FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Pittsburgh, PA – East Liberty-based Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force (PATF) announces new staff member additions, growing the agency’s capacity to provide comprehensive support services to those living with HIV/AIDS and to prevent the spread of infection.
PATF is pleased to welcome Anitra Branch, a member of the PATF team for the past seven years, to her new role as Community Relations Manager. Branch will be responsible for supervising PATF’s current outreach programs and for developing new initiatives reaching populations at high risk of HIV infection. An honors graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, she completed two AmeriCorp programs and has previously served as the Girlfriends Outreach Liaison, Rural Case Manager and Intake Case Manager at PATF. Branch is a native of Pittsburgh and currently lives in Point Breeze.
Skyla Bre Hartman joins PATF as Rural Medical Case Manager, covering Butler, Beaver, Washington and Greene counties. Hartman previously worked as a family therapist at Kids Count, a residential treatment facility for youth, as well as at NHS Russellton, a long-term structured residence for individuals suffering from severe mental illness. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Pittsburgh and currently lives in Kittanning.
David Shannon was hired as Agency Case Manager, and is responsible for PATF office coverage. A recent graduate of the University of Pittsburgh’s Master of Social Work program, Shannon has interned at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Pittsburgh and the Children’s Clinic in Oakland. He currently lives in Highland Park.
Ellen Varner joins PATF as Medical Case Manger, focusing on clients in Allegheny County. Varner studied Psychology at Susquehanna University and has a Master of Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to joining PATF, she held an internship at the Department of Veterans Affairs in a residential treatment program for veterans with mental illness. Varner currently lives in Oakmont.
As the oldest and largest AIDS service organization in Southwestern Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force (PATF) is dedicated to supporting and empowering all individuals living with HIV/AIDS, and to be relentless in preventing the spread of infection. PATF is a leader in providing comprehensive support services that improve the health and quality of life for those living with HIV/AIDS in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland counties.
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For information, please contact PATF at 412-345-0592, aptaschinski@patf.org or visit www.patf.org.