Kurt Gunther, CEO
Kurt Gunther has been in the behavioral healthcare field for over 10 years. As Chief Executive Officer of HRI Hospital, he is responsible for operational management of clinical and non-clinical departments and regulatory affairs. As CEO, Kurt focuses on driving quality, positive patient outcomes and service excellence in the care provided to our patients and community. Kurt holds Dual Master’s Degrees in Management of Health Administration and a Master’s in Business Administration. He received his undergraduate degree in counseling from the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Krishnaswamy Gajaraj, MD, DPM, Medical Director
Dr. Gajaraj has been in this position for twelve (12) years. Prior to that he was the medical director at the Brockton Hospital. Dr. Gajaraj completed his Psychiatry residency at the University Of West Indies in Jamaica and also at Boston University. Dr. Gajaraj also has a Fellowship in Geriatric Psychiatry from the University of Miami School Of Medicine. His expertise includes general adult psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry and substance abuse. In addition to his hospital practice, he also has a private practice.

Cheryl Grau, LICSW, Clinical Services Executive
In her capacity as clinical services executive, Cheryl has oversight responsibility for the inpatient clinical and group programming, the partial hospitalization programs and the Utilization Review Department. Prior to working at HRI, she worked in the foster care system and the Substance Abuse Department at the Boston Veterans Administration. Cheryl has an undergraduate degree in sociology from the University of Massachusetts and a master’s degree in social work from the Boston University School of Social Work.

Juan Jose Bernabe Perez, MPH, MHW, BSC, Director of Risk Management
Juan Jose Bernabe Perez, MPH, MHW, BSC, is a remarkable healthcare professional who is driven by a passion for excellence in the medical, mental health, health insurance, pharmaceutical, community health, and research industries. With a strong background in clinical operations and an innate attention to detail, Juan has excelled for over eight years in the healthcare industry. Drawing from his extensive academic background, Juan is skilled in effective communication, organization, and project management. Juan holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Spanish, a master’s in health and Wellness Management and an MPH in Epidemiology. Recognized as an astute problem solver, Juan’s expertise lies in quality assurance, utilization, risk management and clinical operations, with a strong focus on enhancing the overall patient experience, safety, and satisfaction. Juan has been recognized as a Posse Scholar, and El Mundo Boston 2019 must influential Latino 30 Under 30. Lastly, Juan has had the opportunity to conduct clinical research in various areas, Oncology, Cell molecular biology, Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical, chronic diseases development and treatment amongst others. Juan is an overall leader that aims to transform the healthcare industry through innovative solutions, compassionate care, and genuine human connection.

Shannon Foley, Assistant Director of PHP
Shannon began her career at HRI as a clinical coordinator in the women’s and general adult partial hospitalization programs. As the assistant director, Shannon is responsible for overseeing program development and training of partial clinicians and clinical interns. In this role, Shannon prioritizes providing quality and individualized care to clients through the eight specialized program provided at HRI. Shannon has an undergraduate degree in psychology from Villanova University and a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Northeastern University.

Amir Azizkhani, Director of Business Development
Amir received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and has worked in healthcare since 2019. And currently is working on his Masters of business administration at Boston University. Since working in healthcare, he has found a passion in helping those in need. Amir took interest in HRI because of the reputation of our corporate company, Universal Health Services. Knowing that UHS is a fortune 500 and then specifically at HRI, knowing that many of our staff have great longevity, assured him that this company was the right one to work for and grow with.
Amir has worked in sales in various industries for the past 11 years and has always found there was a missing piece between operations and business development. With his analytical skills, he feels he can be a great asset to help fill that gap in healthcare. In his career, he is most proud that in every environment that he has worked in, he has always been blessed to work with amazing people.