Sandra Stephenson, MSW, MA
Director
Sandra Stephenson is a strong advocate for individuals and families coping with mental illness. Her long-term commitment to the behavioral healthcare field led Governor Ted Strickland to appoint her as director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health in June 2007. Prior to her appointment, she served as the executive director for Southeast, Inc. Recovery & Mental Health Care Services in Columbus, Ohio. She began her employment with Southeast, Inc. as the clinical director before becoming associate executive director and then executive director.
Stephenson has served on multiple boards, including PLAN of Central Ohio, the Ohio Association of Behavioral Healthcare Management and the Ohio Council of Behavioral Healthcare Providers. Currently, she is chairwoman of the Mental Health/Chemical Dependency/Mental Retardation Advisory Committee at Columbus State Community College.
She has received many honors recognizing her efforts:
- Outstanding Leadership as President Award (Ohio Council of Community Mental Health Agencies)
- Dr. Norman Guitry Award (Mental Health Association of Franklin County)
- Hero Award (Community Shelter Board of Franklin County)
- Above and Beyond Award (Ohio Cluster-Based Planning Alliance--Synthesis Inc.)
- Activist and Visionary of the Year Award (Mental Health Court of Franklin County)
Stephenson graduated summa cum laude from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science in Social Welfare. Later, she earned a Master of Social Work with Clinical and Planning Majors and a Master of Arts in Public Administration. She is a licensed independent social worker, licensed professional clinical counselor and licensed massage therapist. She also holds certification from the State of New York for the use of acupuncture in cases of substance abuse.
Read an interview with Stephenson that appeared in the NAMI Ohio Stigma Buster on Sept. 30, 2008.
Marion E. Sherman, M.D.
Medical Director
Dr. Marion Sherman provides clinical supervision to the medical and psychiatric staff of Ohio’s seven regional psychiatric hospitals. As medical director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health, she also advises the department’s director on matters related to recruitment, research, community mental health plans and licensure of private hospitals and residential facilities.
Sherman has extensive experience in both clinical management and direct patient care. She is licensed by the Ohio State Medical Board and certified in general psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry and forensic psychiatry. She has served as chief clinical officer at Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare in Columbus, as well as chief medical officer for the Ohio Hospital for Psychiatry (also in Columbus), where she established inpatient and outpatient services for children and adolescents. Sherman serves on the faculty at both The Ohio State University School of Medicine and the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Sherman’s medical degree is from Case Western University School of Medicine in Cleveland. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts from Williams College in Williamstown, Ohio and a Master of Arts in Business Administration from New York University. She is past president of the Ohio Psychiatric Association and has written and presented extensively on mental health treatment issues.
Donald C. Anderson
Deputy Director, Administrative Services
As deputy director for administrative services in the Ohio Department of Mental Health, Donald Anderson supervises the information systems, fiscal administration, Medicaid, support services, engineering and capital planning functions of the department. He also serves on the leadership support team to provide overall policy guidance and support to the department.
Before joining the department, Anderson served as assistant director and then director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources from 1991 to 1999. He also held other positions in that department between 1972 and 1982: assistant director, deputy director for administration, chief of business and finance and management analyst. During the 1980s, Anderson worked in the private sector, where he served as vice president of Robert W. Teater and Associates. He began his career as a communications officer in the United States Air Force, attaining the rank of captain.
A native of Toledo, Anderson is a graduate of The Ohio State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and Master of Arts in Public Administration. He received The Ohio State University School of Public Policy and Management Outstanding Alumnus Award in 1996.
James A. Ignelzi
Deputy Director, Hospital Services
Jim Ignelzi is responsible for the operation of the Ohio Department of Mental Health’s seven regional psychiatric hospitals, as well as the department’s outpatient mental health and community support services. Prior to joining the central office team, Ignelzi was chief executive officer at Twin Valley Behavior Healthcare in Columbus and Dayton.
Ignelzi previously worked as executive director and corporate consultant for ON-Belay, Inc. in Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Ohio. His past positions also include chief executive officer at Sagamore Hills Children’s Psychiatric Hospital in Northfield, Ohio, and the Central Ohio Adolescent Center in Columbus. He served as an adjunct instructor for master degree candidates at The Ohio State University, and he served in the U.S. Army with tours in Germany and the Republic of Vietnam.
Ignelzi earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics from Pennsylvania State University, a master’s degree in Social Work from The Ohio State University and certification in health care finance from the College of Medicine at The Ohio State University.
Deborah A. Nixon-Hughes
Deputy Director, Program and Policy Development
Deborah Nixon-Hughes leads a team of staff who collaborate with consumers, families and community stakeholders to plan initiatives in adult recovery, children’s mental health, advocacy, prevention, housing, emergency preparedness and forensic services. She has more than 29 years of experience in mental health service delivery, planning and policy development within local, county and state settings.
Before being appointed to ODMH, Nixon-Hughes served as chief of the Bureau of Mental Health Services for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, where she was responsible for a $68 million budget and more than 600 staff. They connected approximately 50,000 offenders in 32 prisons with community mental health services that facilitated the offenders’ reentry into society and linked them to appropriate systems of support.
Earlier in her career, Nixon-Hughes served as interim director and deputy director of the Hamilton County Mental Health Board and as executive director of the Columbus Area Community Mental Health Center.
A licensed independent social worker, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Community Mental Health from Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, and a master’s degree in Social Work Administration from The Ohio State University. She is active in numerous community organizations.
Vince Conner
Deputy Director, Human Resources
As deputy director for human resources at the Ohio Department of Mental Health, Vince Conner oversees multiple areas, including personnel and benefits, affirmative action initiatives, education and training, labor relations and workers’ compensation.
Before joining the department, Conner managed human resources and administration operations in the Office of the Ohio Public Defender in Columbus. He also worked at Limited Credit Services in Columbus, where he held several positions, including department manager, department supervisor and credit account collector.
Conner earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Arts in Public Administration from The Ohio State University. He also earned a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from Franklin University. He is a certified professional in human resources, as well as a member of the Society of Human Resources Management and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.
Sloan T. Spalding
Deputy Director, Legal Services
In addition to serving as chief legal counsel to the Ohio Department of Mental Health, Sloan Spalding manages the sections that develop administrative standards and review licensure and certification of mental health providers. Prior to his appointment, he was the director of labor relations for The Ohio State University, where he worked with both the Office of Human Resources and the Office of Legal Affairs. Earlier in his career, Spalding served as the section chief of the employment law section in the Office of the Ohio Attorney General and as a senior associate with a Columbus law firm.
Spalding earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, with a minor in Military Science, from the University of Utah. He was also commissioned as an officer in the United States Army following his graduation. Later, he earned his Juris Doctor from Capital University Law School in Columbus.
Spalding participates in a number of community initiatives. Currently, he is a member of the Village of New Albany Charter Review Committee, and in the past he served on the Village of New Albany Personnel Appeals Board and Strategic Planning Commission. He frequently lectures to various human resource and legal professionals, in both the private and public sector, on sundry topics related to labor and employment law.