Debbie Osteen served as the CEO of Acadia Healthcare from January 2012 until her retirement in January 2022. During her tenure, she made significant contributions to the behavioral healthcare field, steering the company through challenging times while achieving financial targets...

Debbie Osteen served as the CEO of Acadia Healthcare from January 2012 until her retirement in January 2022. During her tenure, she made significant contributions to the behavioral healthcare field, steering the company through challenging times while achieving financial targets that contributed to stockholder value. What's interesting about Debbie is how she was rewarded for her performance—her total compensation in 2021 peaked at over $10.8 million, showcasing the alignment between executive pay and the company's success. Notably, she received a retention bonus of $900,000 in 2022, likely reflecting her importance in the leadership transition process. Osteen was known for making strategic moves that increased the value of Acadia's stock significantly, with her net equity holdings climbing to around $70 million by November 2023. Despite retiring as CEO, she continued to serve on the company’s board, maintaining her influence within the firm after stepping down from daily operations. Over her career, she kept a keen focus on the metrics that drove company performance, namely Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS, ensuring that her actions aligned with Acadia’s financial health and growth potential.