“There are times when I don’t realize that I need to talk, but my mentor checking in brings up all those things I’ve been wondering about.”
Julia, Mother of 2
Supporting moms. Nurturing babies.
Philip Keys is the President of NurturePA, Inc. He is also a member of the organization’s Board of Directors. In addition to his work with the Nurture® Program, Phil is co-founder and president of Keystone Therapeutics, a software development company focused on pharmacy practice and education, and is a member and past president of the Board of Directors of Chartiers Community MH/IDD Center. Phil has over 30 years of management experience, and has co-founded and served as president and vice president of two other successful health care companies. He received a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from Duquesne University and his MBA from Carnegie Mellon University where he has been an invited lecturer in technology commercialization and entrepreneurship.
Tom Canfield is the Treasurer of NurturePA, Inc. He is also a member of the organization’s Board of Directors of NurturePA, Inc. He is a retired businessman who was an investment banker, running Equity Catalysts LLC, which he founded in 1999. Tom was president of The Enterprise Corporation of Pittsburgh, a non-profit firm, and was Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at Carnegie Mellon University’s Graduate School of Industrial Administration. He is on the Board of Directors of Propel Schools; is on the Board of Directors of Auberle in McKeesport, PA; and, has been a partner of Social Venture Partners Pittsburgh since its start. Tom has an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from Purdue University and earned his MBA from Harvard University.
Vince Ciganik is the Chief Information Officer of NurturePA, Inc. He is also a member of the organization’s Board of Directors. Over the past 25 years, Vince has been instrumental in the design and development of several hardware products that are still on the market today, including oxygen analyzers and mass spectrometers. He has been responsible for the architecture and development of many software products including web interfaces for managing instrumentation and web based applications for managing various types of drug therapy. Vince has a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.
Kate Brennan is the Director of Operations at NurturePA, Inc. and oversees all daily operations of the Nurture® Program. She has worked as an adjunct faculty member of the University of Pittsburgh, where she supervised Early Intervention Graduate Students in internships/practicum sites and taught courses in early childhood development. She has worked in the field of Early Intervention as a Developmental Specialist, has served as a Parent Support Group Facilitator at the Jewish Community Center, and as a Certified Professional Development Instructor at the Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children. Kate holds a Master of Education in Early Intervention degree.
Erica Cochran is the Director of Development at NurturePa, Inc. and oversees all individual and corporate giving, as well as fundraising and events. Erica has worked in the non-profit sector for over 12 years. She has previously worked as a Community Support Specialist, Work Release Case Manager and Food Pantry Coordinator. Erica remained in direct services for 8 years and fell in love with providing information and support to those in need. She then transitioned to the Development and Communications side of the non-profit world where she felt her experience working directly with families and individuals, helped her build meaningful relationships with those who can help non-profits thrive. Prior to beginning her work with NurturePA, Inc. she was the Director of Development and Communications at North Hills Community Outreach.
Valerie Keys is Director of Recruitment. In this role, she is the initial contact for Nurture® Program mentors. Along with recruiting and interacting with applicants, she is responsible for developing and providing the initial online mentor training. Additionally, Valerie works closely with consultants for inbound marketing and advertising including social media, blogs, and billboards. Valerie’s background includes public education as a special education teacher and building level administrator. She also worked in the private sector as the President of a small sales company. Valerie’s master’s degree in education and principal certification were earned at California University of Pennsylvania and her undergraduate degree is from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Ashley Ingram is the Manager of Operations at NurturePA. Ashley helps to guide the direction of the program by working on any day-to-day tasks for the general operations of the Nurture Program, and pays particular attention to mentor retention, and other special projects that aid in growth and capacity building. Ashley previously worked as an elementary teacher in the Pittsburgh area and in Charleston, South Carolina. She earned her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education at Wittenberg University, and her Masters of Education in elementary education at the University of Pittsburgh.
Sara England is an Operations Supervisor which involves enrolling families into the Nurture® Program and acting as a Team Leader to coach a team of mentors as they support moms. Sara previously worked as a Primary Patent Examiner with US Patent and Trademark Organization in Alexandria, VA for 15 years before starting as a volunteer mentor with the Nurture® Program and then transitioning into her current role on staff. Sara earned her bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering at Penn State.
Erica Tipton is an Operations Supervisor which involves enrolling families into the Nurture® Program and acting as a Team Leader to coach a team of mentors as they support moms. Erica previously worked as a middle and high school teacher in the Pittsburgh area and New York City. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English and Business from the University of Pittsburgh and her Master’s Degree in English Education from New York University.