News

SouthLight Names CEO to Lead Innovation in Behavioral Health

12/03/2019

Hartzell to Connect Social Support to Substance Use and Mental Health Solutions 

SouthLight board of directors names Adam Hartzell CEO.

Building on decades of excellence, the SouthLight board of directors has named Adam Hartzell as Chief Executive Officer to lead the Raleigh-based organization. “Those working to overcome substance addiction and mental health disorders require a healing environment that recognizes the many barriers they must overcome,” said Jonathan Broyles, chair of the SouthLight board of directors. “Adam’s unique expertise working at the intersection of healthcare and social services makes him the ideal leader to achieve our goal to be an innovator of effective behavioral health programs right here in our community.” 

Hartzell is a seasoned chief executive with healthcare expertise having led a social determinant of the health team at United Healthcare and a community engagement team at Advance Community Health. His social service expertise was honed as Executive Director of Interact and as interim Executive Director with Dress for Success of the Triangle. 

“SouthLight is well-positioned to take advantage of opportunities to re-imagine how we do this important work in more-holistic and effective ways. I look forward to working with this dedicated and talented team,” said Hartzell. 

“SouthLight is a lifeline to many people and their families who have hope for a brighter future,” said Hartzell. “At this crucial time, with so much transformative change happening in the health and treatment community, I am excited to see where it will be possible for this dedicated team of staff, clinicians and supporters to go in delivering innovative care.”

SouthLight is a 50-year-old-nonprofit that provides integrated substance use and mental health services to nearly 10,000 people a year at multiple locations throughout the Triangle. Hartzell will oversee a staff of 150 and a budget exceeding $9 million. 

Hartzell’s strength is in creating, implementing and uniting key stakeholders behind numerous marketing, fundraising and strategic plans. He led the execution of a multi-million-dollar capital campaign while at Interact that launched a nationally-recognized collaborative model that provided wrap-around services in a first-of-its-kind whole-person care model.

Earlier in his career, Hartzell was an attorney in Raleigh and, before law school, was a journalist in New York City.  Learn more about Adam here.