FOUNDER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Dr. L. Read Sulik is our founder , CEO, and Chief Medical Officer. He is a Triple Board Program trained child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist and pediatrician. For over 20 years, Sulik has passionately and tirelessly pursued the vision, design, and development of innovations to improve mental health and wellbeing and integrate behavioral health into primary and specialty healthcare. At Portages Health, he continues the adventure, forging new paths needed to bring better access to better mental health and wellbeing care to individuals, organizations and communities.

Throughout his entire career, he has held numerous senior leadership positions in healthcare and in state government. He has raised over $30 million through grants, philanthropy, and investments and received numerous professional awards. He is a passionate and compassionate clinician, teacher, and mentor and is a popular speaker, having given 100s of Keynotes, lectures, and workshops locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.

CHIEF CLINICAL SCIENTIST

Dr. Bloomquist is a clinical psychologist with extensive experience as a service provider, supervisor, and researcher in mental health. He is a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Minnesota Medical School where he consults regarding best practices for mental health services. His work over the past 30 years has emphasized developing, implementing, and evaluating innovative mental health programs utilizing an implementation science approach. An experienced researcher, Dr. Bloomquist has published numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and written several books about mental health, effective intervention methods, and evidence-based practice.

As the Chief Clinical Scientist for Portages Health, Dr. Bloomquist guides the development of research-validated content, precision measurement, and implementation methods within Portages digital technologies. He trains and oversee the Portages Health workforce to ensure Portages programming and technology are applied with high fidelity. He leads evaluation and dissemination of Portages within real-world practice settings.

BUSINESS MANAGER, DATA ANALYTICS & VISUALIZATIONS DIRECTOR

Desmond Walker (Dez) is our Business and Data Analytics Manager with years of experience in business finance, auditing and healthcare quality process improvement. Desmond supports all aspects of Praestan business operations resulting in business and clinical best practices and expertise in predictive modeling, machine learning, PowerBI, Tableau, data analytics, financial strategy, and forecasting.

Desmond is known as a high-integrity, approachable, and self-motivated team player with affiliative and team-oriented leadership styles. He is known also as “Coach Walker”, and has been coaching boys and girls youth travel, AAU and high school in both football and basketball for over 20 years.

CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER

Richelle Jader, BSN, MHA is a seasoned Health Care Administrator. She servea as our Chief People Officer overeeing talent acquisition and retention and has been serving as our Interim Director of Clinic Operations. Richelle has 30 years of leadership experience in healthcare, including having been the Director of Emergency Services at the Level 1 Trauma Center, Regions Hospital, in St Paul for 15 years. She also previously held multiple leadership roles in the Fairview Healthcare system.

Richelle is proud to have created teams that provide patient-centered cultures wherever she’s been and is instrumental in building the Portages Care Teams.

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

Gary Jader is our Chief Marketing Officer, and is a member of the Portages Health Advisory Board. Over the past 20+ years, Gary has been creating new products, services, and businesses for companies as large as 3M and United Health Group, as well as serving as a catalyst for many start-ups and early stage companies. Gary has a tremendous background in healthcare and is overseeing Portages marketing strategy across all sectors.

For over 17 years, Gary has also been an adjunct professor of marketing at Hamline, St. Thomas, Augsburg, and Metro State Universities.

CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

Ed Driscoll is our Advisor for Business Development. For thirty years, Ed has launched companies and led high-performing teams in data networking, software, media and manufacturing ventures, raising over $1 billion, generating over $2.7B in revenue, and building organizations that today employ thousands of people. Ed brings years of experience and a tremendous passion and commitment to the Portages Health mission and vision in his guidance to the Executive Team in growth, scaling, and fundraising strategies.

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT AND LEAD OUTFITTER

Bio Coming Soon