Susan Fordice Steps down after 15 years of service

HOUSTON, TX (January 8, 2018) – Mental Health America (MHA) of Greater Houston president and CEO, Susan Fordice, is stepping down after 15 years of service to the organization. Alejandra Posada, chief program officer, has been appointed interim president and CEO while the board conducts its search for a new CEO. 

“The board is grateful for Susan’s steady and progressive leadership over her tenure at MHA of Greater Houston and for her dedication and focus which built the organization and its staff into a first-class, impactful team delivering results-driven programming,” said board chair, Stephen Linder.

Fordice said she is most proud of the staff and what they accomplished during her tenure. Since she took the helm as president and CEO in 2012, the organization established a regional center for school behavioral health; a state-recognized veterans’ behavioral health program that serves Texas’ first felony veterans’ treatment court; and a state-level community of practice for medical schools focused on integrated health care.

“Susan Fordice departs MHA of Greater Houston having made a significant contribution to its evolution and leaving an admirable community legacy. She has led significant changes to improve programs and operations, has been a visionary leader and an asset to the organization. We are grateful for her many contributions over her 15 years and expect that she will continue making valuable contributions in mental health care,” said Michael Jhin, CEO emeritus of St. Luke’s Health System and former MHA of Greater Houston board chair.

Through this transition, an exemplary board of directors continues to lead MHA of Greater Houston. Gwen Emmett, board chair through December 2017, remains on the board as immediate past chair. Stephen Linder, distinguished professor at the University of Texas School of Public Health, currently leads the agency as the board chair. Elizabeth McIngvale, assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine and founder of The Peace of Mind Foundation, is chair-elect.

Fordice departs the organization to pursue an opportunity as the executive director of the newly established Hackett Center for Mental Health, a permanent operating program of the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute.

“The mental health community in Harris County welcomes the arrival of the Hackett Center. It will elevate all of our efforts in mental health care to new levels of coordination, policy, and treatment,” said immediate past board chair, Gwen Emmett. “MHA of Greater Houston is well-situated to continue leading collaborative opportunities for mental and behavioral health in the greater Houston region and implementing their results-driven programming in the areas of integrated health care, school behavioral health, maternal and infant mental health, and veterans’ behavioral health.”

MHA of Greater Houston’s mission is to drive community solutions to promote mental health for all. The organization is guided by the vision of creating a future of hope and understanding that promotes the health and well-being of all people.

Contact: Traci Patterson, Director of Communications, tpatterson@mhahouston.org, 713-520-3476, www.mhahouston.org