George Karabakakis, Ph.D., was appointed Chief Executive Officer of HCRS on July 1, 2014.
George has been employed at HCRS for over 20 years and has held several positions in the organization. Most recently employed as Chief Operating Officer, he was responsible for oversight of clinical operations of all Agency divisions, special projects, and community relations. He has also functioned as Director of Adult Outpatient and Emergency Services and Director of Outpatient and Children’s Services for the organization.
George spent the past year working closely with the former CEO, Judith Hayward, who announced her June 2014 retirement in November of last year. This transitional period provided him with the preparation needed to step into his new role.
He brings significant experience to this position with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, licensed in Vermont, with extensive clinical experience in residential, inpatient, and outpatient settings.
George has served as a Governor appointed member of the Vermont State Standing Committee for Adult Mental Health and as a Governor appointed member of the Statewide Advisory Group for the Agency of Human Services Reorganization. He has also served on a variety of regional partnership boards including the Alliance for Building Community, River Connections, Vermont 211, and Southern Vermont Area Health Education Center.
He has been committed to community collaboration, partnering with health care and others to develop programs that capitalize on the strengths of partners and clients. He notes, “I am very proud to take on this role at HCRS. I intend to continue the spirit of collaboration with our community partners, those we serve, and their families. By bringing together our ideas, passion, and collective wisdom, we can create programs that help support our communities.”
