Mark Lepore has dedicated much of his career to helping those in need. When he is not working as a clinical coordinator and supervisor for Counseling Services at Clarion University, Lepore devotes his time as a committed American Red Cross mental health volunteer, helping people cope with the emotional trauma caused by disaster situations.
Not only does he assist in the aftermath of disasters, but he also shares his psychological expertise by teaching other Red Cross volunteers the techniques and methods used to help disaster victims cope with trauma. For his commitment to helping and teaching others, Lepore has been voted the 2011 Educator Hero by the American Red Cross in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
Since 1998, Lepore has been an important part of the Red Cross team. In his role as a disaster mental health volunteer, a highly specialized position which requires professional training in counseling and experience in the mental health services field, he provides victims of natural and manmade disasters with emotional support and counseling. He has done this both on a local level, responding at the most emotionally-trying community disasters, such as the LA Fitness shooting in Collier Township, and on a national level, helping during traumatic events such as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina.
“I tell people that I truly see the worst times that humanity can go through, but on the other side, I also see the absolute best,” Lepore said. “When communities pull together and really help each other get through difficult times, it makes me feel privileged to be among them and be a part of the Red Cross.”
Lepore has taught several classes both at the local Red Cross and at other locations across the state and country. These include Disaster Mental Health Services (DMHS) classes, where he trains licensed mental health professionals to respond as Red Cross mental health volunteers at the scene of disasters; Psychological First Aid classes, which are offered to Red Cross volunteers to help them to better understand how to deal with people in crisis; and Coping With Deployment classes, which are offered to members of the armed forces and their families before a military deployment.
This past summer, Lepore was selected from a large competitive pool to be a disaster mental health counselor for the Coming Home Series, a course offered to service men and woman after they return from deployment. It provides training and counseling to assist them in managing a lifestyle different from the one in which they recently served. As a counselor, Lepore will work with research-based information and will serve as a facilitator, using the entire group to help others with education and support.
“The Coming Home Series will be vitally important and effective for all service members,” Lepore said. “As a counselor, I have worked with service men and women before deployment, but not after. I always thought something was missing, and I think the Red Cross did, too.”
This past March, Lepore taught the DMHS class at the American Counseling Association conference in New Orleans. He taught a group of about 30 people who were interested in becoming Red Cross mental health volunteers.
“Being able to work as a mental health volunteer gives me the opportunity to really assist people through trying situations in their lives and to help them recover more quickly,” Lepore said. “It is also an opportunity to see the best in people that comes out when they’re trying to help themselves and help each other.”
Mark has spent the past 13 years at the Red Cross, not only responding at the scene of disasters as a mental health volunteer, but also sharing his passion and knowledge with new and existing volunteers by teaching them how to do what he does.
“I always enjoy training people, because you know that there are others who want to do the things that you’ve done,” Lepore said. “I always enjoy the enthusiasm and the energy that comes from new volunteers in trainings.”