Meet Our Team
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As the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers' Association (PMHCA), Dr. Quick is very invested in ensuring that individuals in recovery from mental illness have their voices heard. Dr. Quick is in long-term recovery from mental illness as well as alcohol addiction, and she shares her story to inspire others to embrace recovery and hope. Dr. Quick received her bachelor's degree from Penn State University in 1998, majoring in Criminal Justice. She went on to receive a master’s degree in social work from Temple University in 2005, and her Doctorate in Social Work from Capella University in 2020. She has accumulated over 20 years of experience in providing treatment services in mental health, family treatment, children's services, substance use disorder treatment, and local government before joining PMHCA. Dr. Quick is a resident of Schuylkill County with her husband, German Shepherd Duke, and 3 cats – Little AK, Molly and Princess Fiona. Dr. Quick's recovery tools include reading, hunting, painting, crocheting, counted cross-stitch, and gardening.
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Tyler has worked for PMHCA since August of 2001. He's been a drummer since he was 3 years old and is in and has played in a countless number of bands since his high school days (None of them successful). He loves spending time with his wife, Dana, and two pups, Daisy and Chi-Chi. He loves gaming and watching sports, especially his beloved New York Islanders.
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Tyanna Marge, CRS, CFRS, CCHW, CPS became a Certified Recovery Specialist in June of 2023 and a Certified Family Recovery Specialist and Certified Community Health Worker and Certified Peer Specialist Certification in 2024. She recently celebrated 8 years of substance use recovery and 6 years of recovery from mental health-related conditions. She has lived experience with borderline personality disorder, bipolar, anxiety, and ADHD since her early teen years and through her adverse life experiences has grown a passion for advocacy. Her passions lie in the forensics involved and youth and young adult populations. Tyanna is an avid intellectual, enjoys learning more than anything else, and is pursuing her bachelor's degree in psychology with a concentration in Addiction Studies. She also enjoys spending time with her 4 children and her husband, organization, playing video games, and snuggling her pet cat and bunny.
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Tristan Schnoke is a young adult who is married, is a mom, and also has a mental illness that she battles every single day. She has learned to grow through things instead of trying to jump over them and that has helped her to become a strong advocate for other young people who struggle with mental health and traumatic experiences. As the Program Director at PMHCA, Tristan's goal is to make sure that everyone's experiences are being included, heard, and understood when changes to the mental health system are being made. You have a voice, and we need to hear it!
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Kimberly Brown is the Administrative Support Coordinator for PMHCA and YMPA. She became a Certified Peer Specialist in 2023, and looks to complete her Certified Family Recovery Specialist Certification later in the year. In her spare time, she enjoys motorcycle riding with her husband and spending time with their two children, family, and friends.
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Kevin Puskaric is a dedicated professional with over nine years of experience in youth peer support, program implementation, and public speaking. As the Program Director for Youth MOVE PA, he specializes in evidence-based curricula and trauma-informed practices, ensuring high-quality service delivery and compliance with grant requirements. Kevin has earned multiple certifications, including Peer Specialist, Recovery Specialist, and Family Recovery Specialist, which empower him to effectively serve his community. Kevin's dedication to representing the voice of our youth is rooted in his own life experiences. Throughout his career, Kevin has spearheaded statewide initiatives aimed at promoting wellness, resilience, and recovery among adolescents. His commitment to youth engagement is exemplified by his receipt of the Dr. Gary M. Blau Professional of the Year Award, which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to supporting youth voice and integrating it into their work. Through his advocacy and expertise, Kevin actively supports youth peer initiatives across Pennsylvania, showcasing his passion for empowering the youth population and fostering a supportive community for their growth and recovery.
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Candi's journey into advocacy work began in 2021 when she became employed at Peerstar and became a Certified Peer Specialist. While employed through Peerstar she received a promotion as the Community Support Ambassador for Clearfield and Jefferson counties. During her time as a Community Support Ambassador, she won an award for outstanding mental health advocate of the year from Skills of North Central PA. She started a lot of different events in her community for CSP. She was a member of the suicide prevention team and chaired their walk last year. She is involved with the heroin and overdose task force in her community. She plans to use her lived experience and training to help rejuvenate the community support program in the central region, while hopefully building ties to other regions in the state. She is excited to be able to advocate for people in recovery because she also suffered from substance use disorder and depression. She is also a suicide loss survivor so has strong ties to suicide prevention in our state. Candi has five kids and lives in the North Central part of Pennsylvania. In her spare time, she enjoys kayaking, fishing, and spending time with her family. She feels her family is her greatest accomplishment in everything that she does.
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Alexander Karns-Waters is a Multi Grants Specialist for PMHCA and Youth MOVE PA. He started providing administrative support for mental health services in 2023 and helped to coordinate training, credentialing, and equipment for over 300 employees. Alex has also worked to care for older adult populations in healthcare and support unemployed Pennsylvanians during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Alex has lived experience with autism spectrum disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, anxiety, orthorexia, and substance use. He is serious about bolstering underserved demographics and tackling social inequities that hold our communities back from growing. Alex also enjoys spending his free time with his family, keeping up with science news, art, fitness, cooking, bushcraft, and hardware repairs.
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Chandler Nolet is a Peer Coordinator at Youth Move Pennsylvania. Chandler holds Pennsylvania Certifications as a Peer Specialist, Recovery Specialist, and Family Recovery Specialist. With lived experience in mental health, substance use, and the juvenile justice system, Chandler is dedicated to meeting youth where they are and offering hope. Beyond work, Chandler continues their own recovery journey while supporting others in theirs.
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elizabeth@pmhca.org
Elizabeth N. serves as the Youth & Young Adult Coordinator at Youth MOVE PA, where she leads initiatives under the Healthy Transitions Grant for Luzerne-Wyoming Counties. Her role is centered on building, supporting, and sustaining Youth MOVE Revolution’s local chapter, fostering youth empowerment and community resilience. She is currently attending college for her bachelor’s degree in psychology. Elizabeth has lived experience with bipolar disorder, PTSD, panic disorder, major depressive disorder, psychosis, and dissociative disorder. In 2016 Elizabeth graduated from Northampton Community College with an associate degree in funeral service, allowing her to understand the grieving process and how it affects mental health. Elizabeth is an empath who is passionate about advocating and assisting those in need. Elizabeth enjoys crocheting, writing, spending time with her cats and husband. She enjoys challenges and problem-solving and is committed to her work.
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Dan Krupinsky is a skilled Training Specialist and Project Coordinator with significant experience in youth training and program coordination. He effectively engages diverse student populations and adapts training styles to enhance participant engagement and retention. Dan has trained students and adults statewide in evidence-based curricula, demonstrating success in program implementation and administrative oversight. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Pennsylvania State University and a Micro Masters in Writing & Navigating Industries from the University of Cambridge, equipping him to make a meaningful impact in education. In his free time, Dan loves being active, exploring new places and attending live shows (especially music and comedy), as well as reading and watching too many TV shows and movies.
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Mandie Burgess Gonzalez is an employee of Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers Association, under Youth Move PA, works as a Sources of Strength Training Specialist to deliver the SOS suicide prevention and wellness programs to middle and high schools across the state of PA. She has a bachelor's in public health from Cedar Crest College and is currently a student at Chamberlain University, working toward a master's in social work. Mandie is a single mother of two beautiful boys, both adults now, and is very proud of them. Mandie's passion is to bring wellness, light, and happiness to anyone she can, and doing the work of Sources helps her to achieve that. Mandie has recently certified in Yoga, Zumba, Circl, and Reiki, and hopes to incorporate mindfulness and happiness through body movement soon.