Title
Leadership
SAMHSA’s leadership team, made up of the Assistant Secretary, Deputies, Directors, and Regional Directors, brings SAMHSA a variety of experience and expertise in the behavioral health fields, including law, policy and research, mental health and substance use services, state and federal government, and more.
Arthur Kleinschmidt, Ph.D., MBA
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary
Christopher D. Carroll, MSc
Deputy Assistant Secretary
Rear Admiral Christopher Jones, Pharm.D., Dr.P.H., M.P.H.
Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP); Acting Director of the Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality (CBHSQ)
Tison Thomas, Ph.D., M.S.W.
Acting Director of the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS)
Rachele C. Espiritu, Ph.D.
Director of the Office of Minority Health
Neeraj Gandotra, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer
John Palmieri, M.D., M.H.A.
Acting Director of the 988 & Behavioral Health Crisis Coordinating Office
CAPT Karen Hearod, M.S.W., LCSW
Director of the Office of Tribal Affairs and Policy (OTAP)
Daniel Lonnerdal, M.S., FACHE
Director of SAMHSA’s Office of Management, Technology, and Operations (OMTO)
Coqui Aspiazu
Director of the Office of Communications
Dona Dmitrovic
Acting Director of the Office of Recovery (OR)Senior Advisors
Rick Lambert, M.D.
Senior Advisor
Last Updated: 11/14/2025