Strategic Advisor to the Office of the CEO, Columbia University Department of Psychiatry | Advisor, Mindful Philanthropy

Linda, always focused on improving access to effective treatment, Linda works with payers, health systems, community behavioral health organizations and associations, and private sector companies and investors. With deep roots in operations and policy, her expertise is identifying opportunities, introducing and growing services, and navigating the policy framework – regulatory and financial – needed for scaling and sustaining. 

On faculty at Columbia University’s Department of Psychiatry, Linda is a Strategic Advisor to the Office of CEO, an Operating Partner and Advisor to Empactful Capital, and a Senior Advisor to Health Management Associates. 

Linda was President and CEO of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing from 2004 until her retirement in 2019. She increased membership to 3300+ organizations, and collaborating with government, philanthropy, and the behavioral health industry grew annual revenue 30x. Her leadership helped pass parity; created the SAMHSA Integration of Primary and Behavioral Health Care grants; established Behavioral Health Homes in Medicaid; developed Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs); introduced and brought Mental Health First Aid to scale, securing annual Congressional MHFA grants to communities; created the National Council Medical Director Institute to generate independent recommendations on the delivery of behavioral health care; and positioned the National Council as the premier convening of behavioral health stakeholders.

Prior to joining the National Council, Linda was New York State’s Senior Deputy Commissioner for Mental Health where she had oversight of the state’s inpatient and outpatient treatment, residential, forensic, and rehabilitation services. During her tenure she developed the first pre-release unit for state prisoners with mental illnesses; opened New York’s first Mental Health Court; implemented Kendra’s Law (Assisted Outpatient Treatment); created county-run Single Points of Access to connect high need adults and children to services; served as executive to New York State’s 9/11 disaster response; tripled intensive treatment services for adults and children including school-based programs; and introduced Personalized Recovery Oriented Services (PROS) that created a Medicaid case payment integrating treatment, rehabilitation and support.  

Earlier in her career, Linda established and operated mental health and addictions programs, ranging from hospitals and crisis centers to housing and mental health centers. 

Linda serves on the boards of Cohen Veterans Network, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, and Centerstone Institute and is an independent company board member of Netsmart Technologies, Triad Behavioral Health, and Pyramid Healthcare. 

A health and behavioral health speaker, Linda offers a nuanced understanding of the behavioral health capacity and effectiveness crisis, challenges conventional sentiments, and puts forward pragmatic solutions grounded in experience and a history of success.