Cobb County Behavioral Health Coordination Meeting
Featured Speakers & Panelists
Officer Jacob King- Cobb County Police Departmnet, PATH Team Lead
Bio coming soon!
Julie Wallace- Wellstar's Center for Health Equity Community Health Department, Community Impact Specialist
Julie Wallace is a Community Impact Specialist for Wellstar’s Center for Health Equity Community Health department. She is currently coordinating mental health programming for the community throughout the Wellstar / Metro Atlanta footprint. Julie holds a Master’s of Science degree in Psychology and has experience in Counseling as well as Crisis Stabilization. She hopes to educate the public about mental illness in order to support and de-stigmatize mental health treatment. Julie lives in Marietta, Georgia, with her husband, Adam, son, Robert, and their three cats, Bella, Trixie, and Murray.
Leslie Gutierrez, M.A. - Ser Familia, Mental Health Counselor
Leslie Gutierrez is a counselor at Ser Familia, an organization dedicated to offering culturally
sensitive mental health support to the Latino community. She earned her B.S. in Psychology
from Berry College and went on to receive her M.A. in Mental Health Counseling from Roger
Williams University. Bilingual in Spanish and English, Leslie works with children, adolescents,
and adults, guiding them through life’s challenges related to mental and emotional well-being.
She creates a safe, supportive space and takes a collaborative approach, empowering
individuals to develop healthy coping strategies, build resilience, and achieve their full potential.
Lori Jouty, MPH - Overdose Prevention & Response Program Coordinator, Cobb & Douglas Public Health
Lori Jouty is the Overdose Prevention and Response Program Coordinator for Cobb and Douglas Public Health. In this role, she facilitates community partnerships to address the opioid crisis in Cobb and Douglas Counties, analyzes and prepares data for community decision-making, and explores and vets evidence-based programs for community implementation.
Lori received an MPH from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Georgia State University. She has worked in public health programs at the local, state, federal, and international levels.
Lt. Yaminah Holt – Deputy Sheriff, Cobb County Sheriff’s Office
Bio coming soon!
Kathleen Varda– VP of Community Engagement & Development, Highland Rivers Behavioral Health
Kathleen Varda is the Vice President of Community Relations and Development at Highland Rivers Behavioral Health as well as serving a dual role as the Director of the Highland Rivers Foundation. She has broad-based expertise in strategic planning, grant and fund development, and community relationship building. She has worked for the public behavioral health system, known as community services boards for more than 20 years. She is most well known for her ability to create successful outcomes in complex situations, which includes securing more than $130+ million in federal and foundation grants, major gifts and contract awards.
Mrs. Varda has also led several national, state, and local organizations as well as university programs in the development, implementation, and achievement of their strategic initiatives. She holds a Master's of Social Work degree from Georgia State University, where she has been invited back on several occasions to teach grant writing and social welfare policy to graduate-level students.
Jazmyn McCloud, MPH, CHES - Health Equity & Community Engagement Director, Cobb & Douglas Public Health
Jazmyn McCloud, MPH, CHES, is the Health Equity and Community Engagement Director for Cobb & Douglas Public Health. Her work centers on identifying health issues and working with community organizations to ensure people have the resources and opportunities needed to reach their healthiest self. Jazmyn has been working with Cobb & Douglas Public Health since 2015. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from Spelman College and a Master of Public Health Degree in Community Health from Southern Illinois University. She is a long-term resident of Cobb County and considers the best part of her job is being able to impact the community where her family and friends live.