“It’s filled with excitement, creativity, and innovation. I’m fortunate enough to travel to different locations and work directly with our teams. They’re our most important resource and we’re honored to support those people who support the families we serve.”

“New challenges and opportunities. The ability to think outside the box and to utilize the skillset of our staff and managers in support of the communities we serve. I am extremely fortunate to be surrounded by a strong leadership team, and dedicated managers that make an impact daily.”

“Expansion in both new areas and new service lines. We’re always looking to stay informed with evidence-based and research-driven information, so we’re always in touch with how we can implement the latest programs in best aligning with our services with needs of our stakeholders and families.”

“Two stick out. A leader, mentor, and somebody who is a role model is our Founder and President, Dan Heit. He helps me as a sounding board, with his vast experience in the field, and as a resource for the best implementation of new projects. He is constantly working to identify creative approaches to best support the youth and families that we see daily. Dan is always willing to challenge me to help get the best out of my abilities and to improve each day



The other is Shawn Peck. He currently works for the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission in Pennsylvania. We’ve been colleagues and friends for almost 20 years, which helps us in understanding how to best align opportunities presented in looking to improve the system. Shawn is a great sounding board when it comes to discussing ‘best practices’. He’s also somebody who allows me to grow and challenges me to become better.”

“There are so many but the one I’ll choose is actually a young man I worked with in both the juvenile and adult fields. I first met this young man from the Philadelphia area. He was referred to a program that I worked at in Central Pennsylvania for adjudicated youth. He struggled to adjust to the program and wound up being dismissed unsuccessfully. A few years later, I was working as a Unit manager in the Philadelphia Prison System and I saw a familiar name on docket of intakes for the day. It turns out it was the same young man who I worked with years earlier in a residential treatment program.

We both instantly recognized each other. We talked about how he has made changes in his life despite where he was at the time. Shortly thereafter, he was ultimately absolved of his crime, and two days after his release brought his daughter up to meet me. The results are not always instant but when situations like this occur, it makes it all worth it.”

"Be yourself. If there’s something the youth we work with are, it’s intelligent and intuitive. They can read between the lines of who is genuine and sincere. Also, don’t take things personally. We’re addressing their challenges and in those moments, it’s important to understand that it’s never about us.”

"I think the field is often faced with the reality of the pendulum swinging, going back and forth in its approach. We have to remain front-end focused but can’t lose sight of a holistic approach. There is no one stop shop to help everybody but with a consistent approach to supporting both the youth and families, we put ourselves at an advantage. There’s also the importance of using data and outcomes to drive decisions in aiding the efficacy of programs that are utilized.”

“Resilience. Resilience in the young people we support. The resilient staff members providing direct service. . I believe that when you impact one youth, you impact many parts of the community. When I was first promoted, I was concerned I wouldn’t have the same direct impact on youth. It took some time, but it was a positive realization when I looked at the ripple-effect approach. In theory, especially when it comes to leadership in this field, when we can impact one person, how can they make that impact be one that is received by many others? Taking this approach has helped me tremendously."

"First and foremost, I’m a father to two beautiful girls. I’m a husband. And I’m a huge Philadelphia sports fans – Go Phillies and Go Eagles. I enjoy spending time on the golf course, and I also teach as an adjunct professor at two area universities. I focus on three areas: Juvenile Justice, Corrections & Rehabilitation, and Restorative Justice.”