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AHRQ: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Two New IBH Experts Added to NIAC

Date

The National Integration Academy Council (NIAC) has nominated two new members, Drs. Lauren DeCaporale-Ryan and Kristopher Ravin who began their terms on January 1, 2026. The NIAC advises the AHRQ Integration Academy with strategic planning, community building, national collaborations, and product development.

Picture of NIAC member Lauren DeCaporale-Ryan, a woman with black hair and earrings.

Lauren DeCaporale-Ryan, PhD, is the Associate Director of the University of Rochester Medical Center Communication Coaching & Leadership Development Program, Associate Chief of Psychology in Psychiatry, and Associate Director of Wellbeing in General Surgery.  She works with interdisciplinary teams across the medical center, providing individual and team training that emphasizes optimizing clinical outcomes, patient and family satisfaction, and team function and wellbeing. She is currently involved in initiatives in General Surgery, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. She has a clinical practice through the URMC Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) program and Strong Behavioral Health, supporting aging and chronically medically ill patients and their families.

Picture of NIAC member Kristopher Ravin, a man with a beard and a blue tie.

Kristopher Ravin, PharmD, is the Executive Clinical Director of Pharmacy at Penobscot Community Health Care (PCHC), where he leads community pharmacy services, primary care pharmacists, infusion services, and accredited residency programs, and has advanced the expansion of the existing integrated pharmacist model from primary care into behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment. Dr. Ravin has led initiatives to improve safe and effective pharmacotherapy for behavioral health conditions, supported and promoted controlled substance stewardship efforts, implemented tools for chronic pain management, strengthened medication safety systems, and provided extensive education on opioid use disorder, deprescribing, and evidence based behavioral health treatment. 

The AHRQ Integration Academy remains dedicated to improving access to behavioral health care and improve health care delivery and looks forward to the expertise each of these individuals will bring.