Amy Dolan Strano, Esq., is a Senior Vice President of Achieva; and President of the Achieva Family Trust and was one of the original members of the planning committee which guided ACHIEVA in the creation of the ACHIEVA Family Trust in 1998. She was also a long-standing member of the Achieva Family Trust Board of Trustees, including serving as the Board's Chairperson.

Prior to joining Achieva Family Trust, Ms. Dolan Strano spent more than 10 years in the UPMC Corporate Legal Department, representing Western Psychiatric Institute & Clinic and Magee-Women’s Hospital as Associate Counsel.  She also represented the Department of Human Services for Allegheny County as Assistant County Solicitor, a job she held before working at UPMC.

Ms. Dolan Strano is a graduate of Bethany College and Duquesne University School of Law.  She taught Mental Health Law at The University of Pittsburgh School of Law from 2005 through 2008. Amy is active in the Allegheny County Bar Association's Elder Law Committee, Committee on Law and Disability and the Health Law Section.  She served as Chair of the Health Law Section from 2011-2012 and as Chair of the Elder Law Committee from 2016 - 2018.  Amy is a member of the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) as well as the Pennsylvania Chapter (PAELA).

Jacquelyn E. Connell, Esq. is the Director of Legal & Trust Administration Services for Achieva Family Trust. In her current role, she works with attorneys, families, and individuals with disabilities on reviewing and establishing special needs trusts. Prior to working at Achieva Family Trust, she focused her practice on estate planning and estate administration. She has extensive experience in drafting and reviewing Wills and Powers of Attorney, as well as advising clients on estate planning techniques with regard to trusts, real estate, and long term care. Jacquelyn is a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association and its Law and Disability section. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts summa cum laude and her Juris Doctor from Duquesne University         

Kurt Emmerling became the Director of Strategic Operations for the Achieva Family Trust in October of 2021. Prior to this role, Kurt was the Administrator for the Allegheny County’s Department of Human Services, Aging Division. He has more than nineteen years of experience in geriatrics and aging support.  
In addition to his role at Aging, Kurt has held positions as a mental health therapist and manager for the Mercy Health System of Pittsburgh and helped start Allegheny County’s first 24-hour crisis phone and mobile intervention unit.

Educationally, Mr. Emmerling received his Master’s in Community Counseling from Duquesne University in 1989.  He is a licensed and nationally board-certified counselor and was one of the first therapists in Pennsylvania to hold this dual credential. 

Mr. Emmerling also teaches for the School of Graduate Professional Counseling for Carlow University in Pittsburgh and was recognized for his dedication to education through Carlow University's award for most outstanding graduate faculty. Kurt also has worked as a trainer for MEDS-PDN, a national health-services training company, and presented in more than forty US cities on the topics of mental health diagnosis and intervention.

Maria Smith is Director of Education and Outreach of Achieva Family Trust, a division of Achieva.  She has been with the Family Trust for the past 23 years.  Prior to her role, as Vice President of the Trust, she worked for many years in the Allegheny County Mental Health and Mental Retardation Program.  Prior to leaving Allegheny County, she was the Deputy Director of Mental Retardation Services (now known as Intellectual Disabilities).  As one of the original staff of Achieva Family Trust, she has witnessed the tremendous growth of the Trust over the years.
 

Mary Peterson is the Administrative Trust Manager at Achieva Family Trust.  Mary has served on the Advocacy Action Team at Achieva for several years.

Prior to joining Achieva Family Trust, Mary served as the Senior Program Manager in the Supports Coordination Department at Familylinks where she was employed for 19 years. Her initial role at Familylinks was in the Supports Coordinator position prior to being promoted to Program Manager and Senior Manager. Mary was an agency trainer in Risking Connection,  a trauma-informed care model of service.

Mary has worked with individuals diagnosed with both intellectual disabilities and mental health, for the majority of her career. Her previous employment history includes Pressley Ridge Schools where she worked as a Therapeutic Support Staff in family and residential treatment homes as well as Allegheny Intensive Treatment Program (AITP) where she worked with juvenile offenders for several years.

Mary is a graduate of Penn State University where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology.