Stephen is the President and CEO of Mental Health America of Indiana and is Principal and Chief Policy Officer with Sextons Creek. Stephen previously served on the national Board of Mental Health America and as past Co-Chair of the national MHA Public Policy Committee. He had been previously elected to the Board of Directors of the National Mental Health Association in 1996, where he served as the Vice Chair for Public Affairs. Stephen previously served on the NMHA Public Policy and Affiliate Relations Committees and the NMHA Executive Director Advisory Council. Stephen also served as a member of Mental Health America’s national Regional Policy Council.

Stephen currently serves on the Indiana Behavioral Health Commission and has served as the Chairman of the Indiana Division of Mental Health Advisory Committee and as Chair of the Attorney General’s Task Force on Prescription Drug Abuse. He previously served as a member of the HHS Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Effective Health Care Stakeholder Group and was Co-Chairman of the DMHA/DDARS Dual Diagnosis Task Force. Stephen currently serves on the Board of Directors of Managed Health Services (Centene) and previously served on the Cenpatico National Advisory Board.

Stephen was appointed by Governor Frank O’Bannon to serve as a member of the Indiana State Operated Facilities Council and was appointed by then Governor Bayh to the Indiana Mental Health Commission to oversee the implementation of Mental Health Reform legislation. He was a gubernatorial appointee to the Indiana CHOICE Board. Stephen also served on the External Advisory Board of the Department of Psychiatry at Indiana University. Stephen also served on the Board of Directors of the Governmental Affairs Society of Indiana where he served as Secretary.

Stephen has served as a gubernatorial appointee on the Adult Guardianship Services Advisory Board, the Housing Trust Fund, and the Medicaid Advisory Committee. He has also served on the Government Affairs Committee of the Governor’s Planning Council for People with Disabilities and on the Indiana Interagency Autism Coordinating Council. He was also elected Vice-President of the Board of Directors for the Indiana Coalition for Human Services. Stephen is a former member of the Board of the American Society of Mental Health Association Professionals and has also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Common Cause of Indiana.

Named by the Indiana Business Journal as a member of “Who’s Who in Indiana Health Care,” Stephen came to Mental Health America of Indiana from the Indiana Health Care Association (IHCA) where he directed the governmental affairs of the statewide health care organization. Prior to his work at IHCA, Stephen was appointed by Governor Bayh as Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Public Welfare. In that capacity, Stephen directed the medical and family service programs and policies of the department, which included the office of Medicaid. Previous to that, Stephen held the positions of Associate Director for the Community Service Council/United Way, Legislative Director for the Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana and Assistant Finance Director for US Senator Birch Bayh’s Campaign Committee.

Stephen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Purdue University and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the Indiana University School of Law.