Compassionate Support

Mary Anderson Hartley is a parent advocate and a disability systems-change professional who started her professional career in 2007, working with Nancy Murray at Achieva on the Disability Healthcare Initiative, a stakeholder effort to increase access to health care for people with disabilities. As a parent advocate, she started volunteering on the Pittsburgh Local Task Force on the Right to Education. Prior to returning to Achieva as the President of The Arc of Greater Pittsburgh, Mary was the Executive Director of the PEAL (Parent Education & Advocacy Leadership) Center. For almost 20 years, she has engaged advocates and organizations to target the fix for broken policy and practice - solving issues through advocacy and legislation and identifying and developing unique programs that increase inclusion. Working with the United Way of Allegheny County’s 21 and Able Initiative, she helped to bridge the divide between youth and adult systems so that students with disabilities can transition more successfully to adulthood in employment, housing, and supportive services. Most notably, she directed #IWantToWork, a self-advocacy social media campaign, increasing employment and financial freedom through three successive efforts that resulted in legislative wins. As a consultant, she also served as Project Director for the Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium (WPDHAC). Governor Wolf appointed Hartley to serve on the Employment First Oversight Commission, where she was the inaugural Chair. She is the 2023 recipient of the Richard Meritzer (Pittsburgh) City-(Allegheny) County Task Force on Disabilities/Reel Abilities Award and, in 2018, received Achieva’s Excellence in Advocacy Award. Governor Wolf appointed Hartley to serve on the Employment First Oversight Commission, where she was the inaugural Chair. She has served on the Board of Disability Rights Pennsylvania and is past Chair of UPMC’s Disability Resource Council. Mary lives in Pittsburgh with her husband, Bob, and has two adult children, Jack and Grace.

Eric McLaughlin is the Executive Director of The Arc Erie County.  Eric began his professional career in 2006 in the sixth largest school district in the nation, Broward County Public Schools. During his time in Broward, Eric worked directly with children with disabilities as a Behavior Specialist, Special Education Specialist, and Compliance Program Specialist. Over the course of his almost twenty-year career, Eric has been a strong advocate for children with disabilities and their families.  His various positions allowed him to act as liaison between schools, students, and their families ensuring that the educational rights of youth were prioritized. 

Eric moved back to his home state of Pennsylvania in 2022 and became the Special Education Supervisor and Assistant Principal of a private Residential Treatment Facility.  In this role Eric was able to work alongside youth with disabilities and their families, and also engage with various Pennsylvania agencies such as social services, community organizations, and healthcare providers. Eric lives in Erie with his wife, Ashley, and two sons, Brecken and Carson.
 

Lori has worked at Achieva since 2016 in various roles: IM4Q (Independent Monitoring for Quality); Older Adult Protective Services Case Aide; Older Adult Protect Services Investigator; FSS Coordinator; and Disability Advocate with Advocacy/Family Supports. She has over 18 year’s experience with disability advocacy. Lori’s daughter was born in 2002 with a diagnosis of Down syndrome which caused a detour in her career choice from Food and Beverage Director to Healthcare and Advocacy. Madison is now a healthy 18-year-old and is planning on starting her own greenhouse business.

Lori is a member of the Beaver County Behavioral Health Human Rights Committee, Beaver County Intermediate Unit Task Force, and the Local Interagency Coordinating Council for Early Intervention in Beaver County. She has raised awareness and thousands of dollars for Down syndrome and Multiple Sclerosis awareness through her Facebook page: Madison Miracle Makers.

Erin has been with Achieva since 2013 in Home and Community Supports as both a DSP/Life Coach and IHCS Coordinator.  In June of 2022, Erin transitioned into her new role as an Advocate. 
Erin brings 9 years of experience supporting adolescents through adulthood with home and community-based services. She also implements Life Course Framework in Person-Centered Planning to help others live their best life...the life they see themselves living. 

Erin serves on the Westmoreland County Human Trafficking Task Force. She also guides a Healthy Relationships Peer Support group. Erin is passionate about literacy and is focusing on teaming up with the Westmoreland County YWCA and the Adult Literacy program. 
 
Erin lives in Greensburg with her husband Clyde and their various rescue dogs and bunny. Erin dedicates her free time to creating cakes and volunteering with a local animal rescue group and has a soft spot for senior dogs in need of a home to live out their twilight years.

Amy Guthrie has been an advocate with Achieva since 2006. Having personally experienced the challenges of navigating services for her son when he was young, she was thankful that an Achieva advocate was able to assist her. Now, Amy is pleased to support people with disabilities and their families across the region so they can understand the systems and have their concerns addressed. In addition to providing resources, reviewing documents, and facilitating communication, she supports families at meetings and mediations.

Amy also works on systemic issues, collaborating with other organizations to reach out to underserved communities. Additionally, she serves on the Local Task Force on the Right to Education for Intermediate Unit 3, where she shares information on legislation and policy regarding issues of interest to the disability community.
 
Amy received her B.A. from Earlham College and her M.S.Ed from Duquesne University.

Melissa is a disability and family supports advocate in Westmoreland County. She is the parent of a chld with an intellectual disability and autism. Melissa is an ambassador in the Charting the LifeCourse Framework and former board member of Westmoreland Casemanagement Supports Inc. (WCSI).

She also co-authored a journal article in ODP Positive Approaches on Person-Centered Planning and Trauma-Informed Approach. Melissa has a passion for supporting people with disabilities, their families and the community at large to ensure people with disabilities are living a good life and the life they envision for themselves. Melissa advocates for equity and inclusion in the educational system and is trained to engage with people in Person-Centered Planning and can offer training to other agencies and organizations.