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Executive Leadership Team

SAMHSA’s leadership team, made up of the Assistant Secretary, Deputies, Directors, and Regional Directors, brings SAMHSA a variety of experience and expertise in the behavioral health fields, including law, policy and research, mental health and substance use services, state and federal government, and more.

Headshot photo of Miriam Delphin-Rittmon

Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D.

Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use

Tom Coderre

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary

Sonia Chessen

Deputy Assistant Secretary

Trina Dutta

Chief of Staff

Michelle Greenhalgh

Director of Legislative Affairs

Rachele C. Espiritu, Ph.D.

Director of the Office of Behavioral Health Equity

Craig Obey, J.D.

Director of Intergovernmental and Public Affairs (OIPA)

Neeraj Gandotra, M.D.

Chief Medical Officer

Kurt John, Ed.D., M.P.A., MSF

Director of the Office of Financial Resources (OFR)

Monica Johnson, M.A., LPC

Director of the 988 & Behavioral Health Crisis Coordinating Office

CAPT Karen Hearod, M.S.W., LCSW

Director of the Office of Tribal Affairs and Policy (OTAP)

Daniel Lonnerdal, M.S., FACHE

Director of SAMHSA’s Office of Management, Technology, and Operations (OMTO)

Paolo del Vecchio, M.S.W.

Director of the Office of Recovery (OR)

Brian Altman, J.D.

Director of the National Mental Health and Substance Use Policy Laboratory (NMHSUPL)

Anita Everett, M.D., DFAPA

Director of the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS)

CAPT Christopher Jones, Pharm.D., Dr.P.H., M.P.H.

Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP); Acting Director of the Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality (CBHSQ)

Yngvild K. Olsen, M.D., M.P.H.

Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT)

Senior Advisors

Sunny Patel, M.D., M.P.H.

Senior Advisor for Children, Youth, and Families in the Office of the Assistant Secretary

Shalini Wickramatilake, M.H.S.

Senior Advisor in the Office of the Assistant Secretary

Sam Ames, Esq., J.D., M.T.S.

Senior Advisor in the Office of the Assistant Secretary
Last Updated: 03/11/2024