Staff & Trustee Listings

LeeAnn Fulena, Esq., is the Director of Strategic Operations at Achieva Family Trust, a nonprofit organization based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities and their families.  In addition to operations, Ms. Fulena oversees the Benefits Counseling Program and the Charitable Residual Program.  She is a member of NAELA and PAELA and serves on the Alliance of Pooled Trust’s Education cCommittee and the National Plan Alliance’s Content Committee for the 2025 Conference in Kansas City where she will speak on Benefits Counseling.

Prior to her role at Achieva, Ms. Fulena was a partner at Robb Leonard Mulvihill LLP, a law firm in Pittsburgh focusing on litigation and estate planning and administration.  She earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and graduated cum laude from Westminster College.  

Ms. Fulena has been actively involved in community service as President of the Board at Arise, formerly the Crisis Shelter of Lawrence County, an organization dedicated to supporting victims of sexual assault and domestic violence; President of the Board of New Castle Playhouse; and as a member of the Board of the Hoyt Center for the Arts.  Additionally, she has served as the first female Chairperson of the Lawrence County Housing Authority, demonstrating her commitment to public service and community development. 

Ms. Fulena has also been recognized for her leadership and engagement contributions. She was honored with the ATHENA Leadership Award, which celebrates women who demonstrate excellence in their professions, contribute to their communities, and mentor others.  She is also a recipient of an Alumni Citation Award from her alma mater, Westminster College.  In 2021 and 2022, she was noted as a Super Lawyer in Pennsylvania in the area of litigation.
 

Stephen Suroviec is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Achieva family of organizations. He joined Achieva in December 2017. For over 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. 

Prior to accepting the role of Interim President of Achieva Support in July 2024, Court Hower served as Senior VP, Achieva Support, a position he began in late 2023.

Court holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business from Penn State University and a Juris Doctor Degree from Duquesne University School of Law with a concentration in real property and business law. He is licensed to practice law in the state of Pennsylvania and is a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association.

Since graduating Law School, Court has served in the non-profit sector as a manager and executive, including most recently as CEO of DON (Disability Options Network) a Center for Independent Living in western PA. He has also served on numerous nonprofit boards and government steering committees.

Court has extensive experience in federal, state, and local grant writing and administration, primarily focused on increasing employment and housing resources in western Pennsylvania for individuals with disabilities. Court also helped spearhead multiple housing initiatives, including one initiative that is looking at making affordable housing healthier. He also co-authored a grant that re-designated and funded DON as a Center for Independent Living for Allegheny, Westmoreland, and Armstrong Counties.

Amy Dolan Strano, Esq., serves as the Senior Vice President and Corporate Secretary of Achieva, a nonprofit organization based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities and their families. She is also the President of Achieva Family Trust, a division of Achieva that focuses on special needs trusts.

Ms. Dolan Strano was instrumental in the creation of Achieva Family Trust in 1998 and was a long-standing member of its Board of Trustees, including serving as the Board's Chairperson.

Prior to her roles at Achieva, she spent over a decade in the UPMC Corporate Legal Department, representing Western Psychiatric Institute & Clinic and Magee-Women’s Hospital as Associate Counsel. She also served as Assistant County Solicitor for the Department of Human Services for Allegheny County.

Ms. Dolan Strano is a graduate of Bethany College and Duquesne University School of Law. She has been actively involved in the Allegheny County Bar Association (ACBA), serving on the ACBA's Board of Governors, the Elder Law Committee, Committee on Law and Disability, and the Health Law Section.  She served as Chair of the ACBA's Health Law Section from 2011 to 2012 and as Chair of the Elder Law Committee from 2016 to 2018. She is also a member of the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and the Pennsylvania Chapter (PAELA).

She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Vincentian Collaborative System Board and as Secretary of the Alliance for Pooled Trusts Board.   She is a member of the Board of Governors of the Duquesne Kline Law Alumni Association (DKLAA). 

In November 2024, Ms. Dolan Strano was recognized as one of the 2024 Pittsburgh Smart 50 Awardees, an honor presented by Smart Business to top executives in the Greater Pittsburgh region for their ability to effectively build and lead successful organizations.

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.