Skyland Trail: Paving the road to recovery from mental illnesses
As the founding executive director, and now president and CEO, BethFinnerty has helped Skyland Trail grow from a start-up nonprofit serving four clients to a nationally recognized psychiatric treatment organization serving hundreds of clients and their families each year.
Finnerty has developed and implemented four strategic plans, the completion of four capital campaigns totaling more than $48 million, and the development and construction of new treatment facilities across four campuses. She also has overseen expansion of clinical services and programs. A leader in the field of recovery-focused psychiatric treatment, Skyland Trail offers innovative programs including integrated primary care and wellness counseling, vocational services, interfaith pastoral counseling, cognitive remediation therapy, comprehensive psychiatric assessment and adjunctive therapies such as art, music and horticultural therapy.
The American Psychiatric Association recognized Skyland Trail with the Gold Award in 2004 and a special presidential commendation in 2014. They also received the Rosalynn Carter/Johnson & Johnson Caregiver Award, the Managing for Excellence Award from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, the 11-Alive Community Service Award, and the Georgia Center for Nonprofits Revolutions Award.
Finnerty received her bachelor’s from Davidson College and a dual master’s in business and healthcare administration from GSU. She serves on numerous boards and advisory committees. She is a Diplomate in the American College of Healthcare Executives and is a 2006 graduate of Leadership Georgia and a 2009 graduate of Leadership Atlanta. Finnerty was a Woman of the Year honoree in 2007 by Atlanta Woman magazine and received the 2006 Leadership Award from the Georgia Psychiatric Physician’s Association. In 2014, she was selected as a YWCA Woman of Achievement and was recognized with a Womenetics POW! Award.
Dr.RayKotwicki is the Charles B. West Chief Medical Officer at Skyland Trail. He oversees all the clinical, educational, quality, and research activities within the organization. He trained as a Department of Energy Fellow and was a Medical Scholar at the University of Wisconsin Medical School. He had post-graduate training at Harvard Medical School, the Boston University School of Medicine, and Emory, where he earned a Master’s in Public. He remains on the adjunctive faculty at both the Emory School of Medicine as well as the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Kotwicki has presented more than 200 invited lectures, symposia, and seminars to thousands of attendees. He regularly appears on television, radio and in newspaper articles discussing issues related to mental health and integrated medical care. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and is President of the Georgia Psychiatric Physicians’ Association, member of the Leadership Atlanta Class of 2011 and served as President of the Board of Directors of Positive Impact, the Southeast’s premiere HIV mental health program for three years. He has received numerous distinctions, including Emory University’s most prestigious Dean’s “Golden Apple” Teaching Award and the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University’s “Distinguished Achievement Alumnus Award” in 2017.
Next Tuesday, our Kiwanis Club of Atlanta luncheon will be upstairs in the Ann Cramer room! So take the elevator or stairs to the 2nd floor and join your friends for a fabulous lunch and program!
Thanks for your flexibility as we work with the Loudermilk Center for a win-win partnership!
For over 65 years, the Kiwanis Club of Atlanta has partnered with the BGCMA for this annual fall event. Clubs from across the metro area each choose a country to study for 12 months. They come to a single location each fall for the Kiwanis Kids Cultural Challenge to demonstrate what they have learned. They create banners and posters, prepare food and costumes, perform song and dance routines, all based on the traditions and customs of their chosen country. They have studied the history, traditions, form of government, geography, climate and so much more about the country. The Kiwanis Club of Atlanta serves as the corp of judges for this event, awarding prize banners for multiple categories.
RSVP to Michael Butkus, mbutkus@mindspring.com. You must have your completed Background Screening on file before the event!
National Philanthropy Day 2018 is Thursday, November 8th and the Kiwanis Club of Atlanta is proud to be the Philanthropy in the Classroom Presenting Sponsor! We have 40 reserved seats for Kiwanis Atlanta members. There is no charge for regular members, and Associate/Satellite/Emeritus/Honorary members may attend for the regular $15 luncheon charge. Member guests may attend if seats are available for the guest charge of $35. Please email KiwanisClubAtlanta@gmail.com by October 23rd to put your name on the RSVP list. Parking is available in the Aquarium lot for $7.
Philanthropy in the Classroom is a program designed to familiarize elementary school children with the concept of philanthropy.
The Remaining Dates for this fall are:
9-28: Centennial Academy
10-26: Stanton Elementary School
We are very excited about expanding our program and will need around 70 volunteers to cover each class. Once you sign up, you will receive more information.
During your session, you will:
Read a children’s book about philanthropy to a third-grade class
Discuss the meaning of philanthropy with students
Provide support to students as they create drawings that express what philanthropy means to them
Please note: A background check is required for all Kiwanis volunteers. If you are interested in participating, please check with Karen Losin to be sure your background check is current.
Just in case you missed the last couple Member Spotlights at the Kiwanis Club of Atlanta luncheon meeting, we have listed the last few below. The next time you need someone with their expertise, please, "Do Business with a Kiwanian!"
"Do Business" with these Kiwanians!
Chelsea Carver is the Development Coordinator for Youth Villages Georgia. Youth Villages is a national non-profit dedicated to helping families live successfully. In Georgia, they provide residential treatment services at the Inner Harbour Campus in Douglasville and Community Based services to families in the Atlanta and surrounding areas.
Do you want to let the members of our club know more about you and your business? Do you want to network and cultivate more business contacts? If you answered yes, then you need to sign up to do a "Member Spotlight" at one of our club meetings!
Spotlights are done every 2nd and 4th Tuesday luncheon meeting (and the occasional 5th) each month. You have two minutes to showcase your business and tell the other members how you can benefit them! To get on the schedule, just email Karen at KiwanisClubAtlanta@gmail.com.
Our club is looking for about 6 individuals who are willing to become part of the "Lunch Bunch" team! Team members will help the lunch meetings operate smoothly by working the a/v board and sounds system in the back, ensuring that any a/v the speakers use are properly set up, and working the microphones during the Q&A sessions!
While no technical experience is necessary, volunteers should feel comfortable and confident adjusting sound levels and setting up the computer for power point and video presentations. And the benefit is a dedicated comfy seat at the a/v table during lunch!
Don't get the BOOT! Be sure your car has a Kiwanis Club of Atlanta car decal properly displayed on your vehicle.
The security company contracted by Lanier Parking will be booting all cars that are parked in the reserved parking places and that do not have a valid decal on their car identifying them as attending the Kiwanis Club of Atlanta luncheon. So if you arrive prior to 11:45 am on Tuesday, please make sure you have a parking decal on your car. You can get a decal from Karen at the luncheon meeting, and then place it on the right back window (passenger side) from inside your car. They are static cling, so easy to put on and take off!