Staff & Trustee Listings

Katherine Reim he has lived in Erie for over 30 years and has worked in the disability field since 1994, helping people with all types of disabilities get connected to supports and services that increase independence and assure control over their lives. She is an Erie-based Regional Trust Liaison for the Achieva Family Trust, and more recently, took on an additional role as Executive Director, The Arc Erie County. Before that, Reim served as a Program Manager for Service Coordination Unlimited. Reim is currently on the Board of Directors for the Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation and a volunteer with Make A Wish. 

Stephen Suroviec is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Achieva family of organizations. He joined Achieva in December 2017. For nearly 30 years, Steve has provided leadership in both the nonprofit and government sectors, serving and advocating for people with disabilities.

Steve most recently served as the Chief Operations Officer and Division Director for Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities at the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association. He has also served as Special Advisor to the Pennsylvania Secretary of Human Services; Pennsylvania’s Deputy Secretary for Developmental Programs; Executive Director of the state’s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation; Executive Director of The Arc of Pennsylvania; and Director of the Erie County Department of Human Services.

Steve served in and earned an honorable discharge from the United States Air Force. He holds a Master’s Degree in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh. Steve served as a presidential appointee to the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities. He also worked on Capitol Hill for then-Congressman Tom Ridge and later in a number of positions within the Ridge Administration in Harrisburg.

As President of Achieva Resource, Ms. Warren oversees all matters involving finance, human resources, information technology, facilities, fundraising, and communications.  

Her contributions to the organization include leading the effort to develop and implement Achieva’s Strategic Vision Plan, overseeing key administrative services such as Information Technology and Human Resources, and coordinating Achieva’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy.

Most recently, Warren was also employed by Allegheny County as the Deputy Director for Administration for the Department of Human Services (DHS). Her previous roles with DHS include Assistant Deputy Director for Forensic Services and Assistant Deputy Director for the DHS Executive Office. Before joining DHS, Warren held the positions of Policy and Planning Administrator and Deputy Warden with the Allegheny County Bureau of Corrections.

Warren earned her Master of Public Administration, Master of Social Work, and Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. 

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         

Shayne Roos is a Senior Vice President of Achieva and President of Achieva Support. He has been employed with Achieva since 2002. Shayne began in the vocational supports department before moving into the role of Vice President of Achieva Support, a position he maintained for nearly eight years. Roos was vital to Achieva’s vocational transformation, phasing out sub-minimum wage in favor of integrated employment offering minimum wage or more. Prior to moving to Pittsburgh in 2001, Shayne worked in North Carolina, first as a Qualified Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Professional and then as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. Shayne graduated from Westminster College with a B.A. in Sociology in 1996 and in 2009 became a graduate of The National Leadership Consortium on Developmental Disabilities at the University of Delaware Center for Disabilities Studies. 

Nancy Murray, M.S. is a Senior Vice President of Achieva; and the President of The Arc of Greater Pittsburgh at Achieva.  She has over 40 years of experience in the disability field in the areas of public policy, advocacy, family support, supports coordination, health care and state government serving people with disabilities and their families. Nancy’s primary area of interest and study is the resilience of families of children and adults with disabilities and the long term impact of caring for a person with a disability on a family. Nancy has conducted numerous seminars and has written numerous articles for families and professionals on disability issues.

Nancy is the Project Director of Achieva’s Disability Healthcare Initiative which is focused on access to healthcare for people with disabilities. She serves as co-chair of the Family Caregiving Advisory Council and is a member of Governor Wolf's Council on Reform to improve the support and protection of vulnerable Pennsylvanians. She also serves on the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation; the Pennsylvania Medical Assistance Advisory Council; and numerous committees through the Pennsylvania Office of Developmental Programs. She is also a member of The Arc of the United State’s National Council of Executives of The Arc ;and the PA Executives of The Arc. She has served as a founder and coordinator of the Down Syndrome Center at Children’s Hospital (UPMC) of Pittsburgh; the Director of Supports Coordination at Staunton Clinic in Pittsburgh; and the Western Area Director of the Office of Developmental Programs in Pennsylvania. 

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).

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.