Caron Treatment Centers, a leading, internationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to addiction and behavioral healthcare treatment, research, prevention and addiction medicine education, has announced the appointment of John Driscoll as its next President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Driscoll will begin his tenure the first week of October.
As President and CEO, Driscoll will be responsible for the overall leadership of Caron and serve as the organization’s primary spokesperson and advocate in the field of addiction treatment. Reporting to the Board of Trustees, he will be charged with personifying and furthering the “Recovery for Life” mission and core values of Caron, which features state-of-the-art medical centers in Pennsylvania and Florida and provides services in Palm Beach County, Florida; Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta and New York City.
Driscoll brings to the role a wealth of experience gained from more than 30 years in the addiction treatment field, starting as an alcohol and drug counselor in Chicago to his most recent role as Senior Vice President at Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, a prominent organization in addiction and mental health treatment. He is the former chair of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) and is the current Chair of the NAATP Foundation of Recovery Science and Education (FoRSE) that monitors quality outcomes within the industry.
“We are absolutely thrilled to have John join the Caron team,” stated Caron Board Chair Mark Skibbie. “The decision to select him as our new President and CEO was driven by his exceptional leadership, unparalleled expertise in addiction treatment, and a shared commitment to our mission of Recovery for Life. John’s vision and dedication make him the ideal leader to guide Caron into a future filled with hope and healing for those in need.”
“I am honored to have the privilege of leading Caron Treatment Centers,” said Driscoll. “Caron is an exceptional organization that, for nearly 70 years, has had a profound impact upon addiction treatment. I was drawn to the opportunity to be its chief executive as a platform to make a significant difference in a field I am truly passionate about and have dedicated my entire professional life to. I felt a divine nudge to pursue the position. I am grateful to the Board of Trustees for providing me the chance to lead Caron into the next chapter in its storied history.”
Driscoll was identified as the top candidate for the post by a search committee comprising eight of Caron’s Board members. The hire followed an extensive nationwide search supported by Oak Brook, Illinois-based executive search and leadership advisory firm WittKieffer. Driscoll will assume the CEO role from Caron Chief Operating Officer Kristine Bashore and Chief Clinical Officer David Rotenberg, who have served as interim co-CEOs since February 2023.
Driscoll has an M.B.A. from Hamline University, a B.S. in Psychology from Northern Michigan University, and did graduate work in Clinical Psychology at Marquette University. He and his wife, Kristine, have two adult daughters and one grandchild. The couple plan to relocate to Berks County, Pennsylvania, where Caron is headquartered.
