The Catalyst Podcast

"We have over 100 board members because we feel it’s important to have representation in all of our communities.”  In this episode of the Catalyst Podcast, we sit down with David Gomel, CEO of Rosecrance Behavioral Health, to explore the evolution of behavioral health care over the past 30 years.  David shares insights into the challenges and triumphs of leading a nonprofit organization dedicated...

Dennis Watson, Senior Research Scientist with Chestnut Health System, breaks the land-speed record by making an unprecedented third appearance on the Catalyst podcast. We delve into the Recovery Management Checkups (RMC) model, examining its potential to reshape long-term recovery strategies, particularly in primary care settings. We discuss:  How the RMC model works.  How RMC aligns with how subs...

A fascinating, wide-ranging conversation with David Guth, CEO of Centerstone, a nonprofit health system specializing in mental health and substance use disorder treatments. We discuss David’s remarkable journey, from his unlikely beginnings as a math major at his beloved Vanderbilt (yes, we spoke about the equally unlikely success of their football program), to his nearly four-decade stewardship o...

In this episode we’re joined by Mark Ishaug, President and CEO of Thresholds, providers of  healthcare, housing, and hope for thousands of persons with mental health and substance use conditions in Illinois each year. Mark shares his inspiring 40 year journey in nonprofit leadership. We discuss the importance of integrated care, as well as the stigma, funding and other challenges in delivering hea...

When most think of mobile health (mHealth) apps, they think of Calm, BetterHelp, Talkspace, etc. They don't typically think of the music streaming or exercise apps we have in our pockets and that we use every day. Dr. Michael Dennis, the Chief Research Officer for Chestnut Health Systems’ Lighthouse Institute (LI) and a Senior Research Psychologist, focuses the conversation on the challenges faced...

 Dr. Jared C. Rogers, Medical Director at Chestnut Family Health Center, and Dr. Todd Kettering of OSF Healthcare discuss the partnership between the two organizations,  where OSF provides residents and training while Chestnut supplies ambulatory services and infrastructure. They explore how this collaboration delivers integrated care to underserved communities, addressing "medical deserts" that e...

A culture of resilience and innovation, and the importance of balancing mission with performance, are the themes of this fascinating and inspiring conversation with Chestnut's freshly minted CEO, Puneet Leekha. Puneet joined Chestnut as Chief  Operating Officer and General Counsel in 2015 and shares his journey from corporate law to healthcare, highlighting the advantages of bringing a legal backg...

Dr. Katie Clark, Data Scientist at Chestnut Health Systems, discusses her unusual journey, from counseling individuals experiencing substance use, mental health, homelessness, trauma, and medical conditions, to her current work as a data scientist. With Chestnut, she leads data collection initiatives, doing everything from methodology consultation to grant writing, to software and database develop...

We spoke with Matt Mollenhauer, Chief Clinical Officer at Chestnut Health Systems, where he’s been for the past 33 years. We discussed:  What a CCO does, and a sense of the scope of clinical programs within your purview as CCO.  Matt’s leadership philosophy - how he keeps staff engaged, motivated, and at the top of their game.   Matt points to two programs that best exemplify Chestnut’s innovative...

In this special episode of the Catalyst , we visit with Dave Sharar , the CEO of Chestnut Health Systems . After a remarkable 36-year career, Dave is stepping down from his post to begin a new chapter at the Lighthouse Institute . Dave reflects on his journey from camp counselor to CEO, sharing the pivotal moments that shaped his leadership philosophy, which emphasizes inclusivity, autonomy, and s...

Amy Gibbar, VP of Integrated Care at Chestnut and problem solver extraordinaire, discusses her extensive experience in overcoming barriers to care and the importance of integrated services in mental health and substance use treatment. Amy shares her techniques for improving access to care, the philosophies that guide her work, the value of "healthy conflict," the challenges of an evolving healthca...

Nadia Klekamp is the Director of Integrated Community Education at Chestnut Health Systems. For the last fifteen-plus years, she has helped promote community-level change by developing strategies that improve public health.  Nadia shares her insights on Recovery Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC), a coordinated network of community-based services aimed at supporting individuals and families in recove...

Christine Grella, Senior Research Scientist with The Lighthouse Institute, joined us to discuss her decades of research on substance use disorders, with a focus on the particular challenges facing women.   Key Highlights: Chris’s early work at UCLA that focused on incarcerated men, after which most of her work focused on substance use among women.   Longitudinal insights: 30-year study revealed di...

Two leaders from the Illinois Health Practice Alliance (IHPA) — David Berkey (CEO) and Gilbert Lichstein (COO) — join us to discuss IHPA’s mission as a clinically integrated behavioral health network advancing health, recovery, engagement, and choice across Illinois. Topics include: IHPA’s background and the market gaps it addresses The importance of integrating primary and behavioral health care...

Joe E. Glass is a senior research scientist who recently joined Chestnut Health Systems after a nearly five-year tenure at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute. Dr. Glass’s work centers on expanding access to effective interventions for alcohol and drug use, with a focus on developing, testing, and implementing innovative care models that proactively deliver addiction treatment a...

Jessica Hulsey, President and CEO of the Addiction Policy Forum, joins us to discuss her advocacy work in the addiction and recovery field. Jessica was appointed by President Bill Clinton to serve on the Drug-Free Communities Commission and also served as a legislative aide in the U.S. House of Representatives, focusing on drug policy issues. In 2015, Jessica founded the Addiction Policy Forum. We...

For over 50 years, America’s “war on drugs” has been a war with unintended consequences. Framed as a battle to be won, it reshaped addiction not as a public health crisis but as a moral and criminal one. This rhetoric didn’t just stigmatize millions — it fundamentally altered the course of treatment and recovery for decades. We sit down with Dr. John F. Kelly , Harvard Medical School’s first endow...

If you are among the many people confused about the One Big Beautiful Bill barreling through Congress and its implications for Medicaid, we have just the guy to walk you through it. Al Guida founded Guide Consulting Services, a 25-year-old consulting practice that helps corporate, government, and non-profit clients navigate Washington policy processes to achieve measurable goals. In this episode,...

Austin Howald is the Director of Integrated Community Services at Chestnut Health Systems. His work targets the intersection of mental health, housing insecurity, and social drivers of health. The overarching theme of our conversation is "what innovation in healthcare looks like" through the lens of the Medicaid Innovation Initiative. We discussed:  The Fundamental lessons that have informed Austi...

We are joined by Kevin Conlon (Founder and President) and Linda Shapiro (Executive Vice President) of Conlon Public Strategies (PS) to discuss the need for agile leadership in today’s volatile, rapidly changing landscape.  Conlon PS is a strategic advising firm dedicated to advancing the good work of nonprofits and businesses. We discuss:  Conlon's work supporting nonprofit health and human servic...

Jim Wallis is  Director of Business Development with Chestnut Health Systems. He has over 32 years in behavioral health, starting his career in 1989 as a Deputy Juvenile Officer, working with at-risk adolescents in Missouri’s Pike, Lincoln, and St. Charles Counties. With Chestnut, he’s been instrumental in expanding Chestnut’s footprint across Missouri. We discuss:   How his background in criminol...

Chestnut’s Dennis Watson and Justin Bell join us to discuss the role of peer support specialists in substance use disorder treatment and the challenges they are facing in today’s environment.  Dennis is a senior research scientist, and Justin is a behavioral scientist.  They are among the authors of a recent article in the Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment titled “Advancing peer sup...

Marvin Ventrell is the CEO of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP).  Since 1978, NAATP has served its membership by providing training, education, and technical assistance, while supporting the addiction treatment industry via thought leadership and policy advocacy. We discussed:  How the Ventrell part of the Gannett and Ventrell law firm went from practicing law to hi...

There’s no better person to help us navigate and understand today’s chaotic - her word - mental health ecosystem than Monica Oss, the CEO and founder of OPEN MINDS, an award-winning information source, executive education provider, and business solutions firm specializing in the health and human service industry. We discuss: What prompted her to start OPEN MINDS in 1987,  the changes that have had...

On this episode of the Catalyst Podcast we speak with Chestnut Health Systems' CEO Dr. Dave Sharar. We discussed:  Dave’s 35-year career at Chestnut Health Systems, including his current role as CEO and his previous leadership of Chestnut Global Partners, where he managed behavioral health services for over 600 employers and 1 million employees worldwide. The significant shift in public and politi...