Alexis Michelle Foote

I attribute my success to resilience, curiosity, and a willingness to keep evolving. I’ve never been afraid to ask questions, challenge the way things have always been done, or admit when there’s something I still need to learn.

I also believe success comes from genuinely caring about the work and the people affected by it. In behavioral health, every policy, program, and decision ultimately impacts a real person. I’ve tried to never lose sight of that, even as I’ve moved into executive leadership.

Some of my greatest growth has also come from difficult seasons in my life. They taught me how to adapt, how to keep moving forward, and how to recognize possibilities where other people might only see obstacles.

More than anything, I think my success has come from refusing to believe that where you start determines where you finish. I’m still learning, still building, and still asking, “How can we do this better?” I hope I never stop.

My mentor told me to lead with my heart and to be real. Don't expect to be the smartest person in the room. Sometimes you're going to learn from your clients. Don't expect to know everything, and don't try to know everything. To be real in that would give you connection.

Don’t wait until you feel completely ready, because you probably never will. Some of the best opportunities in my career came when I was willing to step into a room and figure things out as I went.

Learn everything you can, ask questions, find people who will challenge you, and don’t be afraid to take up space. You can be compassionate and still be strong. You can lead with empathy and still have boundaries. And you don’t have to become harder or quieter to be taken seriously.

I’d also tell young women not to confuse someone else’s confidence with competence. Trust what you know, but stay humble enough to keep learning.

And when you see something in healthcare that isn’t working, don’t assume you’re supposed to accept it because “that’s how it’s always been done.” Some of the most important changes begin with one person being willing to ask, “Why are we still doing it this way?”

One of the biggest challenges in behavioral health right now is that our system is still far too reactive. We often wait until someone is in crisis before we intervene, and by then we’re trying to stabilize something that may have been developing for weeks or months.

Access is another enormous challenge. People still face long waitlists, insurance barriers, provider shortages, and gaps between levels of care. And for women specifically, we’re only beginning to fully recognize how hormonal transitions, reproductive health, trauma, caregiving, and different stages of life intersect with mental health.

But I think those challenges also represent some of our greatest opportunities.

We have an opportunity to rethink what behavioral healthcare looks like—to integrate mental and physical health more effectively, create programs designed around populations that have historically been overlooked, and use technology and AI responsibly to identify changes earlier and provide support before someone reaches a crisis.

That’s the part of this field that excites me most. I don’t think the future of mental healthcare is simply about providing more treatment. I think it’s about becoming better at recognizing when someone needs us and reaching them sooner.

Integrity, compassion, loyalty, and authenticity are probably the values that guide me most.

Integrity matters because I want to be the same person whether I’m sitting in an executive meeting, working with a clinician, or talking with someone who is struggling. I believe you do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do, not because someone is watching.

Compassion is at the heart of everything I do. I’ve spent my career in behavioral health, and I’ve learned that you rarely know the full story of what someone is carrying. That doesn’t mean we don’t hold people accountable, but it does mean we can lead with humanity.

Loyalty is also incredibly important to me. When I believe in people, I invest in them. I want the people around me to succeed, and I believe good leadership is about creating opportunities for other people to grow, not just advancing yourself.

And finally, authenticity. I spent enough of my life thinking I had to be a certain version of myself to belong in certain rooms. At this point in my life, I’ve learned that I’m a better leader, clinician, wife, mother, friend, and human being when I simply show up as myself.

Those values really come down to one thing for me: I want the work I do and the relationships I build to leave people better than I found them.