Transformative nonprofit that supports single-parent families in pursuit of higher education
Media Contact:
Gigi Saladna
media@pghscholarhouse.org
PITTSBURGH, PA (August 4, 2025) Pittsburgh Scholar House (PSH), an affiliate of the Family Scholar House based out of Louisville, KY, has appointed Dr. Daren Ellerbee as its new Chief Executive Officer. A respected leader and Pittsburgh native, Ellerbee most recently served as the head of the Pittsburgh Innovation Team for the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins in Maryland. In her new role, she will focus on elevating and expanding PSH as a critical leader and resource within the continuum of care dedicated to helping income eligible single parents earn two and four-year degrees as a two-generation strategy to enable economic mobility within the City of Pittsburgh.
“It is a privilege to lead Pittsburgh Scholar House and to carry forward its mission of empowering parents and children together on their journey to brighter futures,” said Dr. Daren Ellerbee. “As a Pittsburgher, I have witnessed the remarkable resilience and talent within our communities. I am eager to collaborate with families and partners to break down barriers, expand access to education, and build opportunities that will benefit generations to come.”
The PSH was established in April 2022 and operates in alignment with the Family Scholar House’s strategic goal of helping participants complete their post-secondary education and enter high-growth careers to enable economic mobility and sustain a better quality of life for them and their children. This goal is achieved through outreach and expansion by providing resources that include innovative and ethical best-practices for data collection and data-informed support services for this subset of the academic community.
The PSH has successfully launched the Wayfinders Program which also includes PSH Residential, and the Next Gen Scholars Initiative. These are outcome driven, cohort-based models, building success-driven services and housing that empowers, prepares, and reduces barriers for participants. To date, PSH has had 22 scholars who have successfully completed their post-secondary degrees, and currently serves over 100 scholars and their families.
In 2019, The Heinz Endowments, Henry L. Hillman Foundation, and PNC Foundation provided the original funding in collaboration with Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education (PCHE) to launch PSH. Additional funders now include the Birmingham Foundation, CAEL (Council for Adult and Experiential Learning), Camber Collective, Eden Hall Foundation, First National Bank, McAuley Ministries Foundation, Opportunity Fund, Piatt Family Foundation, Pittsburgh Foundation, Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, Posner Foundation, Richard King Mellon Foundation, Segal Family Foundation, United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, UPMC Health Plan, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, and YWCA Greater Pittsburgh.
“We are incredibly proud of the Pittsburgh Scholar House in its innovative two-gen programming that is steeped in outcome-driven practice,” stated Dr. Gretchen Generett, PSH Board Chair and Duquesne University Dean of the School of Education. “We are so fortunate to have Dr. Daren Ellerbee as its new CEO as she brings her passion, expertise, and experience to a thriving, transformational higher education program.”
PCHE Executive Director and PSH Board Vice Chair, Karina Chavez, added, “We have watched the Pittsburgh Scholar House team build a strong compilation of programmatic offerings and have seen scholars and their children thriving, both academically and personally. Dr. Daren Ellerbee’s exemplary leadership will assist the Pittsburgh Scholar House in expanding its reach, giving more scholars and their children the opportunities that they deserve.”
The PSH was launched and incubated by PCHE and established as its own 501c3 in August 2024. Dr. Ellerbee’s start date was August 1, 2025.
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About Dr. Daren Ellerbee:
Dr. Ellerbee is a seasoned administrator and community engagement professional with a proven record of driving positive change. She launched two high-impact initiatives at University of Pittsburgh, the University Educational Outreach Center within the Office of the Provost and the Community Engagement Center in Homewood, where she created meaningful partnerships and advanced programs that expanded pathways to opportunity for families and communities. Earlier in her career, she served at the Urban Redevelopment Authority for the City of Pittsburgh. Dr. Ellerbee received her Doctor of Education Degree in Urban Education from University of Pittsburgh, Master of Science Degree in Communications & Information Systems from Robert Morris University, and Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication & Rhetoric, Africana Studies from University of Pittsburgh.
About Pittsburgh Scholar House:
Pittsburgh Scholar House is a pioneering nonprofit organization dedicated to building generational prosperity for single parents and their children through post-secondary education and housing support. By combining affordable housing with comprehensive support services, including academic advising,workforce development, and child development programs, PSH empowers families to build brighter economic futures. We are committed to fostering a community where education and housing stability can ensure long-term economic mobility and a higher quality of life for the families we serve. More information is available at www.pghscholarhouse.org.
About Family Scholar House:
Family Scholar House’s mission is to end the cycle of poverty and transform our community by empowering families and youth to succeed in education and achieve life-long self-sufficiency. Based in Louisville, KY, Family Scholar House is currently serving 29,354 households across 22 states. The non-profit was one of only five mature program recipients of the national 2020 Rise Prize recognizing programs with significant success in supporting student parents. To learn more about Family Scholar House, please visit Changing Lives and Communities Through Education. – Family Scholar House.
About Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education (PCHE):
Founded 1966 by the original ten university and college presidents in the City of Pittsburgh, PCHE brings the member institutions together share resources, insights, and information among participating member institutions; Engage in joint or cooperative activities and projects; Offer a common voice on matters that affect all member institutions. PCHE members include Carlow University, Carnegie Mellon University, Chatham University, Community College of Allegheny County, Duquesne University, La Roche University, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Point Park University, Robert Morris University, and University of Pittsburgh. Current Board of Directors Chair is Ken Gormley, President, Duquesne University. For more information, please visit us at PCHE – Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education.