Our Advisory Board Members

Darlene J. Bigler

Darlene is the Chief Executive Officer of Blueprints, formerly Community Action Southwest, a change agency that breaks barriers and builds futures in Washington and Greene counties in Pennsylvania and parts of West Virginia.  Blueprints employs 330 people, administering $23 million in government grants and private contracts to serve close to 20,000 people annually. During her 27-year tenure at Blueprints, Bigler has created affiliate corporations including Action Resources, Inc. and Plaza Building Associates. In 2015, she and her team led Blueprints through the acquisition of and merger with a nonprofit agency providing foster care and adoption in PA and WV.

Bigler serves on the boards of directors of Threshold Housing Development, Inc., the Community Action Association of Pennsylvania, and CAPLAW, the national membership organization providing legal and financial technical assistance to 1,000 community action agencies throughout the U.S. She serves on the Southwest Corner Workforce Investment Board and is a Trustee of the Washington Health System. She was the Washington County Chamber of Commerce’s Athena Award winner in 2008 and awarded the Community Engagement and Innovative Program of the Year awards in 2016 by the Community Action Association of Pennsylvania.

Bracken Burns

Bracken Burns served the residents of Washington County for more than forty years. He began his career in Washington County as the Deputy Director of Community Action Corporation followed by more than 22 years as the county's Emergency Services Director.  Bracken was elected County Commissioner in 1995, a position he held for 16 years.  While serving as Commissioner, Bracken was also elected President of The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania and Chairman of The Southwestern PA Commission.

A Lifetime Member of Washington Branch NAACP, Bracken was the 2007 Human Rights Award recipient.  In 2011, Bracken was honored with the Governor's Award for Excellence in Local Government and more recently received the 2013 Liberty Bell Award from the Washington County Bar Association and the 2014 Aging Services Humanitarian Award.

An active member of his community, Bracken currently serves on 23 boards and committees that address issues that range from the local government and history to mental and physical health and wellness.

In 2018, Bracken was elected Supervisor in South Strabane Township.

Bracken is quick to point out that his proudest accomplishment is his family. He and Kate have been happily married for 51 years and they are the parents of two grown children, Dr. Bracken Burns, Jr. of Johnson City, Tennessee and Colleen Burns Natili of Peters Township. His “greatest joys” are his grandchildren: Aliya, Bracken, Trey, Jackson, and Kaitlin.

Kathleen M. (Kathy) Cameron

It has been Kathy’s pleasure to have co-founded and advised the Washington County Gay Straight Alliance of youth since its inception in November 2005.  She has served as Board Chair, Secretary, and Executive Director of the Washington County Gay Straight Alliance, Inc. from its incorporation as a nonprofit in 2012 to date. She served on the Board of Directors of the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN) Pittsburgh from 2007-2013, with the mission of safety in the schools K-12 for all students. Her passion lies in providing a safe, confidential environment, resources, and social opportunities for our Washington County LGBTQA+ community and their allies.

Kathy is in her second term as a Commissioner on the PA Commission of LGBTQ Affairs.  She is presently on the Washington County Community Foundation Allocations Committee. She was a previous Board member of the Bradford House Museum and Three Rivers Community Foundation.  She was a paralegal specializing in estate work in her earlier career.  Kathy has four grown children and has seven grandchildren. 

Frances Clark

Frances Clark is a Licensed Social Worker within the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. She grew up in Greene County, graduating from Carmichaels Area High School in 2004. Frances earned her bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice Administration with a concentration in Human Services from University of Phoenix. She obtained a Masters Degree in Social Work from California University of Pennsylvania. Frances is a current member of National Association of Social Workers and a member of the Local 668 SEIU. She is also current member of Critical Incident Stress Management team.  Frances has multiple years of experience working and volunteering within Washington County. Examples include, Drug and Alcohol treatment, child welfare resources, mental health treatment, domestic violence services, homeless services, food insecurities and educational resources.  

Frances is an Advisory board member for Health Resources & Services Administration.  She is a mother of three terrific daughters who drive her passion to help others and advocate for effective resources. Frances and her family currently reside in the city of Washington. She enjoys being with her family, watching the Pittsburgh Steelers, jeopardy, visiting the beach and reading nonfictional books.  

Derek Culbertson

Derek Culbertson is the Senior Director of the Washington Campus for Presbyterian SeniorCare Network.  Derek has enjoyed a twenty plus year career in aging services.  A social worker by trade initially, Derek spent many years in long-term care before deciding to make the transition to healthcare operations.  He currently holds his personal care home administrator certification and nursing home administrator license in the state of Pennsylvania and has enjoyed serving in both of those roles over the years. 

Derek resides in Cecil with his wife, Jessica, and two children, Ethan and Olivia.  As an avid member of his church, Derek enjoys volunteering as a worship leader.  Derek enjoys spending time with his family, listening to music of all kinds, and watching or participating in a variety of sports. 

Dr. Andrew Goudy

Dr. Andrew Goudy graduated from Trinity Area High School and then went on to obtain Bachelor and Masters degrees in chemistry from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He has worked as a chemistry teacher in several school districts including Canon-McMillan. After working at Canon-McMillan for two years he left to pursue a PhD degree from the University of Pittsburgh. Upon obtaining his doctorate degree, Dr. Goudy went on to work as a chemistry professor at West Chester University of Pennsylvania for 24 years. He then moved to Delaware and obtained a position as professor and Chair of the Chemistry Department at Delaware State University (an HBCU). While at Delaware State University he did research in the area of hydrogen storage materials. He and his students published numerous articles in scientific journals and they obtained a US patent for the discovery of a unique hydrogen storage material. He has presented the results of his research findings at international research conferences in ten countries. While at Delaware State University, Dr. Goudy also served as Acting Dean of the College of Mathematics Natural Sciences and Technology for a year. He recently retired from Delaware State University and moved back to this area where he grew up.

Since retirement, Dr. Goudy has served as president of the Washington Rotary Club for a year. He is currently serving as president of the Washington Branch NAACP. He has said that one of his top priorities as NAACP president is to help get people registered and out to the polls. Another priority is to help disadvantaged minority students in Washington County to receive a good education. As President he has an ongoing commitment to the fight for social justice and civil rights for all oppressed people in the county.

Lisa Hannum

Lisa Hannum is Chief Executive Officer of Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern PA (DVSSP) serving Washington, Greene, and Fayette counties. Through prevention efforts and by providing evaluation-based, trauma-informed services built on consistency, predictability, clarity, and transparency, her vision is to eradicate intimate partner violence.

Hannum joined DVSSP in 2005 as Volunteer Coordinator, where she increased volunteer hours by 500%. She was promoted to the Education and Training Coordinator, growing the department from 1.5 to 5 staff. In 2015, Hannum was named DVSSP’s first Director of Operations. Since becoming CEO in 2018 with a “mistakes are for learning” leadership style, staff has grown by 20% with an emphasis on the areas of prevention, housing, and community outreach. Through her work at DVSSP, Hannum received the Rose Day Award from Zonta International for her non-profit work.

Prior to her work at DVSSP, Hannum earned a degree in psychology, worked for Children and Youth Services as an investigator specializing in sexual assault, taught parenting and behavior modification classes, was the Executive Director of Interfaith Hospitality Network homeless shelter, and assisted with a family business. She currently serves on the Emergency Food and Shelter Program advisory board and is an active member of the Washington Rotary Club.

Tiffaney Hobson

Tiffaney is a Pittsburgh native who has lived in the city of Washington for the past 15 years. After high school, Tiffaney moved to Tempe, AZ to study at Arizona State University. She completed an undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (Psychology and Human Development) and a graduate degree in Psychology. Her research has focused on cognitive theories of motivation and performance outcomes among distance-learning students. She currently teaches psychology and statistics courses as an adjunct professor at ASU Online. Additionally, Tiffaney is employed in the non-profit sector as a quality compliance specialist.

As a resident and as someone who has worked in social services for over 20 years, Tiffaney is passionate about the unique needs of the individuals and families residing in Washington County. She has been a member of the Blueprints’ Board of Directors since 2018 and continues to serve as a community representative on the Policy Council for Blueprints’ Head Start programs. She is truly honored by the privilege to serve on the Human Services Advisory Board.

Rita Hritz

Rita Hritz is a retired employee of Aging Services of Washington County. For twenty years she was the Center Coordinator at the Beth Center Senior Center. This center provided five municipalities with services for older adults. After retiring, she wanted to stay involved with senior citizens in a way that would help programs improve and expand, as well as maintain our present services. She felt, as an older adult with experience acquired working with the elderly population, she had an understanding of the needs and wants of the senior community. She has spent twenty-five additional years volunteering to improve and expand these services. 

After retiring, the Washington County Commissioners appointed her to the Southwestern PA Areas Agency on Aging and the Washington County Sub-Area Council. This provided her with the opportunity to serve and become chairman of many of the following committees: Budget/Legislative, Long-Term Care, Nutrition and Site Review, Special Activities and Special Task Force for home-delivered meals. Subsequently, she was appointed to the Southwestern Pennsylvania Area Agency Board of Directors, serving approximately 10 years, holding the office of President for four years. 

In addition, she has served on the following boards: Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), Beth Center School District Board, Mon Valley Vocational-Technical School Board and currently Presbyterian Senior Care Foundation, Washington Campus. 

Debra (Debi) Mahoney

Deborah Mahoney retired after 40 years of service as a secondary public-school teacher and guidance counselor. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in secondary social sciences and language arts from West Liberty College and a Master’s Degree in Counseling and Guidance from the University of Dayton and served as a secondary counselor for 16 years at the high school level. She is trained in Suicide Prevention and has trained staff and teachers.

Debi has been a member previously for 3 years of the Human Services Board of Washington County. She presently sits on her own board of directors for The Chuck Mahoney Memorial Foundation, whose main mission is to educate and train on topics of mental health and suicide prevention and support those kinds of programs.

Dr. Courtney Ramous

Dr. Courtney Ramous is a Pennsylvania licensed psychologist. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, PA, her Master's and Doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from the Florida School of Professional Psychology in Tampa, FL, her APA predoctoral internship from Florida State University and her postdoctoral training at Eckerd College in St Petersburg, Fl. Over the past 17 years she has worked in a variety of behavioral health settings including community mental health agencies, university health centers and outpatient practice settings. She also worked as the Director of Practicum Training and faculty for The Florida School of Professional Psychology for many years before relocating back to Pennsylvania in 2014.

Dr. Ramous is currently the owner of a multidisciplinary group practice in McMurray, PA. She has experience in providing individual, couples and family therapy to individuals of diverse racial/ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. She treats a wide range of psychological disorders/issues including trauma, PTSD and other anxiety disorders, depression and mood disorders, grief and loss, adjustment to aging and caregiving, coping with chronic pain and adjustment to medical conditions. Additionally, Dr. Ramous has specialized training in assessment services and conducts educational (i.e. gifted and learning disability testing), ADHD, behavioral, psychological and neuropsychological evaluations.

Jane B. Sarra

Jane B. Sarra had a long-standing career as a senior healthcare executive which spanned over four decades and included working in several Fortune 500 companies as a business advisor to multiple healthcare providers nationally. In 2016 she retired as the CEO/President of Canonsburg Hospital. Following her retirement, she diversified her career and worked in senior leadership with the Diocese of Pittsburgh having responsibility for implementing the Office for the Protection of Children, Youth and Vulnerable Adults.  She retired from this position in 2020. 

Jane earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing Education from California University of Pennsylvania and her Masters in Healthcare Administration from the University of Pittsburgh.   She has been involved with various non-profits in the community having served as a volunteer or member of their board of directors.  She is currently a member of the Washington County CYS Advisory Board.

Dr. Monica Speicher

Monica Speicher MD is an Assistant Clinical Director at WHS Family Medicine Residency.  She grew up in Westmoreland County, attended Allegheny College and then Jefferson Medical College (now Sidney Kimmel) in Philadelphia before coming to Washington to complete her family medicine residency. She spent several years working in rural locations on both US coasts, Alaska, and NZ before returning as faculty at the residency in 2007. There she focuses on health disparity education and reduction, community outreach, and international medicine. 

Dr. Speicher is the president-elect of the Washington County Medical Society and sits on several hospital committees addressing the opioid crisis and diversity/inclusivity.  She was also an Athena award finalist in 2019 and has received several awards for her work with the local homeless through the We Care Street Outreach. 

Toni Vallone

Ms. Antonia “Toni” Vallone resides in Washington County in the city of Canonsburg. Toni is a graduate of Chartiers-Houston High School and the Western Area Vocational-Technical School where she studied health care administration. She also attended the Community College of Allegheny County where she also focused her studies on the field of healthcare. Toni was employed by Canonsburg General Hospital for 20 years. She was formerly employed by the Service Employees International Union Local 668, the Pennsylvania Social Services Union (PSSU) as a Staff Director. Toni is an active member of Saint Oscar Romero (Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church located in Meadow Lands, PA).

Toni has been active in the Washington-Greene Central Labor Council since 1991, and she has fought for the rights of working families and social justice for 40+ years. Toni has been the Coordinator of Meadow Lands Food Pantry for the past four years. Toni enjoys traveling, cooking ethnic meals, and unselfishly helping others in need.