McClendon Center is defined first and foremost by its people: dedicated clinicians, community support specialists, program leaders, and administrators who show up each day with skill, compassion, and resolve to serve Washington, DC residents facing serious mental health challenges.
Guiding that work is an executive leadership team distinguished by uncommon continuity, experience, and grit. In a behavioral health landscape often marked by turnover and burnout, McClendon Center benefits from extraordinary stability: its President & CEO, Chief Operating Officer, and Clinical Director have each served the organization for more than a decade, with an average tenure exceeding 15 years.
The leadership team combines frontline experience, clinical rigor, operational discipline, and, above all, heart.
Sheandinita Dyson
Michael Burt, M.Ed.
Dr. Samuel Allen
Caitlin Apo, LPC
Shawn Johnson
Beth Nevins
Antonio Naglieri
Muluken Geresu
Get to Know Our Executive Leadership Team
Sheandinita Dyson
President and CEO
Joined McClendon Center in 2008
Sheandinita Dyson is a seasoned behavioral health executive with nearly two decades of leadership experience advancing community-based mental health care in Washington, DC. Appointed President & CEO in 2022, she is the first woman to lead McClendon Center since its founding in 1980.
Dyson leads organizational strategy, financial stewardship, managed care contracting, regulatory compliance, and workforce oversight within the District’s evolving Medicaid landscape. She oversees an organization that provides comprehensive behavioral health services to more than 3,000 DC residents annually, including 1,000 individuals receiving direct, ongoing care through its certified Core Services Agency and Day Program.
Under her leadership, McClendon Center has strengthened managed care partnerships with AmeriHealth Caritas DC and MedStar Family Choice, expanded post-hospital discharge coordination services, and reinforced its role as a critical safety-net provider within the District’s behavioral health continuum. The organization maintains accreditation through The Joint Commission and has earned top ratings on the District’s Behavioral Health Provider Scorecard.
Dyson has guided the organization through post-pandemic stabilization, reimbursement volatility, and large-scale Medicaid integration efforts while preserving continuity of care for residents experiencing serious mental illness, homelessness, and economic hardship. McClendon Center remains the only certified provider of Transition Planning Services in the District, underscoring its system-level importance in supporting individuals transitioning from institutional settings back into the community.
Since joining McClendon Center in 2008 as a Community Support Specialist, Dyson has advanced through nearly every level of leadership, serving as Team Leader, Compliance Officer, Director of Compliance and Training, Interim President & CEO, Senior Director & Chief of Staff, and ultimately President & CEO. This breadth of experience equips her with a comprehensive understanding of both frontline service delivery and the strategic complexities of leading a certified Core Services Agency in the District.
Dyson is an active leader within the District’s behavioral health policy environment. She has served on technical expert panels and advisory bodies addressing Medicaid carve-in implementation, care coordination standards, workforce development, and community support redesign. In 2026, she began a two-year term on the Board of Directors of the District of Columbia Behavioral Health Association, contributing to sector-wide advocacy and system improvement efforts.
Recognized for her integrity, steadiness, and results-oriented leadership, Dyson leads with accountability and heart, grounded in firsthand experience supporting vulnerable residents navigating homelessness, hospitalization, and systemic barriers.
She is a proud 2007 graduate of Howard University and resides in Maryland with her three daughters.
Michael Burt
Chief Operating Officer
Joined McClendon Center in 2009
Michael Burt serves as Chief Operating Officer of McClendon Center, bringing more than 15 years of institutional leadership and operational expertise to the organization. As COO, he oversees day-to-day operations, quality infrastructure, regulatory compliance, and strategic implementation, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, person-centered behavioral health services to more than 3,000 DC residents annually.
Michael plays a central role in strengthening and sustaining the operational systems that support the Center’s certified Core Services Agency, one of the District’s most comprehensive Day Programs, and its specialized hospital discharge coordination and transition planning services. His leadership has been instrumental in maintaining organizational stability amid Medicaid redesign, reimbursement volatility, workforce pressures, and post-pandemic recovery.
Having joined McClendon Center in 2009 as a Team Leader, Michael has served in progressively senior roles, including Director of Quality Improvement, Senior Director and Chief of Staff, before being appointed Chief Operating Officer. His long tenure provides deep institutional knowledge and operational continuity that is rare in the behavioral health sector.
As Director of Quality Improvement, Michael led the Center through successful accreditation cycles with The Joint Commission in 2017 and 2021, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to rigorous standards of care and compliance excellence. He has strengthened quality assurance systems, performance monitoring, and clinical documentation practices, contributing to the Center’s strong performance on the District’s Behavioral Health Provider Scorecard and its continued standing as a trusted safety-net provider.
Working in close partnership with McClendon’s President & CEO Sheandinita Dyson, Michael helps set the tone for disciplined execution, cross-departmental alignment, and mission-focused accountability. Together, their long-standing leadership provides the organization with strategic steadiness, operational grit, and a shared commitment to serving individuals with acute and complex behavioral health needs.
Michael holds a Master of Education in Counselor Education from Bowie State University and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Frostburg State University.
Dr. Samuel Allen
Medical Director
Joined McClendon Center in 2021
Dr. Samuel Allen serves as Medical Director of McClendon Center, where he leads the organization’s psychiatric services and clinical decision-making for one of Washington, DC’s most comprehensive community-based behavioral health providers.
Known for his compassion, clinical rigor, and deep commitment to vulnerable populations, Dr. Allen plays a central role in ensuring high-quality, trauma-informed care for residents experiencing serious mental illness, homelessness, co-occurring disorders, and repeated hospitalization.
Since joining McClendon Center in 2021 following completion of his psychiatry residency at Georgetown University Hospital, where he served as Chief Resident, Dr. Allen has strengthened psychiatric oversight, prescribing protocols, and interdisciplinary clinical collaboration across the organization. He leads psychiatric assessment and medication management for clients receiving ongoing services and supports continuity of care for thousands of District residents served each year.
As the agency’s chief clinical decision-maker, Dr. Allen supervises psychiatry staff, guides evidence-based treatment standards, and ensures alignment with regulatory and accreditation requirements established by The Joint Commission. His leadership supports McClendon Center’s ability to serve high-acuity clients within community settings, reducing unnecessary hospitalization, strengthening transitions of care, and promoting long-term stability.
Dr. Allen brings an international perspective to his work, having practiced and trained in England, Egypt, and the United States. Prior to relocating to Washington, DC, he served with the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust in the United Kingdom, where he developed clinical expertise working with complex psychiatric presentations in urban settings. Earlier in his career, he worked as a mental health advocate with University Legal Services, supporting individuals navigating disability rights and behavioral health systems — experience that continues to inform his patient-centered approach.
In addition to his clinical leadership at McClendon Center, Dr. Allen serves as Adjunct Faculty at The George Washington University and Georgetown University, contributing to the education and mentorship of future behavioral health professionals. His academic involvement strengthens the Center’s role as a training and learning partner within the District’s behavioral health ecosystem.
Dr. Allen earned his medical degree from St George’s, University of London and completed his undergraduate studies at University of Sussex. He completed his psychiatry residency at Georgetown University Hospital, where his leadership and clinical excellence distinguished him among his peers.
Affectionately known as “Dr. Sam” by colleagues and clients alike, he is guided by the belief that recovery begins with understanding the whole person and is sustained through partnership, dignity, and respect. His leadership reflects both clinical precision and profound humanity, reinforcing McClendon Center’s commitment to serving those most often overlooked within the healthcare system.
Caitlin Apo, LPC
Clinical Director
Joined McClendon Center in 2014
Caitlin Apo serves as Clinical Director at McClendon Center, where she leads psychiatric outreach, hospital transition, and community-based reintegration services for adults with complex and high-acuity behavioral health needs.
With more than a decade of leadership at the Center and nearly two decades of experience across the DC behavioral health system, Apo’s approach is rooted in direct, face-to-face engagement. She has spent her career in the field alongside clients — meeting them where they are, both literally and figuratively — building the kind of long-term, trust-based relationships that are central to McClendon Center’s culturally responsive, whole-person model of care.
A hands-on builder as much as a clinical leader, Apo played a central role in helping to develop several of McClendon Center’s most impactful services and program from the ground up, including its Patient Discharge Coordination (PDC) and Post Emergency Evaluation Services (PEES) — and has overseen the expansion of referral systems, clinical documentation compliance, and post-discharge engagement aligned with HEDIS and managed care standards.
She maintains active collaboration with homeless services providers, hospital systems, managed care organizations, and community-based partners to ensure seamless cross-system coordination.
Since joining McClendon Center in 2014, Apo has held progressively senior roles. Earlier in her career, she worked across correctional facilities, psychiatric hospitals, shelters, and outpatient clinics throughout the region, developing expertise in crisis intervention, emergency psychiatric evaluations, and care coordination for adults with severe mental illness.
Grounded in a belief that meaningful care is built through presence and long-term relationship, Apo pairs strong clinical leadership with a deep commitment to the individuals and communities McClendon Center serves.
Apo is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a Masters in Counseling from Marymount University. .
Shawn Johnson
Human Resources Director
Joined McClendon Center in 2020
Shawn Johnson serves as Human Resources Director at McClendon Center, where she leads workforce strategy, employee relations, talent management, and compliance with employment regulations. Since joining the organization in November 2020, Johnson has supported the growth and stability of a multidisciplinary behavioral health workforce serving adults with complex needs across Washington, DC.
With experience spanning multiple industries, Johnson brings practical leadership in recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and policy implementation. Prior to McClendon Center, she served as Human Resources Director at a correctional facility, where she managed HR operations in a highly regulated and demanding environment.
At McClendon Center, Johnson works closely with leadership to align human capital strategy with programmatic needs, strengthen staff engagement, and ensure adherence to employment standards and organizational policies. Her approach balances operational consistency with responsiveness to staff needs in a mission-driven healthcare setting.
Johnson holds a master’s degree in human resource development from Bowie State University and is an active member in the Society for Human Resources Management. Shawn is committed to continuous learning and fostering workplace environments where staff are supported to grow and perform at their best.
Beth Nevins
Director of Compliance, Quality, and Training
Joined McClendon Center in 2022
Beth Nevins serves as Director of Compliance, Quality, and Training at McClendon Center, where she oversees regulatory compliance, quality improvement initiatives, and internal process accountability across the organization. With more than a decade of experience in healthcare administration and practice operations, Nevins brings a disciplined, systems-oriented approach to ensuring high standards of care and organizational integrity.
Since joining McClendon Center in December 2022, she has strengthened compliance monitoring, documentation review processes, and performance improvement efforts aligned with Department of Behavioral Health and Medicaid requirements. Her work supports program fidelity, audit readiness, and continuous quality improvement across clinical and administrative teams.
An important component of Nevins’ role includes oversight of the Center’s Consumer Advisory Board (CAB) — a formal structure through which clients provide direct feedback on services, policies, and organizational priorities. The CAB reflects McClendon Center’s commitment to elevating client voice and ensuring that programs evolve in response to the lived experiences of those served. Under her leadership, this feedback loop remains an integral part of the Center’s quality framework and person-centered approach.
Prior to McClendon Center, Nevins served at Washington Behavioral Medicine Associates in Chevy Chase, Maryland, where she oversaw administrative operations designed to support efficient service delivery and a strong client experience. Earlier in her career, she was Operations Manager for a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) serving individuals experiencing homelessness in Southern California. In that role, she contributed to operational strategies that helped secure federal funding and advance the integration of primary care and behavioral health services.
Nevins holds a Master of Public Administration from California Baptist University and a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Fullerton. Her leadership reflects a commitment to accountability, transparency, and building sustainable systems that support high-quality, client-centered behavioral healthcare.
Antonio Naglieri
Director of Communications & Development
Joined McClendon Center in 2025
Antonio is a trusted operator, strategist, and connective force, known for calm execution, principled leadership, and results that speak for themselves.
With more than 20 years of experience across communications, development, and change management, Antonio has partnered with mission-driven organizations throughout the DC and Maryland region, and beyond, to build capacity, align teams, and drive meaningful change. For more than a decade, he has worked alongside nonprofit leaders in the DMV, helping organizations strengthen fundraising pipelines, deepen donor relationships, and tell the stories that move people to give.
Whether guiding executive teams, managing complex initiatives, or uniting distributed, intergenerational teams, Antonio brings clarity, momentum, and trust to the work. He has a particular gift for surfacing and amplifying stories of impact, securing earned media coverage in outlets including NPR, Bloomberg, Financial Times, Fast Company, The Atlantic, and The Washington Post.
As an embedded executive, Antonio moves seamlessly between strategy and execution, helping organizations strengthen culture, deepen stakeholder engagement, and deliver measurable outcomes aligned with their mission.
A respected voice in the communications field, Antonio serves as a board member of the Baltimore Public Relations Council and previously served with the Public Relations Society of America. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a Master of Public Administration from Binghamton University.
Board of Directors
Karl Hoffman
Alex Korobkin
Donna Calderone
Neil Hamilton
Members at Large
Dawn Abel
Dr. Sally He
Amy McKee
