Adrienne Shilton

Vice President, Public Policy & Strategy

Adrienne is the Vice President of Public Policy & Strategy, overseeing the work of the Policy Team.

She is a recognized expert in behavioral health policy who has devoted her career to improving the well-being of people living with mental health and substance use conditions. Adrienne became involved in mental health policy as a staff person in the campaign to pass the 2004 Mental Health Services Act. For the past three years, she has directed the multi-faceted legislative and budget advocacy program of the California Alliance, from developing strategic policy goals, to lobbying, building effective coalitions and partnerships, and working with Departments and oversight agencies to effectuate policy changes that enable providers to better serve children and families in public systems.

She has been a champion for culturally relevant program design, incorporating peer support as a crucial piece of recovery, and using evaluation and outcomes-based reporting to drive strategy.  Adrienne has served as an adviser on a number of statewide efforts, and currently sits on multiple task forces working to improve behavioral health policy in California, with a particular focus on youth, young adults, and families. 

She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Knox College, and a master’s degree in public policy and administration from California State University, Sacramento.