Christine Stoner-Mertz, LCSW, is the CEO of the California Alliance of Child and Family Services and its Catalyst Center. As a practitioner, administrator, advocate and former foster parent, Ms. Stoner-Mertz brings her personal and professional expertise to the policy and practice efforts of the Alliance and Catalyst, a training and technical assistance program focused on practice improvement in children and family services. Representing member organizations providing behavioral health, child welfare and education services, she helps to ensure that policy reflects the needs of provider organizations and those they serve.

Previously, Ms. Stoner-Mertz served as President and CEO of Lincoln Families, an agency delivering a range of community-based services in the San Francisco Bay area. She has served on state and national boards of behavioral health associations, and has worked as a consultant to numerous nonprofits, county departments and the State of California.

Ms. Stoner-Mertz was a co-founder of Seneca Family of Agencies, a state-wide nonprofit. A sought-after expert on MediCal EPSDT program design and implementation, she has expertise in integrating funding streams to effectively address the behavioral health needs of children, youth and families. She has served on the boards of directors of the California Alliance, the California Council of Behavioral Health Agencies, the National Council of Behavioral Health Organizations, and has been the recipient of numerous service and leadership awards during her career, including the Jefferson Award for Public Service.