Jasher Blocker Harris, MA, is a Project Associate II with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF) TA Center at Policy Research Associates, Inc. (PRA). In this capacity, she provides technical assistance to states, territories, and local communities working to strengthen their behavioral health systems for Service Members, Veterans, and their Families. Ms. Harris has over 13 years of experience working in Behavioral Health, Addiction, and Homelessness in various roles, including program management and oversight for the Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Behavioral Health. Her expertise includes program implementation, evaluation and oversight, partnership engagement, strategic planning, coalition building, and the transformation of systems to provide culturally competent health care. In addition, Ms. Harris’s experience includes the day-to-day operations of state and federal-funded programs within Integrated Healthcare systems, including peer support, re-entry, coalition building, veteran homelessness, and in-patient rehabilitation. Ms. Blocker’s years of education, dedication to this work and experience in behavioral health have provided her with sound knowledge and a comprehensive understanding of the critical work to ensure equity-grounded practices are a priority in this field.
Beth Collins (she/her/hers) LCSW, CAS, is an Outpatient Program Manager at SummitStone Health Partners in Fort Collins, CO. She graduated from the Colorado State University with a master’s in social work in 2010. She holds a license as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Licensed Addiction Counselor. She has experience in trauma informed mental health and substance use as specialties in both Corrections and Community Mental Health. She has served in various leadership roles since 2014 and is committed to continuing learning and implementation of quality behavioral health services. Her current focused efforts are on improving access to inclusive and diversified treatment services, harm reduction in substance abuse and intersectionality work. She is also currently exploring how to get involved in community boards in Northern Colorado.
Courtney Davis is the Founder and Executive Director of TabiMOMS, an organization focused on improving mental health services for single parents, guardians of adolescents, transitional-aged youth, and historically marginalized communities. She aims to provide quality, culturally sensitive care and advocate for legislative changes that improve health outcomes. Under her leadership, TabiMOMS has introduced an art therapy program, an Advocacy Bootcamp, and created Harmony Hub, a safe space for families facing mental health challenges. Her advocacy work has been recognized in the Vallejo Sun. Courtney serves on Vallejo’s Critical Incident Review Board and Human Relations Commission and has been on the Board of Directors for the National Alliance for Mental Illness, Solano County. She also contributes to a statewide health equity advisory initiative. A San Francisco native, she holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice from San Francisco State University and is training to become a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She is a proud mother of three and a fan of oldies music.
Meca Delgado (she, her, ella) MPA is a dedicated public servant and social justice advocate serving as the Special Projects, Contracts, and Healthy Youth Alliance (HYA) Program Manager for Boulder County Community Services Department. With 16 years of experience in her department and a longstanding commitment to her community, Meca’s passion for promoting equity shines through in her work. As a first-generation Latina graduate, holding a bachelor’s in communication and a master’s in public administration and nonprofit management from the University of Colorado Denver, Meca is deeply committed to giving back and creating equitable outcomes for underserved communities. Meca’s bi-cultural background informs her approach, allowing her to engage with diverse communities and address their needs effectively. Her expertise in program management, contract administration, and community engagement enables her to oversee implementation plans, budgets, and critical timelines with precision. Meca’s consultation with department staff is informed by her deep understanding of evidence-based practices in behavioral health, prevention, and intervention, exemplified by her certification as a prevention specialist. Through her work and advocacy, Meca strives to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, working towards a more just and fair world for all individuals.
Danielle M. Finklea, MA, LPCC, currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer and therapist of Imagine Me LLC. She received a Master of Arts in Counseling from Regis University in Denver, Colorado and a Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in child advocacy from the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Florida. Danielle’s professional journey began with supporting children with autism. Her focus shifted as department head of a safe house for women and children. Her dedication to assisting families in the safe house led to a commitment to aid individuals and families in overcoming substance use disorder, domestic violence, and generational trauma. Danielle trains Colorado state healthcare professionals in culturally responsive care, trauma informed care for BIPOC communities, and empathy related injuries. She facilitates multiple trauma and addiction recovery groups and therapeutic process groups. Danielle serves on Colorado’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee and the El Paso County Domestic Violence Taskforce. She is a member of the American Counseling Association, Colorado Counseling Association, NAADAC the Association for Addiction Professionals and the Colorado Springs Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Deana Helmy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and began her behavioral health career in County-contracted community-based organizations over fifteen years ago. Deana joined the Orange County Health Care Agency, Behavioral Health Services (OCHCA-BHS) eight years ago in the training department. She served as a training coordinator, Mental Health First Aid Instructor and Coordinator, and an active member of the Cultural Competence Committee, leading the Spirituality Advisory Committee for Behavioral Health. Since September 2021, she has served as the appointed County Chair for the Behavioral Health Equity Committee (BHEC). Deana is passionate about fostering meaningful connections that promote wellness and humility and is looking forward to promoting and advancing equity efforts within BHS and to collaborate across the County.
Deana holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling From California State University, Fullerton, an MBA from UCI Paul Merage School of Business, and is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Education from California Baptist University in Organizational Change and Administration. In her free time, Deana volunteers with multiple community organizations, and enjoys board games, bonfires, and karaoke!
Will Hogan, MPA, CNP has worked at Rocky Mountain Crisis Partners as a statewide opioid specialist and follow-up specialist. In these roles he provided support and resources to individuals struggling with suicidal ideation, mental health concerns, and opioid dependence, as well as those recently discharged from hospital settings with suicide or substance use concerns. Hogan also worked at the Trevor Project as a training coordinator, helping volunteers and 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline contractors become crisis counselors. He currently works for the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) as a program development specialist for the Lived Experience Initiatives team. In this role he creates content and advises organizations on how they can center the voices of those with suicide-centered lived experience. In 2023, Hogan graduated from the University of Colorado, Denver’s School of Public Affairs receiving a master’s degree in public administration with a focus in nonprofit management.
Throughout his career, Hogan has worked to center the voices of marginalized communities by listening to and amplifying those voices. Hogan believes that any decision being made about a group of people requires the involvement of those affected.
Hogan lives in Denver with his dog, Moose, and takes many trips across the West in his camper.
Ashlie ‘Princess’ Kosinski, M.Ed., is a behavioral health Peer Supporter, harm reductionist, advocate, grant writer, and joy developer based in Fresno, CA byway of Long Island, NY. For the past ten years, she has intersected with the behavioral health field personally and professionally as a recipient, a family member, a grant writer, and a community advocate. Currently, Princess is serving on the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI) Advisory Council (PAC) as Vice Chair. In this role she continues to advocate for stigma reduction and narrative changes, rerouting funding to disinvested communities, and providing sustainable community-based solutions that uplift the voices of those served. She continues to hold the vision of a self-directed future for peers experiencing houselessness, incarceration, substance use, mental health, and domestic violence. Princess remains dedicated to serving the peer community with compassion, non-judgment, and unconditional love. She is also an avid YouTube University student streaming podcasts and audiobooks that focus on topics such as Afrikan spirituality, quantum physics, behavior science, and health and wellness, along with music from Grateful Dead to tribal house.
Sierra McNeil, MSW is a dedicated social worker with a Master of Social Work from Temple University. As the Director of Workforce Development, she tackles the behavioral health workforce crisis in Philadelphia and across Pennsylvania, emphasizing the importance of diverse lived experiences. Sierra is committed to fostering inclusivity and advocating for underrepresented groups, believing that systemic change requires amplifying overlooked voices. Her contributions to key initiatives, such as updating the 1993 PA Crisis Regulations and participating in the 988 Advocacy Coalition, reflect her dedication to mental and behavioral health reform. Recently elected as President of NASW-PA and accepted into the 2024-2025 Equity-Grounded Leadership Fellow Program, Sierra continues to lead with passion and expertise, striving to improve the mental and behavioral health system for all.
Christopher Waiters, MPA, M.Ed., is a results-driven leader with over 18 years of experience managing complex programs, multimillion-dollar budgets, and agencies. He excels in enhancing operational efficiency and outcomes through strategic planning and data analysis. He is dedicated to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace, focusing on internal leadership development and values-based recruitment.
Chris began his career at NET Centers shortly after completing his undergraduate studies at Cheyney University, where he earned a bachelor’s in social relations. His commitment to advancing his expertise led him to pursue a Master of Public Administration at Cheyney University. He further expanded his knowledge by earning a Master Degree of Special Education from Saint Joseph’s University and a professional certificate in Six Sigma Lean Management Principles, from Villanova.
Demonstrating natural leadership from the outset, Chris quickly progressed from direct service roles with youth and families to management positions. After just two years at NET Centers, he was promoted to his first management role. Today, he serves as Chief Program Officer for Social Services and since 2020 has served as the Executive Sponsor of NET’s DEIB Committee. In his most previous role as Executive Director of NET’s subsidiary, Net Community Care, Inc., Chris established the High-Risk Medical Planning Unit, a pioneering model unique to NET’s child welfare services continuum designed to support children with complex medical needs and prevent unnecessary foster care placements and negative physical health outcomes.
Chris is passionate about advancing equity and improving outcomes for vulnerable children and families in Philadelphia. Through this fellowship, he aims to build on his accomplishments and further enhance social equity and access to critical healthcare for children within the child welfare system.
