I am deeply humbled and grateful to have been included in the 2026 Castle Connolly Top Doctors® list. Receiving this recognition for the 11th consecutive year — awarded through a rigorous, peer-nominated and physician-led process that honors only about 7 percent, or roughly 70,000, of all doctors practicing in the United States — is a profoundly meaningful affirmation of my work. Thank you.
As chairman of Behavioral Health Services at Denver Health, I have had the privilege of leading teams that provide compassionate, evidence-based treatment in one of the places where it’s needed most: our public, safety-net system. Every day, we see the resilience of adolescents navigating substance use disorders, the pain of families seeking help, and the transformative power of approaches like motivational interviewing, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and culturally attuned care. So, this honor belongs not just to me, but to my incredible colleagues at Denver Health who collaborate tirelessly. They include clinicians, researchers, and educators advancing our field.
Special thanks to my peers who nominated and vetted this list — and to the entire Castle Connolly team for upholding such high standnards of excellence in medicine. This honor motivates me to keep showing up, listening carefully and deeply, and fighting for better outcomes in mental health and the treatment of substance use disorders. Here’s to our continuing mission — together.
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