Meet Our Youth & Family Services Team

Megan Polte

Megan Polte is our Clinical Director of Community and School Services. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has experience working as an outpatient therapist for adults, school-based therapist, and Extended Day Treatment Program Coordinator. In her current role, she is responsible for the Bridge's Youth and Family Services Department where she oversees all school-based services offered by the Bridge as well as its Youth Service Bureau functions.

Originally hailing from Illinois, Megan is a proud New England transplant who most recently resided in Indiana. She earned a Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Megan's commitment to social work is underscored by her unwavering dedication to empowering individuals and fostering healthier, more resilient communities.

Jonathan Merritt

Jon is the Youth Services Coordinator and directs the West Hartford Teen Center. He is responsible for the Conard and Hall High School student success teams, the West Hartford Community Network, and works closely with the West Hartford Public Schools to offer positive youth development groups and mentoring. Jon began his career as a member of the Los Angeles Corp of Teach for America and went on to serve as a Secondary English Teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District.  He supervised the Army CYS Middle School and Teen Program and began a life path of mentoring and working with at-risk teens.

"Working with youth has been a life-long endeavor; I was drawn to mentoring through teaching.  My general philosophy with teens is that you have to give respect to get respect, and you have to lead by example."

Jon earned a Bachelor of Art in English Language and Literature from the University of Maryland, and attended London Metropolitan University as part of a study abroad program.  He also conducted Secondary Education work at University of California Los Angeles.