OUR TEAM

José Garth is the founder and lead consultant at YOUniversal Education Services. José is interested in positive youth development and healing-centered health and wellness programming. 

José has specialties in:

• Intervention development

• Curriculum development and optimization

• Facilitation

• Professional development training

• Program evaluation

• Program and project development

• Sexual and reproductive health education

• Positive youth development

• Violence prevention strategies

• Trauma-informed care

Prior to connecting the team at YOUniversal Education Services, José spent 20 years building a strong toolkit to serve their community as they worked in several capacities at youth-serving organizations. From working in a childcare setting to workforce development, sex education, violence prevention, and the training of facilitators, José has a well-rounded take on positive youth development. With a passion to learn and serving, they have stayed focused on refining tools to best suit the target demographics that they’ve worked with. There are many projects and programs that José has been proud to help build, with two highlights being the creation of a free and confidential text line for teens to ask questions named It's Ok to Ask Someone and launching the Violence Prevention Initiative at Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania.

Outside of work, José enjoys spending time with their son communing with nature, taking in stage shows, playing video games, and attempting to wrangle their golden retriever, Gus. José dreams and actively works towards maintaining a business that upholds their personal values and allows folks access to meaningful work that also provides financial security.

Katie Horowitz is a public health professional and educator driven by seeking creative, resource-effective ways to remove barriers to health for communities impacted by structural racism, stigma, and health disparities, in all their forms. She is a founding member of YOUniversal Education Services and evaluation lead with specialties in:

• Facilitation of: training & education, meetings, group and community processes

• Intervention development/implementation

• Research and synthesis of evidence-based practices

• Grantwriting and management

• Fiscal management

• Coalition work

• Curriculum adaptation and development

• Monitoring and evaluation

• People and project management

• Writing, editing, and document design

• On-the-fly and solution-oriented thinking

Katie brings her expertise and experience to YOUniversal Education Services where she facilitates opportunities to design interventions collaboratively and from the ground up, always by seeking real input from those impacted. She is dedicated and determined, with a core belief in listening with humility, meeting people where they are, and striving to act as a true partner to people and communities. Katie got her Bachelor's in English Writing and her Master of Public Health in Behavioral and Community Health Sciences from the University of Pittsburgh. 

In her spare time, Katie loves to cook meals for friends and family, explore the world with her child, and go hiking with her sweet pooch, Banjo. When time and weather allow, she enjoys a crossword puzzle on the porch.

Wren Ritchie is an educator and writer focusing on communication, relationships, and power. They are also a founding member and consultant at YOUniversal Education Services with specialties in:

• Curricula development and optimization

• Facilitation

• Program and project design

• Sexual and reproductive health education

• Positive youth development

• Volunteer coordination

• Political organizing

• Trauma-informed care

Prior to their time at YOUniversal Education Services,  Wren was a grassroots organizer turned educator with Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania. They are currently a Health Promotion Specialist at Carnegie Mellon University. Wren’s particular strengths and interests lie in co-creating unique and expansive spaces for young people to share their knowledge, skills, values, and energy with their communities.

Wren earned their bachelor's in communication studies from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. They received their Inclusive Sex Coach certification from The Center for Empowered Sexual Wellness in 2022 and are listed on the American Board of Sexology’s website. 

Outside of work, Wren enjoys biking, eating frozen cherries, and hiking with their dog. They live in West Homestead surrounded by friends and family scattered throughout Pittsburgh neighborhoods. 

Heather Hackett is a consultant at YOUniversal Education Services with specialties in:

• Grassroots fundraising and grant-writing

• Network-building

• Facilitation and intergroup dialogues

• Program ideation, implementation, and management

• Marketing, communications, promotions, and public relations

• Nonprofit management

• Boards of Directors

• Volunteer programs

• Employee recruitment, hiring processes, and professional development plans

As a consultant at YOUniversal Education Services, Heather leverages 18 years of experience in organizational management. She’s worked in the for-profit, nonprofit, and cooperative sectors and also has experience partnering and contracting with state and local government agencies. Heather attended the University of Pittsburgh, where she received her bachelors’ in English and communications and a master’s in public policy and management. 

In her spare time, Heather enjoys spending time in nature, hiking, biking, and swimming. She launched her own travel house-sitting business in 2021 so she could combine two of her passions, traveling and animals.