Melissa Lehman
Chief Nursing Officer
Melissa Lehman is a seasoned leader in behavioral health nursing. She received her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Aspen University and received her master’s in nursing administration from the University of Texas at Tyler in 2006. Melissa served as a leader in critical care, quality management, behavioral health consulting, and senior nursing roles in behavioral health. Melissa has successfully led nursing teams through expansion projects, start-ups of new organizations, and survey readiness for organizational teams. She has achieved several certifications, including ISO 9000 Certification in healthcare quality and a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality from 2006 to 2009. Certified Joint Commission Professional from 2018 to 2022. Melissa is published in the International Psychogeriatrics journal (2022), vol. 34, no. 10, pp. 889–903. doi:10.1017/S1041610221000235. She developed and presented Poster Presentations for Suicide Safety Planning Role for nurses in the psychiatric emergency unit at APNA in 2024, and for Decreasing Patient-on-Patient Violence by using a Proactive Protocol in 2025. Ms. Lehman received the Nurse of the Year award at Allegiance Specialty Hospital while serving as the CNO. Additionally, she was awarded the Diamond Healthcare Leadership Award by Diamond Healthcare for her navigation of behavioral health facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Melissa is a member of the American Nurses Association and the American Psychiatric Nursing Association. She works to improve the health and well-being of clients by implementing evidence-based healthcare practices, timely staff education, and inspiring mentorship to emerging leaders.
