Anthony Ward to assume Sandhills Center CEO duties in July 2023

Publication Date: April 14, 2023

The Sandhills Center Board of Directors has appointed Anthony Ward as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective July 1, 2023. Sandhills Center is the Local Management Entity-Managed Care Organization (LME-MCO) for 11 counties in central North Carolina. Ward has served as Sandhills Center’s Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer since 2012.

Ward will replace current CEO Victoria Whitt who announced her retirement earlier this month. Whitt will continue in her role as CEO through the end of June, allowing for a seamless transition of leadership. Whitt came to Sandhills Center in April 1980, and was named CEO in February 2010.

Prior to joining Sandhills Center, Ward served as Director of The Guilford Center, Guilford County’s Department of Behavioral Health. His previous roles with The Guilford Center included Administrative Officer, Provider Relations Manager, and Mental Health Administrator.

Ward graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He holds a master’s degree in social work, specializing in management and community practice, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a master’s degree in business administration from Wake Forest University.

“Anthony is an exceptional leader in the delivery of services to our communities,” Whitt said. “He is highly respected by the Board of Directors, staff, provider network, and the individuals and families who receive services.”

“During the last 11 years, Anthony has been integral in the merger of Davidson, Guilford and Rockingham counties into the Sandhills Center region,” Whitt added. “He has developed significant service options through his planning, assessment and improvement efforts, and he has led Sandhills Center’s response to State requirements for entering the managed care environment. I am confident that Anthony will serve our region well as Sandhills Center makes the transition to managing physical and behavioral health needs under the NC Medicaid Behavioral Health and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Tailored Plan later this year.”