Ashley Addiction Treatment has promoted two of its senior executives, Alex Denstman and Greg Hobelmann, to serve as joint CEOs starting March 1. Denstman, previously senior vice president and chief growth officer, and Hobelmann, senior vice president and chief medical and clinical officer, will replace Dave Nassef, who has served as interim CEO since 2019. Nassef will transition to a senior advisor and envoy role at Ashley.
Based in Havre de Grace, Maryland, Ashley Addiction Treatment is a not-for-profit provider of substance use disorder (SUD) care. The organization operates an inpatient facility and two outpatient locations, offering a full continuum of care. The joint CEO model is a return to Ashley’s historical co-leadership structure, founded 38 years ago, and the hope is that Denstman and Hobelmann’s complementary skill sets will guide Ashley into the future while maintaining its standing as a leading nonprofit in addiction treatment.
New Directions hires new CEO
New Directions Behavioral Health has selected Shana Hoffman as its new president and CEO following a nationwide search. Based in Kansas City, Missouri, New Directions provides managed behavioral health services, employee assistance programs (EAP), student assistance programs, organizational consulting, and health coaching to employers and labor groups. The organization has more than doubled its membership in the past five years, currently serving over 16 million members.
Hoffman joins New Directions from Beacon Health Options, where she served as senior vice president of corporate transformation and COO of the tri-state mid-Atlantic region. She succeeds Lee Tuveson, who departed earlier in 2020. Hoffman’s experience in operational leadership and corporate transformation positions her to guide New Directions through its next phase of growth and service expansion.
Acadia Healthcare adds former Deloitte chairman to board
Acadia Healthcare (Nasdaq: ACHC) has appointed Michael J. Fucci, former chairman of Deloitte U.S., to its board of directors as an independent director, expanding the board to nine members. Headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee, Acadia operates 582 facilities across 40 states, the United Kingdom, and Puerto Rico, including inpatient psychiatric hospitals, specialty treatment centers, residential programs, and outpatient clinics.
Fucci brings extensive experience in corporate leadership, human resource transformation, and risk mitigation. During his tenure at Deloitte, he served as COO of Deloitte Consulting and held various management and board positions globally. Reeve Waud, chairman of Acadia’s board, emphasized that Fucci’s expertise in corporate talent strategies and organizational transformation will support Acadia’s growth strategy and enhance long-term value for stockholders.
Impact on the behavioral health industry
The recent leadership changes at Ashley Addiction Treatment, New Directions, and Acadia Healthcare reflect a broader trend in the behavioral health sector. Organizations are increasingly focusing on strong executive leadership to navigate growth, regulatory changes, and the rising demand for mental health and addiction services. The joint CEO model at Ashley highlights a strategic approach to combining clinical expertise with operational growth leadership, ensuring both patient care and organizational sustainability.
Meanwhile, New Directions’ appointment of Hoffman underscores the importance of experienced operational leadership in large-scale behavioral health organizations. With millions of members, effective management and strategic planning are critical to delivering comprehensive behavioral health services efficiently. Similarly, Acadia’s addition of Fucci demonstrates the value of corporate governance and strategic oversight in scaling behavioral health services nationally and internationally.
The future of behavioral health leadership
As the behavioral health landscape continues to evolve, strong and experienced leadership is crucial. Organizations are increasingly turning to leaders with diverse backgrounds in operations, clinical care, and corporate governance to guide strategic decisions. This ensures that organizations can maintain high-quality care while expanding their reach and adapting to new technologies and payment models.
These leadership moves also signal the growing professionalization of the behavioral health sector, where operational excellence, clinical oversight, and strategic vision must align to meet increasing demand. With rising awareness of mental health and substance use disorders, organizations are investing in leaders who can effectively manage both patient outcomes and organizational performance.
Conclusion
The appointments at Ashley Addiction Treatment, New Directions, and Acadia Healthcare highlight the importance of executive leadership in shaping the future of behavioral health care. From co-CEO models to operational and strategic expertise, these leaders are positioned to drive innovation, enhance patient care, and support sustainable growth. As the sector continues to expand, strong leadership will be key to meeting the complex needs of patients, families, and communities across the country.
These moves also reflect a larger trend in behavioral health: the need for organizations to balance clinical excellence with strategic management. Whether through joint leadership structures, operational transformation, or corporate governance, the sector is evolving to meet the growing demand for high-quality, accessible mental health and addiction care.
By appointing leaders with a mix of clinical, operational, and corporate experience, organizations like Ashley, New Directions, and Acadia are setting a new standard for behavioral health leadership and positioning themselves to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the coming years.
