Staff Directory

Zenzile (she/her) is a Case Manager at Disability Services. She joined Columbia Health in January 2023. In her role, Zenzile serves on the Student Case Management team; serves as a Case Manager for a cohort of students with disabilities providing ongoing support, specialized services, and coordination of accommodations; evaluates medical, psychological, and psycho-educational documentation to identify reasonable disability accommodations; guides faculty, administrators, and students regarding disability and accommodation issues; works with instructors and academic departments to implement students' approved academic adjustments and accommodations.

Outside of work, Zenzile enjoys cooking and baking vegan recipes, spending time with her family and friends, dancing and listening to music, and watching cooking tutorials. Zenzile is an avid tennis fan and enjoys watching tennis matches.

Yvette Rhea-Burg joined Columbia Health in 1999. She is a scheduling coordinator at Medical Services.

In 2019 she completed her Masters degree in Human Resource Management.

When she is not at work she enjoys traveling the world, kick boxing, yoga and testing out new vegan recipes.

Yushi Wang joined Columbia Health in 2021 as a licensed clinical social worker. Prior to Columbia, Yushi worked as a bilingual psychotherapist at Rutgers University Counseling Center. Yushi has also worked in the psychiatric emergency room at Rutgers University, where she provided psychiatric evaluations and crisis counseling to children, adolescents and adults. She has also worked in other settings including psychiatric hospitals, prison, and intensive in-home therapy.

Yushi believes in a strengths-based and person-centered approach in working with her clients. She has experience working with a variety of issues, including first-generation immigration issues, multiculturalism, depression, anxiety, OCD, relationships, adjustment issues, crisis counseling and intervention. She is passionate in serving ethnic minority students, first generation immigrants, and international students. Yushi is fluent in Mandarin Chinese.

Yonette Douglas joined Columbia Health in 2012.

Dr. Yaniv Phillips joined Columbia Health in 2004. Prior to Columbia, he was a senior clinical psychologist and supervisor at North Central Bronx Hospital, where he worked with HIV patients and their families, men with sexuality concerns, and couples. Yaniv earned his B.A. at Tel Aviv University, Israel and his M.A. and Ph.D. at Adelphi University Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies. He completed his internship at the Karen Horney Clinic. He continued on to complete specialized training at the advanced couples and family therapy program at the New York University Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis.

Dr. Phillips’ professional interests include couples therapy, the psychology of immigration, relationship issues, and men’s experience of intimacy and sexual health. He sees individuals and couples for psychotherapy, and conducts experiential workshops for couples on enhancing relationships, as well as offering ongoing intensive workshop on procrastination. A member of the Counseling and Psychological Services' Outreach Team, Yaniv is bilingual, fluent in English and Hebrew.

As Well-Being and Coaching Specialist, Wendy (she/her) provides 1:1 wellness coaching and facilitates workshops and trainings on various health & well-being topics. As part of the direct services team within Alice! Health Promotion, she works to empower students to leverage knowledge and resources to enhance their well-being.

Before she joined Columbia Health, Wendy was a Mentor Coach Evaluator at the Adapt Health Coach Training Program at Kresser Institute.

Wendy, who grew up in Alaska in a small fishing and timber community, honed her resourcefulness and creativity from a young age. After college, she served in the Peace Corps to facilitate capacity building and promote international peace. Wendy enjoys running, learning about compact dwellings, and volunteering with diverse organizations. She's also a devoted Dachshund enthusiast.

Dr. Weiyen Chung joined Columbia Health in 2019. She received her Psy.D. from William James College, M.Med.Sc. from The University of Hong Kong, and her B.A. in Biology from Boston University. Prior to joining Columbia Health, Weiyen completed her pre-doctoral training at Astor Services for Children & Families in their outpatient and day treatment programs located in the Bronx. She also completed clinical externships at a public high school as well as both outpatient and residential settings, treating patients with adjustment issues, family and relationship conflict, depression, anxiety, self-harm behaviors, survivors of physical and sexual abuse, and veterans with substance use issues.

Weiyen’s clinical interests include neurodevelopmental disorders (Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), trauma, anxiety, depression, and acculturation. In her clinical work, Weiyen strives to create a safe and collaborative environment while integrating mindfulness and cognitive behavior therapy strategies. 

Wardeh Hattab is a second-generation Arab-American clinical social worker. Prior to joining Columbia Health in 2020, Wardeh worked in psychiatric emergency rooms at Kings County Hospital and Bellevue Hospital. She has also worked in the inpatient detox and inpatient adult psychiatric units, and medical emergency room at Bellevue Hospital and at community mental health clinics where she treated children, couples, and families as well as adult patients. Wardeh served as a mental health volunteer with The Syrian American Medical Society in 2016 providing consultations to clinical staff working with Syrian refugees in Jordan.

Wardeh’s professional interests include cross-cultural counseling, Middle Eastern/North African (MENA) communities, Muslim communities, trauma work, LGBTQ+ students, sex therapy, students managing chronic medical conditions, and grief and bereavement.

Dr. Vincent Kiefner is a licensed psychologist at Columbia Health. Vincent earned his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at Pennsylvania State University and his M.Ed. in College Counseling from the University of Delaware. He completed his B.A. in Psychology at Temple University where he also participated in the Honors Psychology program.

Vincent has a keen interest in college student mental health having served in different roles at four institutions of higher learning since 2003. He has experience in a broad range of counseling center activities, including, among others, crisis intervention, administrative evaluations, and outreach.

Vincent works from a psychodynamic framework but also incorporates multicultural, client-centered, cognitive-behavioral, and motivational interviewing approaches into his practice. He feels it is a privilege to work with college students as they represent a unique population with special interests and challenge. While Vincent is comfortable with a wide variety of client populations and presenting concerns, he has particular expertise working with first generation students, artists, architectural students, students who identify as GLBTIQ, international students, relationship issues, trauma, and body image concerns.

Vincent (he/him) joined Columbia Health in October 2024 as a Case Manager on the Student Case Management team at Disability Services. He serves as a Case Manager for a cohort of students with disabilities by providing ongoing support, specialized services, and coordination of accommodations; evaluates medical, psychological, and psycho-educational documentation to identify reasonable disability accommodations; guides faculty, administrators, and students regarding disability and accommodation issues; and works with instructors and academic departments to implement students' approved academic adjustments and accommodations.

His education and experience as an Occupational Therapist has given him a good grasp on assistive technology, accessible learning strategies, and the creation of healthy habits and routines which are needed for students to be successful.

Outside of work, Vinny enjoys a good cup of coffee, a new board game, watching the New York Giants on Sundays, adventuring to breweries, and reading/watching anything sci-fi or fantasy.

Vincci Ho joined Columbia Health in 2022. Prior to her role as a Financial Analyst, she worked in payroll and human resources in the Department of Computer Science. She received her Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology from New York University in 2018.

Dr. Urmi Desai (she/her) joined Columbia Health in November 2024. As the Associate Vice President for Medical Services, she is responsible for the overall leadership of the department: identifying strategic goals and maintaining suitable policies and procedures regarding the delivery of services and program development relating to providing primary care, urgent and emergency care, specialty services, and laboratory services.

Through a data-driven approach that includes building understanding of student health needs, reviewing care provided, fostering communication among and between staff, and securing necessary resources, Dr. Desai ensures that the Medical Services team continually provides high-quality, accessible care that meets the needs of all students.  

When not at work, Dr. Desai enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends. 

Tyler joined Alice! Health Promotion as the Health Promotion Specialist for Peer Education & Outreach in October 2023. In her role, she coordinates educational initiatives facilitated by the CU Well Peer Leaders; develops and facilitates curriculum for Alice! Direct Services; and supports opportunities for learning around general health and well-being for individuals and communities.

Prior to joining Columbia, Tyler's work focused primarily on education around various topics of health and well-being, including sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence prevention, interpersonal relationships, and more. She aims to empower others to make informed decisions about their health and well-being through a comprehensive, evidence-based lens and practice healthy behaviors in their own lives.

Originally from Westchester County, Tyler is looking forward to living in and exploring New York City. When not at work, she enjoys reading a good book, trying new cafes and eating pastries, and spending time with her friends and family.

Tonia Lesesne joined Columbia Health in 1991.

Tiffany Witko (she/her) joined Columbia Health in March 2024. In her role as Accommodations Manager, she:

• Manages non-academic accommodations for students, including housing accommodations, service and assistance animals on campus, sign-language interpreting, and CART services as well as campus access accommodations
• Provides guidance to faculty, staff, and students regarding accessibility issues and works closely with Housing, Facilities, Public Safety, and the University Registrar to implement campus access accommodations
• Coordinates accommodations for students, guests, visitors, and alumni attending University-sponsored programs and events

Before she joined Columbia Health, Tiffany started her career as a teacher in public schools. She taught social studies and worked with students in special education. Later, she moved to a private Catholic high school to enhance their program for students with disabilities. Then, she left teaching to work as a Learning Specialist at Hofstra University.

In her free time, Tiffany enjoys doing The Bar Method, spending time with friends and family, traveling, and touring historic landmarks, especially in New York City.

Tom (he/him) joined Columbia Health in 2024. As the Special Projects Analyst, Tom is a key partner across the six Columbia Health departments to advance strategic priorities that support student health and well-being at Columbia.

Tom brings a range of experiences to our team, including working on education reform. He has more than a decade of experience as an Emergency Medical Technician and aims to leverage his experience in care and policy to advance the Columbia Health mission.

Dr. Maldonado joined Columbia Health in 2021.  She is a member of the West Clinical Practice Team.

Theo Czerevko (he/him) joined Columbia Health in 2024. Prior to Columbia, Theo worked at the Hetrick-Martin Institute as a therapist and intake coordinator. He has also been a case manager at the Ali Forney Center, and a support group facilitator at the LGBT Community Center. Additionally, he volunteered as a crisis hotline counselor for the NYC Anti-Violence Project. Theo’s professional experience includes working with people who are queer, trans, neurodivergent, asylum-seeking, and/or disabled. His therapeutic approach includes narrative therapy and incorporating a liberatory and anti-racist framework into his practice. He is trained in EMDR and Motivational Interviewing.

Teshiro Aldonza joined Columbia Health in 2013 and became the Director of Information Technology in 2022. Prior to joining Columbia Health, he worked at the Educational Alliance as a systems and database administrator. Teshiro grew up in St. Lucia and worked as a forest ranger before migrating to New York.

His interests include technology, sports, nature, hiking, running, and everything related to forests. He sometimes jokes that the forest is his natural habitat.

Teresa Cal (she/her) joined Columbia Health Sexual Violence Response in February 2025. As Prevention Coordinator, she oversees the development, implementation, and evaluation of violence prevention training and education. She contributes to strategic planning and goal-setting for prevention programs and collaborates with colleagues to implement strategies addressing sexual, gender-based, and intimate partner violence.

Teresa has nearly ten years of experience in sexual misconduct prevention and response as well as creating equitable communities. Prior to joining Columbia Health, Teresa worked in several roles at Pratt Institute, RAINN, and The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Teresa has two rescue rabbits and has eaten almost every Oreo flavor ever released.

Tanya Olivo (she/her) joined Columbia Health in March 2025 as a Health Services Assistant at Medical Services. In this role, Tanya greets incoming patients and provides them with a pleasing and welcoming environment with the best possible customer service. She also assists students in setting up appointments in a timely fashion.

Prior to joining Columbia Health, Tanya worked at the New York Department of Education for 28 years, first as a School Aide, then as a Parent Coordinator.

Her favorite food is pizza and shrimp. Her favorite pastime is reading and enjoys party planning and organizing. Tanya practices walking as a form of self-care. 

Tania Holguin (she/her) joined Columbia Health in July 2017 as a Health Services Assistant at Medical Services. In this role she   manages the front desk welcoming students, directing inquiries, and maintaining a tidy and organized reception area. She schedules appointments manages correspondence and assist with basic office duties. 

Tamika supports the Senior Vice President and Associate Vice President & Chief of Administration along with other members of the senior team. She serves as a central resource on the Administration team by scheduling meetings, managing complex schedules, and ensuring a smooth flow of communication with the senior team. In addition to being the main point of contact on Administrative projects and assignments, Tamika also provides leadership and management for other Columbia Health-wide projects, events, and initiatives. She also supports activities relating to compliance and the accreditation process.

Prior to joining Columbia Health, Tamika was an Executive Assistant at Student Financial Services at Columbia University where she cultivated cross-departmental relationships, administered high-level support to the Associate Vice President, implemented initiatives for CUIT (Columbia University Information Technology), led planning for department initiatives like team day and staff retreats, for example, and more.

As a nurse practitioner, Tamara Hawkins (she/her) provides primary care to students while including the promotion of health and prevention of disease, as well as evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of acute and chronic illness and acute medical issues. Tamara conducts focused evaluations of patient health history and performs physical examinations for complex, acute, critical, and chronically ill patients or as indicated by the patient's reason for the visit. 

Tamara also oversees the travel health program.

Tamara enhances wellness by focusing on lifestyle medicine such as stress management and using food as a source of healing while also addressing acute and chronic healthcare concerns. Her focus is supporting her patients to feel vibrant and energetic.

Tamara Hawkins began her career in Maternal/Infant Health focusing on Lactation and Women’s Health as a source of equitable and primary care. She now uses Functional Medicine to treat the root causes of illness and restore healthy function through a personalized experience.

Sylvie Nyamu is a Program Specialist for Epidemiology Surveillance at Columbia University. In this capacity, she works collaboratively to design and implement surveillance techniques to monitor and control infectious disease transmission. She previously worked as a Contact Tracing Manager at Columbia University. In that role, she coordinated disease surveillance efforts through systematic implementation of outbreak control measures, including overseeing case investigations and tracing undertakings. She continues to support contact tracing efforts.

Prior to joining Alice! Health Promotion, she managed clinical research initiatives in Infectious Diseases and Emergency Medicine. Sylvie's primary research interests include epidemiology and pathogenesis of zoonotic infectious diseases, the deployment of interventions for infection control, and the use of electronic laboratory reporting for disease surveillance and population health management.  

In her free time, Sylvie is an avid runner, explores hiking trails, practices yoga, and cherishes travelling with friends and family. She also enjoys getting lost in a good book.

Sydny (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2024. As an Accommodations Manager on the Testing Team at Disability Services, she manages the daily exam schedule; supervises the administration of undergraduate accommodated exams and implements testing accommodations; and assists in the recruitment, training, and supervision of student staff, including exam proctors and graduate assistants.

Sydny is a United States Air Force veteran and former educator.

Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, exploring the city, and enjoying the park with her dog.

Dr. Sunita Mohabir joined Columbia Health in 2023.  She received her Ph.D. from the City University of New York and her B.A. from Columbia University School of General Studies.  Prior to Columbia, Sunita worked as a supervising psychologist at North Central Bronx Hospital and was co-director of the psychology externship program at NCB.  Her roles included working on adult/geriatric inpatient psychiatric units, emergency room, and supervising/mentoring doctoral students.  She completed her doctoral internship at North Central Bronx Hospital.  Her graduate training included work in Behavioral Health at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. 

Sunita’s professional interests include acculturation, diversity issues, first generation issues, professional development, and women’s issues.  As a graduate of the School of General Studies, she has a keen interest in working with students in the program. 

Steven Veach joined Columbia Health in 2009. Prior to joining Columbia, he was employed as the Enrollment/COB Manager at University Health Plans in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Steven joined Columbia Health in 2021. He has 12 years of experience in healthcare and higher education environments, with primary roles for EHR administration and project management. His goals are to provide solutions and better ways to work with technology and understand operations. 

Steven enjoys breaks from Information Technology with non-technical books, hiking, and live music.  

Dr. Steven Carter joined Columbia Health in August 2021. Prior to joining Counseling and Psychological Services, he completed a pre-doctoral internship at Pace University’s Counseling Center. Throughout his doctoral training, he engaged in clinical externships at NYU Counseling and Wellness Services, New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, and New York Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center’s Adult Outpatient Unit. His dissertation research focused on exploring the frequency and severity of discrimination experienced by multiracial individuals by developing and piloting the Multiracial Microaggressions Scale (MMS).  

Steven has extensive experience working with college-aged students, as well as children, adolescents, and adults. His training has primarily concentrated on psychodynamic theory with focuses on interpersonal and relational approaches. He has also received dedicated training in dialectical behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and multicultural theory. He is committed to using these approaches when working with a diverse student population to address stressors such as adjustment, racial/ethnic identity development, depression, anxiety, acculturation, and interpersonal challenges.  

Stephanie Reyes (she/her/hers) joined Columbia Health in 2023 as the Student Support Specialist. 

In this role, Stephanie primarily fields and manages incoming student, parent, and staff questions and concerns regarding immunization compliance and more broadly provides general information regarding Columbia Health services. Additionally, she collaborates with other Immunization Compliance staff and administrators across the University to help students understand requirements and submission deadlines.

Prior to joining Columbia Health, Stephanie’s roles were centered around providing support and leadership across various fields including social work, human services, and customer service. 

Stephanie is a local to New York City (born and raised!) and is passionate about community development and advocacy and is eager to help those around her in any way she can. While earning her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Women's and Gender Studies at Syracuse University, she was driven by a deep desire to create opportunities for marginalized individuals and founded an organization geared towards decreasing the high school dropout rates in the community school district.

Stephanie Lennon (she/her) joined Columbia Health Disability Services as an Accommodations Manager in 2025. As a member of the Testing Team, she manages the daily exam schedule at Disability Services; supervises undergraduate accommodated exam administration and implements testing accommodations for students with disabilities; assists in the recruitment, training, and supervision of student staff, including exam proctors and graduate assistants.

Her work prior to Columbia included working with students in academic recovery and tutoring K-12 students.

In her spare time, Stephanie enjoys going to Broadway shows, writing fiction, reading, exploring New York City, drinking coffee, and visiting her family in Maine.

Dr. Stephanie Charles (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2024 and is a member of the East Clinical Practice Team. Dr. Charles provides acute and chronic primary care, including assessment and diagnosis of presenting problems and management of illness, education concerning prevention and wellness; follow-up of patient problems in continuity structure; and utilization of specialists and outside medical resources when indicated.  

Prior to Columbia Health, Dr. Charles was an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and an Academic Medical Educator at Boston University School of Medicine. Dr. Charles was also an attending physician on the Family Medicine Inpatient Unit and a preceptor for the combined Family Medicine/Psychiatry Residents enrolled within the combined Family Medicine/Psychiatry Residency program at Boston Medical Center. Dr. Charles is devoted to a holistic and compassionate approach to medicine which focuses on patient education, inclusion, and advocacy. Her passions include medical student education and women's health. 

Outside of work, Dr. Charles enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, learning new languages, and supporting the arts by attending the ballet and Broadway performances.

Sophia Savory joined Columbia Health in 2003.

Sonia (she/her) joined Columbia Health in November 2022. In her role as a Senior Case Manager, Sonia serves on the Student Case Management team; serves as the Case Manager for a cohort of students with disabilities providing ongoing support, specialized services, and coordination of accommodations; evaluates medical, psychological, and psycho-educational documentation to identify reasonable disability accommodations; and guides faculty, administrators, and students regarding disability and accommodation issues; works with instructors and academic departments to implement students' approved academic adjustments and accommodations.

In her free time, Sonia enjoys cheering for the New York Giants, shopping, and spending time with her friends, family, and cats.

Solanghely Raffo (she/her) is a Survivor Advocate with Sexual Violence Response (SVR). As a Survivor Advocate, Solanghely provides support and case management through an empathetic, anti-racist, intersectional lens by committing to effective and practical crisis intervention, immediate aid, options, referrals, resources, psychoeducation, advocacy, and support services to primary and secondary survivors of gender- and power-based violence.

Prior to joining SVR, Solanghely served the public as the Client Services and Program Coordinator at the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender Based Violence. There, she trained and supervised case managers and intake specialists, supported high-risk/high-profile cases, and managed mainline calls and client walk-ins. She also liaised between the District Attorney's Office, Non-Profit Voces Latinas, and the Queens Family Justice Center on the NYC Polyvictimization project, funded by the US Department of Justice, to provide comprehensive support to victims of violence.

Previously, Solanghely worked in the Immigration Affairs unit for former Congressman Joseph Crowley, guiding the immigrant community on their rights and visa options. She has also contributed to global initiatives with South Africa, Israel, Peru, and UN Women, focused on preventing and addressing  femicides and high-risk gender-based violence cases. Her work helped develop policies to enhance responses to gender-based violence in these nations.

A native of Queens, Solanghely proudly embraces her rich multicultural heritage and roots, embodying the vibrant identity of a true global New Yorker.

Siobhan (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2023. She is a member of the East Clinical Team. She provides pre- and post-clinical visit assessments; follow-up of patients for interim continuity of care by clinicians, emergency department transfer, hospitalization and procedures; acute and chronic primary nursing care, wound care, travel assessment, allergy assessment, and the administration of vaccines, allergy shots, and medication.

Siobhan started her nursing career in 2018 as a cardiac surgery ICU nurse at Johns Hopkins Hospital and then transitioned to travel nursing. As a travel nurse, Siobhan worked in various ICUs (cardiac surgery, trauma, medical), outpatient surgery centers, and women’s health clinics throughout Anchorage, New York City, Seattle, Savannah, and Tampa. From working in a variety of settings, she realized that she was passionate about patient education and community health.

Outside of nursing, Siobhan enjoys writing, backpacking, and cross-country skiing.

Siobhan (she/her) joined Columbia Health in October 2022. In her current role as Intake and Registration Specialist, she serves on Disability Services' Intake & Registration team; guides prospective and current Columbia students through the registration process, providing individualized guidance regarding disability documentation and accommodation requests; conducts intake interviews, advises, and orients students on accessing appropriate support services; and refers students to appropriate campus and community resources.

In her spare time, Siobhan enjoys cooking, playing music, and going for long walks. Her travel goals include visiting as many of the National Parks as possible.

Dr. Sherina Persaud is a clinical psychologist at Columbia Health. Prior to joining as full-time staff, she completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Counseling and Psychological Services. Sherina completed a pre-doctoral internship at Mount Sinai Beth Israel with rotations in neuropsychology, child and adolescent psychology, inpatient and outpatient treatment for adults. She has also completed clinical externships working with women’s perinatal mental health, crisis intervention, substance use disorders, and community mental health in both Spanish and English.

Sherina earned her B.A. in psychology at Barnard College and her M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from The New School for Social Research. She has comprehensive research and clinical experience in sexual and gender identities, trauma-related disorders, substance abuse, attachment theory, and with families who have used assisted reproduction to conceive.

Working from a primarily psychodynamic perspective, Sherina aims to approach treatment in an open, nonjudgmental way to integrate various techniques to best fit the needs of the patient. At Counseling and Psychological Services, Sherina is on the trauma team as well as the sexual and gender identity issues team and the multicultural concerns team. Her professional interests include multicultural and racial issues, sexual and gender identity, women’s health, trauma-related disorders, mindfulness and substance abuse.

Shayra joined Columbia Health in 2022. At the core of Shayra's role of Immunization Compliance Manager, she manages the Immunization Compliance team which supports students as they onboard the University by helping them to meet university requirements for immunization. She is a key partner to academic colleagues by interpreting and communicating related policies and procedures to help students learn about and comply with public health mandates related to immunization clearance and registration. Shayra adheres to New York State and University mandates regarding immunization status and reporting for all students on the Morningside and Manhattanville campuses along with select affiliates.

Prior to joining Columbia Health, Shayra was a Community Liaison with the U.S. House of Representatives where she supported the Office of Congressman Jose E Serrano. In this role, she liaised with local, state, and federal officials and the community by attending and speaking at community meetings and events on behalf of the Congressman. Shayra led the Congressman’s initiative for 2020 Census complete count, planned and executed events aimed at creating better relationships and assistance to the community, and more.

Shaye Samp joined the Alice! Health Promotion team in February 2023 as a Health Promotion Specialist. In her role, Shaye oversees the day-to-day content management and logistics of the Go Ask Alice! health Q&A website.

Prior to joining the Alice! team, Shaye worked with the Peace Corps as a Health Education Specialist in Shinyanga, Tanzania. There, she worked on a variety of projects related to health education and ultimately fell in love with interacting with youth while providing them with sexual and reproductive health education.

Shaye grew up in Southeastern Idaho, before moving to New York City in the summer of 2020. When not at work, Shaye can be found traveling, enjoying food and/or live music with friends, having lengthy phone conversations with family, or curled up on the couch watching TV with her cats (Janie & Binx).

Dr. Highsmith joined Columbia Health in 2024 and is a member of the East Clinical Practice Team.

Serena (she/her) joined Columbia Health in February 2018. In her role as Senior Case Manager Serena serves on the Student Case Management team; serves as a Case Manager for a cohort of students with disabilities by providing ongoing support, specialized services, and coordination of accommodations; evaluates medical, psychological, and psycho-educational documentation to identify reasonable disability accommodations; provides guidance to faculty, administrators, and students regarding disability and accommodation issues; works with instructors and academic departments to implement students' approved academic adjustments and accommodations.

Serena enjoys spending time with her family at Loon Lake, hiking the Adirondack Mountains, kayaking, and reading a good book on the beach. She's looking forward to exploring museums, markets, and restaurants in her new Manhattan home.

Sarah (she/her) joined Columbia Health in May 2023. As a Senior Case Manager at Disability Services, she serves on the Student Case Management team; serves as a Case Manager for a cohort of students with disabilities by providing ongoing support, specialized services, and coordination of accommodations; evaluates medical, psychological, and psycho-educational documentation to identify reasonable disability accommodations; guides faculty, administrators, and students regarding disability and accommodation issues; works with instructors and academic departments to implement students' approved academic adjustments and accommodations.

Sarah enjoys spending afternoons at local parks with her family and dog, going to concerts, and cooking. She considers herself an “aspiring beachgoer” and an amateur architecture and interior design buff.  

Sarah Albrecht (she/her) joined the Alice! Health Promotion team in January 2023 as the Well-Being & Coaching Specialist before transitioning into her current role as the Health Promotion Specialist for Wellness Coaching. As a board-certified wellness coach, Sarah partners with students to explore their wellness goals and co-creates tailored plans to help them flourish in and out of the classroom.

Before joining Columbia Health, Sarah coordinated and facilitated a virtual health and wellness coaching program for family child care educators through the University of Delaware and provided support for several research and evaluation projects. 

Sarah is originally from Delaware and moved to Brooklyn with her partner and two cats in the summer of 2022. When not at work, Sarah loves baking, taking spin classes, and scouring the city for the best chocolate croissant.

Sara Kaplan joined Columbia Health in 2022. Prior to joining Counseling and Psychological Services, she completed her pre-doctoral internship at Mount Sinai Beth Israel. Throughout her clinical training, Sara gained clinical experience through clinical externships at New York University Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy & Psychoanalysis, Bellevue Hospital Center, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, and Long Island University’s Psychological Services Center.

Clinically, Sara works primarily from a relational psychodynamic perspective, and she believes that the trust and safety of the therapeutic relationship is essential for therapy to be successful. Sara also has received training in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and mindfulness-based approaches to treatment. She believes that flexibility is key in therapy and works to individualize treatment to fit each of her patient’s unique needs. Sara is interested in helping students navigate a variety of issues, including those related to identity and self-esteem, disordered eating and body image difficulties, relationship concerns, anxiety, depression, and trauma.

Sara Berger joined Columbia Health in 2005. Prior to Columbia, Sara was an administrator of outpatient and residential treatment programs. She also provided administrative and quality assurance consultation to a variety of mental health agencies, including the New York State Office of Mental Health.

Sara's professional interests include the administration of clinical programs to ensure that they remain responsive to the populations they serve and provide their client populations with highest level of clinical care. While Sara is licensed to practice social work, she uses her training to enhance her role as a full-time administrator at Counseling and Psychological Services.

Dr. Sandy Saintonge (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2025 and is a member of the Wast Clinical Practice Team. Dr. Saintonge provides acute and chronic primary care, including assessment and diagnosis of presenting problems and management of illness, education concerning prevention and wellness; follow-up of patient problems in a continuity structure; and utilization of specialists and outside medical resources when indicated. 

received her undergraduate degree in economics from Hunter College and her medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College. She completed residencies in both pediatrics and preventive medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell, and also earned a Master of Public Health from Columbia University. She brings broad clinical experience across ambulatory, hospital, emergency, and urgent care settings.

Dr. Saintonge has over twenty years of academic and leadership experience in undergraduate and graduate medical education. She previously served as Associate Program Director for the Preventive Medicine residency program at Weill Cornell, where she was also an Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Clinical Public Health.

In 2018, Dr. Saintonge was appointed Medical Clinical Professor in the Sophie Davis Bio-Medical Education Program/CUNY School of Medicine, a seven-year BS/MD program. There, she served as course co-director for the Professional Foundations course, developed and taught lectures across the academic continuum, and advised students in the Office of Student Affairs. In this role, she was instrumental in building the school’s career advising infrastructure, supporting students in academic, career, and personal development, including at-risk monitoring, wellness promotion, and fostering a positive learning environment.

She also served as Interim Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the CUNY School of Medicine, where she led the development of a DEI strategic plan and launched initiatives that furthered the school’s mission. She was part of the team that successfully achieved LCME accreditation for the medical school in 2023.

Most recently, Dr. Saintonge served as Associate Dean of the Program in Liberal Medical Education at Brown University, a highly selective eight-year baccalaureate-medical degree program. In that role, she oversaw administrative operations, advising, and both curricular and co-curricular activities.

Dr. Saintonge is a first-generation American and first in her family to attend college. She recently learned to swim and hopes to one day be able to swim with giant sea turtles in Hawaii.

Samuel (he/him) joined Columbia Health in 2024. In this role, he provides overall planning, quality assurance, supervision and coordination of clinical care provided by Associate Director of Nursing, Assistant Director, Infection Prevention & Public Health Support, Assistant Director, Clinical Support and Senior Case Manager and ensures day-to-day management and evaluation of services to accomplish effective service delivery.

He began his nursing career at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in pediatric oncology and later transitioned to outpatient nursing at NYU Langone, specializing in endocrinology. Before joining Columbia Health, Samuel most recently served as the Director of Nursing at the New York University Student Health Center.

Samuel is passionate about the people and culture of New York City. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, yoga, movies and theater. On a cold or rainy day, you'll find him watching documentaries or cooking something in his apartment in Brooklyn. 

Roseann Neuberg joined Columbia Health in 2007 and is a member of the East Clinical Practice Team. She began her career in women's health, working at several hospitals, two birthing centers, as well as Planned Parenthood. She transitioned to student health, where she worked at the Fordham University Health Service for 12 years before joining Columbia. She enjoys the diversity of student health, and focuses on education and prevention as integral parts of treatment.

Rokeasha (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2024. In this role, she ensures operational excellence by providing strategic operational support across Medical Services and will have operational involvement in the administration of clinical services to maintain consistency in processes and delivery of services. 

Rokeasha assists the Associate Vice President, Director of Clinical Services and Training, and Director of Nursing in developing, maintaining, and reviewing operational protocols that promote and ensure optimization of efficiency and outcomes.

Before joining Columbia Health, Rokeasha served as the Practice Administrator at Advantage Care Physicians' Brooklyn location. She brings more than 20 years of experience in healthcare administration and operations, having worked at Weill Cornell, NYC HHC, and Mount Sinai Hospital.

Outside of work, Rokeasha enjoys traveling, going to Broadway shows, and cooking.

Rocco joined Alice! as the Health Promotion Specialist for Substance Use and Recovery in September 2023. They support the BASICS program, the Responsible Community @ Columbia (RC@C) initiatives, and recovery initiatives on campus. Rocco also offers conversations with students seeking education, prevention, and reflection around their relationship with substance use and recovery.

Rocco is cross-trained to support students through other Alice! initiatives such as sexual and reproductive health (e.g. STI testing, PrEP/PEP, birth control consultation) and health education (e.g. sleep, stress, and time management). They are a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-WHC), offering students the opportunity to reflect on their dimensions of well-being. Additionally, they are a Tobacco Treatment Specialist and Naloxone trainer through Columbia's Opioid Overdose Prevention Program.

Previously, they were a graduate student working as the Substance Use Prevention Specialist for Columbia Health. When not working, Rocco enjoys finding a new book and exploring different cafes around the city.

Robyn Austin (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2025 as an Intake Specialist with Sexual Violence Response (SVR), providing confidential, survivor-focused services and trauma-informed care.

In this role, Robyn serves as the initial point of contact for outreach and support for student survivors: triaging incoming calls and drop-ins, assessing urgent needs, and facilitating timely scheduling of survivor visits. She also conducts thorough intake assessments and crisis interviews, coordinates with medical and social service, and works in collaboration with the entire SVR staff to ensure services and support are provided in a timely and efficiently manner.

Prior to joining the team, Robyn was a Treatment Family Foster Care (TFFC) Sociotherapist and TFFC Case Planner with The New York Foundling, as well as the Internal Medicine/ICU unit at the Queens Hospital Center. 

Outside of work, Robyn enjoys traveling, reading, coloring, gardening, and watching SpongeBob Squarepants.

Dr. Robert Bernales joined Columbia Health in 2020. He is a member of the West Clinical Team.  Dr. Bernales is a board-certified physician specializing in primary care and preventive medicine. Prior to Columbia Health, Dr. Bernales practiced as an attending physician with the Long Island FQHC in several locations throughout Nassau County, New York. He completed his residency training at Nassau University Medical Center, a Northwell Health affiliate.

Rin (they/them) joined Columbia Health in January 2025. In their role as Assistant Accommodations Manager, Rin manages daily exam schedules at Disability Services; supervises undergraduate accommodated exam administration and implements testing accommodations for students with disabilities; assists in the recruitment, training and supervision of student staff, including exam proctors and graduate assistants.

Prior to joining Columbia Health, Rin worked as a hospitality professional for a major hotel company for almost 5 years at a few different properties. They have a strong background in hospitality operations, specifically, and worked several as a manager across several departments in one of the largest hotels in New York City.

In their free time, Rin can often be found going to concerts or attending pop culture/anime conventions. They enjoy creating cosplays, particularly styling cosplay wigs, for them and their friends. They also enjoy baking, and even baked and decorated their older sister's wedding cake!

Dr. Rick O’Keefe joined Columbia Health in 2004 and is a member of the East Clinical Practice Team. Prior to Columbia, Rick worked in academic family medicine with a focus on increasing the quality and access to care for underserved communities in urban areas. O’Keefe developed programs that care for marginalized and LGBT adolescents in school-based and street settings.  

As part of Columbia Health, Rick is a member of the men's health team, serves as medical advisor for GHAP (Gay Health Advocacy Project) and facilitates the Integrative Medicine Workgroup. He earned an M.A. in Social and Organizational Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University in 2015.

Dr. Richard J. Eichler has a long affiliation with Columbia, stretching back to his student days when he earned his B.A., M.S., M.Phil., and ultimately Ph.D. at Columbia. He joined what was then the Columbia College Counseling Service in 1986 as a staff psychologist, and for six years was an instructor in the now defunct Human Development program at Columbia College. Since 1992, Richard has successively served as Director, Executive Director, and most recently as Associate Vice President of the Counseling and Psychological Services department of Columbia Health. 

While completing his PhD, Richard trained at a Veterans’ Administration clinic and at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where he completed his internship in clinical psychology. Among other professional activities early in his career, he worked on a research project at Hunter College on sex role socialization in nursery schools and day care centers. Prior to joining the Columbia Health team, he served as a psychotherapist, treating a culturally diverse population at Bronx Municipal Hospital Center, and concurrently worked on a grant studying the delivery of health care services for disabled and chronically ill children at the Preventive Intervention Research Center for Child Health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.  

Richard has taught numerous undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral courses in psychology and psychotherapy, including classes in adolescence and lifespan development at Columbia College and classes in psychodynamic psychotherapy and developmental psychopathology at Teachers College. He has also taught courses and seminars in adolescent development and college mental health practice at the Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy Training Program of the William Alanson White Institute. 

Dating back to his time at the Veterans Administration, he maintains an ongoing interest in the welfare of military veterans. Other areas of particular professional interest include: psychological opportunities and pitfalls of adolescence and young adulthood; early intervention and prevention strategies; the impact of cultural variables on personal development; evolving relationships through the lifespan; trauma; psychological obstacles to academic and career success; learning problems; and the application of psychoanalytic thinking to brief therapy.  Richard is also versed in and helping young adults and their parents renegotiate their evolving relationships. He is a frequent speaker at professional conferences and community events, addressing various topics such as transitioning to college, the social and emotional concomitants of learning disabilities, improving access to mental health care, and suicide prevention. 

Richard has served as a consultant to the College Mental Health section of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry, and in collaboration with its membership, co-authored a paper in response to mental health crises on college campuses. He has also served on the Clinical Advisory Board of the Jed Foundation. He is currently on the Editorial Board of the Journal of College Mental Health. 

Education: 

• Ph.D., Columbia University 
• M.Phil., Columbia University 
• M.S., Columbia University 
• B.A., Columbia University 

Certifications and Licensure: 

• Licensed to practice psychology in the State of New York 

Professional Experience: 

• Columbia University 
• Preventive Intervention Research Center for Child Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine 
• William Alanson White Institute 

Community and Volunteer Activities: 

• Editorial Board Member, Journal of College Mental Health  

Published Articles: 

• Cantor M.B. and Eichler R.J. (1977). Sweetness—a supernormal reinforcer. Chemical Technology 7: 214–216, 1977 
• Eichler, R.J. (2011) The university as a (potentially) facilitating environment.  Contemporary Psychoanalysis, 47, 289-316. 
• Eichler, R.J. (2006) Developmental considerations in college counseling.  In P. Grayson & P. Meilman (Eds.) College Mental Health Practice (pp. 21- 41).  New York:  Routledge. 
• Eichler, R.J. & Schwartz, V.  (2010) Essential services in college counseling.  In J. Kay & V. Schwartz (Eds.) Mental Health Care in the College Community (pp. 57 -93).  New York: John Wiley & Sons. 
• Girad, C., Schwartz, V., Backus, V., Barreira, P., Eichler, R.J., Goldsmith, M., Miner, J., Notman, M., Reich, P. & Siggins, L. (2012) Challenges of mental health crises in college settings.  Harvard Health Policy Review, 13, 11- 15. 
• Ireys, H.T.  & Eichler, R.J.  (1988) Program priorities of crippled children's agencies: A survey. Public Health Reports, 103, 77-83. 

Languages Spoken:

• English

Renee Gibbs joined Columbia Health in 2020 after nine years of psychology practice in the Department of Veterans Affairs. Dr. Gibbs provided treatment and led program development efforts in eating disorder treatment and training, including serving as the national lead trainer and consultant for the Eating Disorder Initiative. In addition to eating disorder treatment, Dr. Gibbs's work has included multidisciplinary therapy for gender transition and gender dysphoria, program development for severe and persistent mental illness, and delivery and adaptations of dialectical behavior therapy. Her primary career goals are to improve multidisciplinary care and psychotherapeutic outcomes for eating disorder patients and increase access to eating disorder treatment in public health settings.

Dr. Gibbs completed her doctoral degree at Seattle Pacific University in 2011 and training experiences in public mental health and VA settings. Her interests outside of work include her family, international travel, and dance.

Dr. Regina Lara joined Columbia Health in 2008. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology at the University of the Philippines in Quezon City, and her Medical Degree at the University of the East – Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center, also in the Philippines. She came to New York City for her residency in general adult psychiatry at Beth Israel Medical Center. Afterward she completed her two-year fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine/Mount Sinai Hospital. 

Lara worked as an attending physician on the child/adolescent inpatient unit, as well as medical director for the Child/Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic and Integrated Family Care Program at the  Mount Sinai Hospital. She also worked for two years as a child psychiatrist with the Staten Island Mental Health Society.

Lara enjoys the opportunity to engage with young adults  who are discovering and developing their identities while also navigating the challenges of an exacting academic institution. She is as interested in working with issues of adapting to a new country or culture while remaining steadfast in holding important traditions and beliefs. While working with her will usually entail the use of medications, whether for anxiety, or depression, or ADHD, she always emphasizes that incorporating non-pharmacologic practices and cultivating meaningful and healthy relationships are essential for anyone to achieve true mental and psychological health.

Ramona Lanzo joined Columbia Health in 1994. Prior to Columbia, Ramona worked as a laboratory technologist in various medical facilities and hospitals. She has been in the laboratory services field since 1985. Ramona attended Bronx Community College, where she majored in medical laboratory technology, and Lehman College with a concentration health services administration. 

Rafaela De La Huerta, FNP, joined Medical Services in 2022 and was promoted to Associate Director, Clinical Services in 2024.  She is also a member of the West Practice Clinical Care Team. Rafaela provides primary care services for students with a focus on health promotion and education, providing treatment for acute and chronic injury and illness, and comprehensive reproductive and sexual health services including offering long-acting reversible contraception.  

Prior to joining Columbia Health, Rafaela worked as a Family Nurse Practitioner in community health in the Bronx, New York, serving the healthcare needs of patients across the lifespan, including in-school-based health centers where she focused on adolescent reproductive health. She began her career as Paramedic/Firefighter and later in Nursing and it was in these roles that she became acutely aware of health care disparities/social determinants of health and the need to prevent illness and injury with access to primary care.

When she isn't working, she enjoys outdoor sports, traveling, spending time in nature, and time with family.

Rachel Turkel (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2023. Prior to joining Columbia, she worked for several global health non-profit organizations, which included work in mental health, malaria prevention, and digital health technologies. Rachel earned her Master of Science in Public Health (M.S.P.H.) from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, with a focus on Social and Behavioral Interventions.

Rachel’s professional interests include behavior change communications, health systems, bioethics, and cultural competency. She is passionate about the need for continuous quality improvement in healthcare settings to provide recipients with quality care.

Dr. Quratulain Gulamhussein (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2024.

Quratulain earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities. She completed her predoctoral internship at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Throughout her doctoral training, she provided individual, couples, and group therapy in a variety of settings, including a university counseling center, community mental health facilities, a VA medical center, and both emergency and outpatient hospital services.

Quratulain’s therapeutic work is rooted in a psychodynamic and relational approach, while also integrating cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) as needed. She has a particular interest in working with ethnic-racial minority, immigrant, first-generation, low-income, and Muslim students. Quratulain creates a collaborative and non-judgmental space for students to explore concerns such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and relationship difficulties, while addressing the impact of structural oppression and highlighting the strengths and resilience of her clients and their communities.

Quratulain’s research focuses on mental health in Muslim communities. Her dissertation involved developing and piloting a scale to assess perceived family support for mental health services in Muslim communities within the U.S. Additionally, during her Fulbright Fellowship in Jordan, she used narrative research to explore how families incorporate cultural and religious practices into their approaches to healing and well-being.

Paula joined Columbia Health in July 2024. In her clinical work, Paula integrates psychodynamic and feminist lenses to understand the person and the systems they are located within. Paula works to create a safe and collaborative therapeutic relationship as the cornerstone of her work with students. She often pulls aspects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) into sessions.

Prior to Columbia, she worked as a staff psychologist at Stevens Institute of Technology, completed her clinical psychology internship at the University of Memphis, and spent a couple of years as a clinical psychology extern at Wesleyan University. Paula is passionate about student mental health and is interested in working with a variety of student concerns. Paula has experience working with student challenges in adjusting to university life, anxiety, depression, and difficulties with family relationships. Paula has almost 4 years of experience working with students in STEM.

When Paula isn't working you can likely find her reading, fiction or nonfiction, she reads it all. She also enjoys visiting her family back in Michigan, traveling, and enjoying a good meal.

Patricia Coleman is a Registered Nurse at Medical Services. She is a member of the East Clinical Team. 

Padma Entsuah is the Director, Well-Being and Health Promotion at Alice! Health Promotion. She joined the team in June 2015 as a Health Promotion Specialist before transitioning to Senior Health Promotion Specialist. In these roles she supported a number of the peer-led initiatives such as the ROAR @ Columbia Facilitators, the Columbia Health Peer Ambassador Network, and the Keeping Our Community Healthy Ambassadors. She also helped create and facilitate the “Well-Being and the First Year Experience” Physical Education course. Currently, Padma oversees the Health Promotion strategy functional area within Alice!, working to create a campus culture centered around well-being.

Originally from Maryland, Padma has lived throughout the East Coast. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, staying active, traveling, and exploring all the great food New York City has to offer.

Dr. Nonso Enekwechi joined Columbia Health in 2016. Nonso completed his residency in psychiatry at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center. He also completed his child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at New York-Presbyterian Hospital of Cornell and Columbia Universities, with a focus on child and adolescent public psychiatry.

Nonso earned his medical degree from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, and masters of public health degree from the University of Iowa College of Public Health. In addition to his position at Columbia Health, he is also a child and adolescent psychiatrist at New York City Children’s Center.

Nicole Vigoda Gonzalez, Psy.D., joined Columbia Health in 2017. Prior to joining Counseling and Psychological Services, Nicole completed a pre-doctoral internship at Jacobi Medical Center with rotations in neuro-pediatric developmental psychology, medical rehabilitation, and inpatient and outpatient treatment for adults. She has also completed clinical externships working with survivors of trauma, cross-cultural issues, crisis intervention and community mental health with English- and Spanish-speaking populations.

Nicole earned her B.A. and M.A. in anthropology from the Universidad de los Andes in her hometown of Bogota, Colombia. Later, she completed an Ed.M in psychological counseling at Teachers College, and a Psy.D. in clinical psychology at Rutgers University. In her clinical work, Nicole uses a primarily psychodynamic approach, yet strives to create an individualized treatment that best fits the needs of the patient. As a bicultural and bilingual woman, Nicole pays particular attention to aspects related to cultural identity that may impact the treatment. In addition to English, she is fluent in Spanish.

Ngozi Okezie joined Columbia Health in 2007. Prior to Columbia, Ngozi was a staff psychiatrist in outpatient mental services and the director of child and adolescent outpatient services at Saint Vincent's Hospital, Westchester. She was also an assistant professor of psychiatry at New York Medical College.

Ngozi attended Bryn Mawr College and Yale University School of Medicine. She completed her psychiatry residency at University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and went on to do further advanced training in child and adolescent psychiatry at New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. She then completed a research fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry, concentrating on child mental services delivery. Ngozi's professional interests include ADHD, mood disorders and cultural issues.

Nelly (she/her) joined Columbia Health in July 2022. In her role as Accommodations Manager, Nelly coordinates non-exam accommodations for students, including note-taking, housing accommodations, and service and assistance animals; coordinates accommodations for students, guests, visitors, and alumni attending University sponsored programs and events; and provides guidance to faculty in facilitating the coordination of academic and classroom accommodations.

Her interests include reading and playing online games, solving crossword puzzles, and trying new food. She enjoys baking, cooking, and spending time with her cat.

Nedzad joined Columbia Health in 2022 as an IT Support Specialist. He has a tech based-background personally and professionally. His experience revolves around coding and supervisory experience, but his main focus has been on building and maintaining computers for friends, family, and most importantly, his career as an IT professional.

He graduated from Rutgers University with a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology and Informatics. During his time there, he worked at the computer labs as a student supervisor where he led a team of over 100 consultants across 3 different labs on campus. This experience led him to his role at Columbia University Information Technology (CUIT), where he was responsible for all computers and printers for students and ensuring everything was in working order at all times. Supporting organizations’ IT infrastructure has been his bread and butter for many years now, and he draws satisfaction from solving his client’s IT issues and making a positive impact on their day when he resolves a problem, especially ones that have been bothering them for a while.

When he isn’t solving IT issues at work, you can find him working on his latest computer build project (not to mention the 20+ that he’s already built from scratch). In his free time, he’s either playing video games with friends or he’s working on his next goal at the gym.

Dr. Motoni Fong Hodges joined Columbia Health in 2015. Prior to Columbia, Motoni taught at Teachers College as a lecturer and adjunct assistant professor. Motoni completed her doctoral internship in counseling psychology at the University of Oregon Counseling Center, a postdoctoral fellowship on feminist psychodynamic psychotherapy at Stony Brook University Wo/Men’s Center, and psychoanalytic training at the William Alanson White Institute.

Motoni’s professional interests include acculturation and marginalization, and working with international students, students of color, and LGBTQ students.

Mina (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2024 as a Registered Nurse at Medical Services. She is a member of the West Clinical Team. In this role, Mina provides pre- and post-clinical visit assessments; follow-up of patients for interim continuity of care by clinicians, emergency department transfer, hospitalization, and procedures; acute and chronic primary nursing care, wound care, travel assessment, allergy assessment, and the administration of vaccines, allergy shots, and medication.

Mina brings 7.5 years of experience in college health to Columbia Health, having most recently served as a nurse at the Health Services at Brown University in Rhode Island. In that role, she gained expertise in all aspects of students’ physical and psychological wellbeing, with a focus on urgent care, immunizations and health promotion. Prior to her career in college health, she worked in acute care at Rhode Island Hospital.

Mina’s professional interests focus on the social, cultural, and economic factors that influence students’ ability to maintain their health, well-being, and sense of belonging in school. She considers cultural competency as essential in supporting students for optimal health outcomes. Mina leverages her life experience and dedication as a health professional to advocate for students effectively.

Outside of Nursing, Mina enjoys exploring her new home, New York City, with her three daughters, enjoys outdoors events, walking, volunteering, and cooking her traditional foods. 

Michelle McKee (she/her) is the Senior Health Promotion Specialist, Sexual & Reproductive Health at Alice! Health Promotion. She first joined the team in September 2022 as the Health Education Specialist before transitioning to her current role in June 2024. In her work, Michelle supports the sexual health and well-being of students by providing one-on-one STI intake screenings, conversations around contraceptive options, PrEP/PEP, sexual orientation and gender identity, and more. 

Before her time at Columbia University, Michelle taught at the high school level and volunteered at a sexual and reproductive health nonprofit organization in Tokyo, Japan. She has a breadth of experience in health education, health promotion, and sexual and reproductive health, and is committed to reducing health disparities through an intersectional and social justice framework.

Outside of work, Michelle loves to read, take walks in Central Park, and go to the beaches in her home state of California. Above all else, she values spending time with her friends, family, and loved ones.

Michele (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2020. In her role as Learning Specialist, Michele facilitates individualized sessions and small group skill-building workshops that support the development of compensatory strategies and academic skills for registered DS students, specializes in working with students on organizational skills, time management, and study strategies, note-taking skills, exam preparation and other areas of academic concerns. Michele serves on the Disability Services leadership team

In her free time, Michele enjoys doing yoga, reading, singing, walking her dog Val in Astoria Park, and spending time outdoors. 

Michele Goldman joined Columbia Health in 2020. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology with a concentration in traumatic stress from Adler School of Professional Psychology in Chicago, IL. Prior to joining Columbia, Michele completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Hampton Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center in Hampton, VA. She then accepted a full time staff psychologist position at Veteran’s Affairs New York Harbor Healthcare System, Brooklyn Campus.

Michele has also worked in a variety of settings including residential treatment programs, schools, prisons, and rehabilitation/medical units. Her clinical interests have focused on issues related to trauma, relational patterns, anxiety, depression and Veteran specific issues. Due to the fact that she has worked with individuals across the age span and from multiple settings, Michele approaches treatment in a nonjudgmental way, focused on meeting the individual where they are, integrating techniques to best fit the needs of each person. She will often incorporate a mindfulness-based approach in her work with students.

Dr. Michael McNeil joined Columbia Health in 2006.  In addition to leading the Administration functions and serving as Chief of Staff for the organization he is the Program Director for Columbia's Opioid Overdose Prevention Program (#787) and has a faculty appointment in SocioMedical Sciences at Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health. Michael also serves as the Chair-Elect of the American College Health Foundation Board of Directors.

Prior to joining Columbia, Michael led the health promotion office and was an adjunct faculty member at two other universities. He has been involved with a number of professional organizations including the American College Health Association, NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, The BACCHUS Network, and the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing.

Michael holds a B.A. in Sociology, an M.S. in Health Education, and an Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership. Michael spent the first 12 years of his life living outside the United States. To date he has lived in six countries on four continents. When not working, Michael is an avid traveler (50+ countries on all seven continents and all 50 US states), a consumer of good coffee, a commercial aviation enthusiast, and (very) amateur stand-up comedian.

Michael (he/him) joined Columbia Health in 2022. As Assistant Manager at Disability Services, Michael serves on the Testing Team; manages the daily exam schedule at Disability Services; supervises undergraduate accommodated exam administration and implements testing accommodations for students with disabilities; and assists in the recruitment, training, and supervision of student staff, including exam proctors and graduate assistants.

Outside of work, Michael enjoys running, reading science fiction and fantasy books, and traveling.

Dr. Mercedes J. Okosi joined Columbia Health in 2023. She received her Psy.D. (Doctor of Psychology) at The Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP) at Rutgers University. She completed a doctoral internship at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s and West Hospitals. Prior to joining Columbia, she held a position as clinical director of the Safe Mothers, Safe Children Initiative at New York University’s McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research where she led a program for women in the child welfare system experiencing PTSD. Dr. Okosi has experience in a variety of settings including inpatient and outpatient hospital settings, schools, community organizations, and private practice.

Much of Dr. Okosi’s work has been focused on the impact of trauma on marginalized populations including those within the African diaspora, people of color, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. Dr. Okosi also uses an integrative and patient-centered approach to work with patients managing a range of issues including mood disorders, anxiety, difficult relationship patterns, and identity.

Melissa (she/her) joined Columbia Health in November 2021. In her current role as Student Services Coordinator, she serves on the Registration & Intake team; guides prospective and current Columbia students through the registration process, providing individualized guidance regarding disability documentation and accommodation requests; conducts intake interviews, advises, and orients students on accessing appropriate support services; refers students to appropriate campus and community resources.

When not at work, you can find Melissa watching documentaries, trying different restaurants, and traveling to new places with her friends and family.

Dr. Melanie Bernitz is the Senior Vice President for Columbia Health. She joined Columbia Health in 2016 and served as Associate Vice President and Medical Director through early 2021. Previously she served as the Executive Director of the Student Health Service at Columbia University Medical Center. Prior to that position, Dr. Bernitz was a resident, chief resident, and faculty member in Columbia’s Center for Family and Community Medicine. Growing up in the United Kingdom, she received both her bachelor’s degree in psychology and a degree in medicine at University College London. She then received her master’s degree in public health at Columbia University.

Dr. Bernitz's professional experience includes teaching and training of medical students and residents as well as inpatient and outpatient primary care. She is an associate professor of clinical medicine in the Center of Family and Community Medicine and remains committed to ensuring that college students have direct access to high-quality, timely medical care.

Marys (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2024. In her role, she navigates complex insurance inquiries and addresses questions, needs, issues, and concerns of Columbia students to teach them to better understand and utilize their plans. She investigates and troubleshoots claims and billing issues. Additionally, Marys participates in informational tabling events and workshops to educate students on all aspects of insurance.

Marys is a huge New York Yankees fan and is an active member of New York Roadrunners Club (successful half-marathoner!). Be careful around Marys during the Halloween season as she enjoys giving a good scare!

Mary Anne Segal joined Columbia Health October 2019. Prior to coming to work at Columbia University, Mary Anne was a school nurse at Lighthouse Guild School for 15 years providing nursing care for students aged 5-21 with vision impairments and multiple disabilities. She has also had a 20-year professional relationship at the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center providing nursing care to a medically complex population.

Mary Anne is a life-long New York City resident and enjoys the vibrant energy of the city.

Martine Duplan joined Columbia Health in 2017. She is a member of the East Clinical Team. 

Marlena King joined the Alice! Health Promotion Team in November 2023 as a Health Promotion Specialist, Resource Navigator. In her role, she serves as a resource navigator and partners with cross-disciplinary teams within Columbia Health to manage the creation and implementation of workflows to align students care across various on-campus departments and off-campus resources.

Prior to joining the Alice! team, Marlena was a Program Manager at an international anti-trafficking organization where she developed and implemented a one of a kind employment and education program for survivors of child trafficking in the State of Connecticut to pursue their vocational goals. Marlena has also worked at a nationally recognized community health center where she provided resources and direct services to patients in recovery from opioid addiction. Additionally, Marlena has been embedded on clinical teams at Yale-New Haven Hospital where she provided vocational supports to patients.

Marlena grew up in Waterbury, CT and is a proud first-generation college graduate. When not at work, she enjoys reading, traveling, and making jewelry. She also enjoys spending time with her friends and family.

Dr. Marina E. Mazur (she/her) is a clinical psychologist who joined Columbia Health in 2024. Previously she worked as a staff psychologist at the Center for Intensive Treatment of Personality Disorders (CITPD) at Mount Sinai, where she provided individual and group psychotherapy and supervised psychology interns and externs. Prior to joining CITPD Marina served as an Associate Director of Mental Health at Correctional Health Services on Rikers Island.

Marina received her doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University and her B.A. in psychology from Hofstra University. During her graduate training she completed a pre-doctoral internship at Kings County Hospital and externships at Coney Island Hospital and the Child and Family Institute at St. Luke’s Hospital.

Marina believes in working collaboratively with clients and strives to provide a warm and nonjudgmental environment to anyone joining her in the therapy room. She utilizes a relational psychodynamic framework, incorporating aspects of cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavioral techniques to address individualized needs. Her professional interests include multicultural issues, acculturation, relational difficulties, perinatal and postpartum wellness, identity development, and spiritual and religious concerns.

Maria Narimanidze (she/her) is a clinical psychologist who joined Columbia Health in 2023. Prior to joining as full-time staff, she spent 5 years working at Mount Sinai West’s Center for Intensive Treatment of Personality Disorders (CITPD), where she conducted individual and group psychotherapy, as well as supervised psychology externs, interns, and psychiatry residents.

Maria earned her B.A. in psychology from New York University, her M.A. in psychology from Adelphi University, and her Psy.D. in clinical psychology from Long Island University (LIU) – Post. During her training at LIU, Maria completed clinical externships at Jamaica Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center, and her pre-doctoral internship at Manhattan Psychiatric Center (MPC). Following her internship, Maria stayed on to work at MPC for 2 years as an inpatient psychologist.

Maria believes in working collaboratively and holistically, providing care that is trauma-informed and culturally responsive through a psychodynamic lens, incorporating aspects of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and mindfulness skills as needed. She is also a certified group psychotherapist and particularly enjoys running structured and process groups on a variety of topics, including mindfulness, intimacy and interpersonal relationships, and conflict, as well as DBT skills.

Her professional interests include multicultural and racial issues, acculturation, trauma, interpersonal conflict, struggles with identity and sense of self, and ADHD. As an immigrant herself, she is particularly interested in helping international students and those recent to the U.S. adjust to life at Columbia and in NYC more broadly.

Marcia Stern joined Columbia Health in 2019. Prior to joining Columbia she worked as a Military Sexual Trauma Counselor for the Department of Veterans Affairs Readjustment Counseling Service, providing individual and group therapy. Marcia has supervised numerous treatment and clinical research projects including a treatment effectiveness trial for children and adolescents exposed to the events of 9/11 at The Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the Jewish Board of Children & Family Services, assessment of a school-based suicide prevention screen at the Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at Columbia University, and training student law guardians in mental health issues at the Hofstra University School of Law.

Marcia received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from St. John’s University and her B.A. in Psychology from Brooklyn College. She completed her internship training in clinical psychology at Hillside Hospital,

Long Island Jewish Medical Center and a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Psychiatric Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.

Marcia enjoys working with a wide range of students including those concerned with issues of adjustment, anxiety, depression, emotion regulation, and interpersonal problems. Her professional interests include the impact of exposure to trauma, veterans, and women’s issues.

Marcia Malcolm-Alexander is a medical assistant at Columbia Health Medical Services.

Marcel Pierre-Louis joined Columbia Health in 2020 after serving as a General Staff Nurse for Respiratory Care and the Assistant Nurse Manager for Orthopedics at Westchester Medical Center since 2017. Prior to his Nursing career, Marcel worked for Health based non-profits in New York City and Los Angeles. He received his Master's of Healthcare Administration from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health in December 2021.

Manali Roy joined Columbia Health in 2022. Prior to Columbia, she worked as a staff psychologist at the North Central Bronx Hospital where she also completed her pre-doctoral internship. At the hospital, she worked in various clinical settings including inpatient psychiatric unit, psychiatric emergency services, and consultation-liaison psychiatry services. She has previously trained at the University of Toledo Psychology Clinic and the Zepf Center in Ohio, and at community mental health centers in India. Dr. Roy received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Toledo and Master’s in Psychology from Adelphi University. She also earned her Master’s in Clinical Psychology and Bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of Calcutta, India.

Dr. Roy works primarily from acceptance and mindfulness-based approaches while integrating psychodynamic perspectives as clinically indicated to meet the person where they are at. She aims to create a trauma-informed, empathic, collaborative, and non-judgmental space in therapy with the goal of fostering wellness. Her clinical interests include experiences of anxiety, depression, psychosis, emotional dysregulation, and interpersonal difficulties. Addressing intersectionality, multicultural concerns, immigrant experiences, and issues affecting international students (such as acculturative stress) are important in her clinical work. Dr. Roy is a part of the Counseling and Psychological Services' Outreach Team. She is fluent in Bengali and Hindi.

Mairead (she/her/they/them) joined the Columbia Health team in 2023 and serves as an expert on the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and provides all front-line technology-related-end user support for Clinical Departments at Columbia Health. 

In her spare time, Mairead enjoys painting and photography as well as watching The Office and playing the Sims. You can explore her work on Instagram: @raidy_mcg_photographer_nyc for photography and @margaretart94 for painting.

Madeline (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2023. She is a member of the East Clinical Team. As a Registered Nurse at Medical Services, she provides pre- and post-clinical visit assessments; follow-up of patients for interim continuity of care by clinicians, emergency department transfer, hospitalization, and procedures; acute and chronic primary nursing care, wound care, travel assessment, allergy assessment, and the administration of vaccines, allergy shots, and medication.

She started her nursing career in 2020 working inpatient at NYP-Columbia in a medicine-stepdown unit taking care of critically ill patients. She transitioned to working as a travel registered nurse at local NYC hospitals and in California. As a travel nurse, she worked in a variety of medical-surgical units (general, oncology, surgical, etc.). She looks forward to providing care for university students.

In her free time, Madeline enjoys cooking, trying new cuisines, exercising, and watching her favorite TV shows.

Madeleine joined Columbia Health in 2024. In her current role as Assistive Technology Manager at Disability Services, Madeleine works with students, faculty and staff to assess their assistive technology needs, provides demonstrations of and installs software and hardware on both PC and Mac platforms that meets the disability-related needs of students, faculty, and staff, and oversees the provision and creation of alternate format materials (E-text, large print, etc.) for students eligible for this accommodation.

Prior to joining Columbia Health, Madeleine was most recently an Accessible Media Specialist with Cornell University.

Madeleine is a dog lover and was recently very involved with Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Madeleine loves attending concerts and getting out to try new restaurants.

Lucia Clase is a Medical Assistant at Medical Services.

Lorin Killian (he/him) joined Columbia Health in 2024. In this role, Lorin leads the exam accommodations team at Disability Services, where he provides administrative oversight and leadership for all aspects of accommodated exams and proctoring services across all undergraduate schools and programs at the University. In his role, Lorin ensures the Testing Center adheres to University standards, operating procedures, and compliance with laws and regulations related to testing accommodations.

Working in collaboration with the Senior Executive Director, Lorin leads efforts to maintain an agile and responsive Testing Center that prioritizes procedural compliance, academic integrity, and seamless implementation of approved testing accommodations. As part of the senior management team in Disability Services, Lorin contributes to campus-wide initiatives aimed at fostering student development, satisfaction, and well-being, ensuring students with disabilities can fully engage in Columbia's academic and extracurricular opportunities.

In his spare time, Lorin is an avid spectator for US Open tennis tournaments, an Olympic sports superfan, and enjoys going to Broadway shows, and eating desserts.

Linus (she/her/hers) joined Columbia Health in 2023. She is a Registered Nurse at Medical Services and a member of the West Clinical Team. She is deeply committed to caring for patients and communities through steadfast integrity, eager curiosity, and sincere compassion — an attuned, ‘caring other.’

Prior to joining Columbia Health, Linus worked in the Emergency Department engaging with a diverse population, not just in culture and physical ailment, but also in psychological state. She believes therapeutic relationship with her patient is an honor, privilege, and responsibility.

In addition to her professional work, you can find Linus squealing over delicious dessert; reading and writing; and adventuring in the great outdoors (whether it be long runs through the city or off the grid backpacking)

James (Lee) Daniel joined the Alice! Health Promotion team in November 2022. As the Health Promotion Specialist for Resource Navigation & Wayfinding, Lee works to connect students to both on- and off-campus resources. His work focuses on developing strategic partnerships across the University to streamline referral pipelines and cultivate a community that empowers students to care for their health & well-being.

Lee is cross trained to support students through other Alice! initiatives such as sexual and reproductive health (e.g. STI testing, PrEP/PEP, birth control consultation) and health education (e.g. sleep, stress, and time management). He is a Certified Health and Wellness Coach (CWHC), offering students the opportunity to reflect on their dimensions of well-being.

Prior to joining the team, Lee worked in first-year experience and student retention; academic advising and support services; and COVID-19 response.

Lee grew up in North Carolina before moving to New York in summer 2021. Outside of work, Lee loves reading, cooking and baking, puzzles, and exploring the city to find hidden green spaces!

Lauren Murry is an Immunization Compliance Specialist in the Immunization Compliance Office. She was born and raised in the Bronx, New York and recently graduated from Duke University in May of 2021. Prior to joining Columbia Health, Lauren worked for a telehealth company that specialized in mental health care. Lauren plans to pursue a career in medicine, specifically cardiology. In Lauren's spare time, she enjoys watching 90s sitcoms, listening to music, and/or spending time with family and friends.

Laura Maudene Nelson is a nutritionist and instructor at the Columbia University Institute of Human Nutrition and teaches graduate nutrition, medical, dental, nursing, and public health students.

She has been active with the American Diabetes Association, where she serves on the national board of directors, and the American Heart Association, where she previously served on the board of directors of the New York City Affiliate, the Advisory Council, Heart-at-Work, Nutrition Counseling Workshop Planning Committee, and as a member of the Nutrition Committee. She has also served on the editorial board for RN Magazine.

Maudene volunteers for the American Diabetes Association making public presentations and reaching out to elected officials to advocate for people with diabetes. She also coordinates opportunities for work site and community nutrition projects.

Best nutrition advice: Eat mostly foods that grow from roots not feet, and, watch out for shiny food – it may be glazed not polished.

Dr. Laura Gonzalez (she/her/hers) is a Psychologist at Columbia Health. She conducts individual psychotherapy with undergraduate and graduate students. She also conducts drop-in hours, co-leading group therapy, and participates in outreach events across campus.

Dr. Laura Gonzalez received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Boston College and completed her doctoral internship at the University of Miami Counseling Center, where she was a part of the Sexual Assault and Response Team. Before joining CPS, Dr. Gonzalez was trained in various clinical settings, including partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs, community mental health centers, outpatient clinics, and college counseling centers.

Laura has extensive experience working with adolescents and young adults experiencing depression, anxiety, relationship concerns, family conflict, body image concerns, acculturation issues, and coping with traumatic experiences. She approaches her work from a psychodynamic and relational cultural framework, valuing the importance of relationships and the impact of one’s environment on their life. Her clinical interests include working with students facing interpersonal relationship challenges, survivors of trauma and violence, and first-generation students. Laura is bilingual (English/Spanish) and appreciates working with students from many backgrounds.

Laura (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2013. In her current role as Associate Director of Student Case Management, Laura serves on Student Case-Management Team and Disability Services leadership team. She evaluates and interprets disability documentation to determine eligibility for accommodations and services; serves as coordinator/case manager for a small cohort of students with disabilities; supports students in resolving disability-related issues that may be a barrier to accessing programs; liaises with other departments within Columbia Health as well as academic advising deans, global programs, graduate and professional programs, libraries, and other administrators to implement accommodations, supports faculty and administrators regarding strategies for meeting the unique needs of each individual student as well as implementing and coordinating accommodations.

In her free time, Laura enjoys cheering for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Steelers, watching Broadway shows, and cooking new recipes.

Latisha Culley is a health services assistant at Counseling and Psychological Services.

La’Shawn Rivera, M.A. has led Columbia University's Sexual Violence Response & Rape Crisis/Anti-Violence Support Center (SVR) since August 2013. La’Shawn supervises all direct services and prevention-based staff members, oversees all SVR campus-wide events and initiatives, and acts as a liaison to the Columbia campus and the New York City community through her participation in multiple taskforce initiatives and community collaborative committees. She leads a team of 10 full-time staff members as well as peer advocates, volunteers, and casual staff dedicated to the eradication of sexual and gender-based violence.

Prior to joining the team at Columbia University, La’Shawn was the Assistant Coordinator at the University of Central Florida Police Department’s Victim Services Program for 6 years. Her work there focused on providing direct services to survivors and co-survivors of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking, elder abuse, and homicide. During this time, she also coordinated sexual violence prevention education programs on-campus and in the community, supervised and trained full-time Victim Advocates, and managed the volunteer program. During that time, she also served on committees implementing statewide violence prevention initiatives like Talk About It! and Coaching Boys Into Men.

She completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology at Bethune-Cookman University and received her M.A. in Applied Sociology with a concentration in Domestic Violence from the University of Central Florida.

Kylie (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2024. In her role as an Accommodations Manager on the Testing Team at Disability Services, she manages the daily exam schedule; supervises the administration of undergraduate accommodated exams and implements testing accommodations; and assists in the recruitment, training, and supervision of student staff, including exam proctors and graduate assistants.

Outside of work, Kylie enjoys going to Broadway shows, traveling, singing and dancing, listening to music, and baking. She is a coffee enthusiast and can usually be found with a cup in hand. Kylie enjoys going on adventures and exploring new places with her family, friends, and dogs.

Dr. Kwame Akowuah joined Columbia Health in 2017. Prior to joining Counseling and Psychological Services, Kwame was director of the Continuing Day Treatment program at the New York State Psychiatric Institute’s Audubon Clinic, where he also worked as a staff psychiatrist. Additionally, he was an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Kwame completed his residency training at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Cornell Medical Center. He then went on to complete a fellowship in psychiatry and the law at New York University Medical Center/Bellevue Hospital.

Kwame's professional interests include mood disorders, psychosis, and perceptual disorders, drug and alcohol use, medicolegal ethics, and questions surrounding religion and spiritual identity.

Kristina (she/her) joined Columbia Health in November 2022. In her role as Assistant Director, she serves on the Student Case-Management team; Serves as Coordinator/Case-Manager for a cohort of students with disabilities providing ongoing support, specialized services, and coordination of accommodations; evaluates medical, psychological, and psycho-educational documentation to identify reasonable disability accommodations; provides guidance to faculty, administrators, and students regarding disability and accommodation issues;  works with instructors and academic departments to implement students' approved academic adjustments and accommodations; serves as the primary contact with the Graduate Liaisons and program administration at CUMC to implement accommodations in a variety of academic, testing and clinical settings. Provides support to faculty and staff regarding strategies for meeting the unique needs of students registered with disability services.

Outside of work, Kristina loves hiking around national parks, exploring new bike trails, and visiting local bookstores and bakeries.

Kristen (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2023. She is a member of the West Clinical Team. She provides pre- and post-clinical visit assessments; follow-up of patients for interim continuity of care by clinicians, emergency department transfer, hospitalization and procedures; acute and chronic primary nursing care, wound care, travel assessment, allergy assessment, and the administration of vaccines, allergy shots, and medication.

She has been working as a nurse for four years. She began her career working in both inpatient and outpatient positions and then transitioned to school nursing. She is excited to continue her nursing journey in the college health field.

Outside of work she enjoys reading, trying new recipes, going to concerts, and exploring the city.

Dr. Kori Bennett joined Columbia Health in 2015. Kori received their doctorate of clinical psychology at the University of Indianapolis and completed a doctoral internship at Wichita State University’s Counseling and Psychological Services. Prior to joining Columbia, they completed postdoctoral fellowships at University of California, Merced Counseling and Psychological Services, and Stanford University’s CAPS in the Gender and Sexual Identities Track. Much of Kori’s clinical and outreach work has focused on the wellbeing of students who are transgender/gender expansive, queer/LGBQ/questioning, international, and/or first generation in addition to students with trauma histories.  Dr. Bennett is also interested in working with students to explore issues relevant to identity intersectionalities and connections, perfectionism, mindfulness, and relationship patterns.

Kirsten (she/her) joined the Columbia Health team in 2021 as Communications Specialist, managing the organization’s digital channels including the website, intranet, email, digital screen system, and social media presence. She also provides brand and creative design support, as well as thought partnership on organizational and department-level communications campaigns. 

Prior to joining Columbia Health, Kirsten was a Marketing Coordinator at McKenney’s, Inc., a mechanical contractor that serves the Southeastern United States. In that role, she developed and executed creative print and digital collateral, managed the blog, devised campaign strategies, and worked on digital marketing initiatives.
 
Kirsten is passionate about understanding her colleagues’ needs to deliver purposeful support with lasting impact and finding ways to improve efficiency and processes. Outside of work, her interests include reading and learning about psychology, practicing mindfulness activities, trying new food, and exploring new destinations through travel. She enjoys volunteering, hiking, working on freelance design projects, and spending time with her cat.

Keith joined Columbia Health in 1993 and began working in Disability Services in 2008. Outside of work, Keith is a talented artist whose work is sometimes featured in the office. Keith enjoys sketching and drawing using a variety of mediums including markers, charcoal pencil, and acrylic paint.  

Keesha Miller is a licensed clinical social worker who received her M.S.W. from New York University in 2018. In addition to her work at Columbia Health, Keesha works as an Adjunct Instructor for the online M.S.W. program at Simmons University and is a course instructor for Dynamics of Racism and Oppression.

Prior to joining Columbia Health in 2023, Keesha worked at Harlem Children's Zone and held positions as a School Social Worker, Social Services Team Manager, and Education Coordinator for M.S.W. and M.H.C. Internships. She has also worked at Children's Aid, where she provided home-based individual and family therapy to families at risk of youth out-of-home placement.

Keesha is interested in working with students seeking support around racial identity development, navigating experiences of racism and oppression related to intersecting identities, general anxieties, or life transitions. Keesha believes in providing holistic, affirming, non-judgmental spaces to promote a sense of safety and strength to allow for the exploration of thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

Kayla Nebbitt (she/her) joined Medical Services in April 2023 as a Nurse Practitioner and is a member of the West Clinical Practice Team. 

In her role as a Nurse Practitioner, Kayla provides comprehensive acute and chronic primary clinical care, reproductive and sexual health care, transgender health care services including PrEP and PEP, and opioid use disorder care. 

Prior to joining Columbia Health, Kayla practiced as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) at Community Healthcare Network (CHN), serving people in community health through in-person and telehealth visits, providing care services in acute and chronic primary care and suboxone for patients with OUD; reproductive & sexual health inclusive of contraception, pap smears, PrEP, and hormone replacement therapy. While at CHN, Kayla was a preceptor in the Nurse Practitioner Fellowship Program. Prior to working as an FNP, Kayla worked as a Registered Nurse in Seattle and Massachusetts.

Along with her dedication and interest in the wellness care of the patients and their communities, Kayla shares her enjoyment of tennis and traveling.

Kayla Bautista (she/her) joined the team in March 2025. As the Assistant Director of Operations for Alice! Health Promotion, Kayla manages operational and strategic initiatives. Her work focuses on promoting cohesion and improving workflow efficiency within each of Alice! Health Promotion’s functional areas.

Before joining Columbia Health, Kayla worked at Columbia Athletics as the Assistant Director of Recreation Operations. There, she established student staff development protocols and guidelines for operational consistency to ensure a high level of service.

Kayla was born and raised in the Philippines before moving to New York. Outside of work, Kayla’s passions include theme parties, karaoke, and watching medical procedural shows with her dog, Pebble.

Kathleen (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2024 as a Senior Psychologist. She is a licensed clinical psychologist with extensive clinical and research experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and families from diverse ethnic, racial, and international backgrounds, as well as individuals with diverse gender and sexual identities. 

In her clinical work, Kathleen integrates various psychotherapy techniques, including family therapy, EMDR, schema therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), along with mindfulness practices. She has a particular focus on supporting trauma survivors using a combination of EMDR, schema-focused therapy, Internal Family Systems, and mindfulness-based approaches. In addition to her clinical expertise, Kathleen is a certified Mindfulness Teacher for adults, teenagers, children, and parents, as well as a Mindful Self-Compassion teacher. 

Her research and teaching focus on developmental psychopathology, with an emphasis on translating research findings into clinical practice.  Kathleen’s research interests have included mindfulness interventions for parents and children in mental health, the role of family factors in the development of depression, and risk factors for suicide among adolescents and individuals with schizophrenia. She also contributed to the development of a mindfulness intervention for parents in mental health, which was published as a book in 2014.

A fun fact about Kathleen: she lived in the Netherlands for many years and enjoys speaking Dutch when she can here in America.

Katherine McAvoy is the Assistant Director for Public Health Initiatives for Alice! Health Promotion. They first joined the Alice! team in 2020, serving as Manager for Contact Tracing through September 2021. In that role, Katherine built and oversaw the University contact tracing program for the Morningside, Manhattanville, Lamont-Doherty, and Nevis campuses; they approached this work with a trauma-informed and intersectional framework, with the ultimate goal of supporting all members of the Columbia community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In their current role, Katherine's work focuses broadly on building multi-level systems infrastructure to tackle burgeoning public health issues, mitigate threats to health, and promote student well-being and flourishing.

An Indiana native, Katherine is a long-time East Coast transplant and new-ish New Yorker. When not at work, they enjoy the Brooklyn food scene, adventures with friends and family, browsing bookstores, and petting other people's cats.

Dr. Kasia J. Garland (she/her/hers) joined Columbia Health in 2022. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology from George Washington University and her B.A. in Psychology from Johns Hopkins University. She completed her doctoral internship at Kings County Hospital. Prior to joining Columbia, she was an attending inpatient psychologist at Bellevue Hospital and a Clinical Instructor at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She also previously served as an Associate Director of Mental Health at Rikers Island, working with a justice-involved population.  

Kasia practices from a trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and social justice-oriented lens. She is committed to providing a safe, collaborative, and non-judgmental environment for students of all backgrounds in order to promote understanding and well-being. She utilizes a tailored integrative approach that combines a psychodynamic framework with cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavioral techniques to meet the specific needs of each individual.   

Kasia has a broad range of experience working at the intersections of race, gender and sexuality, and identity development. She has particular expertise in treating interpersonal difficulties, mood disorders, anxiety, complex trauma, and unusual experiences often known as “psychosis”. Kasia enjoys working with many common challenges that lead people to therapy and helping her patients achieve their goals. 

Karisma Ajodah joined Medical Services in October 2019. Prior to joining Columbia Health, Karisma worked primarily in the hospital setting, including NYU-Langone Hospital and Mount Sinai-Beth Israel. Karisma is excited to return to her Columbia roots having graduated from the School of Social Work in 2002.

Karisma is also certified as a field instructor for social work graduate interns since 2008 and has supervised many students over the years. Besides being a social worker, Karisma is also certified as a meditation teacher and is interested in integrating mindfulness and social work practice.

Karin has been in the insurance industry for 15 years. She worked with Colonial Life as a Regional Instructor as well as in various roles in Territory Sales and Development and Enrollment. Karin also partnered with Blueprint Benefit Advisors as an Account Manager, assisting with proposals, planning, and renewals. She has extensive knowledge of benefits as well as enrollment, claims, and referral processes.

A teacher by nature, Karin is passionate about advocating for others, helping them to understand and utilize their plans in the best way possible. She has been on both sides – experiencing the frustrations first-hand, and now guiding others to better understand insurance and avoid the potential pitfalls.

In her free time, Karin enjoys time with family and friends. On weekends you can find Karin biking along the Hudson, in a park, at a beach, or strolling through museums and galleries.

Karen (she/her) oversees all day-to-day aspects and advises the student volunteer ambulance service (CUEMS); She also manages safety, compliance, and risk management training, and other related initiatives for Columbia Health, such as all staff orientation and training, emergency planning and management, supervision of team meetings and initiatives, and leading Columbia Health participation in University compliance functions.

Karen is originally from Connecticut and moved to Long Island in 2019. She's passionate about EMS, Emergency Management, and teaching. She enjoys spending time with her 4 children, doing yoga, baking, going to sporting events, and reading.

Kara (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2023. Kara is responsible for research and grant activity at Columbia Health, including administrative management of grant projects, data analysis, and report development. Prior to joining Columbia Health, Kara worked in a variety of research roles in the private sector and healthcare industry. Kara holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, a Master of Public Health in Public Health Policy, and a Master of Business Administration in Ethical Leadership. In her spare time, she enjoys writing, reading, spending time with family, and taking long walks with her dog.   

Kaila Eckstein (she/her) joined Sexual Violence Response in May 2022 and serves as a Prevention Coordinator. Prior to joining Columbia University, Kaila worked with Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts and Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts in supporting and organizing the work of volunteers. Kaila is trained as a community organizer and spent over a year working with the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence as their inaugural community organizer.

Kaila studied Public Policy and Political Science with a minor in Social and Economic Justice. Kaila’s love for the field of sexual and interpersonal violence prevention began when she worked as a peer educator and served as co-chair of One ACT at UNC-Chapel Hill, a student-led organization providing training in active bystander prevention of sexual and interpersonal violence. While a student at Chapel Hill she trained as a Delta Advocate, an organization creating peer resources and support for people in Greek Life.

When she’s not being inspired by the work of the students she supports, Kaila enjoys exploring New York, working with embroidery, and buying books she’ll probably never get around to reading.

Dr. Jung Rok Shin joined Columbia Health in 2023. Dr. Shin graduated from the Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies at Adelphi University where he received both a Master's degree in psychology and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. He completed his internship at the Baruch College Counseling Center where he worked in college counseling for over 10 years.  Dr. Shin’s clinical interests include issues of identity development, culture/ethnicity, as well as trauma, grief, and spirituality. As a psychodynamically-trained psychologist, Dr. Shin helps people to see their issues in the context of their life experiences to better understand themselves and make healthier choices.  

Julissa (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2023. She is a member of the West Clinical Team. She provides pre- and post-clinical visit assessments; follow-up of patients for interim continuity of care by clinicians, emergency department transfer, hospitalization and procedures; acute and chronic primary nursing care, wound care, travel assessment, allergy assessment, and the administration of vaccines, allergy shots, and medication.

Prior to joining Columbia Health, Julissa had an impressive 26-year career in the United States Army as a surgical technician rising through the ranks to become a Sergeant 1st Class. Upon retirement Sergeant 1st Class Julissa Rosado, USA. Ret. returned to college to pursue a career in nursing, receiving her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. Over the past 5 years, Julissa has worked as a registered nurse in Louisville, Kentucky in the Telemetry Unit, Progressive Cardiac Care Unit, Surgical Specialty Unit, the Veterans Affairs Hospital, and the Emergency Department.

Julissa enjoys all outdoor activities, particularly hiking and bicycling. She is a burgeoning mystery and spy fictional writer and looks forward to writing and publishing her own book.   

Julie is a Licensed Clinical Social worker who joined Columbia Health in Fall 2022. She received her M.S.W. in 2012 and began her career with experience in substance abuse disorders and emergency mental health at both the Stratton VA Medical Center and Columbia-Memorial Hospital in Hudson, NY. She has spent the last seven years conducting counseling and crisis work with adolescents in the NYS public school system, as well as Harlem Children’s Zone.

Julie believes in a holistic and non-judgmental approach to counseling that emphasizes both mind and body techniques, including Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Her professional interests include working with anxiety disorders, relationship difficulties, ADHD, and addressing complex trauma.

Julia Schluger (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2024 as a Psychiatric Resident rotating at CPS through the 2024-25 academic year. She earned her M.D. from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and is here as part of her residency training for the Adult Psychiatry Residency Program at the New York State Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University. She will be conducting initial psychiatric evaluations and follow-up visits with students, creating medication management plans, and engaging in brief courses of psychotherapy.

In her spare time, Julia enjoys baking and visiting her favorite bakery, Breads Bakery, and enjoys gardening.

Julia (she/her) joined Columbia Health in October 2024 as a member of the Registration & Intake team at Disability Services. In this role, she guides prospective and current Columbia students through the registration process; provides individualized guidance regarding disability documentation and accommodation requests; conducts intake interviews, advises, and orients students on accessing appropriate support services; and refers students to appropriate campus and community resources.

When not at work, you can find Julia trying a new recipe, traveling or going to poetry showcases.

Joe Conklin (he/him) joined the Administration team in February 2023 as the Human Resources Manager. Joe serves as a subject matter expert and a central resource for all Columbia Health employees on a broad range of human resources (HR) functions, such as new hire onboarding, leaves of absence, payroll, talent management, labor and employee relations issues, and general human resources inquiries. Joe plays an integral role in supporting Columbia Health Human Resources' strategic planning and efforts to streamline human resources operations. 

Before joining Columbia Health, Joe managed HR functions such as talent management, benefits, HR analytics, HRIS management, compliance, payroll, employee relations, performance management, and training initiatives as a Human Resources Business Partner at Imagine Early Learning Centers.

He is most proud of his ability to problem solve, build trusting relationships, and explain complex policies. When not at work, he enjoys playing board games and competing in puzzle hunts. 

Jordan Gaines (she/her) joined Sexual Violence Response in January 2025. In the role of Assistant Director, Direct Services, she provides outreach, prevention, and direct services aimed at ending power-based violence. Using a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive framework, Jordan delivers direct support to experiencers of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking, and harassment. She also provides support to both peer and staff advocates as well as the training and prevention team.

Prior to Columbia Health, Jordan worked in a variety of different settings serving survivors of power-based violence including work specializing in serving survivors of Human Trafficking and survivors of tech facilitated intimate partner violence. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in sex and relationships, as well as identity- and experience-based trauma.

Jordan is from Milwaukee, WI and has a a guinea pig named Chichi.

Dr. Jon Weinstein (he/him) is a member of the West Clinical Practice team and provides acute and chronic primary care, including assessment and diagnosis of presenting problems and management of illness, education concerning prevention and wellness; follow-up of patient problems in continuity structure; and utilization of specialists and outside medical resources when indicated.  

Dr. Weinstein joins Columbia Health with over 20 years of extensive clinical, administrative, leadership, and teaching experiences. Prior to joining Columbia Health, he worked as an urgent care physician at CityMD with a stint as its Medical Director. Prior to CityMD, Dr. Weinstein was Director of Medical Services at Housing Works, an Emergency Medicine Physician at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Kings Highway and Bronx Lebanon, and Director of HIV Medical Services at Betances Health Center.       

Dr. Weinstein completed a Residency in Emergency Medicine at Mount Sinai West (Morningside). He received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School after receiving his Bachelor of Science degree there as well.

Dr. Weinstein is an avid reader of ancient historical fiction, is a native New Yorker, and is an animal lover. 

Jon (he/him/his) joined the Columbia Health, Medical Services team in 2021 as a Registered Nurse and became the Assistant Director, Clinical Support in 2024.  He is passionate about delivering patient-centered, holistic, affirmative, and collaborative care. He also serves as a nurse on the Transgender and Gender Expansive Team (TGET).

Before moving to New York, Jon grew up, studied, and worked as a nurse in Massachusetts. His previous experiences include treating adults in a smaller community hospital and caring for children on a surgical & trauma unit in Boston.

Jon enjoys spending time with his husband and their cat, playing volleyball & softball, eating pie, visiting the Cape, dancing to Charli XCX and Rihanna (not well), and reading comic books.

Johnna (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2024. In her current role as Intake and Registration Specialist, she serves on Disability Services' Intake & Registration team; guides prospective and current Columbia students through the registration process, providing individualized guidance regarding disability documentation and accommodation requests; conducts intake interviews, advises, and orients students on accessing appropriate support services; and refers students to appropriate campus and community resources.

Previously, Johnna served as the special education leader of two schools in Brooklyn and in the Bronx.

In her spare time, Johnna enjoys watching AbbottElementary, drinking bubble tea, making collage art, and researching all things about neurodiversity.

Dr. Jennifer Liu joined Columbia Health in 2020. Prior to joining Counseling and Psychological Services, Jennifer was the Deputy Director of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s Hospital. She has also been the Associate Director of Training for the Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Training Program and the Pediatric/Psychiatry/Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (Triple Board) Program at Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine.  She earned a B.S. in Psychology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and received her M.D. from Drexel University.  She completed her residency and fellowship in the Triple Board Program at Mount Sinai. Jennifer’s professional interests include mood and anxiety disorders, psychopharmacology, and the use of psychotherapy to optimize outcomes.

Jenna Klorfein (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2025. 

Prior to joining Columbia Health, Jenna worked as a social worker for five years at several high schools throughout New York City. She has extensive experience working with youth involved in the child welfare system, having worked as both an individual and family therapist with families in home and outpatient settings. Jenna completed an internship at Mount Sinai Beth Israel working with patients living with HIV in substance use recovery, where she also worked in the emergency room with survivors of sexual assault.

Jenna works primarily from a psychodynamic lens and is influenced by attachment and object relations theories. She is currently enrolled in a one-year infant observation seminar through the Anni Bergman Parent-Infant program and seeks to complete further psychoanalytic training.

Her clinical interests include trauma, depression, anxiety, body image, eating disorders, and interpersonal/ relational concerns. She writes creative non-fiction and particularly enjoys working with writers and artists to navigate creative blocks.

Javier Cordova joined Columbia Health in 2007. Prior to Columbia, Javier worked as an administrative assistant at a nursing and rehabilitation center in New Rochelle, New York. Javier has eight years' experience working as support staff in a clinical setting. Javier's interests include movies, dining, sports, and traveling. He plans to pursue a degree in computer science.

As the Director of Direct Services, Jaclyn oversees initiatives for: Health Education, Mental Health & Well-being, Resource Navigation & Wayfinding, Sexual & Reproductive Health, Substance Use & Recovery, and Wellness Coaching. Her professional background spans over several functional areas in higher education and student affairs. Some of those experiences focus on social justice education, mental health counseling, residence life, and leadership development. In addition, she has served as an instructor for both undergraduate and graduate populations.

Jaclyn grew up in the Golden State, California, and is excited to support student health and well-being through a trauma-informed and intersectional lens. When not at work, Jaclyn enjoys spending time with her fur-children, Captain and Greta, and watching mockumentaries.

Dr. Helene Keable joined Columbia Health in 2004, while continuing as a psychiatrist at the Columbia University Medical Center Student Health Service. Prior to joining Columbia, she received her M.D. from Laval University in Canada and completed residencies in internal medicine at McGill Hospital Center, as well as in pediatrics and psychiatry at Mt. Sinai Hospital Center in New York. She went on to further advanced training in consultation-liaison at Long Island Jewish Hospital and psychoanalysis at the New York Psychoanalytic Institute.

Helene's professional interests include the impact of gender, trauma and culture on the development of young adults, the optimal integration of psychotherapy and medication, learning problems in young adults, and systems of delivering health care. In addition to her work at Columbia, she teaches and supervises the faculty of the New York Psychoanalytic Institute and the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Mt. Sinai Hospital. She has written and lectured on the impact of medical illnesses on the psychological development of teenagers and young adults, and on the integration of psychotherapy and medication.

Helena Jeory joined the Columbia Health Communications team in November 2021 as the new Graphic Design Specialist. In this role, she develops custom creative designs for organizational communications, strategic branding, program marketing, and communication campaigns. She also provides creative support towards the look and feel of communications materials developed for Columbia Health. Prior to this, she was a Marketing Designer at Kasasa – a financial services company headquartered in Austin, Texas. In that role, she led the design of the company app and brand guidelines. She also created over 50 website designs for community banks and credit unions nationwide.

Originally from New Zealand, Helena now lives in Upstate NY. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking and painting.

Dr. Heather O’Leary (she/her) joined Columbia Health in January 2024. She earned a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Fordham University, an M.A. in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness from New York University, and a B.A. in Molecular Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley. She also obtained post-graduate training in psychoanalytic theory and practice at the William Alanson White Institute.

Prior to joining Counseling and Psychological Services, Dr. O’Leary practiced as a psychologist and director of Counseling Services at LIM College. She also has experience working with individuals across the lifespan in a variety of settings, including private practice, community mental health centers, and outpatient clinics. Dr. O’Leary has taught extensively in the Counseling Psychology program at Fordham University. Her clinical interests include cross-cultural issues, trauma, anxiety, depression, and difficulties with relationships or family conflict.

Dr. O’Leary primarily uses a psychodynamic approach tailored to the unique needs, history, and intersecting identities of each individual. She focuses on working collaboratively to help individuals gain insight into the challenges they face and increase their ability to manage difficult emotions.

Outside of work she enjoys exploring new restaurants, biking, theater, and walks in Central Park with her dog.

Hayley (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2024 and is a member of the West Clinical Practice Team. As a Nurse Practitioner, she provides primary care to students while including the promotion of health and prevention of disease, as well as evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of acute and chronic illness and acute medical issues. Hayley conducts focused evaluations of patient health history and performs physical examinations for complex, acute, critical, and chronically ill patients or as indicated by the patient's reason for the visit.

Prior to joining Columbia Health, Hayley previously worked as nurse practitioner at an ambulatory care center specializing in infectious disease.

Outside of work, Hayley enjoys cooking, pilates, traveling and spending time with her cat.

After completed her postdoctoral training at Counseling and Psychological Services, Dr. HangYi Chen (she/her/hers) came on as a staff member in 2023 as a licensed psychologist. She provides individual and group psychotherapy, crisis mental health counseling, and intake evaluations. She works primarily from a psychodynamic-relational perspective, believing in the value of refining the understanding of the client's emotional landscape in the client-therapist dyad. She also honors the trauma-informed and culturally responsive sensibilities and integrates behavioral therapy strategies into her practice. 

HangYi received her Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Fordham University. Prior to joining Columbia Health, HangYi completed her pre-doctoral internship at Harvard Medical School-Cambridge Health Alliance. She also received clinical training at various externship sites including VA and general hospital outpatient and inpatient settings. Before returning to school for psychology, HangYi worked as a licensed clinical social worker providing services to immigrants and refugee survivors of trauma. HangYi is interested in working with students to explore topics relevant to trauma, attachment, immigration and acculturation stressors, depression, anxiety, relational dynamics and concerns, and racial identity development.

Golden Brooks (she/her) joined Sexual Violence Response in January 2023 and serves as a Survivor Advocate, providing support and case management through an empathetic, anti-racist, intersectional lens by committing to effective and practical crisis intervention, immediate aid, options, referrals, resources, psychoeducation, advocacy, and support services to primary and secondary survivors of gender- and power-based violence.

Golden began her career in Social Work by interacting with New York City’s Child Welfare system through internships at foster care agencies such as Children’s Aid Society and The New York Foundling. After completing her undergraduate degree, she worked at the Pride Center of Staten Island as a Trans and Gender-Expansive Caseworker. This is where her advocacy work began. Golden fought and advocated for accessible resources for queer people—specifically Trans and Gender-Expansive (TGE) youth. As she embraced the work, she became one of the identified point people for TGE youth on Staten Island. Upon graduating with her master's degree, she stepped into a more clinical role as the Trans and Gender-Expansive Specialist & Counseling Program Coordinator but still maintained her pledge to social justice advocacy within their mental health program.

Giselle (she/her) serves as a primary point of contact for students. Duties include investigating and responding to inquiries about the student health insurance plan benefits and eligibility, assisting in the enrollment and waiver process, performing benefit and referral verifications, and more.

Prior to joining Columbia Health, Giselle was attending Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College. While finishing her Bachelor's Degree in Human Biology and minor in Chemistry, she worked for two years as a pharmacy technician for CVS.

Giselle was born and raised in NYC and is no stranger to the fast-paced culture of the city. That is why in her free time she loves to take a pause and spend time doing leisure activities such as watching anime and listening to music of all genres throughout decades. Her favorite weekend activities include trying out new restaurants around the city (with the best pasta!) and volunteering at DOROT where she engages in friendly calls with senior adults. 

Gina Orlando is the Senior Health Promotion Specialist at Alice! Health Promotion. She joined the team in June 2017 as a Health Promotion Specialist before transitioning to her current role. In her current role, she supports the development and implementation of health literacy initiatives. As a member of the Health Promotion Strategy team, she works with her colleagues to create a campus culture centered on well-being. Prior to her focus in health literacy, Gina acted as the project manager of Go Ask Alice!, Columbia’s health Q&A website. 

Gina is originally from northwest New Jersey. In her spare time, Gina can often be found reading, seeing musicals, spending time with friends, playing board games, or wandering around bookstores

Gillian is the Director of Strategic Engagement for Columbia Health. In this role, Gillian serves as a leader, advisor, partner, advocate, and resource for partnering with key stakeholders throughout the Columbia Health community. She provides effective strategies, including programs and initiatives, which help to foster an equitable, diverse, and inclusive division that is committed to advancing the health and well-being of the Columbia community, and those who provide exceptional care and support.

Gillian comes to Columbia Health with over twenty years of higher education experience. Leading up to joining Columbia Health, she was at Hofstra University, where she was the Director of Intercultural Engagement and Inclusion and an Assistant Dean of Academic Advising prior to that. Prior to her time at Hofstra University, Gillian served as the Assistant Director of the Center for Cross-Cultural Enrichment at Adelphi University. Gillian has facilitated over 400 workshops and training seminars. She is a champion of uncomfortable conversations because she has found them to be one of the best ways to create authentic spaces of belonging.

As Director of Communications, Gayle helps lead the strategic development, implementation, and ongoing management of communications and plans for the entire organization.

Prior to joining the Columbia team, Gayle was a Marketing and Communications Specialist at Women’s World Banking, a global nonprofit leader in advancing women’s financial inclusion. At Women's World Banking, Gayle managed content marketing and creative communications initiatives for the organization’s field projects. She was also responsible for website, social media, and email channels. Prior to Women’s World Banking, she was the Development and Communications Associate for Day One NY, a nonprofit that provides dating abuse and domestic violence education and support to New York City youth. At Day One, Gayle managed digital marketing properties, provided grant writing and reporting support, and helped in the development and execution of the organization’s fundraisers.

Gayle has a MA in Media, Culture, and Communication with a concentration in Technology & Society from NYU-Steinhardt and a BA in Communications Studies, Minor in Anthropology from UCLA. She is a native of the Philippines. 

Dr. Thum (he/him) joined Columbia Health in 2024 and leads the East Clinical Practice Team as the Associate Director, Clinical Services.  He provides acute and chronic primary care, including assessment, diagnosis, and management of illnesses. He also focuses on patient education, prevention, wellness, and coordination with specialists and external medical resources as needed.

Dr. Thum is an emergency physician and informaticist specializing in usability, Health IT safety, and innovative healthcare methods like telemedicine and digital health. He is Board Certified in Emergency Medicine and Clinical Informatics. He graduated magna cum laude from Drexel University, completed his MD at Rutgers University – New Jersey Medical School, and is an alumnus of the Columbia University Department of Biomedical Informatics. With extensive experience in usability, implementation, workflow redesign, and change management, Dr. Thum has contributed to an NIH-funded study on acute pain management for older adults in the Emergency Department. He has consulted for telemedicine startups and organized nationally attended connected health conferences. His leadership includes implementing Epic EHR systems across three hospitals and managing telemedicine services for over 1 million people across 18 states.

Dr. Thum advocates for equitable access to high-quality healthcare for all, regardless of race, origin, gender identity, socioeconomic background, or sexual orientation. He has promoted this viewpoint while teaching and supervising fellows, residents, medical students, advanced practice providers, and patients.

Dr. Thum lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with his partner and three children. He enjoys cooking vegan gourmet meals and traveling.

Eunjeong joined Columbia Health in 2022 as a Nurse Practitioner.  She is part of the East Clinical Practice Team.

Erin joined Columbia Health in 2025. In her role, she supports financial analysis, reporting, budgeting, and expense tracking, including processing invoices and purchase orders. She also helps manage Columbia Health grants from a financial perspective.

Before joining Columbia Health, Erin served as a Business Manager at the University of Vermont. Prior to her work in higher education, she was a Product Manager at various tech start-ups.

Erin joined Columbia Health in 2024. In the role of Senior Case Manager, Erin serves on the Student Case Management team; serves as the Case Manager for a cohort of students with disabilities by providing ongoing support, specialized services, and coordination of accommodations; evaluates medical, psychological, and psycho-educational documentation to identify reasonable disability accommodations; and guides faculty, administrators, and students regarding disability and accommodation issues; works with instructors and academic departments to implement students' approved academic adjustments and accommodations.

Prior to Columbia Health, Erin was a special education teacher. Erin spent a few years supporting high school students with disabilities, providing work and inclusion opportunities for them in the community. Erin then transitioned to an elementary school, teaching 4th-6th grade students with disabilities.

In their free time, Erin likes to golf and go on long runs. They're also a foodie and love trying out new restaurants.

Erica Koiki (she/her) is Associate Director, Operations at Sexual Violence Response (SVR). In this role, Erica is responsible for program management, operational and administrative support, grant management, policy implementation, collaboration and communication, to ensure SVR programs and services are efficient, effective and align with the organization's goals to provide quality direct services and prevent gender and power-based violence within communities

Erica is an experienced healthcare operations professional with extensive experience in directing business and healthcare operations, as well as expertise in communication, management, and relationship building. She enjoys traveling internationally.

Emily (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2019. In her role as Assistive Technology Coordinator Emily manages the provision and creation of alternate format materials (E-text, large print, etc.) for students eligible for this accommodation.

Emily avidly pursues many interests, which include baking pastries of all types, reading piles of cookbooks about diverse world cuisines, and photographing the city on film with her Canon AE-1 camera. As a native New Yorker, she also loves to spend lazy afternoons in the city's museums when she is not combing every borough in search of a great donut.

Dr. Emilia Mikrut (she/her) is completing her postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia Health Counseling and Psychological Services during the 2024-2025 academic year.

She is excited to work with undergraduate and graduate students to address issues including interpersonal difficulties, identity concerns, trauma, struggles with anxiety and mood, and adjustment to college life. She is particularly interested in trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder, military veterans’ issues, and autism spectrum disorder.

Emilia received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from St. John's University and completed her internship at the Manhattan VA. At the VA, Emilia worked with a diverse group of veterans within a range of settings including the PTSD clinic, inpatient psychiatric care, the neuropsychological evaluation service, and primary/palliative care. During her doctoral training, she also provided clinical services at Queens Hospital and St. John's University’s community mental health clinic.

As a clinician, Emilia's therapeutic orientation is integrative, weaving together psychodynamic relational theory with elements of cognitive behavioral therapy. Her personal interest in the arts and storytelling serves as a useful framework for helping others navigate challenging life circumstances. Emilia believes that building a strong therapeutic relationship through authenticity, warmth, and collaboration is paramount in creating a space for clients to begin engaging in self-exploration and enacting positive change.

Emilia's approach to clinical work is also informed by her research background, which is focused on understanding how social determinants of health (e.g., stigma/discrimination; financial instability; interpersonal relationship quality) shape the ways one views themselves, others, and the world around them. Her dissertation explored how health-related social needs affect inner capacity to make meaning of and psychologically adjust to the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In her spare time, Emilia enjoys reading, playing board/card games with friends, going on long walks, and attending art shows around the city.

Dr. Elizabeth Mirabello (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2015. Prior to Columbia, Elizabeth was chief of psychiatry at Northern Westchester Hospital. She has worked also as a staff psychiatrist at New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center in various clinical settings including inpatient, emergency room and the intensive outpatient program. She was also an assistant clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons.

Mirabello attended Barnard College and Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons. She completed her psychiatry residency at the New York Hospital Payne Whitney Clinic (now New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center). Her professional interests include mood and anxiety disorders as well as women’s issues in psychiatry.

Elaine (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2024. As a Case Manager at Disability Services, she serves on the Student Case Management team; serves as a Case Manager for a cohort of students with disabilities by providing ongoing support, specialized services, and coordination of accommodations; evaluates medical, psychological, and psycho-educational documentation to identify reasonable disability accommodations; guides faculty, administrators, and students regarding disability and accommodation issues; works with instructors and academic departments to implement students' approved academic adjustments and accommodations.

In her free time, you can find Elaine running, knitting, gardening, and cheering for the Buffalo Bills. She also loves to binge-watch good TV shows and try new restaurants and is always open to recommendations!

Dr. Eduvigis Cruz-Arrieta joined CPS in February 2018. She is a licensed Clinical Psychologist with 20 years of experience in health psychology. Prior to Columbia, she was a supervising psychologist at Lincoln Medical Center, part of the NYC Health & Hospital/Physicians Affiliates Group of NY. She is also an Adjunct Associate Professor of medical psychology at the CUNY School of Medicine.

She has been dedicated to providing quality care to underserved communities in NYC. As staff member of the CUMC Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Blood & Marrow Transplantation service, she served as Chair of its Diversity & Health Disparities Committee of the Children's Oncology Group. In her role, she participated in advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill representing the viewpoints of stakeholders about disparities in healthcare.

Dr. Cruz-Arrieta received her B.A. from the University of Puerto Rico where she graduated Magna Cum Laude, followed by a M.A. in Clinical Psychology. She completed her clinical internship and pre-doctoral fellowship at NYU Bellevue Clinical Psychology Internship program, and received her doctorate from the City University of New York Graduate Center at City College. Her expertise and interests includes mood disorders, chronic illness, eating disorders, trauma and post-traumatic stress, life transitions (loss, grief, and end of life), multicultural concerns, as well as diversity and health disparity-related issues, complementary medicine (body/mind coping strategies; hypnosis; homeopathy), and psychology and the arts.

Eduvigis is originally from Puerto Rico and Spanish is her first language. She has resided in New York City since 1988, after retiring from professional classical ballet dancing and serving as an educator with Ballets de San Juan. Eduvigis believes in people’s capacity for continuous change and renewal, as they identify and fortify their inner strengths. Her goal is to help members of the Columbia University community to reach their goals.

Earmanese Granger joined Columbia Health in 1995. Prior to Columbia, Earmanese was an administrative assistant at The American Assembly, a public policy forum affiliated with Columbia University.

Dr. Doreen Han-Faver joined Columbia Health in 2015. Prior to Columbia, she worked as an attending psychiatrist at Mount Sinai Hospital inpatient child/adolescent psychiatric unit and the psychiatric emergency room. She also worked in long-term outpatient treatment settings, including Charles B. Wang Community Health Center. She earned a B.A. in biochemistry at Columbia University and received her M.D. from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She then completed a psychiatric residency and a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Doreen's professional interests include combined psychotherapy and psychopharmacology, mood and anxiety disorders, and cross-cultural issues.

Dilan (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2023 as the Human Resources Generalist. Dilan plays a key role in the overall operations of Columbia Health HR functions with a primary focus on payroll administration. Prior to joining Columbia Health, Dilan worked at The College of New Jersey, Office of Human Resources as HR Recruitment Coordinator.

Outside of work, Dilan enjoys making jewelry, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

Diana Morrobel, Ph.D., joined Columbia Health in 2013. Prior to joining Columbia Health, Diana worked as a psychologist and supervisor at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center Adult Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic for 11 years. In addition to her work at Columbia, she was an adjunct faculty member at Teachers College and supervised doctoral candidates in Clinical Psychology at City College. She received her M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Michigan State University and a B.A. from New York University. She completed her internship in clinical psychology at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.

Diana’s professional interests include acculturative stress and adjustment, first-generation college students, developmental issues related to emerging adulthood, family and interpersonal conflicts, and mood disorders.  

Diana has over 15 years of experience in financial planning and data-driven analysis, in both corporate and non-profit sectors. She joined Columbia University in 2013, after working as an executive at several investment banks. Diana is skilled in process improvement, financial analysis, budgeting, operations management, sustainable finance, and grant management.

Diana’s personal interests include travel, photography, and hiking.

Dr. Debra Domenech joined Columbia Health in 2001. Prior to Columbia, Debra was a supervising psychologist at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center. In addition to her degrees from Fordham University and The City University of New York, she completed advanced training at the New York University Postdoctoral Program, where she obtained a certificate in psychotherapy and psychoanalysis.

Debra's professional interests include psychoanalytically oriented psychotherapy, cultural diversity issues, treatment of affective disorders, and couples therapy. In addition to her work at Columbia, she is a clinical instructor at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center.

Dr. Deborah Ohm joined Columbia Health in 2021. She earned her doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology at Long Island University – Post Campus. The majority of her clinical training has been within inpatient and outpatient hospital settings and community mental health clinics. Prior to Columbia Health, she was a supervising psychologist at the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center where she helped coordinate the Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Program for adolescents, young adults, and their families.  Dr. Ohm has extensive training and expertise in treating individuals with a wide range of difficulties including trauma, depression, anxiety, suicidality, intentional self-injury, struggles with identity and sense of self, and difficulties with relationships and family conflict.

Dr. Ohm uses an integrated approach in treatment focused on helping individuals gain insight into their patterns and increase adaptive skills to manage difficult emotions. 

Debjani Roy is the Director of Training and Prevention at Sexual Violence Response. She designs and executes strategic community-responsive prevention and education programs and initiatives for Columbia students and affiliates. Debjani serves as the creative architect for the design and development of Training, Prevention, and Educational programs, including designing curriculum, facilitating trainings to diverse audiences, and supporting trauma-informed and violence prevention programming based in social justice and the theoretical framework that informs SVR’s work. She oversees the Training and Prevention team and the development, implementation, and evaluation of sexual, gender-based, and power-based violence for primary, secondary, and tertiary training and prevention educational activities.

She has been a thought leader and an advocate for gender equality and justice in the US and UK for over fifteen years. Most recently, Debjani was the Training Director at Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS) and prior to this was the Deputy Director of anti-harassment organization, Hollaback!, where she managed operations, led key initiatives on leadership development and bystander intervention, and contributed to the culture shifts around the issue of street harassment. At Hollaback!, she also co-founded HeartMob, an online platform providing support to victims of online harassment. She has additionally led key culturally specific initiatives as the Program and Development Manager at Manavi, the first organization working to end violence against South Asian women in the United States.

She has expertise in program creation and management, direct service provision, development, training and technical assistance, curriculum development, communications, research, and policy advocacy on issues including domestic violence, street harassment, sexual violence, forced marriage, ‘honor’ based violence, commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking, widows’ rights, and hate violence across the lines of identity.

Debjani’s work and commentary has been featured in several media outlets, including The New York Times, BBC World News, Fox News, The Guardian, NPR, Huffington Post, and Salon.

Her academic publications include South Asian Battered Women’s Use of Force against Intimate Male Partners in the Violence Against Women Sage Journal and a first ever publication: An Introduction to Forced Marriage in the South Asian Community in the United States, published under Manavi and the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women. She is an alumni of the Progressive Women’s Voices Class at the Women’s Media Center and is a SheSource expert.

Dr. David Hittson joined Columbia Health as a psychologist in 2017. He also completed his post-doctoral fellowship at Counseling and Psychological Services. Prior to Columbia, David trained at the Brooklyn and Manhattan campuses of the New York Harbor Veteran’s Administration Hospital, at Interfaith Medical Center, and at Barnard’s Furman Counseling Center. David attended New York University’s counseling psychology program and graduated in the summer of 2016. While there, his research interests focused on the relationship of acculturation to mental health. David’s professional interests include veteran’s issues, issues of acculturation, depression, anxiety, trauma, identity issues, relationship concerns, and adjustment concerns.

Daryl (he/him) joined Columbia Health in 2024. As a Learning Specialist, Daryl facilitates individualized sessions and small group skill-building workshops that support the development of compensatory strategies and academic skills for registered DS students, specializes in working with students on organizational skills, time management, and study strategies, note-taking skills, exam preparation and other areas of academic concerns.

Previous to Columbia Health, Daryl was a research assistant professor at Florida International University's Embrace Center for Advancing Inclusive Communities where he advocated for and researched inclusive mixed methods research practices and digital literacies education.

Outside of work, Daryl enjoys cooking, reading, walking his dogs Rufus and Pig in Ft. Tryon Park, and going to sporting events and concerts with family and friends.

Darlene (she/her) joined the Alice! Health Promotion team as a Health Promotion Specialist for community well-being in January 2023. In her role, Darlene focuses on Health Promotion strategic initiatives to identify student needs, forge relationships with campus partners, and create a culture that centers and prioritizes well-being for the campus community.  

Prior to joining the Alice! team, Darlene’s work spanned quantitative analyses of complex health issues and health communication. She has always been passionate about how information is translated to various audiences, both in the health tech space and healthcare consulting.  

Darlene is originally from central New Jersey. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, drawing, collecting a variety of plants, and trying different recipes. She enjoys exploring different neighborhoods in the city and trying lots of different foods!

Dr. Dara Salem (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2023. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University-Brooklyn and completed her doctoral internship at Albany Medical Center, where she did rotations at the Veterans Administration, a state inpatient psychiatric hospital, and an outpatient clinic. Dara has also conducted therapy at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital; the NYU Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis; and several university mental health centers; including NYU, CUNY, and LIU-Brooklyn. 

While recognizing the importance of customizing therapy to the needs of the particular individual, Dara is especially interested and extensively trained in psychodynamic, insight-oriented therapy. In particular, she enjoys working from a relational psychodynamic framework and using experiences arising in the “here and now” of the therapy process to inform the therapeutic work. Importantly, this includes the interpersonal dynamics between the therapist and client, and what implications these dynamics may hold for what may be occurring in the client’s relationships outside the therapy room.

In addition, Dara has particular interests in issues of identity, transition, interpersonal relationships, one’s relationship to society, and the experience of difference. As an immigrant herself, she is also interested in acculturation issues and the experience of international students.  Among other things, she appreciates the role of authenticity and humor in the therapeutic process.

Daniella (she/her) joined Columbia Health in January 2025. In her role as Associate Director of Student Case Management, Daniella evaluates and interprets disability documentation to determine eligibility for accommodations and services; serves as coordinator/case manager for a small cohort of students with disabilities; supports students in resolving disability-related issues that may be a barrier to accessing programs; liaises with other departments within Columbia Health as well as academic deans, global programs, graduate and professional programs, libraries, and other administrators to implement accommodations; and supports faculty and administrators regarding strategies for meeting the unique needs of each individual student.

Daniella is a life-long public school educator who has worked as a teacher, principal, and superintendent in NYC schools. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and taking walks with Coco (10-year-old dog).

Daniel joined Columbia Health in 2017.  He graduated from Marist College with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in psychology. He enjoys working as a team to accomplish a unified goal. Daniel looks forward to expanding his knowledge at Columbia and creating new exciting experiences.   

Dallanara (she/her) is a Survivor Advocate with Sexual Violence Response (SVR). Dallanara provides crisis intervention, accompaniment, emotional support, safety planning, and the exploration of survivors' rights and resources, primarily through the 24/7 helpline. She assists survivors presenting issues of sexual violence, gender-based violence, stalking, and other forms of power-based violence. Dallanara works across Columbia Health and the various divisions and schools at the university to coordinate service provision for student survivors and help survivors navigate the on- and off-campus resources and systems aimed at supporting their needs.

Dallanara joined the SVR team as an Intake Specialist, who, as their first point of contact, facilitated outreach, crisis assistance, support, and advocacy for student survivors in need. 

Dallanara moved to New York at the early age of 5 from her native country, Colombia, and was raised in Astoria, Queens. She's always had a passion for psychology and understanding human behavior. Dallanara aspires to always lend a helping hand to those in need as society continues to fight the stigma around mental health. She enjoys multiple activities, depending on the season. She most enjoys snowboarding, hiking, swimming, and exploring. Most of all, she spends her quality time with loved ones such as family and friends.

A Los Angeles native (go Dodgers!), Cynthia moved to NYC in 2017. She has worked in the health insurance industry for over 17 years in a variety of different roles including Enrollment/Eligibility Representative, Utilization Management Coordinator, Business Analyst, and Review Analyst.

As a recent thyroid cancer survivor, she is dedicated to helping people navigate the insurance world and encouraging everyone to be their own health advocate. In Cynthia's free time, you will find her at a baseball game, a Broadway musical, a museum, or Target.

Cynthia Alardo (she/her/ella) joined Columbia Health in January 2025. As a Survivor Advocate certified through the New York State Department of Health, Cynthia provides confidential and comprehensive survivor-focused services, resources, and trauma-informed care to survivors of gender- and power-based violence. She provides objective, empathetic, knowledgeable, culturally competent, and trauma-informed interventions that assists a survivor, co-survivor, or bystander in securing the necessary information, services, referrals, and follow-up care that may be required based on the individual’s experience.

Prior to joining Columbia Health, Cynthia was a Mental Health Counselor for the Center for Justice Innovation, where she worked with justice-involved individuals and gender- and power-based violence survivors.

Fun fact about Cynthia: she has two cats named Daisy and Gatsby, based on the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Colleen (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2004. Colleen serves on the Disability Services leadership team. 

In her role as Senior Executive Director of Disability Services, she provides vision and leadership to the design, organization, development, and implementation of services and programs offered through Disability Services. She oversees student case management, accommodations, services, and training needed to support students with disabilities at Columbia; serves as a liaison to the faculty and greater campus community on issues related to a range of disabilities, accessibility, classroom and curricular accommodations, and laws related to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act; serves as campus expert for the provision and coordination of academic and campus accommodations for students with disabilities.

Colleen enjoys baking-her specialties are cakes and rustic fruit desserts! She is also an avid baseball fan and tries to visit at least one new baseball stadium each season.

Colby Golder has provided nutrition therapy since she received a master’s degree in nutrition from Teachers College at Columbia University in 2009. As part of her clinical training in dietetics, Colby worked at the eating disorder unit of the New York State Psychiatric Institute. She was part of a multidisciplinary team that focused on the research and treatment of eating disorders for in-patient care.

Most recently, Colby worked at the prestigious Renfrew Center for eating disorders in New York City. Colby was involved in every level of therapeutic care including the day program, the intensive outpatient program, and individual nutrition counseling. She gained vast experience in nutrition therapy for those struggling with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, compulsive exercise, and other forms of disordered eating. She routinely conducted weekly group sessions that focused on nutrition education, the management of therapeutic meals, and post-meal support therapy.

In addition to her work in Health Services, Colby also works in a private practice focusing on nutrition, eating disorders, and weight management by working with patients to cultivate a healthy relationship with food.

Christine (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2024 and is a Postdoctoral Fellow. She provides individual and group psychotherapy, crisis mental health counseling, and intake evaluations.

She approaches her work from a psychodynamic and relational perspective, while integrating cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to fit each of her student's needs. Christine is interested in working with students to explore topics relevant to trauma, depression, anxiety, difficulties with relationships and family conflict, immigration and acculturation stressors.

Before joining Columbia Health, Christine was trained in various clinical settings, including adult and adolescent inpatient, partial hospitalization program, community mental health centers, and outpatient clinics. 

In her free time, Christine likes to take long walks with her dog, practice yoga, and cook.

Christine Napoleon is a medical assistant at Columbia Health, Medical Services. 

Christine Janick is the Temporary Training and Onboarding Coordinator for the Sexual Violence Response (SVR) team. Prior to that, she was the Associate Director, Direct Services at SVR. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and has been an advocate for Survivors of Crime for over twenty years.

Christine’s previous position began in 2014 when she joined the Student Health Center at New York University, in a new role at that time as the Director of Sexual Misconduct Support Services.  At NYU, she primarily worked confidentially with students providing counseling, support, advocacy, and ran Survivor Support groups.  She also partnered with her NYU Title IX Office of Equal Opportunity colleagues to conduct Consent Zone workshops on campus.  Christine also provided support to various student groups on campus in a non-confidential role.

Prior to NYU, Christine was the Victim Services Program Coordinator at Bellevue Hospital Center; a program that provides comprehensive services to survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and all victims of crime, in order to promote resiliency and recovery in the aftermath of a traumatic victimization.  Prior to her fifteen years at Bellevue Hospital, she provided assistance to victims of crime in the Witness Aid Services Unit at the New York County District Attorney’s Office for over five years.  Additionally, she began her work in the field volunteering and working in a domestic violence shelter in Rockland County, NY.

Christine obtained her Masters in Social Work from New York University. Additionally, Christine is an active member for many years in the Coalitions and Tasks forces in New York City to support the victims’ right movement.  Christine’s focus in her work with survivors is providing a safe space to be empowered by understanding rights and resources, while beginning the healing process of trauma.

Charlie (he/him) joined Columbia Health in 2022. In his role as an Accommodations Manager, he serves on the Testing Team; manages the daily exam schedule at Disability Services; supervises undergraduate accommodated exam administration and implements testing accommodations for students with disabilities; assists in the recruitment, training, and supervision of student staff, including exam proctors and graduate assistants.

Charlie is an avid reader, moviegoer, and aspiring world traveler. In his free time outside of work, he enjoys reading books in the park, watching movies with popcorn, and exploring the city on foot.

As Associate Director of Operations for Columbia Health, Catherine leads and manages facilities, operations, compliance, accreditation, and strategic projects for Columbia Health. She serves as the key leadership representative to Columbia University Facilities and Operations and Public Safety, including managing CUEMS and emergency planning response. She works with internal and external stakeholders to ensure compliance with all University requirements related to facilities, operations, immunizations, accreditation, and emergency medical services (CUEMS). 

Catherine first joined Columbia Health in 2013 as the Immunization Compliance Coordinator. After a number of years with Columbia Health followed by Columbia Residential she rejoined the Columbia Health team in 2019 holding Special Projects and Manager of the COVID-19 Testing Center roles. 

Prior to joining Columbia, she worked at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in Boston. Catherine is a seasoned professional with a background in administration, public health, and student services. In her spare time, Catherine enjoys taking long walks around the city, people watching, and practicing yoga.

Casey (she/her) joined Columbia Health in September 2024. In her role as Assistant Accommodations Manager, Casey manages daily exam schedule at Disability Services; supervises undergraduate accommodated exam administration and implements testing accommodations for students with disabilities; assists in the recruitment, training and supervision of student staff, including exam proctors and graduate assistants.

Prior to Columbia Health, Casey studied sustainability management with a focus on accessibility and how to intervene with health and economic disparities through design of the built environment. 

In her spare time, Casey enjoy hiking and any outdoor activities and her hobbies include painting, skateboarding, and attending concerts. 

Carolina Santos is a Medical Assistant at Medical Services.

Carol joined Columbia Health in 1988. As a health services assistant, Carol provides a welcoming and hospitable reception to students, faculty, staff, and visitors contacting or visiting Disability Services, manages receipt of registration, testing, housing, and other accommodation request forms so these requests can be considered by the appropriate staff member, and provides initial information regarding a variety of aspects relating to Disability Services.

Carissa joined Columbia Health in 2021 as a registered nurse and joined the case management team in 2024.  Prior to joining Columbia Health she has worked as a nurse, starting at a comprehensive ambulatory care center, followed by a clinical nurse position at Montefiore in Maternal Child Health and Pediatrics.

Before beginning her career as a nurse, she spent over a decade as a New York State EMT, an EMT volunteer in Honduras and Guatemala and a public health aide in Rockland County.

Brittany (she/her/they/them) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who joined Columbia Health in February 2023. After receiving their M.S.W. in 2018, Brittany spent the next few years providing a wide range of services to adult professionals working in the entertainment and performing arts community through her work at The Actors Fund of America. Brittany has also worked at New York University’s Wellness Exchange providing crisis response and case management to students.

Brittany has a particular interest in working with students seeking support around eating disorders, body image, gender identity, sexuality, non-normative relationship structures, and general anxiety or life transition concerns.

Bridgette (she/her) joined Columbia Health in August 2022. In her role as a Senior Case Manager, Bridgette serves on the Student Case Management team; serves as a Case Manager for a cohort of students with disabilities providing ongoing support, specialized services, and coordination of accommodations; evaluates medical, psychological, and psycho-educational documentation to identify reasonable disability accommodations; and guides faculty, administrators, and students regarding disability and accommodation issues; works with instructors and academic departments to implement students' approved academic adjustments and accommodations.

In her free time, Bridgette enjoys traveling the world, meeting new people, and exploring new places. She is a foodie at heart and loves attending sporting events and concerts with family and friends. 

Brianna Saldana (she/her) joined Sexual Violence Response (SVR) in February 2022 as a Survivor Advocate. Brianna has worked at Safe Horizon as a Crime Victim Advocate at multiple NYPD precincts, assisting survivors of Domestic Violence and all victims of crimes for the past three in half years. She has worked with the police officers in performing home visits, and community outreach events. In addition, she worked at the Bronx Special Victim Division alongside detectives in assisting survivors and co-survivors of sexual assault by accompanying them in interviews and providing them with community-based resources.

Currently, Brianna volunteers as a Rape Crisis Counselor at Columbia Presbyterian DOVE Program. Brianna devotes her time to humanitarian volunteer opportunities and in 2018 she traveled to Puerto Rico to assist victims of Hurricane Maria with rebuilding homes and distributing essential items.

Brianna graduated from John Jay College in 2017 with a bachelor's in Sociology and minor in Psychology, also receiving Cum Laude Honors. 

Brendan (he/him) joined Columbia Health in 2024 and is a Postdoctoral Fellow. In this position, Brendan helps students navigate their experiences at Columbia through groups, individual work, and workshops. His areas of clinical interest include mood disorders, substance use, men’s issues, eating disorders, and the interaction between mind and body.

Brendan completed his pre-doctoral internship at a joint placement between Silver Hill Hospital and the William Alanson White Institute. During this year, Brendan worked closely with patients with substance misuse, psychosis, and grief, running groups and doing individual therapy. His work history also includes working with outpatients in a private practice setting, residential treatment facilities, and college counseling centers.

In his spare time, Brendan enjoys playing music, reading, cooking, and spending time outdoors with friends.

Bailey (she/they) joined Columbia Health in 2024. As a Systems Specialist, Bailey serves as the expert on the systems supporting the non-clinical departments of Columbia Health (Administration, Alice! Health Promotion, Disability Services, Sexual Violence Response), and provides all front-line technology-related end-user support for Columbia Health Non-Clinical departments.

Prior to joining Columbia Health, Bailey was an IT Support Specialist at Dauphin County Library System in Pennsylvania, and a Robotics Technician at a startup in Queens. Bailey is happy to be back in the IT realm, making colleagues' days simpler by solving tech issues.

When not at work, Bailey plays ice hockey, enjoys cooking, and spending time with their cats.

Ashley (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2010. In her role as Associate Director, Intake and Registration, Ashley serves on the Registration and Intake team and Disability Services leadership team. She oversees the intake and registration processes for Disability Services, guides prospective and current Columbia students through the registration process, providing individualized guidance regarding disability documentation and accommodation requests; reviews disability documentation and determines eligibility for services and accommodations; provides consultation to students, families, faculty, and outside professionals to provide initial assessment, consultation regarding disability and academic concerns, and accommodation needs.

In her free time, Ashley enjoys going on tours of various neighborhoods in New York City for the rich cultural and historical experiences the city has to offer and for the yummy food too!

Dr. Arthur Roh joined Columbia Health in 2022. Prior to Columbia, he worked as a licensed clinical psychologist at North Central Bronx Hospital in various settings including partial hospitalization program, adult inpatient units, and psychiatric emergency room. Dr. Roh also has trained at The New School Student Health Services, Mount Sinai Beth Israel’s Assertive Community Treatment Team, and Kings County Hospital’s adult inpatient units. He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Adelphi University and B.S. in Psychobiology from UCLA. 

Dr. Roh’s clinical interests include working specifically with young adults in acute crises who may be suffering from depression and anxiety in the context of trauma, relationship and adjustment issues, and the effects of marginalization on our personal, individual experiences that often intersect with our broader, social identities. Dr. Roh values working collaboratively to cultivate empathy and understanding of one’s self with the goal of moving towards healing and wellbeing. His professional interests include the impact of systems on marginalized communities, social justice advocacy in the mental health field, and Asian American issues. 

Arielle Stein joined Columbia Health in 2023. She received her Psy.D. from Pace University and her B.A. in psychology from Barnard College. Prior to joining Columbia, Arielle practiced in a variety of settings, including the adult outpatient clinic and psychiatric emergency room at Elmhurst Hospital and a group private practice. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Jacobi Hospital, and has completed externships at a public elementary school, a public high school, and an outpatient clinic. In addition to working with individuals at many different life stages, Arielle has also received specialized training in couples therapy.  

Arielle’s clinical work and interests include treating those in acute crisis and those suffering from anxiety and depression in the context of major life changes, relational issues, trauma, loss, and complicated family dynamics. Arielle prioritizes creating a safe and non-judgmental space, in which individuals feel supported as they work collaboratively towards well-being and understanding.   

Ariel (she/her) joined Columbia Health in October 2022 as a Health Services Assistant at Medical Services. In this role, she provides a welcoming experience for incoming patients and maintains the reception area. She answers the telephone and responds to inquiries, resolves any issues, and assists patients as they complete the necessary forms and documentation.

Prior to joining Columbia Health, Ariel was a scheduling coordinator for Mount Sinai Urology Department.

In her free time, she enjoys swimming and reading poetry.

Anuj (he/him) joined Columbia Health in 2010. In his role as the Associate Director of Operations, Anuj serves on the Testing team, Administrative team, and Disability Services leadership team. He specializes in the implementation of academic accommodations, including note-taking services, exam accommodations, and academic assistants such as lab and studio assistants; oversees the planning and execution of final exam administration and accommodations; provides administrative leadership, support, and assistance in resolving day-to-day operational problems related to the provision and delivery of disability accommodations, and coordinates department-wide initiatives.

Anuj hails from the Twin Island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and is very well known by his friends and colleagues as a travel enthusiast. He enjoys visiting exotic islands, plane spotting, and jetting off on last-minute weekend getaways.

Annietia joined Columbia Health in 2024. In her role as medical assistant, she rooms patients, prepares them for the visits, chaperones and assists during procedures, and assist with lab testing and EKGs. 

Annietia has been a medical assistant for the past 14 years.

Dr. Annette Santiago-España joined Columbia Health in 2006. She became clinical team leader of the Eating Disorders Team in 2007. Prior to Columbia, Annette served as a psychologist at Princeton University Health Services, Counseling and Psychological Services. She earned her Ph.D. in counseling psychology at Indiana State University, M.A. at Andrews University, and B.A. at Rutgers University. She completed an internship in professional psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Counseling Center.

Annette's professional interests include eating disorders and body image, mindfulness and spirituality, acculturation and racial/ethnic identity development. In addition to individual therapy, Annette also facilitates the women of color support group. She enjoys helping students and communities identify strengths and resources that promote healthy development.

Annette joined Columbia Health in 2005. In her current role as Director of Human Resources, she leads the Human Resources team and provides leadership for the human resources functions of Columbia Health. Annette directs recruitment, professional development, performance management, employee and labor relations, compensation, and other critical HR responsibilities in support of 220+ employees in Columbia Health. She serves as the primary liaison to the Central University HR team and leads proactive efforts to ensure Columbia Health is seen as an employer of choice for those working in health in a higher education setting. 

Prior to joining Columbia Health, Annette was a professional recruiter for Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers.

Dr. Anne Goldfield joined Columbia Health in 1994. She received her Ph.D. from the Graduate Faculty of the New School for Social Research and her B.A. in Psychology at the City University of New York. Prior to Columbia, Anne worked as a clinical psychologist at North Central Bronx Hospital (NCB) and the Bronx Psychiatric Center and was director of the psychology externship program at NCB. She completed her doctoral internship in clinical psychology at The Bronx State Psychiatric Center.

Anne's professional interests include depression, anxiety, identity issues, first generation college students, the treatment of students with alcohol and other drug concerns, and developmental issues of emerging adulthood.  In her outreach capacity, Anne works closely with many campus partners and student groups, and is committed to promoting mental health awareness on campus.

Anna Combs joined Columbia Health in 1995. Prior to Columbia, Anna was employed with Kelly Temps and had several working assignments in customer service. She is originally from Brooklyn and joined the United States Army after high school. Anna’s interests include indoor and outdoor sports, music, and gardening.

Ann Marie Alexander is a health services assistant at Columbia Health.

Andrew joined Columbia Health in 2021. Previously Andrew was at Octagon Marketing where he worked as a Revenue Accountant for all North America-based projects. As a Revenue Accountant, Andrew maintained master revenue forecast, validated contracts and audit backup, reconciled monthly revenue reports, tracked completion of events, and projected monthly revenue trends. Andrew also worked at IBM as a Sales & Use Tax Analyst.

When Andrew is not working with numbers, he enjoys cooking, attending classic auto shows, hiking with his German Shepherd, Kepler, or tinkering on one of his classic cars.

Andrew Colitz joined Columbia Health in 2014. Prior to Columbia, he completed a clinical psychology internship at North Shore Long Island Jewish-Lenox Hill Hospital, as well as clinical psychology externships at New York University Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy, William Alanson White Institute,  Maimonides Hospital and Mount Sinai Beth Israel. He also worked as a university mental health provider at Long Island University.

Andrew is interested in working with a variety of student concerns, including identity development, complicated relational issues and family dynamics, major life changes and adjustment, coping with traumatic experiences, as well as working with couples and students in group settings.

Amanda (she/her) joined Columbia Health in July 2022. In her role as Senior Case Manager, Amanda serves on the Student Case Management team; serves as a Case Manager for a cohort of students with disabilities providing ongoing support, specialized services, and coordination of accommodations; evaluates medical, psychological, and psycho-educational documentation to identify reasonable disability accommodations; guides faculty, administrators, and students regarding disability and accommodation issues; works with instructors and academic departments to implement students' approved academic adjustments and accommodations.

Amanda is originally from Boston, Massachusetts. Amanda attended Barnard College, where she received a degree in History and Dance. Following college, Amanda pursued a career as a ballet dancer and performed professionally with Cape Town City Ballet, Brooklyn Ballet, Jose Mateo Ballet Theater, New Orleans Ballet Theater, and others.

As a dancer, Amanda was passionate about improving arts accessibility. When she worked as a teacher, she was inspired and she then fully immersed herself in education and the fight for equal opportunities in schools. Amanda worked as a special education instructor and as the special education director of a K-8 public school in New Orleans for the last seven years.

Amanda earned a Master's Degree in Education from Xavier University in 2019. She loves supporting students as they meet their goals in the higher education setting.

Outside of work, Amanda enjoys exploring New York City restaurants and bike paths.

Aly Tadros (she/her) joined SVR in 2024. In her role as Assistant Director, Sexual Violence Response at the CUIMC campus, Aly is responsible for outreach, prevention, and direct services programming aimed at ending power-based violence in all its forms. She delivers trauma-informed support to survivors of sexual, gender-based, and intimate partner violence, stalking, and harassment. Her role includes providing crisis intervention and advocacy at the CUIMC campus, as well as supporting SVR’s prevention education work, Peer Advocates, and the 24/7 crisis response team.

Aly Tadros has nearly two decades of advocacy and direct service experience at the intersection of fine arts and social impact.

Prior to Columbia Health, she served as a lecturer and graduate fellow at Queens College, City University of New York, where she developed and implemented anti-racist pedagogical approaches for first-year writing students. Prior to her academic role, Aly was the Special Projects Manager and Community Programs Manager at the Crime Victims Treatment Center in New York City. In this capacity, she supported over 500 on-call rape crisis and domestic violence counselors and forensic examiners across seven major hospitals, scaling the organization's outreach and impact on affected communities. She also created and co-facilitated CVTC's therapeutic writing group for trauma survivors.

Aly is also an accomplished freelance journalist, she has published essays on gender, agency, and consent has been featured in The New York Times, Narratively, and the Brooklyn Rail.

Aly aims to leverage her diverse and creative expertise to advance the university’s mission in supporting trauma survivors through informed, compassionate, and effective responses.

When Aly’s not at CUIMC, you can find her teaching memoir writing at the Manhattan JCC, marathon training, or hiking with Casino, her 85-lb black-lab golden retriever mix.

Dr. Allan Cassorla joined Columbia Health in 1997. He has served as associate director since 2001. Prior to Columbia, Allan was associate chief psychologist and director of training at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York.

Allan completed a clinical psychology internship at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center and held clinical appointments at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, the Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology of The City University of New York, and St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center. Allan's professional interests include the diagnosis and treatment of a wide spectrum of psychological problems, as well as teaching and training mental health professionals.

Aliyah (she/her) joined Columbia Health in January 2022. In her role as a Senior Case Manager at Disability Services, she serves on the Student Case Management team; serves as Coordinator/Case Manager for a cohort of students with disabilities by providing ongoing support, specialized services, and coordination of accommodations; evaluates medical, psychological, and psycho-educational documentation to identify reasonable disability accommodations; guides faculty, administrators, and students regarding disability and accommodation issues; works with instructors and academic departments to implement students' approved academic adjustments and accommodations.

In her free time, Aliyah enjoys watching classic movies on TCM, exploring the city on foot, and traveling. Aliyah is also an avid reader and enjoys both fiction and non-fiction.

Alic K. Czachowski is the Senior Executive Director of Alice Health Promotion. In their role, they manage the Alice Health Promotion team including Direct Services, Health Promotion, and Public Health initiatives. Alic also works with the Senior Leadership team of Columbia Health on strategic planning and ongoing holistic health and well-being work supporting the Columbia community.

Originally from Syracuse, Alic has lived in Philadelphia and New Orleans, and is excited to return to living in New York City. They enjoy spending their free time with family and friends, their dog McKinney, traveling, indulging in anything Star Wars or Doctor Who related, and going to Broadway shows.

Alexcia joined Columbia Health as a medical assistant in 2008. She is a patient services assistant at Counseling and Psychological Services.

Dr. Aisha Holder joined Columbia Health in 2015 as a postdoctoral psychology fellow. Prior to joining Counseling and Psychological Services, she completed her internship at Princeton House Behavioral Health, as well as clinical psychology externships at Rockland Psychiatric Center, Center for the Study of Anorexia and Bulimia, and Iona College Counseling Center. Prior to pursuing a career in counseling, Aisha was a vice president at JPMorgan Chase in the corporate training group as a facilitator and project manager. During her tenure, she also served as a human resources business partner in the Investment Banking and Consumer Banking divisions, as well as a senior career advisor and project manager in the Career Advancement Program and as an associate in the Human Resources Associate Program.

Aisha received her Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Fordham University, her M.A. in psychological counseling from Teachers College, Columbia University, and her B.A. in psychology from Spelman College. Aisha’s professional interests include multicultural counseling, racial microaggressions, career development, and eating disorders.

Dr. Addette Williams joined Columbia Health in 1999. Prior to Columbia, Addette completed a clinical psychology internship at North Central Bronx Hospital. She was also a therapist at the Brooklyn Center for Children and Families, and completed a graduate fellowship at the Psychological Counseling and Adult Development Center at The CUNY Graduate Center. She earned a B.A. in economics and political science from Yale University and a Ph.D. from The City University of New York. She has received professional training in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and the Gottman Method for couples therapy.

Addette has a broad range of professional interests that include the psychological effects of trauma, the mental health of people of color, the integration of psychodynamically informed therapy with mindfulness-based practices, couples and gender issues. In addition, she facilitates a mindfulness group for those interested in learning how to meditate.

Adam Johnson joined Columbia Health in 2017. Adam received his doctorate in clinical psychology with a concentration in traumatic stress from the Adler School of Professional Psychology in Chicago, Ill. He also completed a fellowship in psychoanalysis with the Chicago Center for Psychoanalysis in 2012.

Prior to joining Columbia, Adam completed his doctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the Veterans Affairs Caribbean Healthcare System in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He has also worked in a variety of settings including private practice, community mental health and medical clinics. His clinical work and interests have focused on issues related to trauma, loss, bereavement, health psychology (e.g. smoking cessation, weight management, chronic and terminal illness), mindfulness, and relational patterns.

Adam is committed to the mental health of LGBTQ and veterans. He enjoys incorporating an individual’s creative talents (i.e. music, art) and spirituality into therapy. Adam also has extensive experience working with issues related to acculturation and cultural diversity. He has completed international psychology projects focused human rights, education and program development in Mexico, Costa Rica, South Africa and the Dominican Republic. 

Aaron joined Columbia Health in 2021. Prior to working at Columbia Health, Aaron was a Patient Coordinator at Mount Sinai Hospital for almost 2 years. He also worked as a case manager at the Puerto Rican Family Institute for 1 year.