Adult Achievement Center Director Cathy Lippert was hired last week in preparation for next month’s planned opening in West Kittanning.
by Jonathan Weaver
The upcoming Adult Achievement Center now has its first director in place.
Progressive Workshop CEO Michelle Reefer introduced Cathy Lippert as the upcoming leader of the new Adult Achievement Center that will open next month along Butler Road in West Kittanning.
Lippert, of Butler, has been at the Oak Avenue-based non-profit for about a year and was hired for her new position last Monday – February 6.
“I was very pleasantly surprised and very happy, Lippert said.
“I was working part-time and ready to go full-time. I have always had a passion working with other people – being a teacher, working in homes was I think one of my strengths,” Lippert added. “In the year I’ve been here, I’ve seen people gain new skills and move on, get jobs in the community and that’s really exciting. (The Adult Achievement Center) is new and fresh, and it is an underserved population, so I think it’s great we will have a place to go that people can learn skills so they can live an everyday life.”
Lippert - who has a Bachelor’s degree in psychology – has also taught in preschools and with individuals in group homes before starting at the Progressive Workshop in Kittanning.
Reefer reiterated the Adult Achievement Center’s mission, and said Lippert has been involved since she started last April.
“The reason that we decided to take on this venture was because we saw a need in the community for ages 18-30 that were leaving high school but don’t quite have the skill set yet to go into a work environment – whether it be pre-vocational here or supportive employment that we do in the community,” Reefer said. “It was definitely an underserved population.
“Cathy – just as well as the other program managers here – have been in on this start-up process from the beginning. We were kicking around ideas together because we really wanted to make sure we were customizing it to clients.”
The program –licensed to aid 30 individuals at the adult training facility - will be individually based to suit clients’ needs, and will include learning out in the community at least once per week.
Reefer and Lippert hope to open the Adult Achievement Center – at the former Care-O-Sel Child Care – March 6.