Kristin Garrett Montgomery is the Senior Officer of Behavioral Health Strategy and Operations, at the Policy & Innovation Center.
In her role, Kristin will support the ELEVATE Behavioral Health Workforce Fund, a $75 million investment from the County of San Diego to grow and strengthen the region’s behavioral health workforce. She has dedicated nearly 30 years of experience in community health throughout San Diego and Imperial Counties.
Before PIC, Kristin worked at the American Academy of Pediatrics CA Chapter 3, where she launched the Strategic Behavioral Health Initiative (SBHI) and led the creation of a policy and system change framework focused on the children’s behavioral health continuum of care. She will continue to run SBHI along with behavioral health efforts at PIC. Kristin is currently building a Children and Youth Behavioral Health Regional Council in San Diego to coordinate priorities by leveraging the collective expertise of key stakeholders and implement the SBHI’s strategic recommendations.
She previously served as Chief Operations Officer at Children’s Legal Services of San Diego and as Associate Vice President at Molina Healthcare. During her 18 years at Community Health Improvement Partners (CHIP), including serving as CEO, she focused on creating cross-sector partnerships to tackle pressing health issues and disparities. While working at CHIP, she was part of developing the San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative, Suicide Prevention Council and Resident Leadership Academy. She also conducted five community health needs assessments. She started her career as the Director of Public Advocacy at the Hospital Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties.
Kristin served on the boards of the local American Lung Association in California, Mental Health America and San Diego Organization of Healthcare Leaders. She is currently part of the Peninsula Youth Softball Association. In each of her roles, Kristin focuses on expanding access to quality care for individuals, families, children and adults.
Kristin holds a bachelor’s degree in nutrition sciences from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and a Master of Public Health in Health Services Administration from San Diego State University.