Ashlee Wolfgang will lead the University Counseling Center

After a national search, Ashlee Wolfgang has been named executive director of Pitt’s University Counseling Center (UCC), effective Aug. 12.  

Wolfgang has trained and worked in university counseling for more than 16 years, including at Bowling Green State University, Carnegie Mellon University, The Ohio State University and, since 2019, at Pitt. She joined the UCC as a staff psychologist in 2019 and has since served in a range of clinical and leadership roles, including interim assistant director of clinical services, acting executive director and associate director of clinical services. She has also served as interim executive director since July 2025. 

Among her many contributions, Wolfgang helped lead the development and implementation of the University’s Higher Education Assessment and Response Team, a co-response crisis team that partners with Pitt Police to support students in crisis — one of the first three programs of its kind in the nation. She developed and oversees Next STEP, a bridging program that provides intensive care to students as they transition to their next level of treatment in the community. Wolfgang also leads the Campus Crisis Support Team of trained volunteers who respond to large-scale crises affecting students.  

Wolfgang recently completed a yearlong leadership training series through Pitt’s Office of Human Resources, culminating in a capstone project this past May. She also serves as adjunct faculty in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Psychology and at Carlow University, and she is an active contributor to numerous UCC and campus committees, including the Multicultural Care Team, Trauma Care Team and the HEART Advisory Committee. 

Wolfgang holds a PsyD in Counseling Psychology from Carlow University, an MA in Mental Health Counseling from Bowling Green State University and a BA in Psychology from Hiram College. She is a licensed psychologist in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is board certified in telemental health. 

“Those who have worked with Ashlee know her as a thoughtful, team-oriented leader — someone who listens carefully, builds trust, and leads with steadiness and humility,” said Vice Provost for Student Affairs Carla Panzella in an Aug. 11 announcement. “I am confident she will continue to build on the UCC’s strong foundation of clinical excellence and collaborative culture as she steps into this role.”