Discussion Group Meetings and In Person Conferences)
- Contact Information/Mailing list for BHO Discussion Group
- BHO Planning Committee Members and Purpose of the Committee
Behavioral Health Organization (BHO) 2025 Calendar
- All Meetings (other than in person conferences) are 12:00 Eastern Time
- All Discussion Groups are on Zoom (links below)
| Meeting Dates | Meeting Type | Presenter or Facilitator |
| February 20 | Discussion Group: Q&A on Use of Psychedelics in Treatment of Behavioral Disorders | Sharmin Ghaznavi, MD, PhD, Associate Director & Director Cognitive Neuroscience at the Center for the Neuroscience of Psychedelics at Mass General Hospital, Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School |
| April 29, 30, May 1 | NBC In Person Conference: Boulderado Hotel, Boulder, CO | BHO Discussion Group planning in progress – agenda to be released early March, 2025 |
| May 22 | Discussion Group: Topic TBD | Discussion group planning in progress |
| July 24 | Discussion Group: Topic TBD | Discussion group planning in progress |
| September 25 | Discussion Group: Topic TBD | TBD |
| October | NBC In Person Conference: Andaz Hotel, Savannah, GA | TBD |
| December 18 | Discussion Group: Topic TBD | TBD |
BHO Discussion Group Contact List (as of February 1, 2025)
| Participants/Members | Organization | Title | |
| April Richardson, MD | BCBSSC | VP, Clinical Services, BCBSSC and COO Companion Benefit Alternatives | April.Richardson@bcbssc.com |
| Jody Rock | BCBSSC | Program Manager, BCBSSC | jody.rock@bcbssc.com |
| Jennifer Pender, MD | BCBSSC | Behavioral Health Medical Director, Healthy Blue Medicaid | Jennifer.Pender@healthybluesc.com |
| Jennifer Heath, MD | BCBSSC | Medical Director, CBA | Jennifer.e.heath@compbenefitalt.com |
| Natalie Johnston | BCBSSC | Executive Director, BCBSSC | Natalie.Johnston@compbenefitalt.com |
| Robert Mines, Ph.D. | Mines | Chief Psychology Officer | ramines@minesandassociates.com |
| Lauren Meyer | Mines | Manager Health Psychology Operations | LKMeyer@minesandassociates.com |
| Sydney Obloy | Mines | Clinical Case Manager | sobloy@minesandassociates.com |
| Myron Unruh | Mines | Chief Operating Officer | munruh@minesandassociates.com |
| John Herman | Mass General Brigham Health Plan | Associate Chief, Department of Psychiatry | jherman@partners.org |
| Calvin Paries | Centura | EAP Health & Wellness Manager | CalvinParies@centura.org |
| JJ Farook | InfoMC | Chairman & CEO | jj.farook@infomc.com |
| Tamra Williams, Ph.D. | Montgomery County, PA | Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Commissioners Office, Mongomery County, PA | Tamra.Williams@montgomerycountypa.gov |
| Morghan Terry | MHC | Clinical Director | mterry@mhconsultants.com |
| Valerie Salico | MHC | Executive Director | vsalico@mhconsultants.com |
| Brendan Young | MHC | President/CEO | byoung@mhconsultants.com |
| Jay Hale | CBHA | Interim President | jhale@cbhallc.com |
| Jennifer Christman | MyAdvisor | President | Jennifer.christman@myadvisor.healthcare |
| Stephanie Mathieson | MyAdvisor | Training and Onboarding Specialist | stephanie.mathieson@myadvisor.healthcare |
| Guests & Friends | |||
| Sandra Stein, MD | Banner Health System | Chief Medical Officer | sandra.stein@bannerhealth.com |
| James Stringham | Banner Health System | VP, Chief Executive Officer Government Health Plans | James.Stringham2@bannerhealth.com |
| Josie Aquino | VNS Health | Director, Clinical Programs | Josie.Aquino@vnshealth.org |
| Faith Dyson-Washington, Ph.D. | Health Management Associates | Principal at HMA | faithdysonwashington@gmail.com fdysonwashington@healthmanagement.com |
| Marge Ackermann | Retired | Retired Managed Behavioral Health Exec | margeackermann@aol.com |
| Nicole Lawson | Orchard Children’s | CEO | nlawson@orchards.org |
| Bob Moore | Partner’s Health Management | Senior Advisor to CEO | rmoore@partnersbhm.org |
| Rhonda Cox | Vaya Health | Executive VP and Chief Operating Officer | Rhonda.Cox@vayahealth.com |
| Peter Ambrose | Retired | Retired BH Executive | peteraambrosejr@gmail.com |
| NBC Consultants/Staff | |||
| Tom Shjerven | NBC | Executive Director | Tomshjerven@comcast.net |
| John Quick, Ph.D. | NBC | Senior Advisor, BHO Group | Jfquick.jq@gmail.com |
| Carol Clayton | NBC | Senior Advisor | claytoncarol1951@gmail.com |
| Dennis Derr, Ed.D. | NBC | Senior Advisor | w.dennis.derr@gmail.com |
The BHO Planning Committee
The Planning Committee is responsible for identifying relevant and timing issues and topics for the 2025 BHO Discussion Group calendar. This includes also identifying and vetting topics and presenters/facilitators for both our bi-monthly BHO Discussion Group Zoom meetings as well as for our two annual in person conferences.
Committee Members are:
- Myron Unruh, Mines & Associates
- Tamra Williams, Montgomery County Pennsylvania
- Jody Rock, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina
- Jay Hale, Carolina Behavioral Health Alliance
- Morghan Terry, CMH
- John Quick, NBC Senior Advisor for BHO
- Carol Clayton, NBC Senior Advisor
- Dennis Derr, NBC Senior Advisor
- Tom Shjerven, Executive Director NBC
All feedback from participants in the larger BHO Discussion Group is encouraged and welcome. You can find email addresses for the Planning Committee listed in the BHO Discussion Group Contact List above.