MARYLAND WELLNESS - Key Persons
Akyra James is a Rehabilitation Counselor with over eight years of experience in the field. Her professional journey began with direct support roles, where she gained valuable expertise working with providers specializing in mental illness, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse treatment.
Joining Maryland Wellness in 2020, Casey brings more than 15 years of experience in corporate management and process improvement. He is focused on expanding services and offerings, technology integration, general finance and more. He previously served as Director of Special Projects, where he worked on the implementation of the agency's Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system.
Casey started his career in the financial world, building businesses from scratch as the CFO at a few start-ups in Austin, TX. After spending his career working at companies that produce a product, he finds it impactful to fulfill a mission that makes meaningful differences in people's lives.
Job Titles:
- Director of FP & a and Special Projects
Daniel Paick joined Maryland Wellness team in 2024 and serves at the intersection of finance and technology, collaborating closely with agency leaders to streamline process and implement new technologies.
Prior to joining, Daniel brings over 15 years of diverse healthcare experience spanning from prestigious medical institutions within the Texas Medical Center to innovative tech start-ups and compassionate mental health agencies.
Passionate about making a meaningful difference in the lives of others, he made the shift towards the mental health space, driven by the commitment to empower individuals and teams and optimize the delivery of care. In short, he wants to help people, help people.
Danielle joined Maryland Wellness as Human Resources Manager in 2020 with a focus on creating a work environment where employees feel safe, recognized and motivated to contribute to the success of the organization. She's helped to build a workplace culture and team of people who are passionate about what they do and who are excited about coming to work (some virtually) every day.
Previously, Danielle spent several years as a therapist and counselor and feels those skills have helped tremendously as she's evolved into her role at Maryland Wellness. She is a proponent of mental and physical self-care and working to make a difference in the community.
Demetrius brings his expertise to a range of areas such as lifestyle changes, personal coaching, fostering positive engagement, boosting motivation, and handling mood disorders, anxiety, grief, trauma, communication struggles, and interpersonal challenges. His practical experience spans over three years.
Our Medical Director is Laurence Greenwood, M.D. He has been a psychiatrist for more than 50 years. He attended medical school at Case-Western Reserve U. and did his psychiatry residency at University Hospitals of Cleveland. Following that he spent two years at NIH in Bethesda with a focus on prescribing medication for psychiatric illness.
Since then, Dr. Greenwood has worked in a number of inpatient and outpatient settings. He came to Alek's House, the predecessor of Maryland Wellness, in 2003. This has been his most meaningful and satisfying position. He plans to stay as long as health permits.
Emma completed her undergraduate studies at UMBC in 2019, earning a degree in Psychology, and certifications in Human Services and Developmental Psychology. Her career has spanned various medical fields where she has applied her psychology background to deliver top-notch client care.
In 2020, she brought her expertise to Maryland Wellness, eager to broaden her understanding and skills in mental health. As a manager, she is committed to reflecting the core values of Maryland Wellness. She diligently works on improving the policies and procedures of the operations team to ensure every client and visitor at Maryland Wellness feels like they matter to us.
Joining Maryland Wellness in 2019, Jeffrey has more than 20 years of experience providing mental health counseling and case management to help positively impact the lives of others. In his role, he works with the agency's Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program counselors to facilitate access to care and address barriers to mental health success.
Previously, Jeffrey worked as Program Director of the Adult Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program for an agency in Harford County. He has a wide depth of experience, including conducting/providing mental health assessments, case management, psychological education, crisis intervention, advocacy and work as a community liaison. He served as a Psychiatric Technician in the United States Army, where he conducted assessments and led courses related to self esteem, assertiveness and symptom management.
Shyetta McQueen (she/her)
Job Titles:
- Director of Revenue Cycle and Billing
Jenny Ho brings over a decade of expertise overseeing large organizational revenue management to Maryland Wellness as the Director of Revenue Cycle and Billing. She joined the team in 2023 with a focus on revenue cycle management, performance improvement, process implementation, and strategic planning. She has a deep passion for leveraging data analytics to drive positive change in the healthcare industry. Jenny is dedicated to enhancing operational efficiency, ensuring billing accuracy, fostering financial stability so our providers can prioritize patient care.
Jon D'Souza is a board-certified physician with extensive experience as a healthcare executive and clinical leader.
In his administrative roles, he has led transformative change in quality, safety, service line growth, operational improvement, and patient satisfaction.
He is a passionate champion for the vulnerable and underserved, seeking to expand access to care and ensure the highest caliber of service for those who cannot advocate for themselves.
Kathleen Young is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (Psychotherapist), who has been practicing for over 9+ years in both California and Maryland, and graduated with a Master's Degree from Pacific Oaks College, Los Angeles, California.
She conducts psychotherapy with teens and adults by providing individual, couples and family therapy. Ms. Young's treatment emphasis includes Depression, Anxiety/Phobias, PTSD, Inner Child Wounding, ADHD, Mood Disorders, Pre-Marital and Marital Relationship Counseling, Family Dynamic Conflicts, Behavioral Problems, as well as Personality Disorders and inter-relationship problems.
Her treatment interventions are eclectic including Family Systems, Client Centered, CBT, Attachment Theories, Relationship With Self, as well as Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic modalities. Ms. Young has a core belief that the life span of the human experience can be broadened and enhanced for every individual who has a desire for deeper insights, healing and recovery of presenting symptoms and related problems. She believes that there are many approaches to outpatient psychotherapy and various formats in which it may occur.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- COO
- Board Member of NAMI Metro Baltimore
Ken was appointed CEO of Maryland Wellness in 2021, having joined the organization in 2017 as Chief Operating Officer while it was known as Baltimore Area Community Health Services (BACHS). Since that time, he's helped grow the agency to six locations (with more planned), expand the team and increase the lives improved.
Ken has a broad range of experience, working with small businesses to large scale corporations. He previously managed international/economic development and social reform within the health, alternative energy and agriculture sectors in emerging markets for BearingPoint and Deloitte. He felt a calling to give back to Baltimore where he's lived most of his life, which led him to join Maryland Wellness. He devotes most of his time to increasing access to mental health services - particularly for those who might not otherwise have access - as well as breaking down stigmas wherever possible.
Ken is a Board Member of NAMI Metro Baltimore and a recent winner of the 2022 40 Under 40 awards from the Baltimore Business Journal, which recognizes those making a difference in their field and society.
Lisa joined Maryland Wellness in 2021, where she makes sure that the agency is meeting the needs of its clients and serving their best interests. She also helps implement new innovations to help Maryland Wellness expand its offerings.
Lisa brings over 12 years of management experience in patient advocacy, volunteer services, marketing and spiritual care. She has experience in quality improvement and is a certified grief counselor with a Bachelor's Degree in Theology (Biblical Studies). She finds it very rewarding to work with clients, meeting them where they are to deliver the best possible outcomes.
With more than 10 years of clinical mental health experience, Mary Ellen has been a part of the Maryland Wellness family for five years, primarily serving Garrett, Allegany, Washington, and Frederick Counties. She provides support to the team's Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program counselors and guides them to best help the agency's Western Maryland clients.
Mary Ellen previously worked with children and adolescents in out-of-home placements, ensuring care for those who were unable to live with their families. She enjoys working within the team environment to help Maryland Wellness' clients succeed and spends as much of her free time as possible enjoying nature with her family.
Job Titles:
- Executive Strategic Advisor
Pathik was one of the key founders of Baltimore Area Community Health Services, helping as it transitioned to Maryland Wellness. He currently serves as Executive Strategic Advisor with an extensive background in operations and financial management.
Since 2005, Sadie has worked across public and private sectors to advance communities and systems to improve the health and well-being of individuals.
Sadie's specialization is in program development and community organizing. She has devoted her career as a Social Worker to address behavioral health needs across the nation.
Whether it's one-to-one therapy, peer support, self-help groups, or structured treatment, she believes that both professional and personal relationships are the foundation for healing and wants to create opportunities for individuals to connect, share, and grow together.
Job Titles:
- Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
Sydney has worked as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Southern Maryland and the Capital Region since 2007. She officially became Program Director of Maryland Wellness in 2020, following a merger with her team at Alek's House in Prince George's County.
Sydney is passionate about helping others through challenging situations. She aims to provide clients with support while empowering them to achieve their fullest potential whether it is at home, within their family or relationships, or in the workplace. She has worked closely with children, adolescents, adults and couples utilizing Cognitive Behavior Therapy, which helps the clients to uncover and alter distortions of thought which may cause psychological distress. She is committed to each individual's journey to mental wellness and emotional balance.