Our belief

The idea that addiction is a chronic, progressive, and potentially fatal disease with a biological basis has been an accepted part of orthodox, mainstream medical education for decades. Yet, the world of addiction treatment has always existed outside of the interconnected system of mainstream medical practice. Inspired and guided by the American Society for Addiction Medicine, our center was created to step into that gap and bridge the divide. And we believe it to be just the right thing, just in the nick of time.

Mission and values

Defining excellence and compassion in treating those suffering from addiction by providing personalized comprehensive outpatient care. We bring the power of evidence-based care to addiction treatment, creating a bridge from medical stabilization to long-term recovery.

Leadership

We strive to be the leader in addiction treatment, each of us takes ownership in providing the best possible care for our patients and is accountable for doing our best work to support the Master Center for Addiction Medicine’s mission. We lead by holding ourselves to the highest standards of quality care to help our patients achieve the best possible outcome.

Trust

We create an environment of trust with each other and with our patients. We hold each other and our patients to the highest standard of ethics and integrity in all that we do.

Compassion

We treat each other and our patients with compassion, dignity, and respect. We draw on our own experience to be empathetic and understand the challenges our patients face in their pathway to recovery.

Teamwork

We are collaborative in our approach, respecting each other’s contributions and focusing our efforts on providing holistic care and patient well-being. Each of us takes ownership of the Master Center’s success and continually works toward achieving our mission.

Innovation

We continually evolve our approach to patient care as we learn and strive to evolve our model to provide the most extensive, state-of-the-art continuum of care in an outpatient setting. We are open to continually improving our model of care to help our patients to heal and to achieve long-term recovery beyond harm reduction, inspired by our own recovery experience.

Diversity and Inclusion

At Master Center, we recognize that diversity, inclusion, and belonging in all forms create a stronger workplace and enhance the quality of care for patients. We strive to empower our employees to provide excellent care while creating an inclusive environment for employees and patients alike regardless of protected identities, such as race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

Leadership team

Founder and Chief Medical Officer

Dr. James Thompson

Chief Executive Officer

Anna McKean

Chief Clinical Officer

Dr. Andreas Bienert

Founder and Chief Medical Officer

Dr. James Thompson

Dr. Thompson is a fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and was awarded diplomate status by the American Board of Addiction Medicine in 2013. He has practiced in the field of addiction medicine since completing his training at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine in 2009. He has distinguished himself as a leader and innovator in the development of high quality, accessible outpatient addiction medicine, culminating in the founding of the Master Center (formerly named Virginia Center for Addiction Medicine) in 2016. Dr. Thompson serves as the president of Virginia ASAM and advises public and private sector organizations on the current addiction crisis.

Chief Executive Officer

Anna McKean

Anna McKean has more than 20 years of diverse executive experience, from leading a consulting group within a Big Four accounting firm to executive leadership in early-stage growth companies. She leverages her entrepreneurial experience to create innovative, sustainable healthcare models that improve lives, healthcare systems and communities. After serving as senior adviser for two years, Anna joined the Master Center as CEO in 2019 to lead the growth and development of the Master Center’s high-quality outpatient services in Virginia and beyond. Anna holds an MBA from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a BA in Economics and Political Science from the University of Richmond.

Chief Clinical Officer

Dr. Andreas Bienert

Andreas Bienert is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Substance Abuse Counselor in the state of Virginia, and a Nationally Certified Counselor. He is widely recognized for his high caliber work within inpatient and outpatient levels of care with individuals struggling to recover from addiction and trauma. Dr. Bienert has helped children, adolescents, adults, in addition to couples and families. He serves as an Assistant Professor at Colorado Christian University for its Master of Arts in Counseling Program and is a member of the steering committee for The International Registry of Counsellor Education Programs (IRCEP), where he contributes to quality assurance efforts within International Counselor Education programs.

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Master Center offers two weekly newsletters. One specifically for the family and friends of individuals with substance use disorder. The other is designed for addiction professionals and referral partners.

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