Beth Finnerty Receives Distinguished Alumna Award
Skyland Trail President and CEO Beth Finnerty, MBA, MHA, was awarded the Distinguished Alumna Award from Georgia State University Robinson College of Business. Finnerty received the award at an awards ceremony on May 9, 2024.
“These impressive changemakers inspire us through their passion and the impact they make in business, the community and the next generation of business leaders,” said Richard Phillips, dean of the Robinson College. “They are exemplary of the dynamic leaders our students strive to be.”
During her 35-year tenure, Finnerty has grown Skyland Trail from a start-up nonprofit serving a handful of clients to a nationally recognized psychiatric treatment organization serving hundreds of clients and their families each year. She has led the development and implementation of five strategic plans, the completion of five capital campaigns totaling more than $65M, and the development and construction of new treatment facilities across six campuses. She has also overseen a significant expansion of clinical services and programs.
Finnerty received her bachelor’s degree from Davidson College and a dual MBA/MHA from Robinson College of Business.
“When selecting a master’s program, I chose the Institute of Health Administration at Georgia State because it is one of the few graduate programs in the country that is embedded in the business school,” says Finnerty. “Looking back, it was a good choice. The challenging course work, the inspiring professors, and the friendships I made all played a pivotal role in shaping my career and who I am today.”
She currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Institute of Health Administration (Georgia State University), the Advisory Group for the Center for Behavioral and Mental Health at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and is a current member of Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS). She 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. Beth 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.