Mark Freado

        Director, Re-EDucation Training and Consultation with the Pressley Ridge Institute
        Executive Director of the American Re-EDucation Association (AREA).
        Vice President/CFO, Reclaiming Youth International

His 30-year professional career encompasses contributions to the mental health field, public and alternative education, social services, program development, leadership, consultation, and training.   He continues as an associate and lead trainer with Reclaiming Youth International, a senior trainer with the Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI) Institute, a certified trainer Response Abilities Pathways (RAP) and a certified trainer of Situational Leadership II with the Ken Blanchard Company.

He has worked with private providers and public agencies internationally, delivering consulting and training services in such areas as:

He specializes in interventions for at-risk and disadvantaged children, adolescents, and their families. 

In addition to a M.A. in Counseling from West Virginia University and a B.A. in Psychology and Political Science from Westminster College, he possesses three professional certifications as an intervention and leadership trainer and served on five special boards at the state level in West Virginia and one in Pennsylvania. He served as president of the West Virginia Child Care Association from 1990-1992.  Freado was previously employed with Pressley Ridge between 1975 and 1995 in a variety of direct service, supervisory and executive management capacities in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio.  As the first state director for Pressley Ridge in West Virginia and Ohio, he was responsible for development and leadership of residential treatment programs, therapeutic foster care, intensive family-based services, and alternative educational programs.  Prior to that, he served as a residential program director, director of staff training, and coordinator of liaison services.  From 1995 to 2004 he was founder, director and principal trainer of Growing Edge Training Associates.  In 2004 he returned to Pressley Ridge when he merged Growing Edge Training with the Pressley Ridge Institute.  He is on the editorial board of the journal, Reclaiming Youth, and a frequent contributing author.  Freado is also a contributing author in the recently published book, Helping Troubled and Troubling Children: Continuing Evidence for Re-ED's Ecological Approach, published by the American Re-EDucation Association.

Freado is a native of Monessen, PA, a graduate of Westminster College (PA) and West Virginia University. He has resided in Westerville, OH since 1992. 

For more information on how to have Mr. Freado customize training directly for your staff, please contact him through Pressley Ridge at  412-321-6995 or directly at  mfreado@pressleyridge.org

American Re-EDucation Association    

Pressley Ridge Institute

Reclaiming Youth International