Youth Advisor
Covenant House
Tammy McDonnell is an activist, advocate, and survivor leader based in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Ms. McDonnell presently serves as a Youth Advisor for Covenant House, a comprehensive services program for homeless and at-risk youth. She also works at Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Academy, where she handles therapy horses and takes care of the facility’s other basic needs. This is where Ms. McDonnell finds her peace.
Ms. McDonnell was previously an Outreach Worker for Covenant House of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, where she worked to prevent homelessness in the local youth population. In this role, Ms. McDonnell’s efforts strived to ensure that all youth have their basic needs met. This included providing aftercare services to former Covenant House residents in addition to engaging in street-level outreach activities.
As a survivor of commercial sexual exploitation, Ms. McDonnell is committed to raising public awareness on human trafficking and serving as an image and example of hope for those still struggling in the life of prostitution. Her advocacy was critical in the passage of Act 130 of 2018, Safe Harbor for Sexually Exploited Children.
Ms. McDonnell earned her certification as a Recovery Specialist from Villanova University. She also earned a degree as a Medical Assistant with a concentration in phlebotomy from the Anthem Institute. She is currently enrolled at Community College of Philadelphia, where she is pursuing a double major in Criminal Justice and Paralegal Studies with a proficiency certificate in electronic discovery.