Meet Our Staff

Amy Podgurski Gough was born and raised in Washington, PA, and is a proud Prexie graduate. She graduated from Penn State University and worked in New York City as an HR professional and stage manager before returning home to raise her family. Amy was a Girl Scout Leader and active homeroom mother for her three children. She was team mother for her son's Miracle League sports teams.

She is a Rotarian and serves as the Washington Rotary PA's Service Chair. She's been with Teen Outreach for 17 years. During her time with the Outreach, she became certified as a childbirth educator and was trained as a Teen Mental Health First Aid and SOS Signs of Suicide trainer. She began as an educational mentor for young parents in the Outreach's ELECT program and evolved to become their Community Coordinator and Director of Mental Health Programming.

She volunteers on several important nonprofit boards in the County, serving as past chair of the CYS Advisory Board, member of the Health and Welfare Council, the ELRC4 Leadership Council, and the PA Youth Advocacy Network. Amy created and spearheaded the Common Ground Teen Center's fundraising efforts — an annual teen-run 24-hour See Saw Marathon and the Washington's Got Talent Show. In 2019, she took over the Adolescent Advisory Board program and organizes the Teen Outreach's yearly youth conferences for over 120 teens annually.

She is now the Outreach's COO and is preparing to continue her mother's legacy. Also a very proud mom of 3 amazing humans who make her very proud every day.

Heather Crowe has spent more than 30 years working with children, teens, and families, with much of her career focused on helping young people overcome challenges and reach their educational and personal goals. She enjoys building relationships and connecting people with the support and resources they need.

Outside of work, Heather values spending time with her family. She believes strongly in treating people with kindness and compassion. After three decades in the human-services field, she remains passionate about making a positive difference in her community.

Emily is a dedicated Social Worker with a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from California University of Pennsylvania. She is passionate about supporting children and families by building trusting relationships, providing advocacy, and helping individuals recognize their strengths and reach their potential.

Emily finds great fulfillment in celebrating the accomplishments of the children she serves and making a meaningful, positive difference in their lives.

With over 10 years of experience in case management and a Bachelor of Science in Education, Ashley Anderson serves pregnant and parenting teens at SW PA Teen Outreach. She provides educational support on pregnancy and parenting, guides young parents toward earning their high school diplomas, and helps them develop essential life skills to prepare for a successful and independent adulthood.

Ashley is passionate about empowering young people through education, support, and guidance as they work toward achieving their goals.

In 2004, Megan earned a Master of Science Degree from West Virginia University in Rehabilitation Counseling. She began her career as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, where she worked for four years supporting individuals in reaching their employment and independence goals.

In 2008, she became a mom and made the decision to stay home to focus on raising her family. In 2018, she was hired by SW PA Teen Outreach to teach human sexuality education in two local high schools. Her role continued to grow as she took on responsibilities as both a mentor and case manager, providing guidance, education, advocacy, and support to young people.

Her education and experiences have strengthened her commitment to helping young people build confidence and develop life skills for a positive future.

Lauryn is the supervisor at the Common Ground Teen Center. Lauryn has dedicated her work career to helping others and providing care. She has experience as a lifeguard, infant & children's swim instructor, and a direct support professional for adults with disabilities.

She is passionate about the support she can provide to the teens in the community.