Katie M. Hackney
Katie Hackney is the Chief Operating Officer at Highland Hospital, where she oversees operations for one of West Virginia’s longstanding behavioral health providers. Approaching her 13th anniversary with the organization, Katie has built her entire career at Highland, beginning as a case manager immediately after graduating from West Virginia University with a degree in psychology. Through hard work, continuous learning, and a commitment to helping others, she advanced through numerous leadership roles in therapy services, program management, and clinical operations before being named COO.
Throughout her career, Katie has remained deeply focused on improving psychiatric and behavioral healthcare services for children, adolescents, and adults. Her background includes psychological testing, individual and family therapy, discharge planning, staff development, and overseeing patient care programs. She also served as an instructor at Marshall University, teaching child development psychology while continuing to grow her expertise in hospital leadership. Katie is currently pursuing a doctorate in healthcare administration, which she expects to complete this year, as part of her ongoing commitment to professional growth and operational excellence.
Katie is passionate about leadership, mentorship, and creating a supportive environment for both staff and patients. She views setbacks as opportunities to learn and believes in steadily working toward long-term goals. Her ultimate aspiration is to become a hospital CEO, and she has been fortunate to receive mentorship and encouragement from Highland’s current leadership team as she prepares for that next chapter. Outside of work, Katie is actively involved in her community through volunteer efforts with a local animal shelter, combining her love for service with her passion for improving the lives of others.
• Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) Trainer Associate Certification
• Marshall University- M.A.
• West Virginia University- B.S.
• Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology
• Senior Honors Thesis
• Local Animal Shelter Support
• Christmas Dinner for Shelter Animals
What do you attribute your success to?
I think the way I was raised, you know, I saw my dad work so hard as a full-time electrician in the underground coal mines, which was very common here in West Virginia as a job. My mom stayed home with me full-time, and so his hard work and her constant attention to detail with everything, you know, in my educational years and everything. They both just, their belief in me, you know, it just motivated me to be the best that I could be. I wanted to make them proud, and I think that's what has motivated me so much over time, just having the best parents who believed in me, and me wanting to make them proud in that way.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I think that, first of all, if you have a dream, you need to work toward that dream. You need to recognize that there are going to be hurdles and challenges, but you have to remember that you've survived 100% of your worst days, and every challenge is a learning experience. So don't think of setbacks or challenges as failures. Instead, think of them as building blocks and learning experiences to use for the future.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that matter most to me in both my work and personal life are family, hard work, service to others—especially animals and patients—continuous learning, and faith.