Leadership

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.

Tom Coderre

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary

Anita Everett Bio Thumbnail

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)

Portrait of Yngvild Olsen

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

Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT)

Michelle Greenhalgh

Director of Legislative Affairs

Portrait of Rachele Espiritu

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, M.S.F. Acting Deputy Director

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

Director of the Office of Financial Resources (OFR)

Monica Johnson

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

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)

Coqui Aspiazu

Coqui Aspiazu

Director of the Office of Communications

Senior Advisors

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

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

View SAMHSA's Organizational Structure (PDF | 81 KB).

Last Updated: 01/20/2025