OPEN MINDS Announces Executive Roundtable To Feature Two Organizations Making The Holding Company Model Work As An Alternative To Traditional M&A
Gettysburg, Pa. (June 22, 2025) On June 26, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. ET, OPEN MINDS Senior Associates Rick Rowley and Dee DeWitt, along with Natalie Tortorello, Chief Operating Officer, Our House, and Karen Maziarz, Chief Financial & Strategy Officer, Youth and Family Alternatives, will present the OPEN MINDS Circle Executive Roundtable, Making The Holding Company Model Work As An Alternative To M&A: Lessons, Pitfalls & Partnership Paths.
During this one-hour live presentation, they will present the mechanics of the holding company model and where it outperforms traditional partnerships. Discussion topics will include how this model differs from other growth strategies, how shared services and centralized governance support local innovation, where holding companies create leverage, what’s required for success, and why some affiliations fail.
“Every provider organization needs a growth strategy to increase scale in the face of potential market share loss to new competitors,” said OPEN MINDS Chief Executive Officer Monica E. Oss. “However, due to the urgency for significant growth, organic growth alone isn’t always an option. Executives who are exploring rapid growth strategies also need to consider all the affiliation and partnership models and their potential benefits.”
What You’ll Learn
- How the holding company model supports growth while honoring local roots
- Why it can be a strong alternative to full mergers or acquisitions
- Lessons from affiliations that fell short and how to avoid common missteps
- Why more organizations are turning to this model to scale successfully
To register for the 1:00 p.m. ET, June 26 event, visit Making The Holding Company Model Work: Lessons, Pitfalls & Partnership Paths. There is no cost to register, but a free membership in the OPEN MINDS Circle is required.
Speaker Bios
Rick Rowley, Senior Associate, OPEN MINDS
Rick Rowley brings over 10 years of experience driving improved performance, quality, and costs of the health care system to OPEN MINDS as a Senior Associate. Mr. Rowley is focused on bringing together physicians, health care provider organizations, payers, and data-driven strategies. Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Rowley was the Chief Data & Analytics Officer at the State of Colorado, Behavioral Health Administration. In this role, he designed and implemented the Colorado behavioral health performance monitoring system, which focused on the impact of care across privately and publicly funded services including health care, criminal justice, and social services.
Dee DeWitt, Senior Associate, OPEN MINDS
Dee DeWitt has extensive experience as a consultant and corporate leader in the health care field. Mr. DeWitt has over 28 years of experience in health care finance and operations, M&A, technology adoption, strategic planning, and change management in health care organizations to OPEN MINDS as a Senior Associate. Previously, Mr. DeWitt was the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Momentum for Health, a CARF-accredited non-profit behavioral health organization providing services to individuals with a diagnosed serious mental illness (SMI) and/or substance abuse disorder, in San Jose, California.
Natalie Tortorello, Chief Operating Officer, Our House, Inc.
As chief operating officer, Natalie Tortorello’s focus is on compliance and efficiency at $22 million Our House, Inc., including HR, Facilities and Finance. Prior to that, she spent 15 years working on curriculum and assessment development and policy development in private education. She holds a Master’s in Organizational Psychology from Kean State University and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Rutgers University. Having served on numerous Boards, including the American Lung Association, Ms. Tortorello recently completed four years as an elected member of her local Board of Education. She serves on several committees for ABCD-NJ. Through these affiliations, she participates in local and statewide advocacy for children and adults with developmental disabilities.
Karen Maziarz, Chief Financial & Strategy Officer, Youth and Family Alternatives (YFA)
Karen Maziarz is responsible for the overall administrative and strategic initiatives for Youth and Family Alternatives. Over the past 25 years she has had an expanded CFO role, which included developing agency strategy, driving growth and promoting innovation. Her role is not only to manage financial risk, but to evaluate opportunities for growth. Maziarz has fostered a culture of high performance by integrating and staying involved in the financial optimization of the programs within YFA. She serves as the “broker” of the organization and brings in the needed resources, partnerships and talent when needed. Maziarz earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Memphis University, Memphis, Tennessee.
About OPEN MINDS
OPEN MINDS is a national market intelligence, management consulting, and marketing services firm specializing exclusively in the high-needs consumer market—mental health, addiction treatment, cognitive disabilities, chronic health conditions, elder services, health-related social needs, and adjacent markets within the health and human service field. Its mission is to provide payers, service provider organizations, pharmaceutical, technology, and scientific firms that serve these consumers with the market and management knowledge needed to improve their organizational efficiency and effectiveness. Learn more at openminds.com.