#EachPersonisAPersonofWorth
Dr. Mary Jo Podgurski
Dr. Mary Jo Podgurski’s life work is serving young people and their families. She has a background in nursing, education, and counseling; and she is certified in sexuality education and sexuality counseling through AASECT. Currently, she serves as the President and Founder of the Academy for Adolescent Health, Inc. In her vast career, she is responsible for presenting sexuality education to over 250,000 young people! She also has authored 38 books, including The Nonnie Series for children on challenging topics, and she has presented over 950 workshops locally, nationally, and internationally. Dr. Podgurski bases her numerous education programs and books on her foundational belief of #EachPersonIsAPersonofWorth. Her ability to respect all people, listen to young people, and develop inspiring and empowering curricula create a safe environment for learning. She considers herself an Ambassador for Respect and models respect daily, in her professional and personal lives.
Dr. Podgurski founded The Washington Health System Teen Outreach in 1988 and a peer education program in 1995. Through the Teen Outreach Program, Dr. Podgurski mentors young parents and trains peer educators. She has trained over 15,000 peer educators and served over 7,000 young parents.
In honor of her noteworthy accomplishments, Dr. Podgurski has received many awards, including the Athena Women of Wisdom Award (2004), the NAACP Human Rights Award (2008), The ARC Community Award (2014), the Healthy Teen Network Excellence in Sexuality Education Award (2014), the Carol Mendez Cassell Award for Excellence in Sexuality Education (2014) and the Washington County Community Foundation Outstanding Educator of the Year (2018). She was honored with the Albert J. Craig Staunton Farms Award for Mental Health Innovation and the Washington Health System Distinguished Service Award in 2020.