HARRISBURG, Pa. -- The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) today announced that 18 crime victim service professionals representing organizations in 15 counties have graduated from a leadership and professional advancement course.

The 10-session course, developed by PCCD and Duquesne University, included training sessions on topics designed to foster professional development and improve the quality of services provided to crime victims. The training was conducted at Duquesne University's Capital Region Campus in Harrisburg.

Graduates are awarded a certificate in Leadership and Professional Advancement and may earn six undergraduate credits from the Duquesne University School of Leadership and Professional Development.

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency is the Commonwealth's lead agency for criminal justice policy issues. During the last fiscal year, PCCD distributed more than $140 million in state and federal funding to programs that are proven to prevent crime and strengthen communities.

The participants are:

Dauphin County

Mercedes Vega, Crime Victim Advocate

Dauphin County VWAP, Harrisburg

Eileen Steinecke

PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency, Harrisburg

Chester County

Donna R. Hull, Projects Supervisor

The Crime Victims' Center of Chester County, Inc., West Chester

Crawford County

Gilly Ford

Women's Services, Inc., Meadville

Cumberland County

Anne Brown Ebert

Sexual Assault/Rape Crisis Services of Cumberland County, Carlisle

Huntingdon County

Kathy Whalen

Huntingdon House, Huntingdon

Lancaster County

Jennifer Grove

YWCA/SAPCC, Lancaster

Lebanon County

Gary Rusen

Sexual Assault Resource Counseling Center, Lebanon

Lehigh County

Pam Pillsbury

Turning Point of Lehigh Valley, Inc., Allentown

Mercer County

Judy Yeatts

Victim Witness Program

Mercer County District Attorney's Office

Montgomery County

Shari Abramowitz, Shelter Manager

The Laurel House, Norristown

Tommie Wilkins, Director of Volunteer Services

The Laurel House, Norristown

Philadelphia County

Tami Levin, Director of Victim/Witness Services

Philadelphia District Attorney's Office

Jodi Schantz

Support Center for Child Advocates, Philadelphia

Snyder County

AnneMarie Tufo-Booth

Snyder County STOP Grant/Office Coordinator, Selinsgrove

Union County

Wendi Hoey

Union County Victim/Witness, Lewisburg

Venango County

Vicki Confer

Victim's Resource Center, Franklin

Wyoming County

Marlene Woods

Victims Resource Center of Wyoming County, Tunkhannock

Source: Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency