Alexandra Herrera (Alex)

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Alex served the State of Arizona for 10 years in progressive leadership positions at the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) and the Arizona Department of Health Services. She supported the integration of physical and behavioral health services for Arizona's 2.4 million members and led expansion efforts of Arizona's crisis care continuum, often featured as a best-practice state. Alex championed crisis system enhancements including maximizing federal and state investments, statewide consolidation of crisis phone services/988 implementation, creation of service standards, alignment with best practice, and implementation of health information technologies. Since leaving the state, Alex has worked in leadership positions with the largest 988 provider and has served as a national expert and state advisor on behavioral health crisis system design in Arizona, Delaware, Missouri, New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. 

Her subject matter specialties include the operational oversight of Medicaid managed care service delivery, procurement, behavioral health policy and system design, and provision of general and specialized behavioral health services, including the designation of individuals with serious mental illness and children with severe emotional disturbance. 

Alex is an experienced grant writer and in 2023 has authored grants totaling $42.5 million, with a 90% award rate.

Alex is a graduate of the University of Durham, United Kingdom and holds a master’s degree in public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.