MANSFIELD — Catalyst Life Services announced that its president and CEO, Veronica L. Groff, is preparing for retirement.
Groff has been with the agency for 20-plus years and will remain until the beginning of next year. She is committed to a smooth transition once a new CEO is appointed to ensure that Catalyst Life Services remains strong, vibrant and successful moving forward.
Veronica Groff was hired as CEO of The Center for Individual & Family Services, Inc. in 1997. Her role has included the oversight of the community’s primary Mental Health and Crisis Services, Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center, the District V Forensic Center, and housing management of up to 100 units. In 2010, under Groff’s leadership along with the Board of Trustees they successfully merged together two long standing organizations both over 60 years old (The Rehab Center and The Center) to form Catalyst Life Services.
Serving as CEO for the now integrated organizations, she additionally became responsible for two large vocational programs (Progress Industries & Precise Services), the Oasis Peer Center, the Community Center for the Deaf and Hard-of Hearing, New Beginnings Drug and Alcohol Services, and Audiology Services. She now oversees a $15 million-plus organization with over 265 employees and over 100 client/employees.
Groff is described as a change agent and has a broad knowledge of current practices. She has proven to be creative in identifying and establishing efficiencies with a continued focus on expanding and enhancing client care.
She is a member of many professional organizations including the Opiate Task Force, Rotary, the Youth and Family Council, the Mental Health Corporations of America and the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. In the past she has been the Committee Chair for Rotary Strive, the Co-Chair for the Mansfield Safety Forces Levy, the Institution Chair for the Richland County United Way Campaign, President of the Ashland County Youth and Family Council and the Richland County Youth and Family Council and she served on the Board for Emergency Pregnancy Aid Contact. She also participated in the 1999 class of Leadership Unlimited of Richland County.
Groff received her Master of Social Work in Clinical Practice from The Ohio State University. Prior to Groff’s tenure at Catalyst Life Services, she was the Director of Psych, Rehab and Social Work at MedCentral Health Systems. She also worked as Clinical Director of Appleseed Counseling & Case Management and had her own family practice as a private practitioner for many years.
Other roles she filled in her career include: Adjunct Faculty at Ashland University, Director of Program Implementation at Target Care, Department Head/Director at Richland Psychiatric Hospital, and Family Therapist at Richland Outpatient Services. She began her career as a Social Worker for Richland County Children’s Services while she was a student in 1987 and later that year received her Bachelor of Science in Social Work with a minor in Psychology.
“Veronica’s dedication to the mission of Catalyst has been tremendous over the years. She truly is a servant leader and has put the well-being of the many people we serve and the staff before her own. Her steady yet humble leadership has helped develop Catalyst into a community treasure for those in need,” said John C. Roby, the board’s Chairman.
Groff noted, “It has been an honor to lead this great organization alongside our dedicated employees, volunteers and board of trustees. I am confident that this will be a positive transition and I am committed to working alongside my successor to ensure future success of this agency that is so close to my heart.”
Groff also said that she is always willing to be a resource to the agency if needed.
