Biography

I was born, raised, and currently live in a working-class mill town in Allegheny County. I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh in 1997 and Master of Science concentrating in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Chatham University (formerly Chatham College) in 2002.

I spent 15 years of my career as a substance abuse and mental health counselor and served as a program manager and director in treatment systems in multiple Western PA counties. In 2003, I began working at the Institute for Research, Education and Training in Addiction (IRETA) as their Process Improvement Manager. My work was dedicated to reducing the 10-year information gap between best-practice research and clinical integration throughout Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. 

During that time, I had the privilege to train under the direction of former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, where I learned supply chain logistics and lean process improvement strategies to eliminate errors, increase effectiveness, reduce waste, and improve outcomes in large systems. While at IRETA, I served as an opiate addiction consultant on the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy's (ONDCP) 25 Cities Initiative.

In 2006, I designed, successfully state-licensed, and operated the first and only orthomolecular recovery program for addiction in Pennsylvania. This program raised nearly $2 million in venture capital funding and was featured twice in Industrial Engineer Magazine for using supply chain management  principles and lean systems to improve effectiveness. Not willing to succumb to common claims of over-regulation in the substance abuse treatment system by some providers, I set a goal to achieve a perfect evaluation in the clinic's annual state audit and achieved it.

In 2015 I began performing process improvement and policy work at the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS). My work included redesigning the organization's employee performance management system, developing a merit-based hiring process and policy, writing the employee medical marijuana policy, and identifying points of systemic-bias in the employee recruitment and retention processes. Every day I work to standardize employees' work, eliminate systemic bias, and advocate for blame-free work-place principles that protect workers, improve morale, and decrease turn-over and other forms of systemic loss.

In 2024, I began supporting other organization's in their effort to implement lean HR through Mother Jones.  It has been a wonderfully rewarding experience that I hope to have the privilege of continuing for years to come.