Stephen A. Odom PhD, LMFT

Stephen Odom is distinguished healthcare professional with more than 30 years of expertise in the field as a C-Suite executive, owner, consultant, speaker, and therapist. He serves as the CEO and Chief Clinical Officer of First Responder Wellness by Simple Recovery, Shift Wellness, and First Responder Assistance, LLC. Within the vast scope of his professional career, Stephen is a pioneer in the behavioral health, addiction treatment, and wellness fields and remains grounded by the guiding principle that people can, and do, get well and stay that way.

Stephen possesses an educational background in organizational behavior, clinical psychology, and healthcare administration. This valuable combination allows him to integrate current research knowledge, clinical and administrative practice understanding, and practical, directly relevant experience. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Organizational Behavior from Covenant College (Lookout Mtn. GA), a Master’s in Experimental Psychology (Univ. of Tennessee), a Master’s in Clinical Psychology, along with a doctoral candidacy (Palo Alto University), and a Doctorate (Ph.D.) with a focus in Healthcare Administration (Capella University). He is also a licensed marriage & family therapist in California.

Dr. Odom frequently consults with fellow executives and organizations for organizational design and development, Start-up, acquisitions and mergers, leadership training, and conflict resolution mediation, and was named a Behavioral Health Care Champion in 2018, a national industry award for his successes in leadership, growth, and innovation in the behavioral health field.

Previously Stephen has held titles including CEO of New Vista Behavioral Health, Director of Program Development for CRC Health, and Administrative and Clinical Director at various behavioral health and addiction treatment centers and hospitals in California, including Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach and El Camino Hospital in the San Francisco Bay area. He has also held management roles at behavioral health facilities in Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. Stephen served as a university adjunct faculty member at the National Hispanic University in Psychology and Child & Adult Development where he was voted adjunct faculty of the year in 2005. Stephen has been coined as a mental health and substance abuse expert with peer-reviewed articles published on Mental Health and Substance Abuse Parity and the Electronic Health Record; has appeared on The Today Show; the 2016 Documentary film, California High, and multiple prints, radio, and podcast media channels.