Meet the MHRS Team-Kaitie Hart
Meet the MHRS Team! Kaitie Hart, Executive Director. Kaitie has been employed with the Ashtabula County Mental Health & Recovery Services Board since January 2015. She is a 2007 Graduate of The Ohio State University, where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Family Studies through the College of Human Development and Family Science. She received her Master’s in Public Administration through Kent State University in 2021. Before her role with the Board, Kaitie was a Probation Officer for the Ashtabula County Courts System from 2008–2015.
She began her career at the MHRS Board during a time when opioid prevention and overdose reduction dominated the conversation. The work was urgent and deeply impactful. Today, while substance use prevention remains a core priority, she has watched the community’s needs evolve. Mental health challenges and suicide prevention have taken on a new level of urgency, requiring thoughtful leadership, collaboration, and constant adaptation.
When she stepped into the role of Executive Director after spending nine years growing her career at the MHRS Board, she knew there would still be much to learn. “The last two years have felt like drinking from a fire hose,” she reflects. “The scope of the Board’s responsibilities is vast, and it continues to evolve alongside the behavioral health needs of our community.”
“For me, this role is about listening to our providers, our partners, and most importantly, to the people we serve,” she says.
Her leadership reflects both experience and empathy grounded in nearly a decade of service, yet driven by a continued willingness to learn, adapt, and respond to the changing needs of the community she cares deeply about. Looking ahead, she remains focused on both strategy and service. “As we move forward, our Board will continue to plan, fund, and monitor access to high-quality, cost-effective behavioral health services across the continuum, from prevention to treatment and recovery supports, enhancing the well-being of our community.”
We are incredibly grateful to have Kaitie as our leader. She not only guides our work with vision and dedication, but also keeps our team fueled with Diet Coke and chocolate—small gestures that reflect the thoughtfulness and care she brings to everything she does.
