About BHP
BHP is a private, non-profit behavioral healthcare organization that provides integrated mental health and addiction treatment services for youth, adults, and families. We help individuals and families recover by focusing on each person’s unique needs. We address these needs by offering a full range of services through a comprehensive continuum of care.
Executive Team
Dr. Kathryn St. James
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Kate joined BHP as President and CEO in 2016. For the past 20 years she has held leadership positions in the behavioral health field focused on mental health and addiction services. In addition, she has worked as a lobbyist advocating for mental health and addiction providers, clients, and healthy mental health systems.
Kate graduated from The Ohio State University with her Bachelor’s in psychology. Following graduation and before starting graduate school, she spent two years in Washington, D.C. as a research assistant for a non-profit advocacy organization. Kate returned to Ohio to attend Xavier University, where she received a doctorate in clinical psychology and a master’s certificate in non-profit management through Xavier’s MBA program. She completed her doctoral and post-doctoral training at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.
Michael Johansen
PICTURE COMING SOON
Kelley Beckett
Chief Crisis Officer
Dr. Ayesha Haq
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Dr. Haq is a board-certified psychiatrist with more than 10 years of experience in community mental health. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, graduating magna cum laude from the University of Toledo, and received her medical degree from Ohio University. She completed her psychiatry residency training at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
Dr. Haq is dedicated to advancing access to high-quality psychiatric care and has extensive experience addressing the complex needs of individuals in community-based settings. Her professional interests include the integration of evidence-based practices into clinical care and the promotion of mental wellness across diverse populations.
Tara Stafford
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Tara Stafford is the Director of Operations at Behavioral Healthcare Partners (BHP), where she brings a strong commitment to operational excellence and a people-first leadership style. With over a year in her current role and several years of experience in operations, Tara has played a key role in strengthening BHP’s infrastructure and ensuring high standards of quality and compliance.
Tara began her journey with BHP in 2020 as an Executive Assistant. Her dedication and ability to lead and streamline processes led to her promotion to Operations Manager in 2024, and shortly thereafter, to Director of Operations in 2025. In her current role, she oversees daily operations, develops and implements organizational policies, manages vendor relationships, and ensures compliance across departments.
Her core strengths include process improvement and cultivating strong cross-functional collaboration. Tara is recognized for her integrity, clear communication, and focus on building supportive and effective teams that drive mission-aligned results.
Tricia Love
Clinical Director
Kadie Six
Director of Quality
Hollie Linton
Director of Development
Todd Farrell
Operations Manager
Managers & Supervisors
Lisa Bowman
Controller
Lee Ann Renner
Billing Manager
Tami Stephey
Psych. Nurse Practitioner Team Lead
Christina Buxton
Nurse Supervisor
River Valley House SupervisorKim Hammer
Krystal Cannon
Adult Services Team Lead & Care Coordinator
Amanda Wintgens
Adult Services Team Lead & Care Coordinator
Amber Stephenson
Utilization Manager
Angie Butsko
MAT Nurse Manager
Austin Corpron
Crisis Intervention Specialist, Crisis Services Team Lead MSW, LSWPICTURE COMING SOON
Altmaier House SupervisorTiffanie Henwood
PICTURE COMING SOON
Maggie Scott
FACT Recovery SupervisorBoard of Directors
BHP is pleased to have a committed, active Board of Directors. The Board meets monthly and assists BHP leadership by setting goals and reviewing objectives to meet BHP’s mission and vision.
Board committees include Marketing & Development, Finance, and Ad Hoc. Committees are comprised of Board members, BHP staff, community partners, and volunteers.
If you are interested in becoming a Board member please click on the button below .
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Executive Committee:
Steven Fields, President
Christine Mills, Vice President
Sam Thompson, Treasurer
Bill Jefferson, Secretary
Elycia Taylor, Immediate Past President
Members-at-Large:
James Jarc
Finance Committee, Development Committee & Governance CommitteeSam Thompson
Executive Committee and Finance CommitteeBill Jefferson
Finance CommitteeElycia Taylor
Executive Committee, Development Committee, & Governance CommitteeAnita Armstrong
Development Committee & Governance CommitteeChristine Mills
Executive Committee, Development CommitteeSteven Fields
Executive Committee, Development Committee & Governance CommitteeHolly Baker
Development Committee
Governance CommitteeNathan Keirns
Finance CommitteeKendrah Cunningham
Development CommitteeAmanda Wells
Development Committee -
Executive (Board members only):
• Have the interim authority to act on behalf of the full Board;
• Set Board meeting agenda;
• Review special reports and projects;
• Appoint Ad hoc committees;
• Conduct annual evaluation of the President and the CEO;
• Review mission, vision, and core values at least every three years;
• Oversee and coordinate Strategic Planning. Monitor Strategic Plan progress.Finance Committee:
• Recommends and monitors fiscal policy;
• Reviews statement of finance, position or/and statement of activities at least quarterly;
• Assists in the development of the annual budget;
• Meets with auditors to review the annual audit;
• Oversees facility/capital improvement plan;
• Reviews organization’s insurance policiesDevelopment Committee:
• Promote and model a culture of engagement and philanthropy to the Organization within the board and the community;
• Partner with staff and leadership to support annual fundraising goals and plans;
• Support identification and cultivate potential donors; sponsors, and community partners;
• Assist with event planning, appeals, campaigns, and stewardship activities;
• Encourage 100% board giving and engagement to model support of BHP’s fundraising efforts
Governance Committee:
• Recruit, recommend for board approval, welcome, and assist with onboarding new Board members;
• Coordinate ongoing training for all Board members;
• Recommend annual slate of Board Officers;
• Conducts annual Board assessment;
• Plans and coordinates continuing education for the BoardAd Hoc Committees:
The BHP Board of Directors forms ad hoc committees for a limited period of time to address a specific need. When the work of the ad hoc committee is completed, the committee is dissolved. An ad hoc committee may exist for less than a year or for a year or more depending on the extent of the work assigned to it.
The History of BHP
Behavioral Healthcare Partners of Central Ohio, Inc. [BHP] was created in 2010 to provide a single organization with the most comprehensive behavioral healthcare services in our community created from a merger between two long-time respected area organizations, BHP builds on a history of service to our community that dates back to 1955. Moundbuilders Guidance Center and The Sheryl L. Kraner, Esq. Youth and Family Behavioral Health Campus were combined in this partnership to improve service to individuals and families in Knox and Licking Counties.
Moundbuilders Guidance Center
Established in 1955 to provide mental health services Moundbuilders Guidance Center, Inc. began as a clinic on Hudson Avenue in Newark, Ohio. As the demand for service grew the organization relocated several years later to North Fifth Street in Newark. The organization was headquartered here until 1979. Again, due to an increased demand for services, it moved to its current location on Messimer Drive in Newark.
In 1969 the organization opened an office in Mount Vernon, Ohio on Blackjack Road to serve the Knox County community. Due to increased demand for services over the years, this facility has doubled in size.
The organization has been a state-wide leader in providing innovative, effective, and efficient community-based mental health services.
The Sheryl L. Kraner, Esq. Youth and Family Behavioral Health Campus
Also referred to as Kraner Behavioral Health, the program has evolved from an organization well-known since its establishment in 1969; Spencer Half-Way House, Inc. The property at 69 Granville Street in Newark, Ohio was bequeathed to the Second Presbyterian Church of Newark, Ohio by the Spencer family to be used as a men’s halfway house for the treatment of alcohol addiction. Spencer House later expanded to include treatment for other drug addictions and to accommodate women as well.
The demand for services at Spencer House and the need for a separate women’s facility spurred a capital campaign in 2005 that raised over a million dollars, making it possible to purchase the house opposite Spencer House. The house became The Courage House Women’s Recovery. During the capital campaign, a significant donation was made by the Kraner family in the name of their daughter, Sheryl L. Kraner, and thus the newly formed “campus” was named in her honor.
Behavioral Healthcare Partners of Central Ohio, Inc., Today
Today, the programs from both of these organizations have developed, improved, and evolved into a continuum of services. The new organization has simplified and improved access to treatment reduced administrative and operational costs and strategically elevated the long-term viability of the organization.
BHP Mission:
To improve and save lives by serving the healthcare needs of those who experience mental illness and/or addiction-related conditions.
BHP Vision:
To be the most trusted, highly effective, and accessible provider of behavioral healthcare services in the region with a unique ability to provide a continuum of integrated cost-effective services addressing a broad spectrum of needs.