DEBORAH L. STEPHENS
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Ms. Stephens is the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Behavioral Health Systems, Inc. (BHS). Established in 1989 as a privately held corporation headquartered in Birmingham, AL, her organization created and administers a national preferred provider organization of 70,000+ behavioral health-related hospitals, physicians and professionals. BHS administers the mental health, substance abuse and employee assistance program benefits on behalf of 600+ employers and 500,000+ beneficiaries nationwide. In addition to overseeing the care provided through this network and processing all claims between the employer-client and BHS providers, the organization offers complementary behavioral health-related programs and services including drug testing, wellness, education & training, and behavioral workers’ comp. Ms. Stephens became a principal shareholder of BHS in 2015 and has been chairman of the board of directors since inception. Read more.
DANNY COONER
President
Danny Cooner is the president, Safety First division. He has been with the company since 1996, serving in various leadership capacities within the division. Mr. Cooner’s current responsibilities include complete oversight of the drug and alcohol management and testing division. Additionally, he oversees the implementation of strategic marketing plans to ensure growth of Safety First. Under his direction, Safety First continues to see record growth year-over-year. Read more.
JEFFREY HILL, MRO-A
Senior Vice President, Operations Safety First Division
Jeffrey “Jeff” Hill is senior vice president, operations, Safety First division. Jeff is an accomplished human resources executive with extensive experience in building a best-in-class organizations. He holds an MRO-A (Medical Review Officer Administrator) certification from the Medical Review Officer Certification Council (MROCC). Mr. Hill has over 30 years of comprehensive, hands-on operations, HR and sales experience. Within BHS’ Safety First division, Mr. Hill leads all operations related to drug and alcohol management, and testing administration including corporate/client relations, quality control and assurance, compliance as well as personnel management. Read more.
LIZ SLATER, C-SAPA
Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
Liz Slater is senior vice president & chief marketing officer (CMO), Safety First division. Liz is directly responsible for all Safety First marketing and sales efforts as well as regulatory compliance. Additionally, she works in collaboration with the President, Safety First division in the management of operations including client onboarding, implementation, and account management. With 22 years’ experience, Ms. Slater has extensive knowledge related to all facets of employment screening program management. She has been instrumental in the growth of Safety First over the past several years. Her national marketing presence has expanded Safety First’s client base to include Fortune 50 and Fortune 100 companies as well as membership in national organizations including SAPAA and NDASA. Read more.
DR. STEVEN ALLEN
Medical Director
Steven Allen, M.D. is the medical director, Safety First division. He has been with the company since 2007 and has over 30 years experience in the medical field, specializing in family and occupational medicine. At BHS, Dr. Allen oversees all aspects of Safety First’s medical review services while providing quality assurance review of the drug testing process. He ensures the accuracy and integrity of lab results by determining if there are legitimate medical explanations for laboratory-confirmed positive, altered and/or invalid drug test results. Dr. Allen works daily with Safety First’s administrative staff to review complex tests and provide guidance to ensure quality. He also works directly with the president of Safety First to review appropriate procedures and policies. Read more.
DR. CHERYL SZABO
Medical Review Officer
Cheryl Szabo, M.D. is medical review officer, Safety First division. She has 25 years of experience in emergency medicine, occupational health and family medicine. At BHS, Dr. Szabo assists the medical director in medical review services on behalf of Safety First’s client base. She ensures the accuracy and integrity of lab results and works closely with Safety First’s administrative staff to ensure accuracy and quality. Dr. Szabo currently serves as a physician with WorkDOT 1st. Additionally, she has experience as a medical director, onsite, for large employers. She also has experience as a staff physician in the emergency medicine and urgent care sector. Read more.
TAMIKA SKIPWITH
Director, Claims Administration
Skipwith is responsible for all activities involved in the client billing process at Safety First. Her primary responsibilities include coordinating all client, laboratory and third-party provider billing. She serves as the primary corporate liaison to the Safety First network of SAMHSA-certified laboratories regarding activities related to pricing, customer service and billing. She has 22+ years of experience at Safety First, having served in various roles and positions within the division.
ANGELA MABRY
Director, Operations
Mabry is responsible for the oversight of Safety First operations. She serves as the primary liaison to Safety First clients, ensuring they receive best-in-class service. Her responsibilities also include management of MRO services, network development, and drug and alcohol testing program management. She has almost 30 years of industry-related experience including 18 years of experience at a national reference laboratory and 10 years of experience in third-party administration of corporate employment screening programs.