Sara Howe is CEO of Addiction Professionals of North Carolina (APNC). Before joining
APNC, she held leadership roles at Third Horizon, the Illinois Primary Health Care
Association (IPHCA), and the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health (IABH).

As CEO of IABH for nearly 20 years, Sara transformed the organization into a leading
force in behavioral health advocacy and provider support. She expanded IABH’s
mission and membership, strengthened its influence across Illinois, and positioned the
association as a key voice in behavioral health policy, driving system-wide
improvements in substance use and mental health services. As Executive Vice
President of IPHCA, she expanded the association’s annual conference, introduced
new revenue streams, and implemented innovative strategies to support and engage
members throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Most recently, as Senior Director at Third Horizon, a national advisory firm specializing
in integrated health and social systems, Sara led key initiatives to advance behavioral
health services. She conducted a statewide evaluation of Indiana’s Mobile Integrated
Response System (MIRS) for SUD services, authored a report on national population
health trends, and facilitated strategic planning for multiple behavioral health
organizations. She also provided expert guidance and authored a successful statewide
application that helped a mental health provider secure a new service license.

Sara’s passion for health promotion began in youth addiction prevention programs and
has only deepened over time. As a breast cancer survivor, she remains committed to
improving healthcare access and outcomes.

Sara holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in health promotion from Purdue
University, along with an MBA from Purdue’s Daniels School of Business. She
previously served on the board of directors for the National Council for Mental
Wellbeing, where she also chaired the public policy committee.