Ridgeview Leadership

Brian Buuck is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services. Buuck joined Ridgeview in 2001, was appointed CEO in 2013, and since has dedicated his efforts toward ensuring that Ridgeview is responsive to the rapidly changing Behavioral Health Care environment and expanding services to meet the needs of the communities that Ridgeview serves.   Under his leadership, the organization has developed Same Day Access walk-in clinics, grown its continuum of substance abuse treatment services, and co-founded the East Tennessee Crisis Intervention Team.  With a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Tennessee, he brings over 30 years of experience in public mental health to the Ridgeview team. Buuck is an active, supportive member of the Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services’ Regional Planning Council, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Mental Health Association of East Tennessee, and the Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club. 

Yolanda Monfort is Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services. Monfort is responsible for the oversight of Ridgeview’s departments of Accounting, Information Technology, Client Services, and Patient Financial Services. During her tenure at Ridgeview, she has sought out and acquired numerous new funding sources, enabling the organization to develop a more robust suite of behavioral health programs. She is also involved in the ongoing review and performance improvements of Ridgeview’s Practice Management System.  She is a committed advocate for improving the well-being of marginalized members of the community and finds her 12 years in the behavioral health finance arena to be the most fulfilling years of her diverse career. Monfort received her MBA with honors from the Catholic University of Louvain.

Nathan Zeiger is Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Ridgeview and is responsible for the accountability and oversight of the clinic’s 23 locations across five counties in Eastern Tennessee. He is a driven team builder and is passionate about planting the seeds of new programs and watching them grow. Among his accomplishments, Zeiger created Ridgeview’s Just in Time Medication Management System, implemented video conferencing technologies to enable clients to connect with care providers remotely, and developed school-based behavioral health services for children. Prior to joining Ridgeview, Zeiger was the Executive Director for Bell Therapy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He has a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin.

Dr. Bhateja is the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at Ridgeview. As head of Ridgeview’s medical staff, Dr. Bhateja is responsible for ensuring our patients receive the highest quality treatment from our exceptionally trained caregivers. She is an award-winning medical practitioner, with a lifelong career in adult, child, and adolescent psychiatry. Bhateja has a particular interest and experience in anxiety and depression treatments, psychopharmacology, and medical ethics. She is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, is a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, a member of the American Medical Association, the Tennessee Psychiatric Association, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Bhateja attended medical school at Punjab University in India and completed her residency at the University of Connecticut Medical School in Farmington, followed by a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 

Julie Wright is the Chief Administrative Officer at Ridgeview. Wright’s responsibilities include workforce development, performance management, regulatory compliance, and supporting an organizational culture of excellence. During her nine years at Ridgeview, the center was recognized by the Knoxville News Sentinel as one of the region’s Top Workplaces, receiving the award for creating a healthy workplace that supports employee engagement. She is diligent in seeking out innovative improvements to workplace processes, creating efficiencies for the Human Resources team, and in hiring qualified staff. Wright is a 20-year veteran of human resources with multi-industry experience. She received her bachelor’s in Psychology from Missouri State University and is SHRM-CP and PHR certified.

Meredith Brannan is the Director of Quality and Compliance at Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services. Brannan is responsible for ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, managing quality assurance and quality improvement activities, and overseeing utilization management across the Ridgeview services continuum. Brannan came to Ridgeview in 2024 with over 16 years of experience in the field, including 14 years providing direct client care and serving as the Coordinator of Compliance and Quality at a nonprofit provider of mental health, substance use, social services, and victim services. Immediately prior to her time at Ridgeview she was a CMS Fraud Prevention System Business Analyst. Brannan received a Bachelor of Science degree from The University of Tennessee Knoxville and a Master of Public Health degree from East Tennessee State University. Brannan is committed to ensuring that Ridgeview provides high quality services to all those served by Ridgeview.

Sharon Young is the Director of Compliance and Quality at Ridgeview. In her role, Young is responsible for ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and directing quality management and performance improvement activities throughout the Ridgeview system.  During her 35 years at Ridgeview, Young has served as a direct care RN provider, Director of Utilization Management, and Director of Inpatient Services before assuming her current role. Her service in those roles contributed to her interest and commitment to providing high-quality services for those served by Ridgeview. Young received her RN diploma from St. Mary’s School of Nursing in 1979 and has been board-certified in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing since 1995. She is a member of the Tennessee Nursing Association, American Psychiatric Nurses Association, and Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations.