As President/CEO of Pacific Clinics since 1980, Dr. Mandel has directed the growth of the agency from a staff of 30 and annual budget of $800,000 to its current position as one of the largest private non-profit outpatient behavioral healthcare agencies in the West.

During her 27 years as Pacific Clinics President and CEO, Dr. Mandel has developed the organization to its current stature with a $96 million annual budget and a staff of 1,200 professionals at over 77 locations in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura Counties. From 1975-1980, Dr. Mandel had a successful tenure as Director of Mental Health for Alameda County in Northern California, the first woman and first non-psychiatrist to hold the position.

Throughout her 40-year career in behavioral healthcare, she has never lost her passion to bring clinical best practices in mental health to consumers and families. Her concern for broader community behavioral health issues led her to organize community agencies to represent non-profit organizations in shaping policy. She was the founding president of the Association of Community Mental Health Agencies (ACHSA) and served as a member of its Board of Directors until 1999 and was founding president of the California Council of Community Mental health Agencies (CCCMHA). She has also served as Chair of the California Mental Health Planning Council and currently leads its Human Resources Committee. A member and former chair of the Board of the Human Services Unemployment Trusts (HSUT), a pooled unemployment insurance trust created by and for non-profit organizations, Dr. Mandel now serves on its Trust Advisory Council. She is a licensed psychologist in the State of California. Vision

Jim Balla brings more than 25 years of combined human services and healthcare management experience to the executive team at Pacific Clinics. He joined Portals in 1998 as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. In October, 2001, Jim succeeded Marv Weinstein as its President and Chief Executive Officer, a position he held until assuming his current role with Pacific Clinics at the time of the merger with Portals on July 1, 2007.

At Pacific Clinics, Jim has joined the senior management team in providing business direction and organizational leadership over the agency’s clinical and administrative operations. As Executive Vice President and COO, he reports to the President and CEO and provides overall direction for the operations of Pacific Clinics, including finance, asset management, information systems, human resources, public affairs, and resource development. Jim also provides leadership to all administrative departments and program divisions, coordinates activities of the senior management team, and assists in strategic planning and program development. He assists the President and CEO in board development, serves on board standing committees, and cultivates and develops relationships with the agency’s primary public and private funding sources.

Jim’s expertise includes operations and strategic planning, along with organizational and business development. He has held key management and consulting positions with a number of Los Angeles-based mental health agencies, behavioral healthcare organizations, human services agencies, and medical groups. Among them are: USO Los Angeles Inc.; Verdugo Mental Health Center; Family Service of Los Angeles; Portals House, Inc.; and NHI Medical Groups, Inc.

Jim earned a B.S. degree in management as well as an MBA from Pepperdine University. He is affiliated with Pepperdine’s Graduate School of Business and Management. He currently serves on the board of directors of the Association of Community Human Service Agencies, and is a former member of the board of the California Council of Community Mental Health Agencies. Jim served honorably in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he received a special commendation award for meritorious service from the Secretary of the Navy.