Leadership Team

Kimberly Freese

Kimberly L. Freese, MPA, LAC, CPS | CEO, Via Positiva Center for Behavioral Health Innovation

Kimberly Freese (Kim) is a passionate and experienced leader in the behavioral health field, with a career that spans over three decades. Kim is dedicated to serving individuals, communities and systems impacted by substance use and mental health challenges. She brings both clinical and policy expertise to her role as CEO of the Via Positiva Center for Behavioral Health Innovation, where she focuses on transforming systems of care through financing, policy, and innovative service delivery.

Kim began her career providing direct care in women’s and children’s residential programs, eventually taking on executive leadership roles in correctional, residential, and outpatient behavioral health settings. Her leadership journey continued in state government, where she played a pivotal role in shaping Medicaid policy as the Behavioral Health Medicaid Coordinator for Kansas. Ultimately as the Director of Managed Care, she helped develop and lead major initiatives, including a 1915(b)/(c) managed care waiver, a statewide integrated managed care model under an 1115 demonstration waiver and later Health Homes for those with serious mental illness and other chronic conditions.

Kim served as the Region 7 Director for the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) from 2015 to 2025, working across Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, and nine tribal nations. There, she helped advance behavioral health systems through collaboration, innovation, and federal leadership. Kim loves system level work.

Kim holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a master’s in Public Administration from the University of Kansas. She is a Licensed Addictions Counselor, a Certified Peer Support Specialist, and a person thriving in long-term recovery—something she brings to her work with both humility and purpose. She’s also a mentor at heart, known for building strong teams and lifting others up.

Jim Clarkson

Jim Clarkson, MA, LADAC, Chair Person and Founder of the Via Positiva Family of Companies. Jim serves on numerous boards and advisory roles to the nation’s leading healthcare providers. He served as Senior Adviser to BayMark Health Services, the nation’s leading recovery oriented, trauma informed Medication Assisted Opioid Use Disorder Treatment provider headquartered in Lewisville, Texas. He is Chairman of the National Advisory Board at Ensoftek, the proprietor of DrCloudEHR, in Beaverton, Oregon. He previously served as a National Vice President with ValueOptions, Inc. (now Beacon Health Options), the nation’s largest private behavioral health and wellness managed care organization. With ValueOptions, Jim was responsible for enterprises in emerging market areas, managed state substance abuse delivery systems and served as an internal and external substance use disorder subject matter expert. Previously, Jim both led behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment provider agencies and worked as a clinician for many years. Jim provided consultation and training nationally and internationally including for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Network for the Improvement of Addiction Treatment, the National Association for Addiction Professionals, the Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness as well as many other state and federal agencies. Jim is a national presenter, trainer and subject matter expert in the business of behavioral health and led the National Addiction Professional Business Learning Collaborative, the Recovery Business Professionals Business Learning Collaborative, and served on the SAMHSA Recovery to Practice Initiative.

In addition to his role as a managed care executive, Jim has worked and consulted with programs across the country focusing on the connection between spirituality and wellness, mental health, addiction recovery, and financial literacy. He managed the Healing Circle at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico and has worked with pueblos and tribes around the country. Jim has served as President of the New Mexico Recovery Professionals Alliance, is a Certified NIATx Change Leader (Network for the Improvement of Addiction Treatment), was a Key Supervisor for the Matrix Institute, is a Certified Mental Health First Aid Trainer and for 35 years has helped Fortune 500 companies and public healthcare systems create environments for recovery, sustainability and positive therapeutic outcomes.

Jim has assisted three national insurance companies integrate and implement opioid treatment services, including designing the reimbursement options, service definitions and combinations of services. He was also the lead on winning one of the very first two CMS Innovation Awards for behavioral health during their initial awarding of the innovation grants. The project implemented was to develop systems of care using peers to help navigate transitions between providers on a person’s treatment and recovery plan. Jim also led the department that was responsible for the entire SUD system of care in NM for 5 years between 2005-2010. He has worked with virtually every pueblo and tribe in NM, including the Navajo Nation.

Tommy Valdez

Tommy Valdez, TIPP Principle and Founder. Tommy brings over 25 years of corporate business development experience and has served as a leader and administrator in behavioral health for the past 13 years. His creative, kind and inspirational efforts have led to profound systems change and transformation at the national level in behavioral health, peer support and person-centered approaches, creating environments for humane, supportive engagement and retention, and positive therapeutic outcomes.

Sylvia Barela

Sylvia Barela, MBA, who has served as National Managing Director for Via Positiva since April 1 of 2022, was born and raised in New Mexico. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from New Mexico State University and a Master’s in Business Administration degree with a Healthcare Concentration from the University of Phoenix. Sylvia has dedicated her twenty-four year career to behavioral health. She has twenty years of experience working with three non-profit residential treatment facilities in Colorado and New Mexico. She spent four years doing behavioral health consulting for four New Mexico Behavioral Health Providers, helping them navigate Intensive Outpatient Treatment certification with the State of New Mexico Human Services and Behavioral Health Services Division.

Leonard Kincaid

Leonard Kincaid is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Houston Recovery Center (2013-2025), currently serving as Senior Advisor to the Interim CEO. His experience in the field of addiction and mental health spans more than 30 years. Leonard’s diverse background of clinical work and program administration informed the creation of the center. Educated in Texas and Mississippi, Mr. Kincaid has a Master’s in Business Administration, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, and a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor.

Leonard has or currently serves on several boards supporting individuals experiencing mental health challenges and addiction including the Network of Behavioral Health Providers, the Association of Substance Abuse Providers, the Local Mental Health Authority of Harris County Advisory Board and the Salvation Army Advisory Board.

He is also co-founder and past chair of Houston Recovery Initiative, a coalition formed in 2010 to implement a recovery-oriented system of care (ROSC) model for Houston. Its’ goal is to bring SUD service providers together to work collectively on improving outcomes for the population we serve.

Kris Ericson

Kris Ericson, PhD is an independent consultant who works with preeminent clients in behavioral health, long-term care, and education across the country. Dr. Ericson’s work includes assisting states, counties, health plans, providers, and managed care organizations in the redesign and implementation of systems/programs, mentoring emerging leaders, technical writing and research, education and training, gap analyses and strategic planning, conference/meeting planning, and facilitation of leadership groups at all levels.

Dr. Ericson designed a children’s outcomes system of care for a managed care company and has worked as part of a subject matter expert team for the US Department of Justice. She is frequently called on by colleagues for insight into projects they are directing. She also has extensive experience in training and is a published author. In addition to numerous previous work experiences, Dr. Ericson served as CEO of The College of Behavioral Health Leadership for more than a decade.

Her 40+-year career in human services includes experiences as a clinician, administrator, advocate, policy maker, and systems designer. She is passionate about improving the health care system to assure that all people have access to meet identified and individualized needs.

Dr. Ericson lives in Albuquerque, NM and is an active community volunteer. She completed her baccalaureate studies in psychology at Bethany College, Kansas. Her graduate studies were undertaken at The Pennsylvania State University resulting in a master’s in community psychology and the PhD in public administration, with a concentration on health policy. Dr. Ericson participates in several professional societies to continually inform her work.

Brendalyn Batchelor

Brendalyn resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she finds joy in supporting, nourishing, and inspiring others to realize their full potential. She is a Unified Mindfulness Teacher and Trainer, a licensed mental health counselor, ordained Unity minister, spiritual director, HeartMath Coach, and whole plant-food lifestyle coach. She embraces universal spiritual practices and principles in her life and in her work.

Brendalyn previously served as an employee assistance counselor, human resources specialist, sexual harassment investigator, and as a Department of Defense fraud, waste, and abuse investigator.

Her primary spiritual practice is Unified Mindfulness. She is also committed to living the principles of twelve-step recovery and embodying these values in daily life to the best of her ability.

Brendalyn enjoys road trips in her VW Eurovan Camper (affectionately named VanGo) with her loyal 15-year-old Tibetan Terrier, Paloma. Living “where the rubber meets the road,” she believes what truly matters is not just our beliefs or words but how we embody them in thought, word, and action.

For more information, visit CoachableYou.org.

Clarence Jordan

Clarence Jordan, MBA, was the Vice President of Wellness & Recovery at Beacon HealthOptions (Anthem), responsible for Beacon’s national development and implementation of the use of peers in treatment and recovery. He received the 2014 Peer Specialist of the Year Award from the National Council for Behavioral Health. This prestigious award recognizes a person with a lived experience of mental illness who uses his or her strengths to help peers on their road to recovery. Clarence’s passion to help those struggling with the challenges of mental illness arose from his own experiences. As a man of color, a 15-year veteran of the US Navy, and a person in recovery since 1998, Jordan has dealt with the obstacles these populations face in accessing appropriate treatment. Foremost are the dual challenges of ignorance and cultural stigma: “When I served in the Navy, my ‘image’ of a person with mental illness was certainly not me. I believe I share this experience with thousands of military service members who could benefit from VA services but may not be getting them. The same holds true for communities of color, where social isolation and discrimination are no strangers.”

Chris Botten

Chris Botten, MBA, is a Behavioral Health Consultant, where he leads a national movement to transform behavioral health through relational care, spiritual integration, peer leadership, and systems innovation. With a strong foundation in finance, operations, and strategy, Chris brings visionary leadership to CBHI’s multi-product innovation platform focused on systemic impact and sustainable growth.

Previously, Chris served as a Senior Project Manager and Technical Assistance Lead for behavioral health providers in Los Angeles County, supporting large-scale initiatives around value-based care, fiscal reform, and operational transformation. Before his expansive experience in the Public Health realm, Chris served as the Director of Operations for one of the largest non-profit Drug Medi-Cal treatment providers in Los Angeles County. As the founder of CMB Consultants, LLC, he continues to advise non-profit organizations across California, offering deep expertise in compliance, revenue maximization, and organizational development.

Chris holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Business from California State University, Channel Islands, and is widely recognized for his ability to bridge financial discipline with human-centered innovation in both the public and nonprofit sectors. Chris leads CBHI’s product innovation and strategic growth efforts, focusing on healing systems, building equity, and creating sustainable behavioral health infrastructure.