Ciarra Johnson joined DMA in November of 2016 as Western PA Continuum of Care Staff and provides support to the Western PA CoC, including the CoC Board, Regional Homeless Advisory Boards (RHABs) and CoC subcommittees.
Ciarra joined DMA after working as a Group Therapist with Pittsburgh Mercy Health Systems where she provided therapy and crisis intervention for children ages 7-13 with a mental health diagnosis and a history of trauma. Ciarra’s other work experiences include time in Kyenjojo, Uganda, where she worked to develop and implement a counseling program, while also establishing a more collaborative communication structure between the organization’s board in Africa and the board in the U.S.
Ciarra graduated from Slippery Rock University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology and a double minor in Women’s Studies and Nonprofit Leadership. She also holds a Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology from Chatham University.
Since 2009, Ciarra has advocated for youth experiencing homelessness through speeches at local, state, and national conferences in which she shares her personal experience of homelessness to break stereotypes, and raise awareness for the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
