FAIRFAX, VA, April 16, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Maria Paula Gaudino, LCSW, LICSW, has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Currently serving as vice president of clinical services at Dominion Hospital — part of HCA Healthcare — Ms. Gaudino has established herself as a leader and expert in behavioral health and emergency services. In her executive capacity, she manages the daily clinical service operations for a 116-bed psychiatric hospital, overseeing three partial hospitalization programs, two intensive outpatient programs and a mental health assessment center. Her responsibilities include delivering evidence-based treatment for children, adolescents, adults, couples and families across a broad spectrum of mental health and substance use disorders. She also spearheads strategic expansion initiatives, including the successful launch of a mental health assessment center and ongoing capital project proposals for further growth.

Utilizing her executive leadership and strategic planning to align clinical programs with the needs of the community, Ms. Gaudino directs counseling and therapeutic services for patients with complex psychiatric conditions and manages the administration of social work, expressive therapy and outpatient services. As the 24/7 administrator on call for behavioral health admissions and intake services, she provides important policy guidance and aids her team in solving critical matters.

Ms. Gaudino's expertise in extracting and interpreting data supports informed operational decision-making processes throughout the hospital. Tracking clinical outcomes to develop recommendations that improve engagement and quality of care, she completes monthly Tracers with AMP audits for the Joint Commission website and coordinates surveys to ensure regulatory compliance and successful accreditation outcomes. Her commitment to excellence is further demonstrated by her active participation in the Policy Development Committee, the Medical Executive Committee, the Regional Utilization Committee and the Board of Trustees at HCA.

In addition to her executive role at Dominion Hospital, Ms. Gaudino serves as a virtual therapist for Wildland Fire with the United States Department of the Interior, providing specialized telehealth support to first responders who face unique behavioral health challenges in high-stress environments. She is also a bilingual therapist with Headway Virtual Therapy Services, offering accessible mental health care and crisis intervention assistance to diverse populations through virtual platforms.

From 2020 to 2025, Ms. Gaudino was the director of behavioral health emergency services at Inova Psychiatric Assessment Center (IPAC) in Fairfax, Virginia — the culmination of nearly a decade with the leading health care provider. In this capacity, she managed a 24/7 team responsible for evaluating patients who sought mental health or substance abuse assistance in the emergency department. During the COVID-19 pandemic, her team faced unprecedented demand as individuals experiencing new or worsening mental health crises sought help due to job loss, housing instability or marital discord. Her leadership ensured that every patient received timely treatment despite significant staffing challenges.

One of Ms. Gaudino's most significant achievements during her tenure at Inova came when she collaborated with information technology and analytics teams to develop a behavioral health dashboard for emergency room patients. Over two years, she helped create comprehensive reports that tracked metrics such as wait times, rooming times and discharge intervals. This initiative identified key areas for process improvement such as reducing unnecessary testing and expediting patient transitions, which ultimately enhanced patient care during a period of extraordinary need.

Holding several leadership roles at Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute — part of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services — from 2009 to 2016, Ms. Gaudino worked extensively with individuals who had committed serious crimes but were found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity due to severe mental illness. Driven by compassion and the unwavering desire to help those in the greatest need, she and her team focused on rehabilitating these individuals for eventual reintegration into society.

From 2006 to 2009, Ms. Gaudino excelled as the supervisor of social workers at Child and Family Services Agency in Washington, District of Columbia, where she conducted child abuse and neglect investigations while supporting youth in foster care.

Earlier in her earlier years, Ms. Gaudino held dual roles as an admissions operations manager, neuropsychiatric social worker and clinical social worker at Riverside Hospital in Washington. Over the course of six years, she coordinated admissions into various psychiatric programs while working directly with children who faced mental health or substance abuse issues.

Before transitioning into child and family services, Ms. Gaudino began her professional journey as a psychiatric therapist at George Washington University Hospital (UHS), where she contributed research on aggression related to complex partial seizures — a condition not easily observable externally but occurring within the brain — until funding for the research program concluded.

Hailing from an equally accomplished academic foundation, Ms. Gaudino earned a Master of Social Work with a concentration in clinical social work from The Catholic University of America. She completed her undergraduate studies with a Bachelor of Arts from Macalester College after receiving a scholarship based on her talent in highland dancing — a discipline she learned throughout her life living in Argentina.

Committed to maintaining rigorous professional standards across multiple jurisdictions, Ms. Gaudino is licensed as a clinical social worker in both Florida and Virginia and as an independent clinical social worker in Washington.

Reflecting on her storied journey to date, Ms. Gaudino attributes her success to the unwavering support of her parents, sister and children along with her deep passion for aggression research and suicide prevention — a commitment that continues to drive her efforts to make a meaningful difference for those considering ending their lives.

Civic engagement is another central part of Ms. Gaudino's life. She volunteers with her therapy dog — a dachshund — whom she brings on visits to nursing homes. Often, she responds free of charge when requested by community members, providing impromptu sessions that bring comfort to those in need through animal-assisted therapy.

Also an accomplished author and thought leader of more than 20 years, Ms. Gaudino has shared her knowledge and insights through important writing on seeking help with mental health challenges, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the cognitive changes humans experience during puberty. Her works have appeared in prominent publications including Inova News Room and have been presented at American Psychiatric Association and Institute of Psychiatric Services events.

Widely recognized for her outstanding contributions and leadership over the years, Ms. Gaudino was selected out of 150 candidates to participate in the System Lead Public Sector Program at The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) through the Department of Behavioral Health and Rehabilitation Services. Earlier in her journey, she was nominated for Best Supervisor at a Child and Family Services Agency in Washington in 2007.

In her personal life, Ms. Gaudino is a proud mother devoted to raising her five children: two sons — including one who works as an aerospace engineer — and three daughters who are pursuing higher education or preparing for university studies across fields such as social work, nursing, information technology and medicine.

Determined to further her impact in the coming years, Ms. Gaudino intends to continue developing her leadership role within Dominion Hospital. Her ultimate aspiration is to make a long-term impact within behavioral health administration while advancing organizational missions that inspire hope, healing and recovery for individuals and families who face mental health challenges.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. The suite of Marquis® publications, including Who's Who in America® and Who's Who in the World®, remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the globe. Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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