Vera Kurdian is CEO of Advanced Behavioral Health Inc. (ABH), a Maryland-based mental health services provider. An Armenian-Lebanese immigrant who came to the United States at age 16, she moved into social work after witnessing conflict and displacement firsthand, and has since built ABH into an organization serving nine counties across Maryland with therapy, psychiatric care, and life-skills training delivered both in-office and through community-based services.
Under her leadership, ABH has grown while staying focused on bringing clinical services directly into clients' homes and schools. Kurdian has emphasized staff development and a sense of purpose among clinicians, pairing evidence-based interventions with CARF accreditation, and has continued her own education by pursuing a doctorate in organizational leadership.
She has described her leadership philosophy as centered on collaboration, communication, and excellence, and has pointed to cases where the organization's comprehensive model of care has inspired former clients to go on to work in the helping professions themselves.
