About Our Executive Team
Dr. Ann Marie T. Sullivan, MD
Commissioner
Dr. Sullivan has served as Commissioner for the New York State Office of Mental Health since 2014. As Commissioner, she has guided the expansion of community-based treatment, reinvesting over 100 million dollars in community services and enabling individuals living with serious mental illness to live successfully in their community.
Major initiatives have included the integration of physical, mental health and substance use in care and treatment, integrating prevention, wellness and the social determinants of health in service delivery, reducing disparities in care and enhancements in the criminal justice system that divert individuals living with mental illness from jails and prisons and prevent their return. She has also overseen statewide expansion of critical programs including Zero Suicide, First Episode Psychosis Teams, crisis intervention services and school-based clinics. Working closely with all mental health providers and health plans, she guided the movement of the health benefit for the seriously mentally ill into managed care.
She previously served as Senior Vice President for the Queens Health Network of New York City Health and Hospitals, and Director of Psychiatry at Elmhurst and Queens Hospitals where she developed comprehensive inpatient and ambulatory psychiatric service system that including specialty Asian and Hispanic services, comprehensive youth programs, comprehensive substance use services and Mobile outreach and school-based programs.
Dr. Sullivan grew up in Queens, New York. She graduated from New York University Washington Square College and New York University School of Medicine. She completed her Psychiatric Residency at New York University/Bellevue Hospital.
Dr. Sullivan has taught, lectured, and published on best practices in community care and is an active advocate for her patients and her profession. She is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and has served as the Speaker of the American Psychiatric Association 's Assembly and on its Board of Trustees. She is a Clinical Professor at the Mt Sinai School of Medicine, a fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine, and a member of the American College of Psychiatrists.
Moira Tashjian, MPA
Executive Deputy Commissioner
Moira Tashjian provides oversight and guidance to a multi-billion-dollar budget with over 14,000 employees all committed to improving the lives of individuals challenged with mental health needs.
Moira has over thirty-five years of experience serving at the local, regional, and state levels of the mental health system. Moira was also instrumental in opening some of the first housing programs in the early 1990's for individuals who were homeless living with HIV/AIDS. She came to OMH in 2001 after working in community residential services and as the Behavioral Health Systems Administrator for the Schenectady County Office of Community Service. Moira has held various positions at the OMH including as the Statewide Assisted Outpatient Treatment Coordinator, Director of Care Coordination and Assertive Community Treatment, Director of Housing and the Associate Commissioner of Adult Community Services. Moira holds a Master's in Public Administration from Marist College. Moira is a compassionate, tireless leader in advocating for the needs of New Yorkers with mental illness. She was awarded the ACLAIMH 2016 Advocacy Award.
She has used her wealth of experience in program and policy areas as an Adjunct at the University of Albany School of Social Welfare teaching master level Social Welfare Policy and Mental Health Policy for over 14 years.
Moira is an active member of the Executive Committee for the Ride for Missing Children supported by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Thomas Smith, MD
Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Smith oversees clinical and quality aspects of the New York State public mental health system with a focus on improving access to prevention, recovery, and rehabilitation services for persons with serious mental illness (SMI). He is the recipient of numerous NIMH and foundation grants for studies of engagement strategies for persons with SMI, services for persons with first episode psychosis, and care management approaches for high need persons with SMI. Dr. Smith is also Special Lecturer in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University.
Dr. Smith earned his M.D. at Wayne State University School of Medicine and completed his psychiatry residency at the University of Chicago before coming to New York where he has had extensive experience as a clinician, hospital administrator, and researcher, initially at Weill Cornell from 1989-2001. He moved to Columbia in 2001 and in 2008, joined the behavioral health services research division at the New York State Psychiatric Institute.
Dr. Smith participated in the design and implementation of New York State's behavioral health Medicaid Managed Care redesign and has played a lead role in OMH programs that support population health monitoring for engagement in care and adverse events. He also oversees NYS OMH mental health parity enforcement efforts as well as initiatives to develop system level quality and performance measures.
Robert Moon
Deputy Commissioner, Community Program Policy and Management
Bob Moon is a social worker who has spent all his career working on mental health system reform, focusing on issues of access, equity, fiscal viability, cultural humility and the comprehensiveness and quality of community services.
He started his career in Washington, DC., at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, as the Coordinator of a federal court-ordered implementation monitoring committee that oversaw the planning and establishment of a more community-driven and recipient and family-member focused system of services. This included the expansion of community housing, establishment of the first Assertive Community Treatment teams in the district, and a full array of other services and supports. He then moved to NYC where he worked for 17 years at the New York City Health + Hospitals Corporation, in the Office of Behavioral Health.
In 2015, he joined the NYS Office of Mental health, first as the Director of the New York City Field Office and now as the Deputy Commissioner of Community Services where he oversees the program and managed care policy aspects of the OMH statewide community system. This includes treatment, crisis stabilization, housing, homeless services such as the Safe Options Support program, psychiatric rehabilitation, and other programs OMH offers to promote a recovery-oriented system for all New Yorkers across the lifespan.
Emil J. Slane, BS, MS
Deputy Commissioner and Chief Fiscal Officer
Emil Slane brings 28 years of budgeting, fiscal, and policy experience to the Office of Mental Health. In this role, Emil oversees the Office of Financial Management with responsibility for budgeting, contracting, cost reporting, revenue collection, rate setting, capital and administrative support and strategic financial planning activities for the OMH.
Emil started his career in state government as a public management intern in 1993. He joined OMH in 2008 as the Director of Community Budget and Financial Management responsible for administering funding for residential, treatment and community support programs in the community mental health system. He previously worked at the Division of the Budget in the Health and Mental Hygiene Units for 13 years and has extensive experience with New York's health care and human services delivery systems.
During his career in New York State government, Emil received numerous policy and leadership awards for his work including recognition from the Mental Health Association and Coalition of Behavioral Health Agencies.
Emil has a B.S. in Biology (1991) and a M.S. in Management and Policy (1993) with a concentration in Health Care Management from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Jeremy Darman, MSW, MA
Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Planning and Quality Management
Mr. Darman oversees the five OMH regional field offices, the OMH Community Outreach and Public Education Bureau, and the divisions responsible for civil and forensic State operations. Jeremy previously served as the Special Assistant to the Executive Deputy Commissioner, and the Director of Planning for OMH.
Prior to his service with the State, Jeremy held positions in policy analysis and governmental relations where he provided member technical assistance and worked closely with the State Legislature and Executive to promote organizational priorities. Jeremy also previously served as an adjunct instructor and research assistant at the State University of New York at Albany School of Social Welfare.
Jeremy holds Master of Social Work and Master of Arts in Criminal Justice degrees from the State University of New York at Albany.
Martha Carlin, Ph.D.
Associate Commissioner, Division of State Operated Services
As the Associate Commissioner for State Operated Services, Dr. Carlin is charged with the oversight of 19 civil state psychiatric centers as well as their corresponding outpatient and residential services for adult and children. She brings over 30 years of experience to this position and has previously held clinical roles in OMH as a licensed psychologist, team leader for inpatient services, clinic director and associate director for quality management. She also has many years of experience in academic instruction, forensic evaluations, and other clinical service roles.
Dr. Carlin recently served as the Director of the OMH Long Island Field Office for eleven years where she was a leader in policy development, and the expansion of programs designed to improve the quality of life of people with behavioral health challenges. These included peer respite programs, hospital diversion programs a crisis stabilization center and the implementation of new clinics, and children’s ACT Teams.
During her time with OMH, Dr. Carlin has collaborated extensively with mental health providers, local government leaders, families, recipients, and other constituents. She is committed to advocating for and meeting the behavioral health needs of the people in New York State and looks forward to continuing to effect positive systemic change within the state operated mental health system.
Dr. Carlin holds Bachelor and Master of Arts Degrees from New York University. She earned her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University – CW Post Campus and has been a licensed psychologist since April 2000.
Gerald M. Engel, RPH, MBA
Associate Commissioner and Chief Medical Informatics Officer
The clinical application of technology is growing rapidly and is essential to the behavioral health system of the future. As Chief Medical Informatics Officer (CMIO), Jerry is responsible for overseeing the expanded use of technology to advance clinical care within OMH and the larger public mental health system.
He is the executive sponsor and clinical business owner for all OMH clinical IT systems, including the Empire State VistA which is the largest VistA implementation outside of the Veterans Administration. In addition, he is leading efforts for the OMH Health Information exchange for all OMH hospitals and clinics across the state.
The CMIO also serves as the OMH liaison with the Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) to ensure that technology resources are used most efficiently and effectively to meet the OMH mission.
Jerry has been with OMH since 2000 and has served in various positions including: Pharmacy Director of Capital District Psychiatric Center, OMH Director of Pharmacy Services, and prior to taking this position he was the OMH Director of Health Services. Jerry received his Pharmacy degree from the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and his MBA from the State University of New York Empire State.
Audrey Erazo-Trivino, PsyD
Associate Commissioner, Office of Prevention and Health Initiatives
Dr. Audrey Erazo-Trivino currently serves as the Associate Commissioner of OMH’s Office of Prevention and Health Initiatives. This Office is charged with advancing new mental health policy and programs emphasizing widespread prevention efforts with a foundational goal of promoting mental health equity for all New Yorkers.
Prior to joining OMH, Dr. Erazo-Trivino has close to three decades of experience and expertise in working with vulnerable populations across the lifespan. She has provided both direct mental health services and executive administration of a wide variety of programming across the lifespan including health, behavioral health, education, care coordination, home and community-based services, child welfare, and runaway and homeless youth services. She is passionate about promoting and advocating for increased trauma-informed, trauma-responsive, and culturally humble care across all service systems.
Dr. Erazo-Trivino has been a NYS certified school psychologist for over 20 years and holds a Doctorate Degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University in School Psychology.
Michael J. Izzano (He/Him)
Associate Commissioner & Director, Center for State & Community Workforce Development & Human Resources
Michael Izzano has worked in New York State human resources management since 2006. Mr. Izzano has worked on various classification and compensation issues at the Department of Civil Service, participated in collective bargaining and workforce management activities at the Division of the Budget, served as Human Resources Director at Hutchings Psychiatric Center in Syracuse and Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center in Utica, and most recently served as the Deputy Director of Human Resources & Director of Employee Relations.
Mr. Izzano holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at SUNY Albany.
Joe Katagiri, DrPH, MPA, CPH
Deputy Commissioner, Division of Managed Care
Before being named as the Associate Commissioner of OMH’s Division of Managed Care, Dr. Katagiri served as OMH’s Deputy Division Director for Managed Care and Bureau Director of Finance and Data Analytics. Dr. Katagiri worked as the Team Leader for Long Term Care within the New York State Division of Budget. Prior to his tenure with DOB, he was a Health Program Administrator for the Department of Health, working on long term care Medicaid waiver programs.
Dr. Katagiri holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York at Binghamton, a Master’s in Public Administration from Rockefeller College, and Master of Public Health and Doctor of Public Health degrees from the University at Albany School of Public Health.
Sarah Kuriakose, PhD, BCBA-D
Associate Commissioner, Division of Integrated Community Services for Children and Families
Dr. Kuriakose oversees services and supports in the children’s public health system at OMH. She previously was the State-wide Director of Psychology for OMH and the Senior Director for Autism and Developmental Neuroscience at NYU Langone Health.
She is a licensed psychologist and licensed behavior analyst, and her research and clinical specialization is in evidence-based behavioral and cognitive-behavioral interventions for individuals who are dually diagnosed with intellectually/developmental disabilities and psychiatric illness and with substance use disorder and psychiatric illness.
Mary LaPoint
Associate Commissioner, Office of Quality Improvement
Mary M. LaPoint is the director of the Office of Quality Improvement, which is responsible for risk identification and mitigation, process improvement, and compliance with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ evidence-based standards.
A graduate of the State University of New York at Potsdam, Mary has more than two decades of service experience in the mental health field at the local and state levels, with concentrations in clinical, supervisory, and quality assurance. Prior to joining OMH, she worked at Mohawk Opportunities in Mental Health, Ellis Hospital, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, and the AIDS Council of Northeastern New York.
Mary became a clinical risk reviewer at OMH in 2013 and rose to the position of manager after two years. She became the agency’s director of Clinical Risk Management in 2019, before being appointed to her position heading the Office of Quality Improvement in 2021.
Li-Wen Lee, MD
Associate Commissioner, Division of Forensic Services
Dr. Lee’s Division coordinates delivery of mental health services to individuals involved with New York State's criminal justice system. These services include restoration to fitness to stand trial, assessment and management of insanity accedes, assessment and treatment of sexual offenders under MHL Article 10, and correctional mental health treatment.
These services have grown into a system of care that includes three Joint Commission-accredited secure forensic psychiatric centers, one of which serves the prison population, two secure regional forensic units, a network of prison-based mental health satellite units and residential programs located within correctional facilities, and centers within DFS that deliver community-based training and technical assistance to enable local governmental units to better serve forensic mental health populations in the community.
Dr. Lee joined OMH in 2008. Prior to that, she provided acute inpatient psychiatric treatment on a forensic unit established for jail detainees in New York City. She served as the Medical Director for DFS for more than 10 years prior to becoming Associate Commissioner. She received her MD from the University of Texas Medical Branch and has also served as assistant clinical professor at Columbia University.
Amanda Saake, LMSW, CPRP, NYCPS-P (she/her)
Chief Advocacy and Peer Support Services Officer
In her role, Amanda serves as the interface between individuals and families served by the public mental health system and OMH program, and policymakers. Her office is also dedicated to the Peer Workforce and Peer Support Services throughout the mental health system.
Amanda has experience providing direct service and supervision in the human services workforce. Amanda’s commitment to high-quality, person-centered supports and services is also personal, stemming back to her first encounters with the mental health system at the age of 17.
Amanda is a member of the Certification Commission for Psychiatric Rehabilitation’s (CPRP) Board of Subject Matter Experts. Amanda received the Distinguished Alumni Award from her alma mater in 2011. In addition, Amanda received the Brendan Nugent Leadership Award in 2020. This award is presented to an inspiring peer leader in promoting and advocating for the empowerment of people with psychiatric disabilities in New York State.
Amanda graduated from Marywood University and Columbia University School of Social Work. Amanda is a Licensed Master Social Worker, Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner, and a Provisional New York Certified Peer Specialist.
Talia Santiago-Bonds, MPH
Chief Diversity Officer & Director, Office of Diversity & Inclusion and Bureau of Reasonable Accommodation
As the Chief Diversity Officer at the Office of Mental Health Talia leads transformative efforts to advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access. Her leadership has been pivotal in driving systemic changes that enhance access and improve treatment outcomes for underserved and historically marginalized communities.
In recognition of her exceptional contributions, Talia was honored with the 2024 DEIA Leadership Award for Distinguished Individual Leadership.
Previously, Talia served as Deputy Director of the Office of Diversity & Inclusion and as OMH’s Statewide Language Access Coordinator. Her lived experiences have profoundly shaped her commitment to fostering equitable systems, with a focus on addressing the unique challenges faced by individuals navigating intersectional identities.
In her current role, Talia oversees and implements comprehensive strategies to eliminate disparities in New York’s mental health system. She leads the Office of Diversity & Inclusion in coordinating data-driven policy initiatives, ensuring agency-wide compliance with key executive orders, and providing critical guidance to improve mental health services for diverse populations, including people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, older adults, rural residents, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and immigrants.
With over 15 years of experience in advocacy and policy development for individuals with disabilities, Talia’s background as a civil rights advocate has equipped her to champion workplace inclusion. Her dedication to advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access - related initiatives, reflects her unwavering commitment to creating systems that promote dignity and respect for all New Yorkers.
Christopher Smith, PhD
Associate Commissioner, Adult Community Care Group
Dr. Smith is the state-wide program lead for Adult Services in community settings, including: Supportive Housing; Crisis Services; Outpatient services including Clinic, Assertive Community Treatment and CCBHC; and Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services including PROS and CORE.
Previously, he was the Deputy Director of the Group and focused on statewide initiatives including COVID-related regulatory relief, telehealth implementation, and integrated care. He has served as Director of Adult Services in OMH’s New York City Field Office focusing on managed Medicaid implementation and systems transformation in the public behavioral health system in New York City.
Prior to coming to OMH, Smith was a clinical administrator at H+H - Bellevue, with responsibility for forensic, psychiatric emergency, and substance abuse services. He also spent a decade working on schizophrenia risk and prevention research at the Zucker Hillside Hospital in the Northwell Health system.