Michele Penner, Interviewer

Michele is an Interviewer for the Youth and Family Training Institute (YFTI) which is a part of the University of Pittsburgh. Michele is responsible for conducting interviews for the Pennsylvania Care Partnership grant. She has worked with the team since 2018; however, she has been working as a Facilitator for the HFW Process through Mars Home for Youth for the past 4 ½ years and prior to that, she worked as an Integrated Caseworker for Crawford County Human Services for over 6 years. She graduated from Edinboro University in 2004 with a B.S. in Elementary/Special Education. Michele has over 15 years of experience working with families and individuals who have complex emotional and behavioral needs.

She was born and raised in Poughkeepsie, New York. She moved to Linesville, PA in Crawford County in 1998 where she raised her two daughters, Kayla (28) and Chelsea (25). Michele is the proud grandmother of two beautiful grandsons, Landon who is 6 and Gavin who is 3 months old. Michele met her husband Todd 10 years ago and they were married on September 13, 2014. They currently reside in Meadville with their two dogs that they rescued. Kane is 5 years old and he is a Staffordshire terrier. Kali is approximately a year and a half old and is an American Bulldog mix. They are both very sweet and love laying on the couch! In the spare time, Michele enjoys having bonfires, kayaking, riding their 4-wheeler, snowmobiling and ‘Jeeping’.

Michele has been conducting interviews in Crawford County for over four years in her role as Facilitator for the High Fidelity Wraparound Process in Crawford County. Michele brings with her significant knowledge that can be a great help to all of the families that she works with. She has gained a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience in interview techniques and data collection report completion over the last four years. She demonstrates understanding and sensitivity to individuals and families who are dealing with mental health and behavioral issues. She is flexible and accommodating to scheduling interviews for families who are experiencing difficult situations.