James “Jim” J. Balla, MBA
Wellnest
Chief Administrative and Business Officer
Jim Balla, Chief Administrative and Business Officer, brings to the executive team at Wellnest more than 35 years of combined management and leadership experience in multiple-scale business environments, with emphasis in service industries, including mental health and behavioral healthcare organizations, human service agencies, and specialty medical groups. Prior to joining Wellnest, Mr. Balla spent over fifteen years on the leadership team at Pacific linics, assuming the position of President and CEO in 2015, a position he held until the recent merger of Pacific Clinics with Uplift Family Services in March 2022.
Mr. Balla’s diverse expertise includes key leadership roles in organizational development, operations, finance, strategic planning, business development, talent management, philanthropy, marketing, and communications. Acknowledged for achieving industry recognized, transformational and organizational growth through new business development, strategic mergers and acquisitions, public and private awards, and geographic service expansion, he is readily sought for his acquired knowledge.
Mr. Balla currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Quality Comp (Workers Compensation Self-Insured Group) and is a former Trustee of the Unemployment Services Trust (UST), a former board member of the Association of Community Human Service Agencies and a former board member of the California Council of Community Mental Health Agencies. Jim has presented before multiple industry conferences and provided testimony on the importance of health information technology before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Mental Health Caucus.
Jim earned a BS degree in Management and an MBA from Pepperdine University and is a proud recipient of Pepperdine Alumni Executive Awards (Waves of Service and 40 over 40). Jim served honorably in the U.S. Marine Corps under the Judge Advocate General’s Division, where he received a special commendation for meritorious service from the Secretary of the Navy.