Media Center
> June 25, 2003
Robert C. Knittle named executive director of Pressley Ridge-Pennsylvania
WEST VIRGINIA—Robert C. Knittle has been appointed executive director of Pressley Ridge’s Pennsylvania offices and vice president of the residential and education service lines. In his new role, Knittle will provide leadership and direction to the Pennsylvania program administration to maintain high quality, fiscally viable services. In his role as vice president, Knittle will oversee the residential and educational service lines operated at Pressley Ridge sites located in 6 states.
“Our mission has always been to successfully serve the most challenging children and their families to aid them in reaching their ultimate potential. As an organization, successful strategies and processes have always been shared across the agency,” stated Knittle. “This opportunity will allow me to help influence policy, advocacy and service delivery in Pennsylvania as well as other states, as we strive to improve the quality and availability of appropriate services for children and their families.”
Knittle served as deputy executive director for Pressley Ridge's programs in West Virginia for more than a decade. Under his leadership, Pressley Ridge-West Virginia size has grown by three-folds while developing and maintaining high quality programs. This growth has lead to Pressley Ridge becoming the largest child care organization in West Virginia.
In addition, Knittle has more than twenty-eight years of experience in the administration, development, and implementation of programs for children and adults suffering from mental illness and mental retardation. He has worked for the Westmoreland County Mental Health/Mental Retardation and Clearfield/Jefferson County Mental Health/Mental Retardation programs. Throughout his career Knittle has been a strong advocate for the establishment of Child and Adolescent Service System Planning principles and innovative community-based services for those receiving public services.
Knittle holds a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology from Radford University, Virginia as well as completing substantial post-graduate study. He holds membership in several national organizations including the Foster Family-Based Treatment Association, past board member for American Re-Education Association (AREA) and vice president of Alliance for Children, a West Virginia based organization which Knittle will resign from before his move to Pennsylvania.
Knittle currently resides in Cross Lane, West Virginia with
his wife, Betsy and their three children.