Montgomery Child Advocacy Project Director to Retire
After dedicating 7 years to carrying out the mission of helping abused and neglected children by providing free legal representation, Executive Director of the Montgomery Child Advocacy Project (“MCAP”), Mary Coyne Pugh ’86, has announced her retirement.
Following her graduation from Villanova Law in 1986, Pugh worked as a trial attorney concentrating her practice defending physicians and hospitals in medical malpractice lawsuits. From 2001 to 2005 she focused on appellate law, arguing cases statewide.
Pugh first volunteered as a child advocate with MCAP in 2005. By 2006 she was the Executive Director, running the day-to-day operations with the support of the Montgomery Bar Foundation. As Executive Director she also serves as secretary to the Montgomery county Office of Children & Youth (“OCY”) Children’s Advisory Committee offering advice, support and recommendations relating to abused and neglected children, and participated in monthly meetings with the Montgomery Children’s Roundtable.
In 2011, Pugh was appointed as a member of Transitioning Youth Out of Placement, helping form best practices for children transitioning out of welfare services, and was a member of Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center Management Team. Additionally, she served as a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s (PBA) Children Rights Committee, as co-chairperson of the Montgomery Bar Association’s (MBA) Child Advocacy Committee and as a member of the MBA’s Community Outreach Committee, as a member of the Youth Aid Panel of Montgomery County, the Montgomery County Office of Children & Youth's Citizens Advisory Committee and the Montgomery County Child Roundtable Committee.
In 2009 Pugh was awarded the Special Recognition Award by the PBA for her work with abused and neglected children and in 2011 received the Milton O. Moss Award from the MBA for her distinguished work in the judicial system.
In addition to all of her professional achievements, Pugh also founded the Reading Olympics Chapter, the CYO field hockey team for St. Genevieve School and served on the St. Genevieve's Advisory Board, Finance Council and Strategic Planning Committee and the Planning Committee for St. Genevieve. She serves as a member of the St. Genevieve Parish Finance Committee. She was a member of the President’s Council for Mount Saint Joseph Academy and Mount Saint Joseph Academy Board of Directors.
Co-founded in 2005 by District Attorney Risa Ferman and Court of Common Pleas Judge, Wendy Demchick-Alloy, MCAP provides pro-bono Child Advocate Attorneys to represent and protect children’s interests in court proceedings.
Over 140 attorneys volunteer their time and resources to MCAP to represent the innocent child victims of Montgomery County. Since 2004, MCAP attorneys have cumulatively represented an estimated 2,463 abused or neglected children in 1,564 cases aiding in their recovery from very painful experiences.
Each day as the Executive Director of MCAP, Pugh gave a voice to the child victims of Montgomery County, supporting them as they healed and learn to trust others.
Pugh is married to William H. Pugh V, Esq. '86, and has 4 daughters.
