New CEO At Ozark Guidance In Springdale

— Ozark Guidance has a new president and chief executive officer.

The Board of Directors announced Tuesday that Cynthia Curatalo has filled the position. She replaces Tom Petrizzo, who announced in October he would leave in December after almost six years in the position. He left to take the job of chief executive officer of Tri-County Mental Health in Kansas City, Mo.

Ozark Guidance is a local nonprofit community mental health center that serves more than 14,000 Northwest Arkansas residents each year.

Ozark Guidance’s staff drew her to the organization, Curatalo said.

“We have the largest concentration of board-certified psychiatrists and licensed mental-health providers in the state,” Curatalo said. “It’s a very dedicated group.”

Curatalo can provide excellent leadership for the organization, said Jeanie Hill, Ozark Guidance board chairwoman.

“She brings an exceptional background as a senior executive in behavioral health and is committed to our mission of saving and changing lives through compassionate and quality mental health services,” Hill said.

Curatalo was named chief operating officer in September, said Mike McFarland, board vice chairman, then promoted to replace Petrizzo after a nationwide search.

“She has impressed us with the work she has done,” McFarland said.

Curatalo grew up in Rochester, N.Y., she said. After moving to Hawaii, Curatalo worked at the Hawaii Behavioral Heath where she was the chief executive officer for 18 years. She guided the organization from a startup to the largest private provider of health and human services in the state, according to a news release from Ozark Guidance.

“That experience with a for-profit mental health institute should be a big help for us,” McFarland said.

Curatalo moved back to the mainland two years ago, she said, working as a surveyor for CARF International, an independent, nonprofit accreditor of health and human services. After two years of traveling across the nation, she settled in Northwest Arkansas which she had visited for 20 years. Friends and relatives introduced her to the area, she said.

Ozark Guidance has clinics in Bentonville, Berryville, Huntsville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Springdale and Siloam Springs.

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