Ms. Holt, has 35 years of experience in public behavioral health operations and consulting, with almost 30 years at DMA, serving as a Principal since 2005 and CEO from 2021 to 2024. Trained in economics (BA, University of Wisconsin, 1974) and public policy (Masters, Kennedy School of Government, 1979), she has considerable experience in analysis of mental health systems, including financing, cost effectiveness, and utilization. Her areas of expertise, including: strategic planning for Massachusetts behavioral health programs, including the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program and the Department of Public Health’s Suicide Prevention Program; evaluation of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration grants to providers and state agencies; proposal writing, including a number of successful bids for Massachusetts state agencies for systems of care for children of different ages and suicide prevention; assessments of state and region mental health and substance abuse needs and gaps utilizing quantitative and qualitative data; analysis of human service provider financial condition and rate adequacy; performance measures and cross-state benchmarking of Medicaid and mental health authority services for children; and the design, procurement and evaluation of Medicaid managed behavioral health care plans.

Prior to joining DMA, Ms. Holt served as Manager of Policy and Planning at MHMA, the first statewide Medicaid behavioral health carve out in the nation. In that position, she had key roles in network development, provider performance profiling, client outcomes measurement, outpatient utilization management, and CQI team leadership. Ms. Holt also served as Director of Administration and Finance for a mental health clinic and Supervising Management Auditor at the State Auditor’s Office.