| Board of Directors and Staff |
Board of Directors
PRESIDENT, Terry Bachmeier
Terry Bachmeier is an office manager and bookkeeper at the Morrison Brothers Ranch in Higley,
Arizona. He currently serves as a director of Arizona Behavioral Health Corporation. He
possesses a strong background in foreign language studies, including Spanish, German, French
and Japanese. Bachmeier served as Sunday school superintendent and on several key planning
committees of his church including serving as a youth counselor/teacher for 17 years. He has
completed extensive personal religious studies. Active in aiding the criminal justice system,
Bachmeier conducts weekly pastoral visits to Arizona's juvenile prisons north of Phoenix and
serves on the Arizona Task Force of Justice Fellowship, works on the National Advisory Group
to improve the criminal justice system, including prisons, and protect victim's rights on a state by
state basis. He serves as the Resident Chaplain at the Maricopa County Southeast Juvenile
Detention Facility on a part time basis and has done so for the last 12 years, serving as Assistant
Chaplain for several years prior to becoming the resident Chaplain. Previously, Bachmeier has
served on the Maricopa Clinical Management Board, East Valley Behavioral Health Citizens
Advisory Council, and East Valley Behavioral Health Association's Board, and currently serves on
the board of directors of the Arizona Foundation for Behavioral Health. Honors for community
contributions include Outstanding Volunteer Service Award of Arizona Department of Youth
Treatment and Rehabilitation in 1993, and Nominee for Volunteer of the Year of Arizona
Administrator's Association, 1994.
VICE PRESIDENT, José Solárez
José Solárez is the Economic Development Planner for the Gila River Indian Community. He is
also the owner of the consulting firm Consultores ARIZONENSE, specializing in public affairs,
organizational and strategic planning, economic and housing development, grants management and
business development in Sonora, Mexico. Currently, he is a director of Arizona Behavioral Health
Corporation. He served as tribal manager for Pascua Yaqui Tribe and city manager for El Mirage,
San Luis and the Town of Guadalupe. Solárez has also served on several boards of community
organizations, such as Centro de Amistad Incorporado, East Valley Behavioral Association, Valley
Health Center in Somerton, Arizona, and served as president of the Arizona Hispanic Community
Forum. He is the past program director of the Westside Coalition for Substance Abuse
Prevention, PHS grant in western Maricopa County. He has served as a member of the
management committee for the Maricopa Association of Governments and the technical advisory
committee of the Western Arizona Council of Governments. Solárez holds a bachelor's degree in
secondary education from Arizona State University, a certificate in public policy from the
University of Arizona and a graduate of the Hispanic Leadership Institute and Leadership West.
SECRETARY, Sue F. Davis
Sue Davis is Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Arizona Foundation for Behavioral Health
(AFBH) and Board Treasurer of the Arizona Behavioral Heath Corporation (ABC). Davis retired
prematurely from a teaching career “to keep her son alive” when he developed schizophrenia
while a scholarship student at MIT and the family’s health insurance plan disenrolled him because
chronic mental illness was not a covered benefit. She awarded “Vice President, emerita,” status
with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) after serving six years as a Board Director,
Officer, and Public Policy Committee Chair. Davis was President of NAMI Arizona for six years
and Executive Director for nine. She opened the NAMI Arizona Mental Illness Information &
Family Support Center in Phoenix that provides education about mental illness and advocacy.
Davis sits on the Magellan of Arizona Governance Board, has served on the Arizona State Hospital
Governing Body for the past 16 years, and is a member of the ADHS/DBHS Best Practice
Advisory Committee (BPAC) and a Subject Matter Expert for the Arizona Peace Officer
Standards and Training (AZPOST) Board. Prior to these positions, Davis served on Arizona State
University’s Psychiatric Community Mental Health Nursing Practice Council, the AHCCCS State
Medicaid Advisory Committee (SMAC), and the National Committee for Quality Assurance
(NCQA) Standards Committee. She was a charter member and first chair of the Arizona
Behavioral Health Planning Council, an adjunct professor at the ASU School of Nursing, and a
member of the Arizona Council on Offenders with Mental Impairments and Governor Rose
Mofford’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on the Seriously Mentally III. Davis was the editor of the first
“Seeds of Crisis/Change” Report while serving as Secretary of the Mental Health Association
Board of Directors. Davis has a BA from United States International University (USIU) plus 62
post-graduate, “eclectic” hours from numerous universities, including ASU and the American
Graduate School of International Management.
TREASURER, Sue Gilbertson
Sue Gilbertson has served on a number of mental health organizations both nationally and locally.
She is a member of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Arizona and was the co-founder
of a predecessor to NAMI Phoenix. She served nationally on the Board of Directors of NAMI's
Child and Adolescent Network. She serves on the Arizona Behavioral Health Corporation's board
and is the Treasurer for the Arizona Foundation for Behavioral Health. She served on the Arizona
Children's Behavioral Health Council and was the a board member of the Mental Health
Association of Arizona. Ms. Gilbertson is a long time member and past president of the State's
Behavioral Health Planning Council. In 1987, Sue founded Mentally Ill Kids in Distress (MIKID)
and holds a lifetime seat on its board of directors. She is a member of the Mental Health Guild
and a board member of Consumers in Action, dba North Phoenix Visions of Hope Center. Sue
serves as Treasurer of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Military Order of the Purple Heart and is a
member of Homeland Security through her involvement with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. She
holds a bachelor's degree in business and economics from the University of Minnesota, Duluth.
Bryant Barber
Bryan Barber is a partner in the Public Finance Group of the Lewis and Roca LLP law firm in
Phoenix since 1989. He has extensive experience in municipal finance and capital formation for
municipal governments and small businesses. Mr. Barber serves as counsel to GPEC, Arizona
Health Facilities Authority, the Industrial Development Authority of the City of Phoenix and other
Arizona municipalities. Mr. Barber was previous a Director for the Phoenix Urban League, Board
of Visitors for Stanford Law School, Commissioner for the State of Arizona Housing
Commission, a participant in Valley Leadership, and on the Bank of America Community Advisory
Committee. He is a member of the State Bar of Arizona and the National Association of Bond
Lawyers. Mr. Barber received his B.A. from the University of Arizona and his J.D. from
Stanford Law School.
Richard Dunseath
Richard Dunseath business background includes serving as Senior Vice President at Citicorp,
President of the Phoenix Division of Biltmore Investors Bank and Regional Vice President of
United Bank of Arizona. He currently manages investments including stocks, bonds, mutual
funds and real estate. Richard has previously served as the President of the Scottsdale Arts
Center Association, Program Chair for the Board of Directors of the Robert Morris Association,
Treasurer of the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement of Central Arizona, Board of Directors
of the Phoenix 100 Rotary Club, and Coach of several Little League Baseball and Soccer teams.
Wendy Gilbertson
Wendy Gilbertson serves on the Boards of the Arizona Behavioral Health Corporation (ABC) and
the Arizona Foundation for Behavioral Health. Ms. Gilbertson serves as Secretary for ABC. She
is a registered nurse at St. Luke's Medical Center in the Wound Center. Wendy completed her
Bachelor's degree in Nursing at Grand Canyon University in 2006. She graduated Cum Laude and
is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She is a member of
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Arizona. She has previously served on committees
associated with the Arizona Department of Health Services in the Division of Behavioral Health
and the Arizona State Hospital. Prior to completing her nursing degree Ms. Gilbertson was active
with MIKID (Mentally Ill Kids in Distress).
Nick Margiotta
Nick Margiotta serves as a Phoenix police officer in the Community Relations Bureau. He is the
Crisis Intervention Training coordinator for the department, in partnership with Magellan Health
Services. Mr. Margiotta is a certified Spanish Speaker and is actively involved in issues affecting
the chronically homeless and severely mentally ill individuals, service providers, community
partners and the behavioral health system. Nick has a Bachelor's degree from Arizona State
University and a Master's degree from Northern Arizona University. He has served on the Arizona
Coalition to End Homelessness, Maricopa County Meth Task Force, the Lodestar Day Resource
Center Advisory Board, and on the Work Group Committee for the Urgent Psychiatric Care Center
Michael Wilson
Michael Wilson is a former administrator of victims' rights at the Arizona Department of Juvenile
Corrections in Phoenix, Arizona. Prior to his current post, he served as a youth parole supervisor
for the department, and has also worked as a counselor at Diversion of Violent Emotions (D.O.V.
E.), in addition to other positions throughout his extensive career within the justice system. He
serves on a variety of community boards, including the YMCA Ahwatukee/Foothills board of
directors, and the Intern Advisory Committee at ASU's School of Social Work. He has also
volunteered with City Dads, Inc., a gang prevention program, and served as commissioner for the
City of Phoenix Youth Commission. Wilson's professional affiliations include the Arizona Coalition
for Victim Services, the National Victim Center, the Arizona Counseling Association, and many
more. He holds a master’s of education degree in counseling from Northern Arizona University
and a bachelor’s of science degree in social welfare from Arizona State University.
David C. Tierney
David Tierney is a litigator practicing primarily in Commercial Construction Law. He has been a
partner in the Phoenix firm Sacks Tierney P.A. since 1974. Mr. Tierney received his B.A. degree
from Brandeis University and his J.D. degree from Harvard Law School in 1965. He was Clerk to
Justice Reardon, Massachusetts Supreme Court; a Peace Corps volunteer (still fluent in Spanish);
and former chairman of the Governor’s Task Force on Computers in Education. Mr. Tierney is
the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Risk Management (self-insurance for Maricopa
County); a past Chairman of the State Bar Construction Law Section; the Chairman of the
Construction Advisory Council to the American Arbitration Association in Phoenix; the Chairman
of the Restorative Justice Resources Council, In.; the Chairman of the Irish American Cultural
Institute Chapter in Phoenix; and Board member of the Arizona Coalition for Tomorrow (a Head
Start-related entity). In October 1998, the National Association of Probation Executives presented
the William Faches Award to Mr. Tierney. Mr. Tierney is a former Adjunct Professor at ASU
Law School teaching Construction Law. He is a Life Member of the American Bar Association
Fellows. In 2006, Mr. Tierney received the Supreme Court of Arizona Award for Improving the
Legal System through Public Service.
PRESIDENT/CEO, Ted Williams
Ted Williams, a partner in the government relations and consulting firm, Williams LaSota & Miller
Consulting Group, Ltd., specializes in the fields of health care, environmental health, budget
development, financial management and general administration.
Williams spent two years as Associate County Administrator for the Maricopa County Health Care
Agency where he implemented a reconstruction plan that saved $23 million in its first year of
operation. Prior to that, he was the Assistant County Manager for Environmental Quality and
Community Service where his administrative expertise was apparent in providing strategic
planning, financial direction, and managing politically sensitive issues and crisis situations.
His previous positions included Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, Executive
Vice President of Baptist Hospitals and Health Systems in Phoenix, consultant for the Arizona
State Legislature, Deputy Director for both the Arizona Department of Transportation and the
Department of Health Services and Special Assistant to the Governor of Arizona.
Williams’ excellent communication skills are widely recognized within the business and
governmental communities. His membership in statewide organizations include Arizona Town
Hall, Arizona Coalition for Tomorrow, and Arizona Senior Olympics. Williams hold a Juris
Doctorate and a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Arizona State University.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, Eddie Sissons
Eddie Sissons serves as the first Executive Director for the Arizona Foundation for Behavioral
Health. Prior to joining the Foundation she was the Program Manager for the Community
Services Program at the Arizona Attorney General’s office where she and the staff recruited and
trained volunteers over 100 volunteers for the 25 satellite offices around the state.
Ms. Sissons served for 8 years with as Executive Director of a local poverty law program.
Additionally, she served 8 years as staff to the Arizona State Senate Democratic Caucus and had a
brief engagement serving U.S. Senator Dennis DeConcini in 1994 prior to the Senator's retirement.
Eddie has more than twenty-five years experience in health-social-governmental-community
policy settings working in Arizona.
She has a Master's in Public Administration and a B.S. in Political Science summa cum laude from
Arizona State University. Ms. Sissons is a Certified Public Manager from the Arizona Advance
Public Executive's Program.
PRESIDENT, Terry Bachmeier
Terry Bachmeier is an office manager and bookkeeper at the Morrison Brothers Ranch in Higley,
Arizona. He currently serves as a director of Arizona Behavioral Health Corporation. He
possesses a strong background in foreign language studies, including Spanish, German, French
and Japanese. Bachmeier served as Sunday school superintendent and on several key planning
committees of his church including serving as a youth counselor/teacher for 17 years. He has
completed extensive personal religious studies. Active in aiding the criminal justice system,
Bachmeier conducts weekly pastoral visits to Arizona's juvenile prisons north of Phoenix and
serves on the Arizona Task Force of Justice Fellowship, works on the National Advisory Group
to improve the criminal justice system, including prisons, and protect victim's rights on a state by
state basis. He serves as the Resident Chaplain at the Maricopa County Southeast Juvenile
Detention Facility on a part time basis and has done so for the last 12 years, serving as Assistant
Chaplain for several years prior to becoming the resident Chaplain. Previously, Bachmeier has
served on the Maricopa Clinical Management Board, East Valley Behavioral Health Citizens
Advisory Council, and East Valley Behavioral Health Association's Board, and currently serves on
the board of directors of the Arizona Foundation for Behavioral Health. Honors for community
contributions include Outstanding Volunteer Service Award of Arizona Department of Youth
Treatment and Rehabilitation in 1993, and Nominee for Volunteer of the Year of Arizona
Administrator's Association, 1994.
VICE PRESIDENT, José Solárez
José Solárez is the Economic Development Planner for the Gila River Indian Community. He is
also the owner of the consulting firm Consultores ARIZONENSE, specializing in public affairs,
organizational and strategic planning, economic and housing development, grants management and
business development in Sonora, Mexico. Currently, he is a director of Arizona Behavioral Health
Corporation. He served as tribal manager for Pascua Yaqui Tribe and city manager for El Mirage,
San Luis and the Town of Guadalupe. Solárez has also served on several boards of community
organizations, such as Centro de Amistad Incorporado, East Valley Behavioral Association, Valley
Health Center in Somerton, Arizona, and served as president of the Arizona Hispanic Community
Forum. He is the past program director of the Westside Coalition for Substance Abuse
Prevention, PHS grant in western Maricopa County. He has served as a member of the
management committee for the Maricopa Association of Governments and the technical advisory
committee of the Western Arizona Council of Governments. Solárez holds a bachelor's degree in
secondary education from Arizona State University, a certificate in public policy from the
University of Arizona and a graduate of the Hispanic Leadership Institute and Leadership West.
SECRETARY, Sue F. Davis
Sue Davis is Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Arizona Foundation for Behavioral Health
(AFBH) and Board Treasurer of the Arizona Behavioral Heath Corporation (ABC). Davis retired
prematurely from a teaching career “to keep her son alive” when he developed schizophrenia
while a scholarship student at MIT and the family’s health insurance plan disenrolled him because
chronic mental illness was not a covered benefit. She awarded “Vice President, emerita,” status
with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) after serving six years as a Board Director,
Officer, and Public Policy Committee Chair. Davis was President of NAMI Arizona for six years
and Executive Director for nine. She opened the NAMI Arizona Mental Illness Information &
Family Support Center in Phoenix that provides education about mental illness and advocacy.
Davis sits on the Magellan of Arizona Governance Board, has served on the Arizona State Hospital
Governing Body for the past 16 years, and is a member of the ADHS/DBHS Best Practice
Advisory Committee (BPAC) and a Subject Matter Expert for the Arizona Peace Officer
Standards and Training (AZPOST) Board. Prior to these positions, Davis served on Arizona State
University’s Psychiatric Community Mental Health Nursing Practice Council, the AHCCCS State
Medicaid Advisory Committee (SMAC), and the National Committee for Quality Assurance
(NCQA) Standards Committee. She was a charter member and first chair of the Arizona
Behavioral Health Planning Council, an adjunct professor at the ASU School of Nursing, and a
member of the Arizona Council on Offenders with Mental Impairments and Governor Rose
Mofford’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on the Seriously Mentally III. Davis was the editor of the first
“Seeds of Crisis/Change” Report while serving as Secretary of the Mental Health Association
Board of Directors. Davis has a BA from United States International University (USIU) plus 62
post-graduate, “eclectic” hours from numerous universities, including ASU and the American
Graduate School of International Management.
TREASURER, Sue Gilbertson
Sue Gilbertson has served on a number of mental health organizations both nationally and locally.
She is a member of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Arizona and was the co-founder
of a predecessor to NAMI Phoenix. She served nationally on the Board of Directors of NAMI's
Child and Adolescent Network. She serves on the Arizona Behavioral Health Corporation's board
and is the Treasurer for the Arizona Foundation for Behavioral Health. She served on the Arizona
Children's Behavioral Health Council and was the a board member of the Mental Health
Association of Arizona. Ms. Gilbertson is a long time member and past president of the State's
Behavioral Health Planning Council. In 1987, Sue founded Mentally Ill Kids in Distress (MIKID)
and holds a lifetime seat on its board of directors. She is a member of the Mental Health Guild
and a board member of Consumers in Action, dba North Phoenix Visions of Hope Center. Sue
serves as Treasurer of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Military Order of the Purple Heart and is a
member of Homeland Security through her involvement with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. She
holds a bachelor's degree in business and economics from the University of Minnesota, Duluth.
Bryant Barber
Bryan Barber is a partner in the Public Finance Group of the Lewis and Roca LLP law firm in
Phoenix since 1989. He has extensive experience in municipal finance and capital formation for
municipal governments and small businesses. Mr. Barber serves as counsel to GPEC, Arizona
Health Facilities Authority, the Industrial Development Authority of the City of Phoenix and other
Arizona municipalities. Mr. Barber was previous a Director for the Phoenix Urban League, Board
of Visitors for Stanford Law School, Commissioner for the State of Arizona Housing
Commission, a participant in Valley Leadership, and on the Bank of America Community Advisory
Committee. He is a member of the State Bar of Arizona and the National Association of Bond
Lawyers. Mr. Barber received his B.A. from the University of Arizona and his J.D. from
Stanford Law School.
Richard Dunseath
Richard Dunseath business background includes serving as Senior Vice President at Citicorp,
President of the Phoenix Division of Biltmore Investors Bank and Regional Vice President of
United Bank of Arizona. He currently manages investments including stocks, bonds, mutual
funds and real estate. Richard has previously served as the President of the Scottsdale Arts
Center Association, Program Chair for the Board of Directors of the Robert Morris Association,
Treasurer of the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement of Central Arizona, Board of Directors
of the Phoenix 100 Rotary Club, and Coach of several Little League Baseball and Soccer teams.
Wendy Gilbertson
Wendy Gilbertson serves on the Boards of the Arizona Behavioral Health Corporation (ABC) and
the Arizona Foundation for Behavioral Health. Ms. Gilbertson serves as Secretary for ABC. She
is a registered nurse at St. Luke's Medical Center in the Wound Center. Wendy completed her
Bachelor's degree in Nursing at Grand Canyon University in 2006. She graduated Cum Laude and
is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She is a member of
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Arizona. She has previously served on committees
associated with the Arizona Department of Health Services in the Division of Behavioral Health
and the Arizona State Hospital. Prior to completing her nursing degree Ms. Gilbertson was active
with MIKID (Mentally Ill Kids in Distress).
Nick Margiotta
Nick Margiotta serves as a Phoenix police officer in the Community Relations Bureau. He is the
Crisis Intervention Training coordinator for the department, in partnership with Magellan Health
Services. Mr. Margiotta is a certified Spanish Speaker and is actively involved in issues affecting
the chronically homeless and severely mentally ill individuals, service providers, community
partners and the behavioral health system. Nick has a Bachelor's degree from Arizona State
University and a Master's degree from Northern Arizona University. He has served on the Arizona
Coalition to End Homelessness, Maricopa County Meth Task Force, the Lodestar Day Resource
Center Advisory Board, and on the Work Group Committee for the Urgent Psychiatric Care Center
Michael Wilson
Michael Wilson is a former administrator of victims' rights at the Arizona Department of Juvenile
Corrections in Phoenix, Arizona. Prior to his current post, he served as a youth parole supervisor
for the department, and has also worked as a counselor at Diversion of Violent Emotions (D.O.V.
E.), in addition to other positions throughout his extensive career within the justice system. He
serves on a variety of community boards, including the YMCA Ahwatukee/Foothills board of
directors, and the Intern Advisory Committee at ASU's School of Social Work. He has also
volunteered with City Dads, Inc., a gang prevention program, and served as commissioner for the
City of Phoenix Youth Commission. Wilson's professional affiliations include the Arizona Coalition
for Victim Services, the National Victim Center, the Arizona Counseling Association, and many
more. He holds a master’s of education degree in counseling from Northern Arizona University
and a bachelor’s of science degree in social welfare from Arizona State University.
David C. Tierney
David Tierney is a litigator practicing primarily in Commercial Construction Law. He has been a
partner in the Phoenix firm Sacks Tierney P.A. since 1974. Mr. Tierney received his B.A. degree
from Brandeis University and his J.D. degree from Harvard Law School in 1965. He was Clerk to
Justice Reardon, Massachusetts Supreme Court; a Peace Corps volunteer (still fluent in Spanish);
and former chairman of the Governor’s Task Force on Computers in Education. Mr. Tierney is
the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Risk Management (self-insurance for Maricopa
County); a past Chairman of the State Bar Construction Law Section; the Chairman of the
Construction Advisory Council to the American Arbitration Association in Phoenix; the Chairman
of the Restorative Justice Resources Council, In.; the Chairman of the Irish American Cultural
Institute Chapter in Phoenix; and Board member of the Arizona Coalition for Tomorrow (a Head
Start-related entity). In October 1998, the National Association of Probation Executives presented
the William Faches Award to Mr. Tierney. Mr. Tierney is a former Adjunct Professor at ASU
Law School teaching Construction Law. He is a Life Member of the American Bar Association
Fellows. In 2006, Mr. Tierney received the Supreme Court of Arizona Award for Improving the
Legal System through Public Service.
PRESIDENT/CEO, Ted Williams
Ted Williams, a partner in the government relations and consulting firm, Williams LaSota & Miller
Consulting Group, Ltd., specializes in the fields of health care, environmental health, budget
development, financial management and general administration.
Williams spent two years as Associate County Administrator for the Maricopa County Health Care
Agency where he implemented a reconstruction plan that saved $23 million in its first year of
operation. Prior to that, he was the Assistant County Manager for Environmental Quality and
Community Service where his administrative expertise was apparent in providing strategic
planning, financial direction, and managing politically sensitive issues and crisis situations.
His previous positions included Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, Executive
Vice President of Baptist Hospitals and Health Systems in Phoenix, consultant for the Arizona
State Legislature, Deputy Director for both the Arizona Department of Transportation and the
Department of Health Services and Special Assistant to the Governor of Arizona.
Williams’ excellent communication skills are widely recognized within the business and
governmental communities. His membership in statewide organizations include Arizona Town
Hall, Arizona Coalition for Tomorrow, and Arizona Senior Olympics. Williams hold a Juris
Doctorate and a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Arizona State University.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, Eddie Sissons
Eddie Sissons serves as the first Executive Director for the Arizona Foundation for Behavioral
Health. Prior to joining the Foundation she was the Program Manager for the Community
Services Program at the Arizona Attorney General’s office where she and the staff recruited and
trained volunteers over 100 volunteers for the 25 satellite offices around the state.
Ms. Sissons served for 8 years with as Executive Director of a local poverty law program.
Additionally, she served 8 years as staff to the Arizona State Senate Democratic Caucus and had a
brief engagement serving U.S. Senator Dennis DeConcini in 1994 prior to the Senator's retirement.
Eddie has more than twenty-five years experience in health-social-governmental-community
policy settings working in Arizona.
She has a Master's in Public Administration and a B.S. in Political Science summa cum laude from
Arizona State University. Ms. Sissons is a Certified Public Manager from the Arizona Advance
Public Executive's Program.