Peniel Sits Down With Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto

The drug problem is an unfortunate reality that has been hitting our region especially hard. Nearly every organization, business or family in our area is affected in some way by this epidemic. However, for more than 35 years, Peniel has been at the forefront of effective addiction treatment.

Recently members of the Peniel staff along with First Lady Barbara Mann of the Pentecostal Temple Church of God In Christ, were invited to meet with the Mayor of Pittsburgh, PA, the Honorable William Peduto. The meeting was facilitated through the efforts of First Lady Mann based on her desire to better acquaint the mayor’s office with the role that Peniel is playing in combating the addiction issue plaguing our region.

Public Relations Director, Durean Coleman; Clinical Supervisor, Sarah Levine; Admissions Director, Emily Cooper and Academic Director, Steve Shannon spent better than an hour with the Mayor at his downtown Pittsburgh office discussing current trends in addiction and the successful rehabilitation taking place at Peniel. Also present in the meeting was Laura Drogowski, Critical Communities Initiatives Manager for the mayor’s office.

The team from Peniel was able to share with Mayor Peduto and Ms. Drogowski about our effective treatment methods. We explained our strong emphasis on a holistic approach to treating our clients from every perspective we can. We address concerns ranging from overcoming past traumas to proper relationship management to responsible self-care. Sarah, Emily and Steve were able to give a concise and effective overview of the entire Peniel program.

In addition, we were able to highlight a few of our many successful areas of focus to assist our clients. Emily described the detailed and efficient intake process, Sarah explained our custom tailored individual treatment plan approach and Steve conveyed the innovation and impact of our academic department – which allows our clients to enroll in online college courses while undergoing treatment.

It was a great privilege and honor to meet with Mayor Peduto and Ms. Drogowski. We are already looking forward to hosting Ms Drogowski for a tour of Peniel. We are excited about working more closely with the Mayor’s office to develop opportunities to continue expand Peniel’s life-changing impact in this region.


The goal of Peniel is to see men and women’s broken lives restored and true change take place. Our aim is to send clients back into their communities prepared to live sober lives of integrity and purpose with the expectation of leading others in a positive direction. For more information, please contact Peniel at 814-536-2111 or visit our website, www.penielrehab.com.