Burrell Behavioral Health has named its next CEO. Mat Gass will serve as the third CEO since the organization was founded in 1977.
Burrell employs 1,800 people in the Springfield metro area and 2,056 across the state. It’s part of Brightli, Inc., a parent organization with more than 6,000 team members.
Gass became president of Burrell Behavioral Health’s Central Region in 2019. He’ll continue leading Burrell Behavioral Health, Preferred Family Healthcare and Clarity Healthcare team members working in what is now Brightli’s North Central Region. That region includes 38 counties in Missouri and Illinois.
Gass’s promotion will means Brightli CEO C.J. Davis will no longer serve as Burrell CEO. Davis will continue to lead Brightli and focus on driving strategy, growth and innovation across all of its system members, according to a news release.
Gass has worked in the behavioral health care field for 25 years, the last 15 of those at Burrell.
"This is the most humbling experience I could ever imagine, to join an organization as a social worker almost 15 years ago with the belief that community should be at the core of everything we do to leading that organization into the future,” Gass said in the release. “The foundation work of a Certified Behavioral Health Organization is meeting individuals where they are serving them with the highest quality care. Whether we are working with a therapy client in a small town or innovating at the state and national level, our commitment to community and quality care drives everything that we do.”
He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Missouri Valley College and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Missouri.
“Mat Gass has an astounding ability to make every member of the team feel seen, heard and valued,” Davis said in the statement. “As we continue to strengthen our organization and offer more health care services in more communities, we need clear direction and compassionate leadership.”
