Workforce in behavioral health is navigating a period of significant strain and transformation, marked by high turnover, widespread burnout, and critical staffing shortages across nearly all roles-from licensed clinicians to frontline support staff. Yet, several directional trends are emerging that point toward the future of the field: integration within primary care systems, using more telehealth, expanding the roles of peer support workers, and focusing more on staff well-being and retention.
The OPEN MINDS Executive Workforce Learning Path was created to equip today’s behavioral health workforce with critical skills and competencies needed to navigate current challenges, make informed decisions, and lead their organizations and communities toward mental health outcomes with confidence and compassion.
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Clinical Excellence Best Practices: The 2026 OPEN MINDS Seminar On Engaging & Retaining Your Clinical Talent
In this masterclass, we will explore the evolving landscape of clinical performance management, looking beyond the typical playbook. Our experts will delve into the current workforce climate and forecast future trends. Gain insights into innovative tactics and strategies for attracting and keeping your top performers while measuring the right metrics to meet the demands of the current challenging market.
Discover revamped approaches to compensation models, benefits packages, and cutting-edge recruitment techniques tailored to health care and the wider competitive market. This seminar is designed to help executive teams decode today’s workforce’s preferences and aspirations and empower you to position your organization as the winning choice for talent.
During this session, you’ll develop a playbook of strategies to:
- Personalize recruitment and retention strategies and leverage technology for an enhanced employee experience
- Develop performance-driven models to elevate your team’s output and implement flexible frameworks to accommodate employee needs
- Establish the metrics that are right for your organization to streamline clinical performance
Stuart Buttlaire, Ph.D., MBA
Stuart Buttlaire brings over 35 years of executive, clinical, and policy experience to OPEN MINDS. Dr. Buttlaire has experience in both the public and private sectors of healthcare providing leadership and direction in healthcare delivery. His career has focused on advancing integrated behavioral health and addiction medicine through strategic innovation, system redesign, quality improvement, and sustainable policy reform.
Previously, Dr. Buttlaire was the Regional Director of Behavioral Health and Addiction Medicine for Kaiser Permanente. In this role, Dr. oversaw a $200 million portfolio serving 4.6 million members across 23 emergency departments and 33 medical centers. He led development and operations across inpatient, ambulatory, emergency, call center, and contracted community services, supporting more than 2,500 mental health and substance use disorder providers. His leadership resulted in significant system transformation grounded in person-centered, measurement-based, and integrated care models. Dr. Buttlaire was also the lead Mental Health Representative for State Program Initiatives, including Medicaid (Medi-Cal) and Medicare. He pioneered the design and implementation of two psychiatric inpatient units, including a nationally recognized medical/psychiatric unit for individuals with complex co-morbidities. Additional innovations include integrated urgent services for youth and adults, intensive outpatient programs, multi-family group treatments for severe psychiatric conditions, and a mobile app for eating disorders that earned Kaiser’s Innovation Award.
Dr. Buttlaire is a widely respected advisor on behavioral health policy, legislation, and regulatory strategy. He has worked closely with state and federal agencies on issues of parity enforcement, financing reform, Medicaid redesign, and systems integration. He currently serves as Board President of the Institute for Behavioral Health Improvement, is a Board Member of NAMI California, and sits on the California Hospital Association Behavioral Health Advisory Board. He previously chaired the Behavioral Health Section of the American Hospital Association and was appointed to the AHA Regional Policy Board for the Western U.S.
As a frequent speaker and author, Dr. Buttlaire has published articles and research papers on behavioral health integration, suicide prevention, financing, and policy reform. His work continues to shape strategic direction for public and private behavioral health systems across the country.
Dr. Buttlaire holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies, an MBA with a concentration in Health Care Management and Finance from UC Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business, a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Humboldt State, and a B.A. in Psychology and Political Science from the University of Colorado.
Rachel Steinmetz
Rachel Steinmetz brings broad experience in the health and human service field to the OPEN MINDS team. From operations management to marketing strategy, Ms. Steinmetz has been involved in almost every aspect of management in her career.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Steinmetz was the Director of Operations for Funnel Lab, an internet marketing solutions firm. In that role, she designed revenue generating strategies including lead generation and customer engagement. She also developed their automation solutions, including operationalizing AI-driven text bots to enhance customer interactions. Ms. Steinmetz was also responsible for mulit-channel marketing strategy and strategy implementation including email, SMS, and social media automation.
Previously, Ms. Steinmetz was the Chief Operating Office for Housing for Health, Orange County, a non-profit organization aimed at ending homelessness by addressing physical and mental health needs. As COO, she led all aspects of operations, including human resources, program development, and organizational management. This including implementing measures to enhance organizational efficiency, ensure regulatory compliance across multiple platforms and electronic health records. She also successfully cultivated robust partnerships with external partners.
Before Housing for Health Orange County, Ms. Steinmetz held roles supporting strategic communications and public policy initiatives in the behavioral health space. As Communications Coordinator for Be Well Orange County, she supported a county-wide initiative to improve access to compassionate mental health care through infrastructure investment and cross-sector collaboration. Her responsibilities included public relations, event planning, business development, research, vendor coordination, and managing the organization’s web and social media presence. As Senior Project Manager at Principle Strategic Advisors, a consulting firm focused on public policy and executive leadership, Ms. Steinmetz led multi-stakeholder initiatives, developed detailed project roadmaps, and coordinated efforts across municipalities, healthcare agencies, and community-based organizations.
In addition to her institutional roles, Ms. Steinmetz brings over a decade of experience consulting with nonprofits, small businesses, and mission-driven entrepreneurs. Her expertise includes business operations, digital marketing, workflow automation, and web strategy; working with clients to streamline systems, drive engagement, and scale sustainably.
Ms. Steinmetz earned a Bachelor of Arts in English/Creative Writing from DePaul University.
The Future of Long-Term Services & Supports: Centene’s Vision For Innovation, Access & Value
Demand for long-term services and supports is growing rapidly, and payers are playing an increasingly influential role in shaping how care is delivered, coordinated, and financed. In this keynote, Anna Keith, Vice President of LTSS Product and Strategy at Centene, will share insights from one of the nation’s largest Medicaid managed care organizations on the evolving LTSS landscape.
Drawing on Centene’s experience serving complex and vulnerable populations across multiple states, Keith will explore emerging strategies to improve care coordination, expand community-based services, and integrate behavioral health into LTSS models. Discover how innovation, data, and value-based approaches are helping payers and providers better meet the needs of aging adults and individuals with disabilities.
The Eisenhower Leadership Perspective: Eisenhower Farm Tour
During his wartime and presidential leadership, General Dwight D. Eisenhower (as he preferred to be known in his post-presidency) believed that trust was a critical leadership attribute, especially in turbulent times. Coming up in the military, Ike’s leadership style differed from those before him. He possessed a steady, calming way of looking at the critical issues. He dedicated himself to a cause higher than himself. Eisenhower did not abide by publicity-seeking but believed in accountability and being humble in his authority to make consequential decisions.
Ike considered himself a team player, bringing others along to address that cause. Eisenhower’s leadership approach involved the importance of the study, contingency planning, and being surrounded by diverse opinions. He believed that wisdom does not reside solely in one man’s mind. Eisenhower also incorporated stress management into his day-to-day to stay outwardly calm and exercise optimism. He believed that optimism starts from the top and works its way down. He believed in the importance of morale and making winners out of everyone. Join OPEN MINDS on this one-of-a-kind tour of the Eisenhower farm and learn more about General Eisenhower, his legacy, and his family.
The bus leaves the hotel at 9:30 am for the Eisenhower Farm Tour.
Lawrence “Larry” Korczyk
Larry Korczyk has been a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg National Military Park for 10 years. He passed the National Park Service licensed guide exam in March of 2013. Prior to this, he worked for 30+ years in the logistics industry as a manager at two large distribution centers. However, always having a love of history, particularly on the American Civil War, he joined a Civil War Round Table in his native state of New Jersery, became an active Civil War reenactor for the 2nd Rhode Island Infantry, and dreamed, after his first visit to Gettysburg in 1990, to become a Licensed Battlefield Guide. Today, he lives in Gettysburg, has conducted hundreds of tours on the battlefield, is a regular speaker at Civil War Round Tables, and has co-authored a book titled “Top Ten at Gettysburg”.
New Perspectives On Sustaining Your Top Professionals
Recently, behavioral health organizations have been acknowledging the effects of working with, feeling empathy for, and having responsibility for trauma survivors. Whether this effect is referred to as vicarious trauma (VT) or secondary traumatic stress, there is no doubt that the work can influence a provider’s worldview, their sense of safety, their own relationships, their sense of hope, and their energy and enthusiasm for their work.
This presentation will challenge some of the myths of vicarious trauma, such as that work is entirely depleting and that home life is entirely fulfilling, and that there is such a thing as work-life balance. Presenters will discuss specific techniques employers can use to help sustain their top employees by growing their hope and energy in the workplace, thereby reducing turnover. Case studies will share strategies for developing skills to enhance employees’ work lives, to help employees thrive through intensity, to develop radical compassion, and to recover from crisis.
During the session, attendees will:
- Identify three myths about vicarious trauma and their alternative truths.
- List eight skills to sustain top employees and discover organizational plans to teach and support these skills.
- Identify agency structures to support providers in recovering from crisis, reducing fatigue and burnout.
Peggy Kelly, LPC-S
Peggy Kelly, LPC-S, is Chief Executive Officer of Youth Home, Inc. in Little Rock, Arkansas, where she leads strategic growth—expanding service lines and widening the agency’s geographic reach—while maintaining a commitment to trauma-informed, evidence-based care. Previously as Chief Clinical Officer, she oversaw all clinical services, diversified funding streams, launched new programs, and led a cultural transformation using the Risking Connections trauma‑informed care model.
She served five years as Director of Clinical Services at Jewish Family & Career Services (JF&CS) in Atlanta before returning to Arkansas in 2014 to join Youth Home. Peggy holds a B.S. in Business and Finance from the University of Arkansas and an M.S. in Behavioral Studies from the University of South Alabama. She has practiced in Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, and Arkansas, providing individual, family, and group behavioral health services, and has worked as an Employee Assistance consultant for Fortune 500 companies and a large hospital system, advising on policy development and implementation. Her areas of expertise include employee wellness, workplace violence, substance abuse, and conflict resolution.
Peggy serves on the boards of the Arkansas Behavioral Health Council and the National Association of Children’s Behavioral Health. She and her husband, Donnie, enjoy Arkansas’s mountains and lakes and attend concerts and outdoor festivals whenever time permits.
Patricia Wilcox, LCSW
Patricia D. Wilcox, LCSW, is Klingberg’s Vice President of Strategic Development. She specializes in improving systems that treat traumatized children and their families. She created the Restorative Approach™, a trauma- and relationship-based treatment method. She is a trainer for Risking Connection® and a faculty member at the University of CT School of Social Work and the University of St. Joseph’s School of Social Work. She is the author of Trauma Informed Care: The Restorative Approach as well as several articles. She trains internationally on trauma-informed care, has presented at many national conferences, and has recently been offering training with her colleague, Aminah Ali, on topics supporting full inclusion in the workplace. She was the 2011 Connecticut Social Worker of the Year and, in 2022, was designated a Soroptimist Exceptional Woman.
Building Leadership That Lasts: Designing Scalable Development Programs For A Multigenerational Workforce With Thresholds
Developing strong, sustainable leadership pipelines is a strategic imperative for behavioral health organizations facing workforce complexity and constant change. This session explores how one organization designed and implemented a comprehensive leadership development program that spans all supervisory levels, including senior leadership, ensuring alignment, consistency, and long-term impact.
Participants will learn how to move beyond one-time training events to build a structured, multi-year leadership strategy that includes ongoing support mechanisms such as coaching, check-ins, and onboarding pathways for emerging leaders. The session will also address one of today’s most pressing workforce dynamics: leading across four generations. Attendees will gain practical insights into tailoring leadership approaches to engage, motivate, and retain a diverse workforce with varying expectations and communication styles.
Key takeaways include:
- Actionable strategies to create a sustainable model for developing leaders at all levels in behavioral health
- Tools to strengthen leadership capacity and improve organizational culture
- Approaches to tailoring leadership training for different generations
Sterling Haukom Anderson, LPC
Sterling Haukom Anderson, LPC has worked in the mental health field for over 13 years and is currently the Director of Workforce Development at Thresholds. She has provided clinical and case management support to individuals living with severe mental illness and has developed and delivered trainings, eLearning, and consultations for both internal and external audiences on a range of topics. Sterling earned her Master’s in Counseling from DePaul University in 2012.  Â
What We Learned When We Finally Listened: A Three-Year Journey to Build Trust, Accountability & Culture
Most organizations aspire to build a stronger culture, but few are fully prepared for what they may discover when they begin genuinely listening to their employees.
In 2023, Diversus Health launched a comprehensive culture assessment that confirmed a deep commitment to mission and client care while revealing significant opportunities related to trust in leadership, communication, change management, and accountability. Rather than treating the results as a one-time survey, the organization committed to a multi-year journey focused on executive alignment, employee listening, leadership development, transparency, and values-based accountability.
Over the next three years, Diversus Health experienced measurable improvements in employee retention, employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS), leadership trust, and employee engagement. Along the way, the organization learned that sustainable culture change is rarely driven by new programs or slogans. Instead, it requires leaders who are willing to hear difficult feedback, model accountability, communicate consistently, and make meaningful changes based on what employees are saying.
Join Diversus Health CEO, Adam Roberts, and Talent Elevated Founder & CEO, Heather Smith, for an honest discussion about the challenges, successes, setbacks, and lessons learned while building a healthier organizational culture. Participants will leave with practical strategies for strengthening trust, increasing accountability, and creating lasting culture change within their own organizations.
Adam C. Roberts, MBA
Heather Smith
Women In Health Care Leadership: An Interactive Discussion On Fostering Career Growth, Overcoming Barriers & Empowering Women Leaders
As organizational culture continues to change and evolve, organizations must learn to appreciate the different strengths and perspectives women bring to leadership roles. Women in leadership often face challenges differently than their male counterparts. To build strong leadership, organizations need to recognize the differences women bring and determine how they can foster female career growth and support in leadership positions. The panel, comprised of dynamic women in leadership roles, will lead a discussion on facing challenges, overcoming barriers, and empowering women executives in the workplace by sharing their leadership stories and lessons learned. After this forum, attendees should be able to:
- Identify different strengths and perspectives women bring to leadership
- Identify opportunities within your organization to encourage female career growth in leadership roles
- Strategize on how to best support leadership development for women within your organization for sustainable change
Cecilia Haag
Cecilia Haag serves as Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer at Thompson Child & Family Focus, a multi-state nonprofit organization providing foster care, prevention, and behavioral health services to children and families. In this role, she leads organizational growth, innovation, and market expansion, with responsibility for launching new programs, entering new markets, and strengthening the systems that support sustainable scale.
Cecilia’s work is focused on building practical, high-quality service models that deliver strong outcomes for families while remaining operationally disciplined and financially sound. She partners closely with executive leadership, public agencies, and community stakeholders to translate policy priorities and funding opportunities into services that work on the ground. Her current areas of focus include prevention and family stabilization, workforce-centered growth strategies, and creating organizational infrastructure that allows programs to grow without sacrificing quality or accountability.
Dorothyanna Coffey, MS
Dorothyanna Coffey brings nearly two decades of social service experience to her position as Chief Administrative Officer for Omni Family of Services (formerly Omni Visions). She is responsible for managing a variety of special projects in quality assurance, department operations, recruitment, and organizational metrics.
Dorothyanna joined the Omni Family team in 2013 as System Administrator at Omni Visions before serving as Director of System Administration and later as Interim Regional Director. She most recently served as Project Manager with OmniCare Institute managing a variety of projects across the Omni Family of Services organization.
Prior to joining Omni, Dorothyanna served in programmatic roles with Open Arms Care, Tennessee Alliance for Children and Families, Monroe Harding and The Villages in Evansville, Indiana.
Dorothyanna holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from the University of Southern Indiana and Master in Public Service Management from Cumberland University.
Rochelle Head-Dunham, M.D., DFAPA, FASAM
Dr. Head-Dunham’s academic and administrative leadership has fostered noteworthy advances in the fields of addiction and mental health. She has served as a subject matter expert on various national and state platforms informing best practices for the field of behavioral health. Her clinical accolades include Clinical Faculty of the Year for the 2021 academic year at LSU School of Medicine. In 2019 she was the recipient of the Nyswander/Dole Award from the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, INC. (AATOD). Her clinical acumen coupled with her transformative leadership style has shaped an administrative career that fosters enduring changes for systems, organizations and individual levels of performance. Dr. Rochelle Head-Dunham is a New Orleans native who currently serves as the Executive Director and Medical Director for Metropolitan Human Services District (MHSD), a state local governing entity tasked with service delivery for indigent and Medicaid ensured persons living with mental illness, substance use disorders and intellectual/developmental disabilities, residing in New Orleans and neighboring parishes.
Leading Through Change By Creating Agile Teams
Behavioral health organizations are operating in a period of constant change—from new payment models and regulatory shifts to workforce shortages and evolving care delivery expectations. For today’s executives, the ability to lead organizations through change is no longer optional; it’s a core leadership competency.
This session will explore practical change management strategies tailored to behavioral health organizations. Leaders will learn how to align teams around a clear vision, communicate effectively during periods of transition, and build cultures that are resilient and adaptable. Speakers will share lessons learned from implementing major organizational changes—from restructuring services to adopting new technologies—and discuss how leaders can engage staff, reduce resistance, and sustain momentum in a rapidly evolving environment.
Jeffrey Ralph, Ed.D.
Jodi Harding, LPCC-S, LICDC
Following In Lincoln’s Footsteps: A Leadership Walking Tour
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, left a lasting impact on the town of Gettysburg, even though he was only here for 24 hours.
Join OPEN MINDS and Larry Korczyk, licensed battlefield tour guide, as we follow in President Lincoln’s footsteps and walk the very same path that led to the President’s delivery of the Gettysburg Address in the National Cemetery. The walking tour will start at the Gettysburg Lincoln Railroad Station behind the Gettysburg Hotel, will continue to the David Wills House, where Lincoln stayed overnight, and will proceed to the Presbyterian Church. Come away inspired by a national leader who spoke only 272 words that will be remembered for centuries to come. This experience will begin and end with a classroom session to discuss Lincoln’s leadership style and what we can learn from him in today’s tumultuous times.
*Appropriate walking shoes will be needed for this tour.
Lawrence “Larry” Korczyk
Larry Korczyk has been a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg National Military Park for 10 years. He passed the National Park Service licensed guide exam in March of 2013. Prior to this, he worked for 30+ years in the logistics industry as a manager at two large distribution centers. However, always having a love of history, particularly on the American Civil War, he joined a Civil War Round Table in his native state of New Jersery, became an active Civil War reenactor for the 2nd Rhode Island Infantry, and dreamed, after his first visit to Gettysburg in 1990, to become a Licensed Battlefield Guide. Today, he lives in Gettysburg, has conducted hundreds of tours on the battlefield, is a regular speaker at Civil War Round Tables, and has co-authored a book titled “Top Ten at Gettysburg”.
Leading At The Right Altitude: Executive Time Management That Drives Results
For behavioral health CEOs, time is one of the most constrained, and most strategic, resources. This session reframes time management as a leadership responsibility, focusing on how senior leaders prioritize what truly matters, delegate with intention, and build accountability structures that free them to lead at the highest level.
Attendees will explore practical strategies for distinguishing executive-level work from operational noise, delegating in ways that develop leaders rather than create dependency, and establishing clear ownership and follow-through across the organization. Designed for C-suite leaders, this session offers real-world approaches to reclaiming time, strengthening leadership teams, and ensuring focus remains on mission critical priorities.
Leadership Approaches To The Ethical Uses Of AI: An Interactive Discussion Session Â
Artificial intelligence is changing how organizations recruit, schedule, support, and manage their workforce. As these tools become part of everyday operations, executive leaders must ensure AI is used in ways that are ethical, transparent, and aligned with organizational values while maintaining employee trust and accountability.
In this interactive discussion session, attendees will examine real-world AI scenarios related to workforce management and organizational leadership. Through facilitated discussion, participants will explore the leadership decisions each scenario requires, discuss the legal and ethical considerations involved, and identify practical approaches for establishing responsible AI policies across their organizations.
Stuart Buttlaire, Ph.D., MBA
Stuart Buttlaire brings over 35 years of executive, clinical, and policy experience to OPEN MINDS. Dr. Buttlaire has experience in both the public and private sectors of healthcare providing leadership and direction in healthcare delivery. His career has focused on advancing integrated behavioral health and addiction medicine through strategic innovation, system redesign, quality improvement, and sustainable policy reform.
Previously, Dr. Buttlaire was the Regional Director of Behavioral Health and Addiction Medicine for Kaiser Permanente. In this role, Dr. oversaw a $200 million portfolio serving 4.6 million members across 23 emergency departments and 33 medical centers. He led development and operations across inpatient, ambulatory, emergency, call center, and contracted community services, supporting more than 2,500 mental health and substance use disorder providers. His leadership resulted in significant system transformation grounded in person-centered, measurement-based, and integrated care models. Dr. Buttlaire was also the lead Mental Health Representative for State Program Initiatives, including Medicaid (Medi-Cal) and Medicare. He pioneered the design and implementation of two psychiatric inpatient units, including a nationally recognized medical/psychiatric unit for individuals with complex co-morbidities. Additional innovations include integrated urgent services for youth and adults, intensive outpatient programs, multi-family group treatments for severe psychiatric conditions, and a mobile app for eating disorders that earned Kaiser’s Innovation Award.
Dr. Buttlaire is a widely respected advisor on behavioral health policy, legislation, and regulatory strategy. He has worked closely with state and federal agencies on issues of parity enforcement, financing reform, Medicaid redesign, and systems integration. He currently serves as Board President of the Institute for Behavioral Health Improvement, is a Board Member of NAMI California, and sits on the California Hospital Association Behavioral Health Advisory Board. He previously chaired the Behavioral Health Section of the American Hospital Association and was appointed to the AHA Regional Policy Board for the Western U.S.
As a frequent speaker and author, Dr. Buttlaire has published articles and research papers on behavioral health integration, suicide prevention, financing, and policy reform. His work continues to shape strategic direction for public and private behavioral health systems across the country.
Dr. Buttlaire holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies, an MBA with a concentration in Health Care Management and Finance from UC Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business, a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Humboldt State, and a B.A. in Psychology and Political Science from the University of Colorado.
Whole-Person Care In Action: Mercy Care’s Blueprint For The Future of Integrated Care
As health care leaders work to address increasingly complex patient needs, the shift towards whole-person care is redefining how physical health, behavioral health, and social needs are addressed across the care continuum. In this keynote, Tad Gary, Chief Executive Officer of Mercy Care, will share how his organization is advancing a comprehensive model with a whole-person approach to better serve vulnerable and specialty populations, including the child welfare population, SMI population, and more.
Drawing on Mercy Care’s experience serving Medicaid members and individuals with complex health and social needs, Mr. Gary will discuss the strategies driving improved outcomes, from stronger provider partnerships and care coordination to innovative approaches that address housing, social determinants of health, and community-based supports.
Tad Gary
Tad Gary is the CEO of Mercy Care, an Arizona-based managed care organization serving more than 475,000 Medicaid and Medicare members under six governmental contracts. These include AHCCCS Complete Care, Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS), Regional Behavioral Health Authority for Maricopa County, Developmentally Disabled, Department of Child Safety Comprehensive Health Plan (DCS CHP), and Medicare Dual SNP contracts.
As CEO, Tad is responsible for all health plan activities for all product lines. He also supports all Mercy Care business development and implementation efforts throughout Arizona.
Tad has held multiple leadership roles during his more than 20-year career in health care and social services. Tad is a member of the Greater Phoenix Chamber Board and a Trustee of the Vitalyst Health Foundation. He was also appointed to the State of Arizona Opioid Review Council and to the Phoenix Police Review and Implementation Ad Hoc Committee. Tad is the former president of the Arizona Counselors Association and former President of the Institute for Mental Health Research EpiCenter, serving adolescents experiencing their first episodes of psychosis.
He earned his master’s degrees in counseling and education and has completed executive education in finance and accounting from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Preparing For The Unexpected: The Little Round Top Case Study & Battlefield Tour
During this session, attendees will take a bus to the Gettysburg National Military Park for a private walking tour around Little Round Top. This session will include a review of the Union Army’s defenses on day two of the battle, a discussion of the history of the battlefield site, and time for questions and discussion with our guide. The session will start with a classroom-style discussion, highlighting the leadership lessons learned from Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and applying those lessons to managing your health care team.
Colonel Chamberlain and his 20th Maine regiment’s defense of Little Round Top is perhaps one of the most famous confrontations of the Battle of Gettysburg. This session examines how he, in times of great distress, recognized the power of strategic thinking, made the necessary quick decisions, and preserved the overall goal of the Union Army. Colonel Chamberlain’s own battlefield experiences help us to realize the importance of good leadership and to examine transactional and transformational leadership styles. Little Round Top is one of two rocky hills located in the South of Gettysburg and the position of the far-left flank of the Union army during the Battle of Gettysburg. On the second day of the battle, Union troops undefended this strategic ground, leaving the Union line open to attack from Confederate forces. Colonel Chamberlain was ordered to guard this position and quickly understood the strategic significance of the small hill—meaning that his regiment must hold the Union line at all costs. In the last moments, as all seemed lost, Chamberlain ordered a bayonet charge that almost doubled back on its line, capturing over one hundred soldiers and maintaining the Union defense of the high ground of the battlefield.
Robert Prosperi
Robert H. Prosperi is one of the foremost experts on the Battle of Gettysburg and the Civil War. He is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a U.S. Army veteran. He served for 17 years as one of the two historians at the Gettysburg National Military Park. During this time he served as a personal tour guide and battlefield escort for numerous dignitaries and celebrities. He had the distinct privilege of providing a personal tour for Presidents Carter and Sadat and Prime Minister Begin during the Camp David Summit.
Being An Executive Leader Is A Team Sport – Building Your Executive Team Bench Strength
In a behavioral health environment defined by rapid change and workforce pressures, organizations are investing in their leadership pipelines today to ensure stability, continuity, and growth tomorrow. Join this session to explore how executive leaders can intentionally build bench strength by identifying high-potential talent, developing future leaders, and creating a culture of accountability and advancement. Learn practical strategies for strengthening your leadership pipeline, preparing emerging leaders to operate in a high-change environment, and aligning talent development with long-term organizational strategy.
Attendees will insights into:
- Creating structured leadership development and mentoring programs
- Preparing future leaders to navigate growth, transformation, and market disruption
- Implementing effective succession planning for key executive and critical roles
Luanne Welch
Luanne Welch is the CEO of Easterseals PORT Health (ESPH). Her view of disabilities was informed early in life by first grade friends, family and neighbors. Each relationship taught her to see the world through the lens of others, to hear and lift up their voices. Those experiences shaped her career. Luanne continues to be a thought leader, change agent and powerful voice within the national health and human services industry. In addition, Luanne is recognized as a turnaround leader with an ability to reorganize financially challenged organizations and reposition them toward sustained, healthy growth.
Luanne is dedicated to fostering positive change. She actively collaborates with an Employee Engagement Council to promote a culture of respect, fairness, authenticity and continuous growth. This rewarding and humbling journey has deepened her understanding, strengthened her leadership style and provided meaningful insight for business decisions.
Prior to leading ESPH, Luanne was the President and CEO for Easterseals South Florida. She has also held various Easterseals leadership positions with both the North Carolina affiliate and the National Office.
Luanne is a graduate of North Carolina State University. She is an Advisory Board Member for Open Minds (an award-winning source of information, executive education and health and human service business solutions) and Provider Council Member for Trillium Health Resources. She was recognized by The Triangle Business Journal with business & leadership awards in 2019 and 2022. Luanne enjoys spending time with family and has a special place in her heart for her grandson.
Challenges During Times of Turbulence: The Pickett’s Charge Case Study & Battlefield Tour
This session will take a bus to the Gettysburg National Military Park, where a licensed battlefield guide will lead a tour across the field where Pickett’s Charge occurred. This session will include a review of Generals Lee and Longstreet’s relationship and decision-making styles, as well as time for questions and discussion with our guide. Attendees will start and end the session with a classroom-style discussion highlighting leadership lessons learned from Pickett’s Charge and applying those lessons to today’s health care executives.
Pickett’s Charge may be the most infamous incident at the Battle of Gettysburg. Retrace the steps of General Robert E. Lee and General James Longstreet as they made the decisions that would ultimately determine not only the outcome of the Battle of Gettysburg but possibly the outcome of the Civil War.
On the final day of the Battle of Gettysburg, the commander of The Army of Northern Virginia, General Robert E. Lee, found himself at odds with his trusted commander, General James Longstreet. Generals Lee and Longstreet disagreed at several critical points during the Battle of Gettysburg. The most significant disagreement between the two officers came when Lee first talked to Longstreet about the planned Pickett’s Charge on the afternoon of July 3. Longstreet reluctantly agreed to Lee’s plan. This is an example of leader vs. follower command disagreement. The assault required the Confederate troops to march nearly a mile over an open field and climb several fences under open fire from the Union line. This disastrous end to the battle resulted in a fifty percent casualty rate among the Confederate troops and is seen as the decisive end to the Battle of Gettysburg and the turning point or high-water mark for the Confederacy in the Civil War.
Terry G. Fox
Terry Fox is a sixth-generation resident of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and a battlefield guide emeritus with Gettysburg National Military Park. He taught American History in the public schools for 33 years, serving as department head and as a member of the Carnegie Foundation for teaching American History. Since his retirement he has taught as an adjunct professor at Gettysburg College and at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education. He has presented leadership seminars for U.S. Air Force chief master sergeants as well as employees of the U.S. Secret Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in addition to teaching in Johns Hopkins’ Police Executive Leadership program. He earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Shippensburg College.
The Women Of Gettysburg: Walking Tour
The women of Gettysburg are a lesser discussed but integral part of the Civil War battle, serving as nurses, burying the dead, and sometimes disguising themselves as soldiers.
Refresh your body and mind on Wednesday, and join us for this afternoon walk through the historic streets of Gettysburg in the footsteps of women who served critical roles during the battle. Take a step back in time and hear the stories of their heroism, struggles, and even death.
This walk will meet at the entrance of the Gettysburg Hotel.
*Walking shoes are recommended.
Patty Hawthorn
Patty loves storytelling. She has been a guide since 2013. Before becoming a tour guide, she was a substitute teacher for K-6 in one of the local school districts. But that did not prepare her for being a tour guide.
After attending multiple tours and doing a huge amount of reading, she was ready. And she loved it from the very beginning.
Patty is certified by the “Be a Better Guide Academy” in their tour program.
Patty’s mission is to share, educate, and inspire by sharing stories of the history of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Building The Trust Factor: Leadership In Turbulent Times
Monica E. Oss
Monica E. Oss, M.S. is the founder of OPEN MINDS and serves as its chief executive officer, executive editor of its publications and websites, and executive lead of its consulting engagements. For the past three decades, Ms. Oss has led the OPEN MINDS team and its research on health and human service market trends and its national consulting practice. She is well known for her numerous books and articles focused on the strategic and marketing implications of the evolving health and human service field – and its focus on the verticals of the field serving consumers with chronic conditions and complex support needs.
Ms. Oss has extensive experience in developing and implementing growth strategies for a wide array of organizations in the field. She has expertise in industry trend analysis, reimbursement and rate setting, and creating actionable plans for market success. In her role, she has led numerous engagements with state Medicaid plans, county governments, private insurers, and health plans, service provider organizations, technology vendors, neurotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations, and investment banking firms – with a focus on the implications of financing changes on delivery system design.
Prior to founding OPEN MINDS, Ms. Oss served as an executive with a nationally managed behavioral health organization, responsible for market development, actuarial analysis, and capitation-based rate setting. She also held a position as vice president of the U.S. risk management and underwriting division of an international insurance company.
Ms. Oss has been the keynote speaker at the conferences of dozens of national associations and has been published in a wide range of professional journals and trade publications. She has provided Congressional and state legislative testimony on issues as diverse as the financial impact of parity and payer medication access policies.
Ms. Oss has led a range of industry research and consultation initiatives, serving as principal investigator on research projects that include the examination of national managed care enrollment and service patterns, development of provider rate structures for government entities, creation of return-on-investment models for technology investments; design of performance-based compensation models within public and private health plans; and analysis of the economic impact of changes in benefit design, adoption of evidence-based practices, and new technologies.