Maya Chilese  

Maya Chilese

APGSA - Administrator

Maya Chilese has worked in the field of behavioral health for over twenty years. She began in prevention, working with at risk youth and communities to develop and evaluation effective programming reducing risky behavior and increase community capacity. She obtained her MA in counseling, specializing in addictions and gender specific treatment, is a graduate of the SAMHSA/ ATTC Leadership Institute and is working towards a doctorate degree. Ms. Chilese developed Nebraska’s first women’s gambling treatment program, created problem gambling prevention and awareness campaigns and has trained nationally. Prior to her current role as the Gamblers Assistance Program Manager for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Behavioral Health, she was appointed as the Children’s Behavioral Health Administrator for DHHS to lead systems change. Currently, Ms. Chilese leads the Nebraska problem gambling service system including prevention, education, workforce development, outreach, helpline, treatment and evaluation. She also oversees the State’s youth suicide prevention project as well as other family based programming. She is a member of the Midwest Consortium on Problem Gambling and Substance Abuse and a board member for the Association of Problem Gambling Service Administrators.