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Debbie Osteen’s January 2026 appointment as Acadia Healthcare CEO positions a woman at the helm of the largest standalone behavioral healthcare company in the United States. Her career trajectory-from building Universal Health Services’ behavioral health division to leading Acadia twice-illustrates pathways to healthcare leadership.
Board Chairman Reeve Waud announced her appointment, praising her track record transforming Acadia during her first tenure from 2018 to 2022.
Breaking Through in Healthcare
Healthcare remains a sector where women comprise the majority of the workforce but are underrepresented in executive leadership. Osteen’s rise to lead major behavioral health organizations defied these patterns.
At Universal Health Services, she served as Executive Vice President and President of the behavioral health division for 19 years, building one of the nation’s largest networks of freestanding behavioral health facilities. That experience positioned her for the Acadia CEO role in 2018.
A Track Record of Achievement
Osteen’s first Acadia tenure from December 2018 to March 2022 produced what the company describes as “a period of significant progress and evolution.” She stewarded strategic vision while overseeing significant growth across the facility network.
Her industry involvement extended beyond corporate roles. Osteen served on the executive committee of the National Association for Behavioral Healthcare for more than 20 years, including two terms as board president. She also served on the Executive Committee of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention.
Industry Recognition
Modern Healthcare magazine has named Osteen among the “Top 25 Women in Healthcare” multiple times. She was recognized as one of the Top 100 Executives in Healthcare in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
These honors reflect peer and industry recognition of her leadership contributions. Her career demonstrates that women can reach the highest levels of healthcare leadership, though the path requires sustained achievement over decades.
In other news: Acadia adds i-banker to board
Osteen’s Return to the C-Suite
Reeve Waud’s announcement selecting Osteen for her second CEO tenure emphasized qualifications over gender: “Debbie is a mission-driven executive with a commitment to patients who helped transform Acadia into the leading provider of behavioral healthcare in the U.S.”
Her return brings 35+ years of behavioral health leadership experience to an organization serving more than 82,000 patients daily. The board will conduct a search for a long-term successor while she leads the organization.
Source: Acadia Healthcare Appoints Debbie Osteen as Chief Executive Officer
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