Our Team
50+ Years
Growth Sherpa has over 50 years of combined experience specifically in behavioral healthcare.
$1.5BIL
Our business development and marketing leaders have overseen over $1.5 billion of revenue generation.
90,000 Admissions
Growth Sherpa has seen the successful conversion of over 90,000 admissions for our clients & partners.
100+ Sales Executives
The sales and marketing team at Growth Sherpa Consulting have trained and/or consulted over 100+ executives.
Steve Donai, founder of Growth Sherpa Consulting, is a business development executive with more than two decades of successful sales and leadership experience. His career working in behavioral healthcare fulfilled a passion for using his sales knowledge to make a positive impact on the patients and families trusting the company he served.
With more than a decade of behavioral healthcare-focused experience, generation of over $250 million of revenue, oversight to 14,000+ admissions, and the development of dozens of leaders within the behavioral health space Steve decide to create Growth Sherpa to offer his unique coaching and professional development methods to assist business development leaders.
Growth Sherpa is different because of the understanding and purpose-driven approach to the challenges programs face. We will partner alongside your leaders to find solutions so programs can focus on what is most important — providing excellent patient care.
With this purpose, Steve has put together a team of behavioral healthcare professionals at each level of your patient acquisition operations. So whether you need a staff level employee to put together a prospect list in a new market, a sales director to oversee your outreach team, or an executive leader to work directly with leadership to ensure all parts of the revenue generation ecosystem are working in harmony Growth Sherpa will have the bespoke plan created for your organization.
With over 18 years of experience in the behavioral health industry and over 19 years as a member of a 12-step fellowship, I bring a unique blend of personal insight and professional expertise to the recovery field. I specialize in designing and optimizing call centers, training staff, and building CRM/SaaS platforms that drive admissions and enhance client engagement. My focus on improving operational efficiency and strategic business development has consistently helped facilities increase revenue while delivering exceptional care.
I also excel in alumni program development and tracking, creating lasting connections that support both client outcomes and organizational growth. I am driven by a commitment to helping others achieve lasting success in recovery.
Beyond my professional endeavors, I am a proud parent to my 14-year-old daughter, who inspires me to approach life and work with dedication and compassion.
Peter Maldonado is a dedicated behavioral health professional based in Houston, Texas, with a strong background in mental health, program management, and community outreach. With a commitment for improving mental health outcomes, Peter has extensive experience working with diverse populations, implementing effective business plans, and leading mental health initiatives.
He leverages over 14 years of experience in the healthcare industry to drive growth and expand the reach of mental health and addiction treatment services. With a proven track record in sales leadership and strategic business development, Peter plays a crucial role in advancing organization’s mission to provide high-quality, accessible behavioral health care. Having lead successful sales teams across the state of Texas, Peter has a proven track record for leadership and helping other Business Development professionals exceed their goals. This passion lead him to join Growth Sherpa Consulting to be part of a dynamic executive team.
Christopher J. Foust is a seasoned marketing and branding leader with over 15 years of experience driving significant growth and innovation in the behavioral healthcare industry. As a leading marketing strategy and branding executive, he has built multiple internal lead-generation teams from the ground up, directly managing PPC and SEO campaigns, social media, and content creation.
Prior to his current work with Growth Sherpa, Christopher served as Vice President of Recruiting & Branding, where he managed a 14-person recruiting team, developed new lead-generation mechanisms, and built a new employer brand. His tenure saw him exceed hiring goals and implement digital marketing techniques that significantly boosted recruitment efficiency. At a previous organization, he led an internal marketing team, rebranding the organization and leveraging podcasting, PPC, SEO, social media, and video strategies to increase lead generation and revenue by 97%.
Christopher’s earlier roles include Senior Director of Marketing, where he managed a team focused on design, content production, and customer engagement, leading to a 58% increase in marketing leads and a 129% rise in digital web leads. As Director of Marketing, he oversaw B2C digital marketing strategies, significantly boosting web conversions and reducing acquisition costs. His career began with roles in web design and branding, where he rebranded multiple departments, redesigned numerous websites, and enhanced email marketing campaigns. His expertise and entrepreneurial spirit make him a dynamic leader in the marketing and branding space.