Carl I. Fertman, Ph.D., MBA, CHES is an associate professor in the department of Health And Physical Activity and Executive Director of the Maximizing Adolescent Potentials (MAPS) Program, both in the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh. His areas of expertise are evidence-based health program and service design and implementation, substance abuse prevention, mental health education, and school and community organization collaboration.
Jennifer Ely, M.S. serves as the Program Director of MAPS and is an instructor in the Department of Health and Physical Activity. She is responsible for alcohol and other drug prevention programming in participating schools throughout Allegheny County. She provides program development for a professional counseling staff, consults with school districts, and develops new and ongoing health promotion initiatives. She represents MAPS at the State, County, and local levels. Jennifer has expertise in community collaboration, conducting school and community-based needs assessments and implementing evidence-based programming. Jennifer has been invited to present at several local and national conferences on the topic of prevention programming.
Ann Flaherty, M.Ed. is a Social Services Liaison in the Fox Chapel Area School District. She has broad experience in providing prevention, mental health education, and consultation services including individual and group psycho-education, crisis intervention training, and program development for school systems, school staff, families, and Student Assistance Programs. Ann participates in parent education workshops about adolescent development in area middle and high schools. She also has extensive experience in conducting Leadership Training for Pittsburgh's area youth through the University of Pittsburgh, Carlow University, Winchester-Thurston School and Dorseyville Middle School. Ann has frequently been a guest lecturer at local universities and colleges on the topics of general psychology, adolescent development, crisis intervention skills, family management, and interagency collaboration. Ann recently presented at three national conferences: Pennsylvania School Counselor Association, Pennsylvania Counselors Association and the American Counseling Association. She also provided consultation for the School of Education summer program Physical Activity Camp for Kids (PACK) and in the Bridges the Gap program as a preceptor.
Gregg Dietz, M.A., M.Ed. specializes in prevention and intervention work at Shaler Area School District with students in grades 5-12. He has also facilitated groups for college students, both at the University of Pittsburgh and at Point Park College where he was also the mental health therapist. His areas of expertise are group work, drug and alcohol, violence prevention, and organizational leadership and social change. Gregg has presented at numerous state and local professional meetings and conferences. He has conducted in-services for many school districts in the area. He served in Vietnam with the Marine Corps. He is an artist who has been schooled in the areas of sculpture and painting and has renovated six houses. Both personally and professionally, Gregg strives to enrich the connection between the body, mind, and spirit. He has worked for the MAPS Program since 1983.
Thomas Petrone, Ed.D. is the Clinical Consultant for MAPS In-School services. He provides clinical support and direction to the MAPS staff and consultation and direct service at the MAPS Student Support Center at Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School. He is a licensed psychologist, licensed professional counselor and clinical director of the Psychological and Counseling Center Inc., where he has provided clinical, training and consultative services since 1985. He has held adjunct faculty positions at the University of Pittsburgh, Applied Developmental Psychology Program, the Duquesne University Counseling, Psychology and Special Education Program and the Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Counseling Program. He is also the staff Psychologist for the Bariatric Surgery Department at West Penn hospital in Pittsburgh. In addition, Tom is the director and faculty member of the Gestalt Institute of Pittsburgh.
Susan M. Fink, M.S.Ed., NCC, is the Social Services Liaison for Fox Chapel Area High School and O'Hara Elementary School. As part of the Student Assistance Team, Susan concentrates on the "whole student" in terms of providing support and addressing challenges. Susan works with families to help connect them with community resources that will benefit them. In the school, Susan works with students to activate their natural strengths and connect them to school supports. Susan conducts groups with students to address issues such as Anger Management, Social Skills, and Relationship Aggression. Susan is the sponsor for the Gay Straight Alliance in Fox Chapel Area High School. Susan is a former Naval Officer and lives with her husband and three children in Ben Avon.
Edward J. Hanna IV, M.S.C.P., NCC, LPC has dual certification in School Guidance and Counseling. He serves as the Social Services Liaison at Kerr Elementary School in the Fox Chapel Area School District. Ed has extensive experience working in a variety of mental health areas such as home, school residential and community settings. He provides support to Kerr students and families in regards to truancy prevention, mental health referrals, crisis intervention and still-building groups. He also consults with outside agencies in order to sure the health and safety of the students. He serves as the Program Site supervisor for the school-based Big Brothers Big Sisters Program, Girls on the Run (Magee-Womens Hospital), and participates in the Peace Bus with Communities in Action for Peace (CAP). He created a tobacco prevention assembled BUTT OUT which educates youth in grades 3-5 on the consequences of tobacco. This interactive presentation includes a puppet show and acoustic guitar. Ed has taught a Sports & Drugs course at the University of Pittsburgh; educates middle school students in Leadership Service Learning; has presented at national conferences; served as a volunteer with ProPeru Corps in May 2007; and has a publication on Social Learning Theory in The ACA Encyclopedia of Counseling. He is also a part-time mobile therapist for the Youth Advocate Program in the Pittsburgh area. Ed loves the arts of ballet and Broadway Musicals, as well as cooking on his down time.
Lisa Koperek, M.Ed., NCC, specializes in adolescent prevention and intervention counseling at Springdale High School. She serves as a board member at Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Center for Counselor Training and is a long-time active member of Amnesty International. Lisa has a wide background in working globally with young people in order to help them gain the life and job skills they need in order to successfully transition from school and college to the workplace and adulthood. Currently at Springdale, in addition to her counseling responsibilities, Lisa runs the STOP (Students Together Organizing Prevention) leadership group for students in grades 7-12, and the SLAM risky behaviors film-making project for girls. In her spare time, Lisa is a keen photographer, an avid creative journalist and scrap-booker, and loves to travel, explore and hike.
Shannon Lugaila, M.S. serves as the Senior Research Specialist. She is responsible for data collection, management, and reporting of school and community health promotion initiatives. She oversees undergraduate interns and assists in the recruitment of participants for evidence based programs in the community. Shannon has frequently been a guest lecturer on topics about alcohol consumption for college students and senior citizens as well as ways to increase physical activity to multiple organizations on campus. She teaches various group fitness classes on and off campus and is an advocate for all things healthy.
Judy Bowlus is responsible for all administrative documentation and reports for the MAPS Program. She maintains the budget and is responsible for all financial and accounting duties.