Elwyn Leaders Selected for Key Speaking Roles at Major Conferences
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Kurt Knaus P: 717-571-5687 | e: kurt@ceislermedia.com
ELWYN, Pa. (Sept. 23, 2026) — Five members of Elwyn’s senior leadership team are taking the stage at two major industry conferences this month, highlighting the organization’s growing role in shaping conversations around the future of behavioral health and human services.
Jeremy R. Sunkett, Senior Vice President of Strategic Real Estate, and both Микеле Дойтерман, Chief Human Resources Officer, and Дж. Карлос Родригес, Vice President of People and Culture, will lead separate sessions at the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association’s 2026 Annual Conference, Sept. 29-Oct. 2 in Hershey. RCPA is among the largest and most diverse state health and human services trade associations in the nation, with more than 400 members serving more than two million Pennsylvanians annually.
Additionally, Лори Томпкинс, Vice President of Corporate Quality, was invited by RCPA to provide a video explaining the work Elwyn did to obtain accreditation by Praesidium, a prestigious, independent validation that means Elwyn adheres to the highest, most rigorous, research-based national standards for preventing abuse, particularly for vulnerable-person-serving organizations.
Maurice Washington, DNP, Vice President of Adult Behavioral Health, is participating in a panel at the 2026 Behavioral Health Tech Conference, Sept. 22-24 in Nashville. BHT2026 is the largest U.S. gathering dedicated to expanding access to behavioral health services through technology, health equity and innovation.
The appearances showcase the breadth of expertise within Elwyn and the value its leaders bring to some of the most pressing challenges facing health and human services organizations.
“These invitations reflect the depth of experience across Elwyn and the important work our leaders are doing every day,” Elwyn President and CEO Charles S. McLister said. “Jeremy, Michele, Carlos, Laurie and Maurice are helping advance conversations that extend far beyond our organization, and we are proud to see their expertise recognized by peers across the field.”
Rethinking Real Estate as a Mission Investment
On Sept. 29 at RCPA’s session in Pennsylvania, Sunkett will present “Transforming the Care Environment: Using Real Estate to Sustain the Mission.”
His session will examine how Elwyn transformed its approach to real estate from one focused largely on maintenance and compliance into a strategic tool for improving the experience of the individuals it serves, their families and employees.
Sunkett will share how Elwyn began treating investments in facilities as investments in people — ultimately making real estate a pillar of the organization’s Strategic Plan.
Turning Employee Feedback into Action
Then, on Sept. 30, Deuterman and Rodriguez will present “From Insight to Impact: An Engagement Journey” at RCPA’s annual conference, which is expected to attract more than 700 attendees, including executives, clinicians, administrators, policymakers, presenters and other health and human services professionals from provider organizations and government offices across Pennsylvania.
Their session will focus on how organizations can move beyond collecting employee engagement data and turn that information into meaningful action.
Deuterman and Rodriguez will share lessons from Elwyn’s efforts to modernize HR systems, strengthen analytics and better connect employee feedback with communication, decision-making and organizational change.
Advancing the Future of Behavioral Health and IDD Care
At the Behavioral Health Tech Conference in Nashville, Washington will participate on the panel, “Where Evidence Meets What’s Next: Lessons from Leaders Bridging MH and IDD Care,” which will examine how providers can build on proven models of care while responding to increasingly complex mental health and intellectual and developmental disability needs.
Washington and fellow panelists will discuss how technology, whole-person approaches and new models of care can expand access and improve services while maintaining quality.
The Behavioral Health Tech Conference brings together leaders from across behavioral health to examine emerging approaches to how care is delivered, accessed and financed.
Together, these presentations and engagements demonstrate how Elwyn leaders are contributing practical experience and innovative thinking to conversations shaping the future of the human services field.
“Strong organizations learn from one another,” McLister said. “By sharing what we have learned at Elwyn and engaging with other leaders across the country, we can help strengthen the entire field and, most importantly, improve the services and supports available to the individuals and families that providers like us serve.”
О Элвине
Founded in 1852, Elwyn is a premier, internationally recognized human services nonprofit organization. We are the provider of choice for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as physical, medical, emotional, and behavioral health challenges. More at elwyn.org.
###
