NNews October 2024

35 October 2024 (continued on page 36) (continued from page 34) Other Leaders Serving on Both Boards Erika Kerber, Esq. President/Executive Director Community Health Law Project Brigitte Johnson, Esq. President and CEO CarePlus NJ, Inc. BRIGITTE JOHNSON HAS BEEN serving on the NJMHI Board sinceMay 2022 and on the NJAMHAA Board since January 2023. She has personally worked closely with NJAMHAA since 2017 upon being elected to the Board of the ERIKA KERBERWAS FIRST ELECTED to the NJMHI Board in FY2019 and the NJAMHAA Board in FY2020. She has been with Community Health Law Project (CHLP) for more than 16 years, first as Supervising Attorney of its Monmouth/Ocean office and then as the Managing Attorney and previously practiced family law and spent some time in private practice. Erika is a member of the New Jersey Mental Health Coalition and previously served on the Monmouth County Mental Health Board Professional Advisory Committee, which she also chaired for a few years. Erika received “Although we compete against each other, NJAMHAA brings us together, building a community of providers who put competitiveness aside and help each other,” Brigitte said. “Both Boards focus on the current situations and where we want to go in the future. We make sure we represent all populations we serve throughout the state. We are bringing in diversity -- geographic, as well as cultural. Sometimes our Board discussions are not easy, but we do concentrate on addressing social determinants of health, as well as mental illnesses and substance use disorders,” Brigitte added. her law degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and her Bachelor’s degree from the NYU Leonard N. Stern School of Business. Erika shared that she gains “enormous value” from serving on the NJAMHAA and NJMHI Boards. “The knowledge I’ve obtained from peers on the boards is phenomenal. My colleagues are stellar individuals, very well versed in their fields,” she said. “Knowing about the mental health and addictions field is critical in my work dealing with legal issues and life issues. So, National Council onMental Wellbeing and Chair of its Nominating Committee. Brigitte co-chairs NJAMHAA’s Hospital Community Integration Council. She accepted the co-chair position given CarePlus’ involvement as a behavioral health third-party operator to Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, a safety net facility, serving Bergen County and beyond. Brigitte also serves as the Executive Advisor for CarePlus NJ’s Diversion, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging staff committee. Brigitte received her BA degree and graduated CumLaude fromVirginia State University and earned her lawdegree fromHoward University School of Law. we need to know about treatment and recovery in their lives, as well as the policy perspective.”