E13 - When The Math Doesn’t Work: Leadership Strategies for Times of Change

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

2:15 PM - 3:15 PM MDT

Location: Bluebird 1B

SUD leaders are tasked with delivering outcomes in systems where the math often does not work, a reality that creates pressures this session names and distinguishes from purely clinical problems. This session explores leadership development under chronic stress, the integration of lived experience and professional training, and observable trauma-informed behaviors. Attendees gain practical strategies to protect non-negotiables, navigate value collisions, and foster innovation and hope rather than romanticizing endurance.

Learning Objectives:

Differentiate between trauma-informed care and trauma-informed leadership, and explain how each shows up in day-to-day practices within SUD organizations.
Identify how individual and organizational trauma manifests as burnout, conflict, and disengagement in the workforce, and assess its impact on team effectiveness and retention.
Apply practical, trauma-informed leadership tools to create work environments that balance psychological safety with accountability, supporting both staff well-being and service outcomes.

Disclosure(s):

Michael King: No financial relationships to disclose

Johanna M. Dolan, MSIOP, BCC, SIC, RCP, RPS, RCP-F: No financial relationships to disclose

Breakout Presenter(s)

Michael King

Director and Creator
The Communities Project
Lynnwood, Washington

Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose
Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, PhD

Vice President, CTTAC
Advocates for Human Potential

Disclosure information not submitted.
David C. Guth, Jr., MSW

Chief Executive Officer
Centerstone
Nashville, Tennessee

Disclosure information not submitted.