ABOUT ACH CLEAR PATHWAYS
Mission
To nurture creativity through the visual and performing arts by providing an opportunity to youth and family within the arts.
Vision
To serve as an artistic hub by providing artists and community a place to thrive in the arts.
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Tyian Battle
Executive Director
Tyian Battle, founder of ACH Clear Pathways, received her associate degree in business administration from Duff’s Business Institute in 1999, and graduated in 2009 from Point Park University with a bachelor’s degree in business science/organizational leadership.
Battle worked with the YWCA Child Care Information Service as an eligibility coordinator working with families who were in need of government funding to help pay for childcare. The majority of her clients received Tanf/Food Stamp benefits from the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare.
Battle also worked with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit 3 as an administrative assistant in the speech and language department. In this role, she maintained confidential student records in the Pennsylvania Child Accounting data for more than 50 speech pathologists.
With her education and work experience, Battle registered ACH Clear Pathways as a non-profit organization with the State of Pennsylvania in 2010. In 2011, the Internal Revenue Service classified ACH Clear Pathways as a charitable organization, exempt under section501©(3). Its purpose is to enrich the lives of children and youth in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s inner-city Hill District community, and is dedicated to the memory of her son, Amon Cashmere Harris (2001-2009). The United Way of Allegheny County designated ACH Clear Pathways as a Contribution Agency in 2010.
Since then, in carrying out its mission, ACH Clear Pathways has partnered with the Hill House Association, Housing Authority City of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Public School District, City of Pittsburgh, NHL Pittsburgh Penguins, Art Expression, Ozanam Inc., Wesley AME Church, University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University, Carnegie Mellon University, YouthWorks Inc., Bloomfield-Garfield Corp, American Red Cross, Private Industry Council, UPMC, United Way of Allegheny County, Community Empowerment Association, Phase 4 Learning Center, Neighborhood Learning Alliance and the American Heart Association. Corporate supporters also include sponsorship opportunities with Duquesne Light, Highmark, Macy’s, PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., American Beverage Corp, Lincoln Learning Solutions, FGLM Law Firm, Castle Brook Development, First National Bank, Massaro Corporation, Point Park University, Savoy, Triangle Payroll Services, Giant Eagle, SD Transit Inc. and WPXI.
Battle has been recognized and awarded with the “Simply Excellent Award” by Women for Excellence; the Baden Academy Charter School’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Dream-Makers Award;” YouthWorks “You Make a Difference Award;” and the 2016 Professional StrongAward,which celebrates women and young women committed to empowering their communities.
Battle has been chosen as one of the New Pittsburgh Courier’s 2016 Women of Excellence, and selected to participate in the 2016 XXXIII Leadership Pittsburgh Inc., a highly-selective initiative geared toward established leaders, designed to examine critical community issues, enhance civic-engagement, and empower participants to impact their business and the regional agenda at a leadership level.
The City of Pittsburgh issued a proclamation honoring Battle for her commitment to enriching the lives of children who participate in ACH Clear Pathways. On July 21, 2011, the City of Pittsburgh declared “ACH Clear Pathways Day” here in our most livable City of Pittsburgh.
As the founder and executive director of ACH Clear Pathways, Battle’s plans to expand ACH Clear Pathways to other urban communities within the City of Pittsburgh to carry out its mission and “Nurture the Hearts of the Arts.” Future plans also include the development of an Arts Learning Center that will service youth, adults and senior citizens with community art programming.
It is the goal of ACH Clear Pathways to serve children and families who have not had the opportunity to thrive in the arts. ACH Clear Pathways will play an active role in the transformation of children, families and the Hill District Community.
Get Involved
The staff, teaching artists, and volunteers of ACH Clear Pathways are committed to making every child feel special and provide them with what they need to move forward in life.
Volunteer as a foster grandparent, join a fundraising committee or help with our City of Pittsburgh Proclamation Day on July 21st.
Apply for an undergraduate or
graduate-level internship to get the "real world" experience you're looking for outside the classroom.
ACH Clear Pathways welcomes teaching artists who are great in their respective fields to apply to our growing program.
Board Members
Chair: Alison Smith, Esq.
PNC Bank
Vice Chair: Frank Rapp, Esq.
Feldstein, Grinberg, Lang, McKee Law Firm
Treasurer: Antonie Smalls
CIM Investment Management, Inc.
Secretary: Dr. Jessica Mann
Duquesne University
Jake Wheatley Jr.
Pa House Representative
Kimberly Slater-Wood
Alcosan Manager of Municipal Relation & Outreach
Dominique Fisher
Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Case Manager
Evelyn Foster
Management Science Associates Inc.
Melvena Daniels
University of Pittsburgh
Linnette Booker
Enterprise Data Management, PNC
Deanna Fracul
Duquesne University
Deidra Washington
Independent Consultant
Foster Grandparents
Mary Tompkins
Elizabeth Anderson
Julia Solomon
Susan Howard
Cheryl Coleman