Leadership Biographies

Tracy J. Plouck
Director
Tracy Plouck was named director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health by Gov. John Kasich in January 2011. She brings strong policy background to her role, having served twice as Ohio’s State Medicaid Director and also as a deputy director with the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities. Additionally, Tracy has significant state budgeting experience from her eight years with the Ohio Office of Budget and Management, most recently as deputy director for budget.

As director of the Department of Mental Health, Tracy is a member of the Governor’s Office of Health Transformation. Governor Kasich created the Office of Health Transformation to modernize the state's Medicaid system and to better integrate public health efforts that support people with physical and behavioral health needs.

Plouck, who is originally from Trumbull County, holds a master’s degree in public administration from The Ohio State University and a bachelor’s degree from Kent State University. She was honored by The Ohio State University Alumni Association in June 2011 for exemplary work serving Ohioans through her state government positions.

Back to top

Mark A. Hurst, M.D.
Medical Director
Ohio Revised Code specifies that the Ohio Department of Mental Health must name a medical director to manage patient care and treatment at its state-run hospitals. In this role, Dr. Hurst provides clinical supervision and leadership to the medical and psychiatric staff at Ohio's six regional psychiatric hospitals. He also advises the ODMH director on matters related to recruitment, research, community mental health plans, and licensure of private hospitals and residential facilities.
.
Hurst joined the Department in 1993 as a psychopharmacology consultant at Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare (TVBH) in Columbus. At TVBH, he progressed to assistant chief clinical officer for addiction psychiatry in 1998 and chief clinical officer in 2008. Prior to his career with ODMH, he held leadership positions in psychiatry and addiction psychiatry in the VA health system, at Harding Hospital and at The Ohio State University, where he remains an active clinical faculty member.

A native of Zanesville, Hurst was the 1981 class valedictorian at Muskingum College in New Concord. He graduated from the Medical College of Ohio at Toledo in 1985 and completed residency training at the University of Michigan and at OSU, where he served as chief resident in his final year of training. He is board-certified in psychiatry and addiction psychiatry and has been recognized as a "Best Doctor in America" since 1995.

Back to top

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, health integration, support services, engineering and capital planning functions of the department. He also serves on the leadership support team to provide overall policy guidance.

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. 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.

Back to top

Dave Colletti
Acting Deputy Director, Hospital Services
Dave Colletti of Akron was tapped as acting deputy director of Hospital Services after the retirement of Robert Short at the end of 2012. As such, Colletti is responsible for the operation of the Department's six regional psychiatric hospitals, as well as the department's outpatient mental health and community support services. Colletti has been chief executive officer at Northcoast Behavioral Healthcare (NBH) in Northfield since 2009. He has more than 25 years of experience in the field of mental health.

Colletti began his career as a caseworker at Summit County Children Services Board in 1984 then became director of social work services at Fallsview Pschiatric Hospital from 1993-1996. Subsequent to that position, he spent a decade doing crisis intervention, assessments and psychotherapy through community counseling centers such as Greenleaf Family Center. In 1996, he joined NBH as director of Social Work Services and Patient Care Coordinator, advancing to Cleveland Campus administrator in 2001 before being appointed NBH CEO.

Colletti received his Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Akron in 1985 and a his Masters of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University in 1988. During 2000, he was named the Professional of the Year by the Ohio Chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

Back to top

Deborah A. Nixon-Hughes
Deputy Director, Program and Policy Development
Deborah Nixon-Hughes leads a team of staff who collaborate with consumers, families and stakeholders to plan community initiatives in adult recovery, children’s mental health, advocacy, prevention, housing, emergency preparedness and forensic services. She has more than 30 years of experience in mental health service delivery, planning and policy development within local, county and state settings.

Before being appointed to the Ohio Department of Mental Health, 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 program and budget planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Ohio's $68 million correctional mental health program for 50,000 offenders in 32 prisons.

A licensed independent social worker, Nixon-Hughes 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. Earlier in her career, she served as interim director and deputy director of operations for the Hamilton County Mental Health Board and as executive director of the Columbus Area Community Mental Health Center.

Back to top

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 senior professional in human resources, as well as a member of the Society of Human Resources Management and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

Back to top

Michaela J. Peterson
Deputy Director, Legal and Regulatory Services
In addition to serving as chief legal counsel to the Ohio Department of Mental Health, Peterson oversees multiple areas, including the Offices of Legal Services, Licensure and Certification, Standards Development and Administrative Rules, and Pre-Admission Screening and Resident Review.

Before joining the department, Peterson served as legal counsel for the Ohio Department of Transportation from 2004 to 2011. She also held positions within the county court system and in the private sector. 
Peterson received her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from The Ohio State University in 1997.  She earned her Juris Doctorate degree from Capital University Law School in 2000.

Back to top

Missy Craddock
Deputy Director, Public Affairs
The Office of Public Affairs includes a joint team from the Ohio Departments of Mental Health and Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services who work together to establish the agencies' public presence with stakeholders, media and the legislature. Craddock was named Deputy Director of the consolidated team in July 2012.

Craddock's previous experience includes nearly ten years at the Ohio House of Representatives, including almost eight as policy advisor for the House Speaker on health and human services issues, including Medicaid. She also has experience in the developmental disabilities field as Director of Government Relations for the trade association representing DD providers.

A native of Akron, Ohio, Craddock earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Akron with a certificate in Applied Politics from the Ray C. Bliss Institute. She received her master's degree in public administration from Ohio University in Athens.

.

Back to top