AKA: The Listener

Ben serves as Senior Vice President and National Medical Director at Upward Health, where he leads the development and oversight of the company’s behavioral health programs. His work focuses on integrating behavioral and physical health to provide truly whole-person care. Ben brings deep expertise in behavioral health, particularly in severe mental illness (SMI), addiction medicine, forensic psychiatry, and Assertive Community Treatment (ACT).

A board-certified physician, Ben has spent his career serving individuals with complex behavioral health needs in high-acuity settings. He is an Assistant Professor at Tulane School of Medicine, where he trains residents and fellows, and previously served as an ACT team psychiatrist supporting individuals with SMI. He continues to serve patients as a psychiatrist at the Louisiana State Forensic Psychiatric Hospital and as Medical Director of Bridge House/Grace House, a New Orleans-based nonprofit providing residential substance use treatment regardless of ability to pay.

Ben’s background spans a wide range of care environments—including hospitals, outpatient clinics, residential programs, court systems, and correctional facilities—where he has treated patients with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders. He is a past president of the Louisiana Psychiatric Medical Association (LPMA).

Ben earned his B.A. in Psychology from Middlebury College and his M.D. from Tulane University School of Medicine. He completed his psychiatry residency at Tulane, where he served as chief resident, followed by a forensic psychiatry fellowship. He is board certified in Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine.

Outside of work, Ben spends much of his time enjoying every moment with his 3 little boys.  He’s a phenomenal diaper changer, dad joke teller, and is the (disputed) family Connect 4 Champion.  As a proud resident of New Orleans, he can often be found searching out local food and music and considers Jazz Fest to be a holiday.