As the founding executive director, and now president and chief executive officer, Beth Finnerty has helped Skyland Trail grow from a start-up nonprofit serving four clients to a nationally recognized psychiatric treatment organization serving hundreds of clients and their families each year. 

Finnerty has led the development and implementation of four strategic plans, the completion of five capital campaigns totaling more than $65 million, and the development and construction of new treatment facilities across five campuses.  Finnerty also has overseen a significant expansion of clinical services and programs. A leader in the field of recovery-focused psychiatric treatment, Skyland Trail offers innovative programs including integrated primary care and wellness counseling, vocational services, interfaith pastoral counseling, cognitive remediation therapy, comprehensive psychiatric assessment and adjunctive therapies such as art, music and horticultural therapy. Together with evidence-based psychotherapy and medication management, these programs help clients recover from mental illness and live as independently and successfully as possible in the community.

The American Psychiatric Association recognized Skyland Trail with the Gold Award in 2004 and with a special presidential commendation in 2014. Skyland Trail has also received the Rosalynn Carter/Johnson & Johnson Caregiver Award, the Managing for Excellence Award from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, the 11-Alive Community Service Award, and the Georgia Center for Nonprofits Revolutions Award.

Finnerty received her bachelor’s degree from Davidson College and a dual master’s degree in business and healthcare administration from Georgia State University.  She currently serves on the advisory board of the Institute of Health Administration (Georgia State University).  She is a current member of Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS). Finnerty is a past member of the boards of the Fuqua Center for Late Life Depression (past president), the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Metro Atlanta Chapter (past president), the Board of Mental Health America – Georgia (chair), the Emory Board of Visitors, the Georgia Community Trust, the Atlanta Business Leaders Initiative and the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships (Atlanta region).  She is a Diplomate in the American College of Healthcare Executives and is a 2006 graduate of Leadership Georgia and a 2009 graduate of Leadership Atlanta.  Finnerty was a Woman of the Year honoree in 2007 by Atlanta Woman magazine and received the 2006 Leadership Award from the Georgia Psychiatric Physician’s Association. In 2014, she was selected as a YWCA Woman of Achievement and was recognized with a Womenetics POW! Award.