Melissa Elliot 
Presenter

Melissa Elliott, LCSW, is the Founder and CEO of Be AGAPE Family Therapy & Coaching, a certified Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) providing psychotherapy, clinical supervision, and leadership development across New York City. Her practice partners with the City of New York and community-based organizations to expand access to culturally responsive care, particularly for perinatal and postnatal mental health, couples, and families.
Melissa is also an adjunct professor at New York University, where she teaches social work practice, field instruction, and courses on diversity, racism, oppression, and privilege. Nationally recognized as a facilitator, she leads leadership workshops, retreats, and team development sessions for Boards of Directors, Assembly Members, and nonprofit organizations.
Through her coaching and consulting practice, Melissa emphasizes transformational leadership, guiding professionals and organizations to build resilience, strengthen leadership capacity, and foster authentic workplace cultures. She provides life, leadership, and executive coaching nationally and internationally, with a focus on empowering BIPOC professionals.
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Professional Coach, and doctoral candidate in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Her work is guided by authenticity, empowerment, and transformation—helping leaders and communities actualize their highest potential.

Carmen Rickman 
Presenter

Dr. Carmen Rickman, DSW, LCSW-C, is the Evaluation Manager at the Center for Adoption Support and Education and an Adjunct Instructor at the University of Kentucky. She is a licensed clinical social worker and a Board-approved supervisor with experience in program development, implementation, and evaluation across behavioral health and child welfare systems. Her work focuses on advancing trauma-informed, data-driven practices that improve service delivery and outcomes for children, families, and communities.
Dr. Rickman owns a private practice that focuses on working with adults healing from trauma and adverse childhood experiences. She has presented nationally and internationally on program evaluation, measurement-based care, and trauma-informed systems change. With experience spanning direct clinical practice, evaluation, and interdisciplinary collaboration, Dr. Rickman is dedicated to bridging the gap between research and practice to enhance systems of care.

Dr. Seida Hood 
Presenter

Dr. Seida Hood, LCSW, DSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Executive Leadership Consultant, and Founder of The Milian Collective, Dr. Hood specializes in helping ambitious professionals and healthcare leaders break free from hustle culture while building sustainable wellness rhythms that prevent burnout and strengthen their impact. Through my signature program, The Hustle Rehab™, Dr. Hood provides a unique lens that bridges clinical expertise with leadership strategies to advance the well-being and performance of social workers and healthcare professionals.

Ongeleke Turner
Panelist

Ongeleke Turner LMSW-C currently serves as the Assistant Director of Social Work at a local state of Michigan psychiatric hospital, where she oversees clinical operations, staff development, and program implementation for the social work department serving individuals with severe and persistent mental illness. With 13 years of experience across inpatient, outpatient, intensive outpatient, emergency, medical, and forensic psychiatry settings, she brings a comprehensive understanding of integrated care and the vital role of social work within healthcare systems.
Ongeleke’s leadership journey from frontline clinician to lead social worker, interim assistant director, and now assistant director has honed her ability to bridge direct practice with strategic decision-making in healthcare settings. As founder of NoFlagNoFoul LLC, a mental health practice supporting athlete wellness, she manages all clinical and business operations, an entrepreneurial perspective that enriches her approach to innovative care and community engagement.
She is passionate about integrating social work in all aspects of the practice including clinical, mezzo and macro levels, addressing health disparities, and strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration to achieve equitable health outcomes.
She is a native of Detroit, Michigan, proud alumnae of Michigan State University and a recently certified sports social worker through NYU’s postmasters sport social work certificate program. 

Markita Billups, LCSW is a seasoned leader in healthcare operations with over a decade of progressive leadership and expertise. She is the founder of Blackbird Strategic Solutions, a consulting firm dedicated to helping healthcare organizations optimize clinical operations, scale efficiently, and drive strategic growth.
As the former SVP of Operations at Oshi Health, she oversaw Business Operations, Practice Operations, and People Operations functions. In her role, she successfully built the nation’s first Gastroenterology specialized value-based virtual care clinic, expanding it from zero to 50-state coverage and growing the team from 10 to over 150 employees. Her efforts led the company to receive six Best Place to Work Awards, including recognition from Modern Health, BuiltIn, and Inc. 100. Additionally, she spoke at the Pittsburgh Business Group on Health Conference alongside a strategic business partner focused on bringing awareness to employers on how to effectively engage employees in innovative healthcare programs.
Before her tenure at Oshi Health, Markita held the position of VP of Clinical Operations at Vital Decisions, Inc. (acquired by Evolent Health), where she provided strategic and operational leadership for innovative clinical products. Additionally, she served as the Manager of Care Coordination at Highmark Health, where she delivered clinical leadership in telehealth services for individuals with co-occurring disorders. Her efforts in nurturing relationships with key stakeholders enabled the successful expansion of the care model across the state of Delaware.
As a clinician with LCSW credentials in both Pennsylvania and Delaware, Markita is uniquely positioned to translate business priorities to clinicians, driving meaningful alignment and impact. Markita's exceptional contributions earned her a nomination for Modern Healthcare's Emerging Leaders 40 Under 40, Transform 10 Leader’s Award, Rock Health’s Builder’s Award, and she is a recipient of the inaugural 2024 Culture Amp’s Top 25 Emerging Culture Creators award. Markita thrives on innovation and leading through dynamic change environments.
Committed to service, Markita actively occupies an advisory board seat on the Alumni Board at the College of Public Health at Temple University and serves as an adjunct professor at Thomas Jefferson University in the College of Health Professions.

Tiara Jones
Panelist

Tiara Jones, MSW, BA, SIFI, is a passionate and results-driven healthcare and community health professional with over 10 years of experience in healthcare management, trauma-informed care, community service coordination, and public health policy. She currently serves as Senior Program Manager at Red Door Community, New York City’s preeminent nonprofit cancer support organization. In this role, Tiara leads strategic program development and delivery, ensuring individuals and families impacted by cancer have access to a full complement of free emotional, educational, and lifestyle support services both online and in person so that no one faces cancer alone.
Previously, Tiara supported statewide cancer prevention and early detection efforts at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, where she spearheaded mobile outreach and health equity initiatives, developed strategic community partnerships, and implemented educational campaigns aimed at eliminating disparities in cancer screening and outcomes. In that role, she demonstrated a strong commitment to reducing systemic barriers such as transportation, housing instability, food insecurity, and lack of insurance, helping individuals navigate medical, mental health, and social services with dignity and ease.
Tiara holds a Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University, with a concentration in Health, Mental Health, and Disabilities, and is currently pursuing her LMSW licensure. Throughout her career, she has led multidisciplinary teams in implementing programs centered on behavioral health integration, trauma recovery, and care coordination for children, adolescents, and families. She has also designed and facilitated workshops, community education sessions, and provider trainings on trauma-informed care, youth mental health, and culturally responsive engagement.
With deep experience across both the healthcare and nonprofit sectors, Tiara has successfully managed large-scale grants and strategic initiatives including those funded by CCBHC and local health departments focused on improving health outcomes in underserved communities. Her work includes policy advising, coalition building, compliance oversight, and the development of performance measurement frameworks to support sustainable systems of care.
Tiara is the founder of Bridges2Health, LLC, a health-focused consulting and service firm dedicated to addressing chronic illness, housing instability, and mental health disparities through collaborative, community-based solutions. Bridges2Health (B2H) is committed to promoting health equity by tackling the social determinants of health and fostering social cohesion within communities. By integrating diverse resources and cultivating strategic partnerships, B2H aims to build a supportive network that empowers individuals and strengthens community resilience. As part of its long-term vision, B2H will establish an urgent care facility offering onsite primary care and mental health services, ensuring timely and comprehensive healthcare access for all residents.
Certified in Health Administration, Trauma-Informed Care, and Mental Health First Aid, Tiara is known for developing creative, community-driven engagement strategies including digital toolkits, mobile outreach models, and “Lunch & Learn” education series. She brings a powerful blend of clinical insight, policy acumen, and grassroots leadership to her work with an unwavering commitment to advancing health equity and transforming systems to better serve those most impacted by health disparities.