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Emergence 2026: From Pathology to Possibility

How Conscious Leaders Are Transforming Behavioral Health

Christina Simos
Molly Maddocks
Jen Carvalho
Cameron Bolish
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Pricing

Information

Date & Time

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Identify at least three leadership practices that promote staff engagement, psychological safety, and organizational resilience within behavioral health, substance use, and social work agency settings.

  • Describe at least three ways relationship-centered leadership influences workforce retention, team collaboration, and client outcomes within behavioral health, substance use, and social work agency settings.

  • Evaluate at least two leadership approaches that support organizational culture change while maintaining high standards of clinical care within behavioral health, substance use, and social work agency settings.

  • Apply at least three practical leadership strategies discussed by the panelists to strengthen communication, collaboration, and employee well-being within their own behavioral health, substance use, or social work agency settings.

Educational Goal

The educational goal of this workshop is to increase participants' understanding of leadership strategies that promote organizational resilience, staff engagement, psychological safety, and recovery-oriented cultures within behavioral healthcare organizations.

Description

Behavioral healthcare organizations are navigating unprecedented challenges, including workforce burnout, staff retention, client engagement, and increasing demands for high-quality care. This moderated panel brings together executive leaders who are implementing innovative, relationship-centered leadership practices that support both clinical excellence and organizational sustainability. Through discussion of real-world experiences, participants will explore leadership strategies that foster healthy workplace culture, improve team engagement, strengthen collaboration, and enhance client outcomes. Attendees will gain practical insights that can be adapted across behavioral healthcare settings.

Target Audience

  • Addiction Professional
  • Counselor
  • Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Psychologist
  • Social Worker

Presenters

Christina Simos
Christina Simos is CEO of Friendly House LA — the longest-running recovery community for women in the country — and a lifelong disruptor of the status quo. A movement builder since her college days founding Students Against Discrimination at ASU, Christina entered Friendly House as a resident in 2005 and never left, rising through nearly every role in the recovery field before becoming the organization's 4th Executive Director and now its CEO. She sits on the boards of the West Hollywood Recovery Center, and NAATP, where she also serves as co-chair of the DEIB committee. Christina turns lived experience into infrastructure for collective healing — one policy, one program, one human at a time.
Molly Maddocks
Molly Maddocks has been working in the behavioral health field for over a decade. She began her career working with women struggling with substance use disorders, where she discovered a profound calling to support women in reclaiming their lives. She later expanded her work to include dual-diagnosis and primary mental health clients, where her passion for helping individuals with mental health symptoms and unresolved trauma deepened. Molly holds a steadfast commitment to providing access to care and advocating for women in need. With a strong focus on the power of communication, and the recognition that each individual receives and processes it differently — she has found this to be essential in fostering trust and promoting meaningful healing. Her contributions extended to the operational side of treatment, supporting the development of intentional care systems that ensure consistency and quality of care. Outside of her professional role, Molly dedicates much of her time to learning, supporting, and volunteering alongside other organizations to uplift women and inspire a culture of resilience and self-empowerment. Molly graduated with a departmental scholarship from Point Loma Nazarene University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Managerial and Organizational Communication.
Jen Carvalho
Jen Carvalho is the COO of Harlow Gardens and an Executive Consultant and Strategic Advisor with more than 20 years of C suite leadership experience in behavioral health. In her dual role as an operator and advisor, Jen partners with organizations to strengthen operations, stabilize the workforce, and elevate clinical quality across multi site systems. A former President, COO, and CEO, she is widely recognized for her expertise in operational turnarounds, leadership development, accreditation readiness, and strategic growth spanning the full continuum of care—including SUD/MH hospitals, outpatient programs, and innovative treatment modalities. Alongside her work at Harlow Gardens, Jen maintains an active consulting practice supporting behavioral health providers nationwide. Her career includes executive leadership roles with major national organizations such as Your Behavioral Health, Acadia Behavioral Health, and Discovery Behavioral Health. She also served on the boards of CCAPP and NAATP and is a committed legislative championing parity and workforce solutions. Jen brings a rare blend of strategic insight, operational rigor, and personal commitment to recovery—helping organizations deliver stronger outcomes and more compassionate, effective care.
Cameron Bolish
Cameron Bolish, M.Ed., is a dynamic healthcare executive and strategic leader who thrives in environments demanding both strategic vision and hands-on operational execution. Specializing in multi-state behavioral healthcare operations, regulatory compliance, and business transformation, he currently serves as the Vice President of Program Operations at Sierra Health and Wellness and as the Founder and CEO of Strategic Readiness Consulting. His extensive leadership background includes holding chief executive roles at multiple, nationally recognized behavioral health facilities. Throughout his career, Cameron has successfully driven revenue growth, optimized complex budgets and revenue cycles, expanded referral networks, and fostered high-performing clinical and administrative teams. Grounding his leadership approach in integrity, discipline, and a solutions-oriented mindset, he balances high-level priorities with a commitment to consistency, collaboration, and clear communication. Blending his foundational background in educational leadership with healthcare administration—and currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership with a specialization in Healthcare Administration at Liberty University—he remains dedicated to evidence-based innovation, operational excellence, and empowering teams to achieve sustainable success.