Staff

Lydia Conley became President/CEO for the Association for Behavioral Healthcare on July 1, 2019.  As President/CEO, Lydia is responsible for setting the strategic direction of ABH in consultation with the Board of Directors.  Lydia oversees the daily operations of ABH while also serving as ABH’s primary representative to state agencies, the legislature and regulatory bodies.  In this role, Lydia works closely with ABH member organizations to accomplish ABH’s mission in promoting and advocating for community-based mental health and addiction treatment services.

Lydia served as ABH’s Vice President for Mental Health from 2014 - 2019 prior to becoming President/CEO, holding primary responsibility at ABH for oversight of managed care issues.  Lydia led ABH’s work in relation to MassHealth’s implementation of its Delivery System Reform Incentive Program (DSRIP) during this period. Lydia also was ABH’s point person working with the Department of Mental Health as it designed and implemented the Adult Community Clinical Services (ACCS) program.

Prior to joining ABH, served in a number of leadership roles at the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance, most recently as Assistant Commissioner for Policy, Programs and External Relations. In this role, she engaged in public program and policy development on a range of issues affecting low-income individuals and families.

Earlier in her career, Lydia worked at ABH’s predecessor organization from 2000 - 2008 first as a Program Specialist and eventually as Vice President for Public Policy, providing support on legislative, billing, and children's issues.  She also worked in the Massachusetts legislature for three years as a legislative aide to the House Vice-Chair of the legislative Health Care Committee. 

Lydia also holds a Juris Doctor degree from New England School of Law and is a member of the Massachusetts bar. 

Carmel Craig serves as ABH’s Vice President for Mental Health Services. She works with and advocates for provider organizations that deliver Adult Community Clinical Services (ACCS) and services for children, youth and young adults, including Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative (CBHI) services.

Carmel holds a Bachelor’s degree from the College of the Holy Cross and a Juris Doctor degree from Suffolk University Law School. Upon completing her law degree, she practiced law as an associate attorney for several years, eventually opening her own law office. Prior to joining ABH, Carmel worked for more than ten years at the Department of Early Education and Care, serving in a number of leadership roles, including as General Counsel and Deputy Commissioner for Field Operations. In her roles, she regularly partnered with state and federal agencies along with state legislators, advocacy groups and providers to ensure children and young adults received quality, comprehensive services.

Jonna C. Hopwood, JD, LICSW is an experienced clinician with more than 30 years of professional experience at a variety of community based organizations with a focus on the treatment of substance use and co-occurring disorders. She has been passionate about advocating for and protecting client rights throughout her career. Most recently, she was the Compliance and Privacy Officer for Beth Israel Lahey Health Behavioral Services, where she managed all aspects of the compliance and privacy program and effectively promoted a culture of integrity. Prior to that, she was the Director of Addiction Services at Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership (MBHP) where she served as the subject matter expert related to addiction and worked collaboratively with stakeholders including MassHealth, the Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Substance Addiction Services, and treatment providers to ensure the ongoing implementation of evidence based treatments, to expand access to services, and to support care coordination and improved integration with primary care. She received her MSW from Boston College and her JD from New England School of Law.

Liz Ganz serves as ABH's Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Policy. She is resposible for working closely with ABH leadership and members to set the association’s legislative agenda, prioritize issues affecting behavioral health providers, and advocate on behalf of members and the industry. Priorities include advancing legislation regarding increased funding for community mental health clinics, children’s behavioral healthcare, and strengthening the workforce.

Prior to joining ABH, Ganz was the chief of staff and general counsel to state Sen. Julian Cyr, managing all legislative initiatives and leading healthcare-related priorities. She has also served as a staff attorney with Health Law Advocates, providing legal representation to low-income clients that rely on public insurance programs to access healthcare, and as a certified SHINE counselor with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs, helping clients understand their health insurance options and assisting with applications and claims.

Ganz, who is a member of the Massachusetts bar, earned a juris doctor degree from Boston University School of Law. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international studies from Dickinson College.

Kristen Hackney Kristen Hackney, LMHC serves as ABH’s Senior Director of Behavioral Health Policy Transformation. Kristen serves as staff lead to key priority areas: Outpatient Services, Behavioral Health Community Partners and Community Behavioral Health Centers.

Prior to joining ABH, Kristen most recently worked as Manager of Community Partners Programs at WellSense Health Plan. Prior to that, she had roles that required developing strong relationships and driving change with health care providers and persons-served. She also has patient care experience in community settings such as psychiatric day treatment. This experience aligns directly with her new role as ABH’s behavioral health policy transformation lead.

Kristen has a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Boston College and is a licensed mental health counselor.

Bryanna Mellen is ABH’s Member Engagement and Communications Specialist. Bryanna serves as staff lead on member and prospective member outreach and engagement, coordinates ABH events, and co-manages ABH’s communications portfolio, including newsletters, website and social media. She staffs ABH’s Human Resources Committee and is key liaison to our specialty eHealth and Corporate Compliance Committees.

She is an experienced communications and marketing professional and has focused her talents on working with nonprofits, , drawing from her own experience starting a non-profit for suicide prevention at twenty years old. Ms. Mellen holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Public Health and Health Promotion from University of Rhode Island.

Stephanie Hirst currently serves as our Third-Party Billing Specialist. She serves as the main point of contact for billing matters, handling member inquiries, providing education and technical assistance. Stephanie is responsible for identifying and resolving member issues related to third-party billing, investigating billing concerns and ensuring timely resolution. She also maintains relationships with MassHealth, managed care entities, and behavioral health organizations, addressing any billing-related issues.

Stephanie is our former Vice President for Public Policy and also provided important supplemental support to ABH on behavioral health roadmap and Section 1115 waiver renewal planning activities, outpatient regulations, CBHC regulations, and other areas. Prior to working at ABH, Stephanie served as a Legislative Assistant in the Government Affairs Department at a national law firm and as Special Assistant to the Chief Counsel in the office of the Speaker of the Massachusetts House. She graduated from Colby College with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and received her Master’s of Science in Public Affairs from the McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Megan Thompson serves as ABH's Senior Assistant to the President/CEO & Office Administrator. She is resposible for supporting ABH's President/CEO, scheduling appointments, planning meetings, and performing various administrative tasks. Before joining ABH, Megan worked as the Communications Manager at the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network. She also worked for five years as a Senior Account Executive at a Boston-based public relations firm managing media relations for clients in the education, nonprofit, and healthcare fields. Megan holds a Masters Degree in Health Communication from Emerson College, and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Communication from Emerson College.

Ellen Caliendo joined ABH in June 2004 as a business consultant and has been instrumental in helping the organization restructure its accounting, payroll and information technology system. With 20 years of experience in business operations and financial management, her current responsibilities include bookkeeping, membership billing and managing all major aspects of ABH's operations and event logistics. Ellen's past experience includes developing and serving as director for a $15 million sales organization for 10 years.