Board Welcomes John Garrity, PhD as Executive Director

John Garrity, PhD, has been selected as the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County’s next executive director. He will assume the role in October as the current executive director, Joel Mowrey, PhD, is set to retire at the end of the year.

“I am pleased to welcome John to the Board,” commented Board Chair William Nome. “This is a critical time for our organization. He will bring a wealth of experience with county board operations and strategic planning as well as essential leadership skills.”

Garrity has more than eighteen years of experience in community mental health and addiction services in both urban and rural counties. Currently he is the Chief Quality Officer at the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board of Cuyahoga County. Prior to that he worked for the Nord Center in Lorain County and Firelands Counseling and Recovery Services.

“I feel honored to have been selected by the Board of Directors to be the next executive director,” stated Garrity. “I am impressed with the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Portage County’s commitment to quality mental health and addiction services. I am excited to be able to join this great team and look forward to serving the citizens of Portage County.”

He received his PhD from Case Western Reserve University in Medical Anthropology with a specialization in Culture and Psychiatry focusing on mental illness and addiction disorders across cultural and ethnic groups. He also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Behavioral Science at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine with a focus on behavioral health, rural health, and treatment evaluation.

The Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County plans, funds, and monitors the mental health, addiction, prevention, and treatment services for Portage County residents. Visit www.mental-health-recovery.org for more information.