With considerable expertise in public relations, mental health and social services, Beth E. Hurny excels as the executive director of the Onondaga Council on Alcoholism and Addictions Inc., which does business as the Prevention Network. Previously, she worked as the director of youth and parenting services for the Prevention Network between 2007 and 2014. Since the late 1940s, Prevention Network has implemented and supported strategies that prevent addictions and address related concerns in the Onondaga County area.
Before affiliating with the Prevention Network, Ms. Hurny gained valuable expertise in the field as the director of the evaluation center at HelioHealth from 2005 until 2007, as the clinical supervisor for Family Counselor Services between 1999 and 2005, and as a temporary counselor with Family Counselor Services during the mid- and late 1990s. Although her career has been filled with highlights, she is particularly proud to have built such an effective professional team at the Prevention Network. Due to the team-oriented culture that Ms. Hurny has fostered, they have been able to achieve great things and phenomenal growth.
While pursuing a career in social services, Ms. Hurny earned a Bachelor of Science in human services from Cornell University in 1990 and a Master of Social Work from Syracuse University in 1997. Immediately after graduating from her undergraduate program, she started working in the bookstore at the university. At the time, she was looking for any opportunity to dive into the human service field. She saw an advertisement for a substance abuse counselor job and decided to give it a shot. She was eventually hired, although she had no experience. From there, Ms. Hurny has remained in the field ever since. Having battled with an eating disorder herself in the past and overcoming it, she felt that she could identify with the people who were afflicted with addiction.
Ms. Hurny attributes her success to her belief in the grace of God. She has had great role models and support throughout her career. Additionally, her two daughters, Amanda and Anna Salce, have been an incredible part of her success. Much of Ms. Hurny’s professional success came in their lifetimes and she believes they are the reason. She also values the team that she works with and she is able to do what she does because of them.
During her spare time, Ms. Hurny devotes herself to her community as a member of the community services board for Onondaga County, and as a member of Families Together and Ophelia’s Place. Looking toward the future, she intends to complete a doctorate in executive leadership and experience the continued growth and success of her team at the Prevention Network. She is recently married to her husband, John Fricano.
