NatCon25 Award Winner Spotlight: Topher Hansen, JD

At NatCon, we recognize and celebrate individuals whose work creates meaningful impact in their communities. This year, we are proud to present a Lifetime Achievement Award to Topher Hansen, JD, president and CEO of CenterPointe. We sat down with Hansen to discuss his leadership, the organization,  and the remarkable work his team is doing to help Nebraska residents thrive.

Tell us a little about CenterPointe. How is your organization helping people heal?

“CenterPointe is a community-based health care organization that provides person-centered, strengths-based care through more than 40 programs, including crisis response, street outreach, residential care, outpatient services and permanent housing. Using evidence-based practices, we focus on health and emotional wellbeing rather than illness, with a recovery-oriented approach that prioritizes language and creates a welcoming, trauma-informed environment. Our integrated health teams address the whole person, supporting individuals on their journey to health and sustained recovery, whether their path takes 90 days or seven years. We aim to help people get better, sooner, for longer.”

Can you share a success story that speaks to your organization’s impact?

“CenterPointe has built deep, trusted relationships in Lincoln over the past 52 years. One story in particular highlights the strength of those connections and the lasting impact of our work. When CenterPointe sought to purchase a new outpatient facility, the County Board faced a decision between our offer and one that was nearly double in price. Despite the cost difference, the Board chose our proposal, trusting that our vision — which included outpatient services, housing and a community park — would offer greater long-term benefits to the community. Today, this facility exceeds expectations, serving hundreds more individuals than our previous space ever could.”

What do you enjoy most about the important work you’re doing?

“I believe joy and wellbeing come from aligning with one’s strengths and minimizing friction in life. At CenterPointe, witnessing the transformation in individuals as they experience less friction, and more joy, is incredibly fulfilling. One woman, deeply moved, thanked me for a housing facility that exceeded her dreams. Moments like these remind me of the impact we have. I also find great satisfaction in doing work that aligns with my passion. It took me years to find my ‘bliss,’ but now, in health care, I feel I’m operating in my strengths, making a difference in people’s lives.”

What does mental wellbeing mean to you?

“Mental wellbeing is about actively managing both yourself and your environment. I live by two guiding principles: Stay in your bliss, and don’t get in your own way. Surround yourself with positive influences and prioritize joy and peace in everyday life. For me, mental wellbeing is choosing a path that brings both happiness and fulfillment. My path has led me to this moment, where I’m deeply honored to receive this award, especially because it was chosen by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, whose work I deeply respect. It was also meaningful to me that my chief clinical officer, Dr. Ryan Carruthers, nominated me. Receiving this recognition felt like my Oscar!”

You’re presenting at NatCon25. Can you give us a preview?

“In 2017, I set an audacious goal: to develop a 60,000-square-foot facility for outpatient services, residential care and a conference center. The challenge was blending the building’s nearly 100-year-old structure with modern, trauma-informed design. How do you create a space that is professional, calming and ‘cool’? As the architect, interior designer and director of quality improvement, I’ll show how we turned this vision into a reality, and the impact it’s had on our community.”

Join Topher Hansen, JD, and thousands of others at NatCon25! Register by April 22 to save $100 on the price of admission. To view past Awards of Excellence winners, click here.