Congratulations to Brian Mooney on his graduation from Leadership Greater Manchester (LGM). We are so proud of his accomplishment especially in year that was anything but normal.
LGM is a program that is offered by the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce. It is designed to recognize and nurture existing leadership talents from diverse sectors of the community. Through the exchange of viewpoints and experiences, participants are exposed to the challenges, opportunities and vital issues affecting the greater Manchester community. LGM begins in September with a group retreat, followed by nine daylong sessions held monthly through June. Each session focuses on a new topic presented by local and state leaders, as well as experts who present issues through lectures, discussions, simulation exercises and on-site visits.
Brian has been with Makin’ It Happen since 2019 in the role of Community of Care Manager. Brian leads the development of the Continuum of Care model. This model includes the continued advancement of the Substance Use Disorder Collaborative, the encouragement of partnership development, and the championship of policies and practices that make healthy living a possibility for everyone. In this position, he facilitates the Manchester Safe Station Committee, and the Substance Use Disorder Collaborative. Bringing stakeholders together to problem solve and evaluate system performance, assets, and gaps is the focus of Brian’s work. He leads MIH’s efforts in the development of a regional Recovery Ready Communities model and serve as the regional liaison for the business sector and the NH Recovery Friendly Workplace initiative. In addition, Brian serves as the Continuum of Care facilitator for the greater Manchester Regional Public Health network.
Brian’s leadership in the Greater Manchester community started well before his time with Makin’ It Happen. Brian was the Executive Director of Hope for NH Recovery, a network of Community Recovery Organizations serving the State of New Hampshire. He has a background in hospital financial management, healthcare analytics, and healthcare reimbursement systems. He holds a bachelor’s in health management and Policy and a Master’s degree in Health Administration, both from the University of New Hampshire. Prior to his employment at Hope, he was employed by Partners Healthcare in Boston and more recently Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems. He is a USAF Veteran (Medic/Firefighter) and served during the Gulf War in the Pacific (Guam/ Japan/Korea), Europe, and throughout the continental United States.
Brian’s leadership skills and desire to impact change in Greater Manchester made him the perfect candidate for the Leadership of Greater Manchester class of 2021. During his time with LGM Brian participated in 9 days with different themes over the course of the year. Each LGM day was arranged by LGM Alumni leading organizations within the community. Themes for the different days included Health, Justice, Commerce, Travel, and government. Due to the pandemic, many of these days were spent in a virtual environment. To keep the personal connections, the class was broken down into smaller “Pods” who got together in person to discuss each LGM days content.
Brian said “the LGM was important both personally and to Makin’ It Happen because of connection”. “Having a network of leaders in the community is an integral part of our work and also important to me personally as a resident of the city. The opportunity to have an ‘all access pass’ to so many of our critical community partners is tremendous, and rare.” This inside look at how our community functions has been an educational experience as well. Brian recalls the ride-along with officer Peter Flannagan during his LGM Experience. “Spending time on patrol with the police helped me better understand the challenges the patrol division faces, especially with family issues. This ties in closely with the work we do in the city and was eye opening for me. Officer Flannagan’s professionalism and demeanor was impressive to say the least.”
Makin’ It Happen works tirelessly to connect and serve community organizations with preventing substance misuse and connecting the continuum of care for substance use disorders including prevention, treatment and recovery from SUD. The LGM experience not only gave MIH the opportunity to raise awareness about their own work, but also opened the door to future partnerships that will remain essential to our mission. Mooney recommends the program without reservation saying, “The LGM experience connected me to my neighbor’s professional and personal, and made the region feel more like my own.”
If you are interested in becoming a part of the Class of 2022 go here http://www.manchester-chamber.org/chamber/about/leadership-greater-manchester/
