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.Professional Experience
- Mentor Coach Evaluator, Adapt Health Coach Training Program, Kresser Institute
- Health & Wellness Coach, Lifeworks by Morneau Shepell
- Health & Wellness Coach, Ceridian Lifeworks
- Health Education Coordinator, Florida Department of Public Health
Education
- M.S., Community Health Education, Western Illinois University
- Peace Corps Coverdell Fellows Program in Community Development
- B.S., Sociology, Oregon State University
Certifications and Licensure
- Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)
- National Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC)
- Certified Health & Well-being Coach (CHWC), Wellcoaches School of Coaching
- Adapt-Certified Functional Health Coach (A-CFHC), Kresser Institute
- Lifestyle Medicine Coach, American College of Lifestyle Medicine
- Diabetes Prevention Coach, National Diabetes Prevention Program
Published Articles
- Cooksey, J. A., McLaughlin, W.A., Russinof, H., Martinez, L. I., Gordon, C. (2004). Active State-Level Engagement With the Nursing Shortage: A Study of Five Midwestern States. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 5(2). https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1527154404263893
- McLaughlin, W. A., Russinof, H., Cooksey, J. A. (2003). Strategies for Addressing the Nursing Shortage: Examples from Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs, Rural Health Research Report, Vol. 15(1).
- Clark, M. J., McLaughlin, W. A., Straub, L. A. (2002). Health Communication: A Strategy for Reaching Rural Residents. Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs, Rural Health Research Report, Vol. 13(6).
Awards and Honors
- John Snow, Inc. (JSI) Rural Health Research Scholarship Award
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.Professional Experience
- Coordinator of Gender-Based Violence Prevention, Education and Response, Johns Hopkins University
- Program Assistant, Children's Aid
- Marketing Assistant/Research Associate, Binghamton University
- Population Health Intern, Care Compass Network
Education
- M.P.H., Binghamton University
- B.A., Psychology, Binghamton University
Certifications
- Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)
- Certified Wellness & Health Coach (CWHC)
Memberships
- NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
- American College Health Association (ACHA)
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.
Professional Experience
- Contact Tracing Manager, Columbia University
- Clinical Research Manager, Mount Sinai Health System
- Clinical Research Coordinator, Mount Sinai Health System
- Research Associate, Public Health Institute
- Research Intern, Population Council
Education
- M.P.H., Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
- B.A., Stanford University
Certifications
- American College of Surgeons, Trauma Bleeding Control
- Certified Wellness & Health Coach (CWHC)
Memberships
- American College Health Association (ACHA)
Rocco is the Director of Direct Services, overseeing initiatives for Health Education, Mental Health & Well-being, Resource Navigation & Wayfinding, Sexual & Reproductive Health, Substance Use & Recovery, and Wellness Coaching. They 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.Professional Experience
- Health Promotion Specialist, Substance Use & Recovery
- Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist, Columbia University
- Student Manager of Residential Operations, The College of New Jersey
Education
- M.A., Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University | Specialization: Spirit Mind Body
- B.A., Psychology, The College of New Jersey
Certifications and Licensure
- National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC)
- Certified Wellness & Health Coach (CWHC)
- Certified Professional by the American Heart Association - Tobacco Treatment
- Tobacco Treatment Specialist
- Mental Health First Aid
- Naloxone Trainer (OOPP #787)
Memberships
- American College Health Association (ACHA)
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.
Professional Experience
- Associate Director,Health Promotion, Columbia Health
- Sr. Health Promotion Specialist, Columbia Health
- Health Promotion Specialist, Columbia Health
- Interpersonal Violence Prevention Coordinator, Bucknell University
- Interim Health Educator, Georgia Institute of Technology
Education
- M.P.H., Emory University
- B.S., University of Maryland—College Park
Certifications
- Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)
- Certified Wellness & Health Coach (CWHC)
Published Articles
- Entsuah, P., Gorman, K., Hawkins, J. ., & Coleman, R. (2021). ROARing 20’s: Cultivating Responsible, Optimal, Authentic, and Resilient Students. Journal of College Orientation, Transition, and Retention, 28(2). https://doi.org/10.24926/jcotr.v28i2.3732
- Coleman, R. D., Wilkinson, K., Entsuah, P.R., Hawkins, J.M., Orlando, G. (2021). Supporting the health and well-being of a diverse student population. In J.A. Vaughn & A.J. Viera (Eds.), Principles and practice of college health. (pp. 133-147). Springer.
Memberships
- American College Health Association (ACHA)
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.
Professional Experience
- Health Education Specialist, Columbia University
- Assistant Language Teacher, Tokyo Board of Education
- Health & Wellness Advocate Coordinator, University of California, Santa Barbara
Education
- M.P.H., Population and Family Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
- B.A., Sociology, Minor in Education, University of California, Santa Barbara
Certifications
- Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)
- Certified Wellness & Health Coach (CWHC)
Memberships
- Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health
Languages Spoken
- English
- Japanese
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.Professional Experience
- Program Manager, Love146
- Employment Specialist, Cornell Scott Hill Health Center
- Program Director, Family Options, Inc.
- Employment Specialist, Fellowship Place
Education
- B.A., History, Southern Connecticut State University
Certifications
- Certified Wellness & Health Coach (CWHC)
Memberships
- NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
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!
Professional Experience
- Research & Administrative Coordinator, Columbia University
- COVID-19 Data Manager & Response Coordinator, North Carolina State University
- Life Science First Year Advising Assistant, North Carolina State University
Education
- M.P.H., Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
- B.A., Biology, North Carolina State University
Certifications
- Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®)
- Certified Wellness & Health Coach (CWHC)
Memberships
- American College Health Association (ACHA)
- NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
Laura M. Cuevas Meléndez (she/her/ella) joined Columbia Health in 2025. As Health Promotion Specialist, Wellness Coaching, she provides daily oversight of all individual and group wellness coaching and related services, conducts 1:1 coaching services for students to support their well-being, and fosters a sense of community and belonging.
She is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-WHC) and Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) with experience in health education, health promotion, health coaching, and sexual and reproductive health.
Laura was born and raised in Puerto Rico before moving to the US. When she’s not at work, you can find Laura reading, visiting bookstores, or hanging out with her loved ones.
Education
- MS, Health Promotion, University of Kentucky
- BA, Writing, Rhetoric, and Digital Studies, University of Kentucky
- BA, Spanish Language and Linguistics, University of Kentucky
Certifications and Licensure
- Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)
- National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-WHC)
Memberships
- Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE)
Languages Spoken
- Spanish
- English
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.
Professional Experience
- Assistant Director of Recreation Operations, Columbia University Athletics
- Exercise is Medicine On Campus Coordinator, American College of Sports Medicine
Education
- B.S., Business Administration (Management Information Systems, Leadership & Consulting)
Languages Spoken
- English
- Tagalog
- Ilocano
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.
Professional Experience
- Manager of Contact Tracing, Alice! Health Promotion, Columbia University
- Case Investigator, NYC Test & Trace Corps
- Sexual Violence Prevention Project Assistant, Dartmouth College
Education
- M.P.H., Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
- B.A., Dartmouth College
Certifications and Licensure
- Certified Wellness & Health Coach (CWHC)
Memberships
- American College Health Association (ACHA)
- NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
Julia (she/her) joined Columbia Health in January 2026. In her role, she manages and produces digital health resources and oversees Go Ask Alice! (GAA!).
Previously, Julia worked with the Peace Corps Response Program in Lusaka, Zambia, supporting HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health and rights alongside the USAID DREAMS program and PEPFAR, and with the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health Field Practice Office, supporting graduate student fieldwork experiences. She's passionate about advancing health equity by making health information accessible across populations, with a global and human rights–centered lens.
Julia is from New York, and when she's not working, she's likely out for a run, reading a book (any genre welcome), traveling, hiking, cooking, or tackling the NYT Crossword. She's a big fan of mental health walks, spending time with family, and staying connected with friends around the world, no matter the time zone.
Professional Experience
- Program Specialist, USAID project Surveys for Monitoring in Resilience and Food Security (SMRFS) with ICF
- Health Education Specialist, Peace Corps Response Program
- Associate, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health Field Practice Office
Education
- M.P.H., Sociomedical Sciences with an Advanced Certificate in Health and Human Rights, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
- B.S., Life Sciences Communication with a Minor in Global Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Languages Spoken
- English
- French
Isis (she/her) joined Columbia Health in 2026. As a Health Promotion Specialist, Substance Use and Recovery, Isis provides daily oversight of all substance use and recovery-related initiatives at Alice! Health Promotion through planning, implementation, and evaluation of our programs. These include BASICS, Responsible Community @ Columbia (RC@C), Nicotine Cessation, our Opioid Overdose Prevention Program (naloxone and fentanyl test strip trainings), Recovery Support, and substance-related workshops and trainings. She provides 1:1 support for students seeking education and reflection around their relationship with substances, as well as community-wide initiatives to support healthy substance use and create a recovery-inclusive campus.
Isis first joined Alice! in October 2023 as the Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist, a part-time graduate student role in which she provided support for the many substance use and recovery-related initiatives listed above and was cross-trained to provide support services in sexual and reproductive health, health education, and wellness coaching. Prior to her time at Columbia, she worked as a Family Therapist in the child welfare system at The New York Foundling. In this role, she provided preventive services to help keep families united and address their concerns for their family health and individual mental health. She is passionate about supporting people in their mental health and well-being in a holistic manner that recognizes the complexities of their experiences to provide individualized care.
Outside of work, Isis is an avid rock climber and works part-time as a climbing coach for youth and adults! When she's not climbing, she loves cycling, reading, and exploring in and around the city with family and friends.
Professional Experience
- Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist, Columbia Health
- Interventionist/Family Therapist, The New York Foundling
Education
- M.A., Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University
- B.A., Psychology and Classics Double Major, Music Minor, Cornell University
Certifications and Licensure
- CWHC
- CPE
- MHFA
Gina Orlando is the Assistant Director, Health Literacy and Digital Health Resources at Alice! Health Promotion. She joined the team in June 2017 and held prior roles as a Health Promotion Specialist and Senior Health Promotion Specialist, Health Literacy. 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 be found reading, writing, seeing musicals, spending time with friends, playing board games, or wandering around bookstores.
Professional Experience
- Senior Health Promotion Specialist, Health Literacy, Alice! Health Promotion
- Health Promotion Specialist, Alice! Health Promotion
- Teaching Assistant, Mailman School of Public Health
Education
- M.P.H., Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
- B.A., University of Pennsylvania
Certifications
- Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)
- Certified Wellness & Health Coach (CWHC)
Published Articles
- Coleman, R. D., Wilkinson, K., Entsuah, P.R., Hawkins, J.M., Orlando, G. (2021). Supporting the health and well-being of a diverse student population. In J.A. Vaughn & A.J. Viera (Eds.), Principles and practice of college health. (pp. 133-147). Springer.
Memberships
- American College Health Association (ACHA)
- NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
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!
Professional Experience
- Copywriter, FCB Health
- Customer Success Associate, Komodo Health
- Healthcare Consulting Associate, Veralon
Education
- M.P.H., Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
- B.S., Neuroscience & French, University of Pittsburgh
Certifications
- Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)
- Certified Wellness & Health Coach (CWHC)
Published Articles
- Folke, T., Bertoldo, G., D’Souza, D. et al. Boosting promotes advantageous risk-taking. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 8, 270 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-021-00942-3
Memberships
- NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
- American College Health Association (ACHA)
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.
Professional Experience
- Director of Public Health Initiatives and Assessment, Tulane University
- Health Promotion Specialist, Columbia University
- Assistant Director of Health Enhancement, Northern Illinois University
- Health Promotion Specialist, Northern Illinois University
Education
- B.A., State University of New York at Oswego
- M.P.H., Temple University
- Ed.D., Northern Illinois University
Certifications and Licensure
- Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)
Published Articles
- Lederer, A. M., Tims, M. S., Czachowski, A. K., Williams-Aghimien, S. E. & Pinto, C. A. (2020). The Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Health-Themed Residential Learning Community for Undergraduate Students. Health promotion practice, 21(4), 484-486.
- Czachowski, A. K., & Tims, M. S. (2020). Substance Use and Abuse: Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs. In Principles and Practice of College Health (pp. 247-256). Springer, Cham.
- Menefee, S. E., Entsuah, P. R., Czachowski, A. K., Nevers, J. M., & Matson, E. A. (2022). The Standards of Practice for Health Promotion in Higher Education: Critical Wording, Content, and Significance to the Field. Health Promotion Practice, 15248399221088811.
Awards and Honors
- BACCHUS Network 2011 Outstanding New Alumni Member
- Tulane Award of Excellence Fall 2020
- International Institute for Restorative Practices Higher Education Cohort
Memberships
- American College Health Association (ACHA)
- NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
Alice! Health Promotion Staff Directory
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