Matthew A. Goldstein joins Snell & Wilmer

Snell & Wilmer announced that Matthew A. Goldstein has returned to the Tucson office as counsel in the firm’s special litigation and compliance practice group. Goldstein will split his time between the firm’s Phoenix office and Washington, D.C. location as well.

Goldstein focuses his practice on international trade compliance and other regulatory matters, internal investigations, and federal litigation. He has advised federal agency components on international trade compliance and served as an industry representative on export control issues for the Department of State and Department of Commerce pursuant to executive branch appointments under the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

Matthew A. Goldstein

“We are extremely happy to have Matt rejoin our firm,” said Brett Johnson, partner in the special litigation and compliance practice group and co-chair of the international industry group. “Matt’s knowledge and background in international trade compliance makes him an exciting addition to our firm’s expanding international experience.”

Open Hearts Family Wellness names new board member

Open Hearts Family Wellness announces the appointment of one new board member to its Board of Directors. The new appointment is Susan “Sue” Dess, Principal of Crestline Advisors, a consulting company designed to support the needs of all types of health care organizations. Susan joins recently appointed members Cesar Chavez, Representative for Legislative District 29 for the State of Arizona and Marilyn Rodriguez, co-founder and Partner of Creosote Partners. 

Open Hearts Family Wellness, formerly known as Youth Evaluation and Treatment Centers or YETC, first opened its doors in 1974 to develop a new model of community-based services and remains dedicated and true to its mission to provide holistic, quality services to support the well-being of people and the communities to which they belong. 

“Susan Dess brings immense healthcare knowledge and understanding to the Board. We are honored to have her bold and innovative skills to our team,” said Open Hearts Chair, Chandler Yelton. “Susan is a top notch professional, she is very well respected and esteemed by many in our community. She will add value to an already excellent board and diverse Board of Directors,” said Open Hearts CEO, Arjelia “Argie” Gomez.

Susan “Sue” Dess is an experienced health care professional; Sue brings a wide range of experiences to Crestline. Her 15-year administrative and executive management background spans the operations of both managed care and provider organizations. Additionally, Sue spent 25 years as an Emergency Room and Intensive Care Registered Nurse, further rounding out her ability to understand the “big picture.” In most recent years she has worked as an independent health care consultant. During this time, Sue and her team were responsible for the success of clients bidding on new and expanded Medicaid business and those implementing large Medicaid provider contracts. She has extensive experience as a Medicaid strategist, developing integrated health programs for managed care and provider organizations.

As the Principal of Crestline, Sue is intimately involved with each project, collaborating closely with consultants and clients. She received her B.S.N. and M.S. in Administration from the University of Maryland.

The 2018-2019 Open Hearts Family Wellness Board of Directors: Chair Chandler Yelton, Secretary Jolene Baney, Treasurer Jeremy Henson, Javier Puig, former Board Chair, Shawn Elmore, Rep. Cesar Chavez, and Marilyn Rodriguez.

Southwest Behavioral & Health Services honors Employees of the Year

Southwest Behavioral & Health Services (SB&H) announced its 2017 Employees of the Year.  Awards were presented to nine recipients at the organization’s annual awards banquet.

The Employee of the Year Awards recognize individuals in each of SB&H’s program areas. Employees are encouraged to nominate their fellow coworkers who have gone above and beyond in fulfilling SB&H’s mission. From there, a selection committee, comprised of staff from different areas of the organization, chooses the recipients based on their nominations. 

“Southwest Behavioral & Health Services’ Employee of the Year award is one of the most highly coveted distinctions our employees have the chance to receive,” said Steven Sheets, senior vice president Maricopa County.

Lauren Lauder, senior vice president northern Arizona, added, “I was honored to be a part of the selection process as it is of utmost importance to our organization to recognize those members of our team that each and every day do such exemplary work for our consumers. SB&H wouldn’t be where it is today without employees such as these.” 

The 2017 recipients include: 

Greg Abel

Staffing Coordinator

Phoenix, 85008

Abel is described as “essential to SB&H’s day-to-day operations.” His flexibility, willingness to coach and creative thinking are just a few outstanding qualities that make him a perfect recipient for Employee of the Year. With seven years at SB&H under his belt, Abel knows the inner workings of the organization and understands what it takes to continue making it a wonderful place to work. 

Wendy Bowersox

Program Coordinator, Northern Landing

Phoenix, 85053

This May marks Bowersox’s eight-year anniversary with SB&H and in that time, she has proven herself as a leader who is compassionate not only to her staff but to the members SB&H serves, as well. Bowersox is always driven to assist the organization’s members in reaching their goals and to become independent, making her an ideal candidate for the Employee of the Year award.

Tiffany Trawick

Behavioral Health Therapist/Team Lead

Chandler, 85224

Trawick is a leader within the schools that SB&H provides services in because she is able to create and sustain long-term relationships with the organization’s partners as well as within the community. She is described as being committed to seeing her clients reach their goals. In addition to the work she does at SB&H, Trawick was honored with the Woman of the Year 2017 by Emerge Arizona. Trawick also holds both an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Certification and is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional.

Melissa Shilling

Recovery Transition Specialist

Tempe, 85282

What makes Shilling a strong leader among her coworkers is that she provides a high caliber of service to SB&H’s members and possesses a strong desire to see them become successful within their communities. During the last two years that she has been with SB&H, Shilling has touched the lives of many of the organization’s members, making her an ideal candidate for the Employee of the Year award. In addition to her career at SB&H, Shilling also works part-time at a group home for at-risk teenage boys in Mesa. 

Ryan Bingham

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Bullhead City, 86442

Bingham has been a valuable asset to the SB&H team for more than four years now. His flexibility and willingness to meet SB&H’s members in their journey through recovery has helped continue to ensure that our organization provides high quality care. Bingham truly cares about the SB&H team and regularly makes an effort to let them know how valued and appreciated their hard work is on a daily basis.

Christian Thoman

Behavioral Health Professional

Bullhead City, 86442

Thoman’s growth within his profession while as SB&H these past three years has been nothing short of extraordinary. He is a true team player that works diligently to provide quality, evidence-based care to SB&H’s members. One of Thoman’s most exemplary attributes is that his belief in the recovery process aligns with SB&H’s mission, making us a stronger and more impactful company from within.

Other recipients of SB&H’s 2017 Employee of the Year Award include Peter Schuler, Shane Dewitt and Dominick Scott.