We are pleased to announce the recent appointment of Brendan S. Arniel and Jeanette L. Fairhurst to our Board of Directors. 

“Our Board of Directors plays a vital role in advancing MHA’s three-pronged mission of advocacy, community education and direct services. On behalf of the entire agency, I am pleased to welcome Brendan and Jeanette to our committed and passionate Board,” said MHA CEO Charlotte Östman, LCSW-R. “I am honored that Brendan and Jeanette have chosen to devote their time and talent to improving behavioral health care in our community and increasing awareness for mental health issues.”

Arniel is an Assistant Vice President at Pickwick Capital Partners, LLC, where he supports investment banking efforts and focuses on origination, structuring and execution of the firm’s mergers and acquisitions transactions. He is also part of the firm’s executive team responsible for business development, strategy and marketing. He holds a B.S. from The Ohio State University and an MBA from the University of Manitoba Asper School of Business. “To have the opportunity to make a change in the lives of others is very important to me, and MHA is the perfect channel to be a voice in creating awareness for mental health,” said Arniel. “The various programs and services provided by MHA are very innovative. I have a personal interest in helping youth and young adults at risk, and I believe it is vital to be involved at the earliest stage possible in an individual’s personal development.”

Fairhurst is an Associate Director of Therapeutic Antibodies at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, where her focus on identifying and characterizing antibodies has contributed to approved new medicines for conditions such as atopic dermatitis, rheumatoid arthritis and high cholesterol. She volunteers regularly for the Regeneron In The Community program and is a graduate of Williams College. “Mental health is an underserved area, and people often don’t know where to get the help they need. The perception of weakness for depression can be debilitating, and we must make it more acceptable to talk about,” said Fairhurst. “I am very excited to join MHA’s Board of Directors at this time, when the need for these dialogues is much more apparent due to current events. We have to seize the moment to make mental healthcare ingrained in part of the healthcare system, and MHA is poised to continue leading the way in this work.”