Adjunct Bios A-C
Dr. Theresa Aiello MS, MSW, PhD
Adjunct Associate Professor
theresa.aiello@nyu.edu
Since retiring from her tenured position as Associate Professor, Dr. Theresa Aiello has continued directing the Post Master's Certificate Program in Advanced Clinical Practice. She also teaches Social Theory and Clinical Practice for the DSW program at NYU Silver. Dr. Aiello has continued her scholarly work on narrative, oral history, psychoanalysis, and social theory. In 2016, she presented her oral history project on Homesteaders of the East Village at the Psychohistory conference at New York University and the Narrative Matters Conference in Victoria, B.C., and she gave a paper on teaching social theory and oral history at the Oral History Association in London. In 2017, she was invited speaker at the annual AAPCSW conference.
Dr. Aiello has been a consultant to many mental health agencies including the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services. Her interests include the intellectual history of psychoanalysis and clinical social work. Other areas of expertise include: attachment theory, trauma, and contemporary issues of child and adolescent treatment. She has also written on child maltreatment and on children and the arts. Dr. Aiello taught in the PhD program and MSW programs at NYU Silver. She was Chair of Human Behavior and helped to develop the Focused Learning Opportunity program in Child and Adolescent Treatment for the MSW program. Dr. Aiello developed many courses including the first course in Object Relations Theory for the MSW program. She co directed the Post-Master's Certificate Program in Child and Family Therapy for several years.
Dr. Aiello received the New York University Distinguished Teaching Award in 2000. She was elected to the National Academies of Practice in Social Work as distinguished practitioner. She also teaches at the National Institute for the Psychotherapies Psychoanalytic Program.
Hena Ali-Bernard, MSEd, LCSW (NY)
Adjunct Lecturer
HenaAli@nyu.edu
Hena Ali-Bernard is currently a Supervisor of Social Workers at the Department of Education. Her work focuses on ensuring equity and access for all students with a focus on counseling support. Hena is passionate about reducing suspensions and interrupting the school-to-prison pipeline. In Hena's role at the Department of Education, a major part of her role is to support school social workers in building their toolkits to ensure student success. Hena is a graduate of NYU and additionally completed a 2nd Master's in Education at the College of St. Rose and then obtained her School District Leader certification.
Deborah Akerman
Adjunct Lecturer
hda4290@nyu.edu
Dr. Debbie Akerman, PhD, LCSW, CASAP is a licensed clinical social worker with years of experience in addiction/recovery, trauma, and marriage and family work. Dr. Akerman has worked for over ten years in addiction in both the clinical an administrative realms. Dr. Akerman received her Master’s in Social Work from Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Yeshiva University and her doctorate in social welfare from Wurzweiler, Yeshiva University as well. Dr. Akerman’ s dissertation, “Build it and They Will Come” focused on the lack of outpatient addiction treatment facilities in the orthodox Jewish community. Dr. Akerman has extensive teaching experience covering a wide range including clinical practice 1 and 2, HBSE 1 and 2,trauma, addiction, philosophical concepts in social work and values and ethics. Additionally, Dr. Akerman is a public speaker educating and speaking to various communities and professionals on addiction, resilience, cultural appropriate practice, stigma and bereavement.
Marci Alboher
Adjunct Lecturer
ma7705@nyu.edu
Marci Alboher is an author and Vice President of Encore.org, a nonprofit supporting older and younger changemakers to solve problems and bridge divides. For the past 25 years, Encore.org has supported new models for living with purpose, social impact and cross-generational connection in our increasingly age-diverse world. Marci has been speaking and writing about the future of work and careers for the past two decades. She’s been quoted in media outlets including NBC’s Today, National Public Radio, USA Today and The Washington Post. Marci’s most recent book is The Encore Career Handbook: How to Make a Living and a Difference in the Second Half of Life.
Marci is on the faculty of the Modern Elder Academy (MEA) and has been a guest instructor in the Encore Transition Course at Union Theological Seminary and the University of Minnesota’s Advanced Career Initiative (UMAC). She is passionate, bordering on obsessive, about the power of cross-generational relationships.
Catherine Anderson, MSW, LCSW
Adjunct Lecturer
ca2751@nyu.edu
Dedicated non-profit leader committed to strength-based practices with extensive experience in staff and program management, as well as providing direct trauma-informed services to vulnerable children, adults, and families. Practice areas include clinical, academic, and court based settings, as well as child welfare and program administration. Catherine teaches advanced level courses at various reputable Universities and MSW Programs.
Diana M. Arias, MSW, MS
Adjunct Lecturer
dma424@nyu.edu
As Senior Program Associate in the Clinical Education and Innovation Department at the NYU McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research, Diana assists in developing and disseminating training initiatives throughout the State of New York. She has worked on initiatives related to trauma-informed care, family-driven care, resilience, engagement best practices, and service provider burnout. Additionally, she helped to coordinate the Family and Food Matters research projects, which address food insecurity among caregivers and kids as well as pregnant women.
Diana has an MS degree in Social Psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz and an MSW from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College. She is a recipient of Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center’s 40 Under 40: Class of 2018.
Darren Arthur, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C
Adjunct Assistant Professor
dpa210@nyu.edu
Darren Arthur is a bilingual, English/Spanish, practitioner with expertise in oncology, palliative and end-of-life care, mental health, HIV/AIDS and LGBT clinical practice. He presents on these subjects both locally and nationally. Darren currently works as an Oncology Clinical Social Worker at Beth Israel Comprehensive Cancer Center and as a group facilitator with Gilda’s Club New York City. He has taught in the BSW, MSW and post-graduate programs at NYU SSSW, and is a Certified Practicum Instructor supervising MSW students. Darren has a Post-Master’s Certificate in Palliative and End-of-Life Care and in 2011 was selected as a Fellow for the NYU Social Work Leadership Fellowship in Palliative and End of Life Care. In 2013 Darren was awarded the Emerging Social Work Leader Award from NASW NYC - recognizing exemplary leadership qualities, dedication, and unique commitment to the social work profession and improvement of social and human conditions. Darren sits on the NYU Silver School of Social Work’s Dean’s Advisory Council.
Willard Walden Christopher Ashley, Sr., AAS, BA, MDIV, DMIN, SCP (NJ), NCPsyA (NAAP)
Adjunct Lecturer
wwa2011@nyu.edu
Reverend Dr. Willard Ashley, Sr., leads the Abundant Joy Community Church in Jersey City, New Jersey. He brings over four decades of service in the ordained ministry. Beyond the pulpit, he is – a consultant, a psychoanalyst, a group psychotherapist, and an esteemed clinical fellow in the American Association of Marriage & Family Therapists. Ashely maintains a private practice in psychoanalysis in Upper Montclair, New Jersey. His influence extends to academia, where he contributes as a board member of Andover Newton Seminary at Yale Divinity School and as a retired Professor of Pastoral Theology at New Brunswick Theological Seminary. Dr. Ashley made history as the first African American Dean of NBTS. He imparts his wisdom at Rutgers University, the Blanton Peale Institute, and the New Jersey Institute for Training in Psychoanalysis. He is an accomplished author of four books and a contributor to two chapters with a December 2024 release date.
Terry S. Audate, DSW, MSW, LMT, LCSW-R (NY)
Adjunct Lecturer
ta329@nyu.edu
Terry S. Audate, DSW, LCSW-R is an adjunct lecturer at NYU Silver School of Social Work. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at New York City College of Technology in the Human Services department. Dr. Audate earned her Master’s degree at Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College. Her studies focus on Spirituality in the Clinical therapeutic setting. Dr. Audate is a licensed clinical social worker who is the founding owner of Autesh Therapy Services, LCSW, PLLC in Queens, New York. She is also a school social worker with the NYC Department of Education. Dr. Audate directed programs in mental health / substance abuse programs, developmental disabilities residential programs, and the health care integration department in foster care. She was on of the pioneers of Project Hope after Hurricane Sandy at Transitional Services of New York, Inc. and continues to service the community.
Karen Bagnini, MA, MSW, LCAT, LCSW
Adjunct Lecturer
kb142@nyu.edu
Ms. Bagnini is a licensed creative arts therapist and clinical social worker who has practiced in schools and out-patient mental health clinics in Boston + NYC for 19 years. She completed her Master of Arts Degree in Expressive Therapies at Lesley University, and obtained her MSW from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College of the City University of New York. She has presented nationally on community-building, anti-oppressive practice, and social and emotional learning in school communities and has held positions in direct service, clinical supervision, and program management. Ms. Bagnini's style of engagement attempts to foster individual strengths and collective understanding of identified problems as well as barriers to continued growth and learning. She embraces a firm commitment to ongoing professional development that includes how self-awareness impacts professional competence. Ms. Bagnini is also a practicing musician (piano, guitar, and voice) and has published scholarly writing about creativity, culture, and the practice of psychotherapy.
Meaghan Baier, MSW, LMSW (NY)
Adjunct Lecturer
meg.baier@nyu.edu
As the Assistant Director of Strategic Operations at McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research, Meg is an integral part of the team that manages the ongoing work of the Managed Care Technical Assistant Center (MCTAC) as well as a variety of other projects. As part of the team, Meg helps to oversee the daily operations of MCTAC as well as numerous on-going partnerships and the development of trainings, tools, and resources to support ongoing healthcare transformation work.
Meg is a graduate of Hunter College’s Silberman School of Social Work’s Community Organizing, Planning and Development and has been invited to be a guest speaker at various Hunter, NYU, and Columbia's master social work classes. Meg is interested in supporting individuals and communities in implementing sustainable and effective interventions and programs. Prior to her graduate studies, Meg lived in Alaska working as an advocate for survivors of intimate partner violence and as a program coordinator for children who had experienced abuse and neglect. Ms. Baier is passionate about social justice and trauma informed practices and has a background in the development and implementation of community violence presentation plans and working within child welfare reform.
Katrina Balovlenkov, LCSW
Adjunct Lecturer
kb4127@nyu.edu
Katrina Balovlenkov, LCSW is the CEO of Red Ribbon Therapy and Consulting Services and an advocate for the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS, sex workers, and people who use drugs.
Katrina has a wealth of expertise implementing best practices for the prevention, care and treatment for People Living with HIV/AIDS, and applying public health policies designed to lessen the negative consequences associated with various high-risk behaviors (i.e., harm reduction).
Katrina’s expertise in healthcare and harm reduction strategies derives from her 9 years in leadership positions in FQHCs, harm reduction centers, and most recently as the Administrative Director for the largest single list HIV Prevention, Care and Treatment program in New York State. Prior to these executive leadership positions, Katrina’s biography includes eight years of direct clinical experience as a therapist and case manager.
Katrina regularly travels to speak on variety of public health topics, such as harm reduction in drug use and sex work, the value of consumer engagement, and the Undetectable=Untransmittable (U=U) movement. She recently authored an article on Social Capital for the Online Encyclopedia of Social Work (Oxford University Press).
Katrina is a 2007 graduate of the University of Maryland School of Social Work where she earned her MSW. She also received a certificate in Financial Social Work from the Center for Financial Social Work in 2009. In 2017, the University bestowed upon her the “Alumni of the Year Award”. Katrina is currently a licensed clinical social work (LCSW) in New York State and a certified Naloxone Trainer of Trainers for Overdose Prevention.
Daniel Baslock, MSW, LICSW (VT)
Graduate Student Adjunct
dmb472@nyu.edu
Daniel is a PhD candidate at New York University's Silver School of Social Work where he also obtained his MSW degree. Before returning to school for his PhD, he worked in community mental health and substance use treatment programs in Vermont as a clinician and supervisor. His clinical and program management experience implementing evidence-based practices in community treatment settings has informed his research interests in implementation science, integrated service delivery systems, and rural social work practice.
Wendy Bassett, MSW, LCSW-R
Adjunct Assistant Professor
wendy.bassett@nyu.edu
Gwendolyn (Wendy) Bassett, MSW, LCSW-R, is a psychotherapist with a private practice in Midtown Manhattan. She specializes in working with men and women who seek recovery from the aftereffects of trauma. Wendy’s expertise is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); brief, evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapies for PTSD with individuals, groups, and couples; and veteran postdeployment mental health.
In addition to her clinical work, Wendy is a Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD trainer and consultant. For more than a decade, she worked with veterans with PTSD at VA Connecticut Healthcare System in West Haven, CT. A graduate of Smith College School for Social Work, she is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, and an Adjunct Lecturer at NYU Silver School for Social Work.
Besa H. Bauta, PhD, MPH, MSW, LMSW (NYS), LSW (NJ)
Adjunct Assistant Professor
bb935@nyu.edu
Dr. Besa Bauta is the Chief Data Officer and Chief Compliance Officer for MercyFirst, an organization that provides health and mental health services for clients in NYC and an NYU Adjunct Assistant Professor in social work and public health. As divisional lead for Research, Evaluation, Analytics, and Compliance for Health (REACH), she oversees data integration technology, infrastructure development, research, evaluation, and analytics. She served as Research Director for USAID community-based education project in Afghanistan and as Senior Director of Research and Evaluation at the Center for Evidence-Based Implementation and Research (CEBIR) at CGS. She holds a Ph.D. from NYU with training in Health Services and Implementation Science, MPH in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention from College of Global Public Health, MSW in Clinical Social Work from Silver School of Social Work, Psychoanalytic training from Institute of Psychoanalytic Education, NYU Medical School, and BA from Rutgers University with Evolutionary Anthropology training.
Linda Lee Bederman, MSW, LMSWR (NY)
Adjunct Lecturer
llv2@nyu.edu
After obtaining my MSW from Fordham University, most of my career has focused in the field of Mental Health. I have worked in inpatient psychiatry, community based mental health clinics, and forensic mental health clinics in NYC at Rikers Isalnd and with the Department of Juvenile Justice. Within these settings, I have practiced as a clinician, clinical supervisor, practicum instructor, Unit Chief, Clinic Director, and Mental Health Director. Currently, I am in private practice and for the past eleven years, I have been at NYU as both a Faculty Advisor and Adjunct Professor. My approach to treatment is eclectic, that is using different approaches based on the needs of the client. Some of these approaches include psychodynamic psychotherapy, strengths perspective, cognitive behavioral therapy, and mindfulness with children, adolescents, individuals, families and couples.
Jennifer Benetato, MSW, R-DMT, LCSW (NY) & (HI), LMT (NY) & (HI)
Adjunct Lecturer
jbb331@nyu.edu
Jennifer Benetato is an educator, integrative psychotherapist, trauma specialist, and the founder of The AMBIKA Method, an embodied psycho-spiritual approach for enhancing emotional wellbeing.
Jennifer received her MSW from NYU, where she was the recipient of the Constance McCatherin-Silver Fellowship. Jennifer is also a registered dance/movement therapist, licensed massage therapist, certified yoga therapist, and trained practitioner of EMDR, gestalt therapy, Reiki, meditation, herbal medicine, and CranioSacral therapy.
Jennifer was a presenter in NYU's first conference on Creative Arts and Social Work in 2015. She has also presented at NASW’s Social Work in the City Conference and NASW’s Addictions Institute Conference. She is a regular lecturer on mind-body-spirit approaches to mental health.
Jennifer is licensed in New York and Hawaii, and works with individuals, couples, and groups. She is currently in private practice.
Dr. Robert S. Berger, PhD, MSSW, LCSW
Adjunct Associate Professor
rsb4@nyu.edu
Robert S. Berger is in full-time private practice. His area of expertise is outpatient psychotherapy with children, adolescents, and adults.
Dr. Berger earned his MS in social work from Columbia University in 1978 and his PhD in clinical social work from the NYU Silver School of Social Work in 2000. His dissertation explored self-perceptions in latency age children with Familial Dysautonomia.
Barbara Biermann, MSW, LCSW, RPT (Registered Play Therapist)
Adjunct Lecturer
bb2030@nyu.edu
Barbara Biermann is an NYU graduate and has worked with children and families for 25+ years. Currently employed by the New York Department of Education she serves children, families, teachers and administrators in the PreK 4 All program. She teaches parent workshops and is a faciliatory of teacher professional learning (Thrive). Other experiences include Heath and Hospitals Corporation (child psychiatry and pediatrics), preventive service (PPRS/ACS) and Columbia University – Teachers College where she taught a play therapy practicum course in the Clinical Psychology Department for several years. Professor Biermann continues to supervise MSW interns in practicum.
Ellen Blaufox, LCSW-R (NY)
Adjunct Lecturer
eb2370@nyu.edu
Ellen Blaufox, LCSW-R is Director of Clinical Services at The Mann Center (The Jewish Board), the largest psychiatric, residential treatment facility for adolescents in New York State. Ellen has been working with adolescents, adults and families, survivors of chronic stress, trauma and mental illness for twenty years. During her time at The Mann Center, Ellen has had the opportunity to participate as a Core Team Member (for JBFCS) in the National Child Traumatic Study Network Learning Collaborative with the founders of TF-CBT. She has been practicing TF-CBT for nearly ten years and has provided consultation and supervision for TF-CBT clinicians. Additionally, Ellen was a Core Team Member of the implementation of the Sanctuary Model on the Westchester Campus of JBFCS. She participated in the adaptation and implementation of the Sanctuary Model from an adult modality to the adolescent population. She is an expert in the field of Trauma and CSEC (youth who are survivors of Commercial, Sexual Exploitation).
Ms. Blaufox has been an Adjunct Professor at New York University Silver Graduate School of Social Work for six years, where she teaches Diversity, Racism, Oppression and Privilege. She has also taught Trauma and Resilience at Iona College. Ellen is the Founder of True Edge Workshop whose mission is to empower girls and women by challenging their cognitive distortions and increasing their practice of self-compassion. She is a well-respected authority and has been presenting workshops on such topics as white privilege, feminism, self-abuse, trauma and depression for more than ten years. In addition, she is a contributor to Mary Pender Greene’s chapter “Family and Children’s’ Services” in the publication Encyclopedia of Social Work with Groups. Ms. Blaufox is in private practice in Westchester County. She is a graduate of Skidmore College, NYU Silver School of Social Work, Circle in the Square Theater Summer School and NYSSA (Julliard).
Lynden Bond, MSW, LMSW (NY)
Graduate Student Adjunct
lcb352@nyu.edu
Lynden Bond is a PhD Candidate at New York University's Silver School of Social Work. She is a graduate of the Silver School of Social Work's MSW program and is a licensed master social worker in New York. Her previous clinical experiences include working as a clinical supervisor in homeless outreach and supportive housing programs, and in engaging in advocacy work around ending unsheltered homelessness in New York City.
Lynden's research interests include social determinants of health, housing insecurity, homelessness, and behavioral health. Her current research focuses on how housing insecurity and homelessness impact access to mental health and substance use treatment services among emergency department patients.
Mitchell C. Borgida, LCSW, QCSW, BCD
Adjunct Lecturer
mcb2@nyu.edu
Mitchell Borgida earned his MSW from Adelphi University in 1984 and a post-master’s certificate in advanced clinical social work in 1994.
Marissa Block Borzykowski, MSW, LMSW (NY)
Adjunct Lecturer
mbb8493@nyu.edu
Marissa Borzykowski is a dynamic Nonprofit Manager with 10+ years overseeing and leading person-centered programming, operations, administration and social services. Marissa has a BA in psychology from Clark University and a Master's in Social Work from Columbia University. She began her career as a Mental Health Clinician at the Institute for Family's Health East Harlem site, where she obtained her SIFI (Seminar in Field Instruction) from Columbia University and was promoted to Associate Regional Director of Psychosocial Services. Marissa joined Lenox Hill Neighborhood House in 2013, serving as Assistant Director of Social Services, Director of Geriatric Care Management, and eventually Deputy Chief Program Officer. In 2021, Marissa began as Chief of Staff at Spectrum Designs Foundation. Marissa was trained in Cognitive Behavior Therapy at the Beck Institute in and is certified in Problem Solving Treatment, Motivational Interviewing and as a Suicide Prevention Trainer through LivingWorks. Marissa also completed Columbia Business School's Executive Education program, Developing Leaders Program for Nonprofit Professionals.
Shari Bloomberg, DSW, MSW, LCSW (NJ)
Adjunct Lecturer
st732@nyu.edu
Dr. Bloomberg holds a DSW from NYU an MSW from the University of Maryland and an MA from Towson State. A practicing clinician and supervisor for over 30 years, Dr. Bloomberg areas of focus are in domestic violence and trauma. Most recently she has been studying and publishing on COVID-19 and the resulting shared traumatic experiences in the classroom and in the overall profession.
Vicki Breitbart, MS, MSW, EdD, LCSW
Adjunct Associate Professor
vb20@nyu.edu
An accomplished public-health leader, Dr. Breitbart has dedicated her career, spanning 40 years, to improving health services. Many of the programs, partnerships, and policies that she helped initiate serve as models for other urban centers across the country. She recently served as Director of the Health Advocacy graduate program at Sarah Lawrence. College, Vice President of the Department of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, which she created at Planned Parenthood of New York City (PPNYC), and served as Senior Vice President and Director of the Clinician Training Initiative at PPNYC, as well. She has held positions as Project Director at the Columbia School of Public Health for a national study, funded by the Ford Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and served as Deputy Director of the Office of Women’s Health at the New York City Health and Hospital Corporation. Prior to that, she served as Program Management Officer at the Bureau of Maternal and Child Health at the New York City Department of Health, where she managed the 300-staff initiative to reduce infant mortality in the city. Working with community and government partners, her accomplishments include founding the first Bereavement Program in New York City for families experiencing perinatal loss, establishing the Brooklyn Perinatal Network. In recognition of her work and leadership abilities, she was elected President of the Public Health Association of New York City in 2010 and has served as Chair of the Board of the National Abortion Federation. Dr. Breitbart is presently on the Board of Directors of the Reproductive Health Access Project and the Advisory Board of the Civil Liberties and Public Policy Program at Hampshire College. Dr. Breitbart has taught at CUNY School of Public Health, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, and New York University. Her publications include books on education and articles on reproductive health and intimate partner violence for peer-reviewed journals.
Douglas Brooks, MS, LCSW-R
Adjunct Lecturer
dcb6@nyu.edu
Mr. Brooks has 30 years of social service experience working in the fields of supportive housing, child welfare, early childhood education and mental health, with last 18 of those years serving in an executive or leadership position.
As an agency executive, he has managed multi-million programs and services to help strengthen families, to help young people reach their full potential and to help adults with disabilities to lead meaningful productive lives. Mr. Brooks has extensive experience working in the private non-profit, government and academic sectors. He also has experience with the provision of social services at the direct practice, policy and executive level and is able to develop and integrate effective programs, services and systems to serve our most vulnerable populations. Currently, Mr. Brooks has founded and operates the Brooks Counseling and Consultation Group, providing mental health, mentoring and executive coaching to people in need.
Mr. Brooks earned his MS of Social Work from Columbia University in 1994. Mr. Brooks also completed Columbia University's Non-Profit Management Program and Harvard University's Executive Leadership Program.
Dr. 
Gillian O'Shea Brown, MSW, LCSW (NY, MD, IE, UK)
Adjunct Lecturer
gob226@nyu.edu
Originally from Ireland, Dr. Gillian O’Shea Brown, LCSW is a psychotherapist, EMDR certified practitioner and complex trauma specialist. Dr. O'Shea Brown completed her doctoral studies at NYU’s Silver School of Social Work, this research focused upon attachment injury acquired through childhood-related traumas and the treatment of complex layered trauma through integrative healing techniques. Dr. O'Shea Brown previously served as a clinical affiliate of the Integrative Trauma Program at the National Institute for the Psychotherapies. She is the author of the Vogue featured book ‘Healing Complex Postraumatic Stress Disorder – A Clinican’s Guide’ and has a special interest in the research of relational trauma. She maintains a private practice in Manhattan, NY.
Select Publications:
O’Shea Brown, G. (2021). Healing Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Clinician’s Guide, New York, Springer Nature
O’Shea Brown, G. (2021). Survival through Adaptation: Reflections on Providing Virtual Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy in the Wake of COVID-19 in Tosone, C. (in press) Shared Trauma, Shared Resilience During a Pandemic-Social Work in the Time of COVID-19, Springer Nature, Switzerland
O’Shea Brown, G. (2020). Internal Family Systems Informed Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: An Integrative Technique for Treatment of Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, International Body Psychotherapy Journal, 19 (2)
O’Shea Brown, G. (2020). The Impact of Anomie and Societal Splitting on the Self: Suicide amongst Members of the Travelling Community of Ireland, Journal of Psychohistory, 48 (2), New York, NY
O’Shea, G. (2012). ‘An Exploration of the views of Young Adults aged 18+ on the YMCA Ground Floor Open Youth Space’, School of Applied Social Studies, University College Cork
O’Shea, G. (2011). ‘Suicide amongst Members of the Traveller Community’ UCC Journal of Critical Social Thinking: Policy & Practice, 3, 55-69
Laudy Burgos, MSW, LCSW-R
Adjunct Lecturer
lb136@nyu.edu
Laudy Burgos, LCSW-R is a bilingual English/Spanish licensed clinical social worker with 24 years of experience in the area of perinatal mood disorders; and family and children’s services. As an Associate Director at Mount Sinai Hospital in the Department of Social Work Services she supervises the OB/GYN and NICU social workers; leads the Social Work Anti-Racism Initiative, and manages the Northeast Regional Alliance (NERA) Behavioral Health-Social Work program. She has also served as a consultant at various child welfare agencies. Ms. Burgos received her Bachelor’s of Science in Social Work from NYU Silver School of Social Work, and her Master’s in Social Work from NYU as well. Ms. Burgos has taught in the BSW program at NYU and the MSW program at Columbia University. She has also presented at various professional conferences and has several publications.
Dr. William D. Cabin, BA, MA, MSW, MPH, PhD, JD, LMSW (NY), LSW (NJ), LSW (PA)
Adjunct Assistant Professor
wdc1@nyu.edu
Dr. William Cabin has been an adjunct in policy and research at NYU Silver for over a decade. In addition to his teaching experience, he brings the experience of 10 plus years in NYS government; over 25 years in home care and hospice agency operations; and over 30 years in non-profit executive management in child welfare, ex-offender practice and health care.
Dr. Claire Cammarata, PhD, LCSW
Adjunct Lecturer
cc576@nyu.edu
Dr. Cammarata has been the Deputy Director of the New York City (NYC) Office of Labor Relations Employee Assistance Program (EAP) since June 2016. She was the former Clinical Director of the New York City Fire Department’s Counseling Services Unit for over 15 years.
Dr. Cammarata received her M.S.W. from Fordham University in 1994. She acquired her PhD in Clinical Social Work from New York University (NYU) in 2008. Her dissertation is titled: “September 11th, 2001 and The Fire Department City of New York (FDNY): A Search for Growth.” Based on her work, Dr. Cammarata was named a Fahs-Beck Scholar in 2006 and received the NYU Greenstein Award in 2007.
In addition to her position at the NYC EAP and NYU, Dr. Cammarata has a private practice in Manhattan that serves adults and adolescents. Dr. Cammarata has provided numerous professional presentations focused on mental health issues among the emergency service population and has several journal publications on this topic.
Stephanie Campbell, MA, MS, MSW
Adjunct Lecturer
smc797@nyu.edu
After receiving her MA from Columbia University, Stephanie worked as a journalist until she was hired by Powers, Crane & Company. Lobbying led her to the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate, where she honed her policy and legislative skills. While working for a former chairman of the Senate Education Committee, Stephanie pursued her MS in Adolescent Education at the University at Albany to become a high school social studies teacher. After teaching for a few years, she went on to receive her MSW/CASAC-T training at the New York University Silver School of Social Work. It was there that she began working at the macro level on a variety of legislative advocacy issues focused on addiction and recovery. Stephanie joined Friends of Recovery – New York (FOR-NY) in 2015 and worked at the state and national levels to reduce stigma, advocate for changes in public policy, and promote a culture of recovery. In 2018 Stephanie joined the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) as the NYS Behavioral Health Ombudsman Program Director.
Jared Carroll, LMSW, SIFI
Adjunct Lecturer
jrc645@nyu.edu
Jared Carroll, LMSW, SIFI is a social worker and youth development specialist, with work spanning the non-profit, education, and mental health fields over the past 18 years. His mission is to grow a community of change that engages youth program practitioners, leaders, and children themselves to overcome the challenges they face.
Jared began his career in youth development at the Hole In The Wall Gang Camp, a therapeutic recreation organization for children affected by serious illness. There, he led both residential and hospital programming before working internationally to support the development of new initiatives in Latin America. While consulting on these programs, Jared worked as the in-country program director for an educational non-profit in Paraguay. Most recently, he served as US Program Director for Right To Play, before founding Play At The Core, LLC in 2017. He is now the CEO of this youth development program consulting organization whose mission is to inspire healing and change through play. Jared holds a Bachelor’s Degree in History from Boston College and was named an Adaptive Leadership Fellow while receiving a Master’s Degree in Social Work from New York University.
Constance Catrone, DSW, MSW, LCSW (CT)
Adjunct Lecturer
cc6313@nyu.edu
Dr. Catrone is an experienced clinician, supervisor and teacher whose career trajectory reflects her dedication to advancing social work’s social justice mission. She approaches her work through a relational lens informed by developmental, psychodynamic, and systems models. A graduate of NYU’s DSW program her doctoral work focused on the intersection of relational psychoanalytic concepts and contemporary clinical social work practice.
Dr. Catrone maintains a private practice in the New Haven CT area specializing in work with children, families and teens. She provides training , supervision and consultation to masters’ preparing social work interns and school personnel on the implementation of relationally based interventions. This work has been widely presented and published. See Catrone, C. (2021). The school-to-prison pipeline: a failed holding environment. Journal of psychosocial studies, 14(2), 121-137.
Dr. Catrone teaches as an adjunct faculty member at NYU and SCSU (Southern CT State University). She is particularly devoted to helping her students develop skills at integrating theory with practice to provide culturally relevant, client centered practice.
Robert J. Cautin, MA, MEd, MSW, LCSW (NY)
Adjunct Lecturer
rjc2021@nyu.edu
I have been in the Behavioral Health field for the past 40 years with a varied clinical background. I began my social work career at the Upper Manhattan Mental Health Center, then moved to Bronx-Lebanon Hospital, moving from a social work clinical position, to a supervisor role and then becoming the clinical administrator in the outpatient behavioral health clinic. From there, I moved to St. Luke's-Roosevelt as a Program Manager in the Integrated Psychiatric Service overseeing outpatient adult services and the 32-bed inpatient psychiatric unit. From there, I moved to Elmhurst Hospital where I was hired as the Associate Director for Ambulatory Behavioral Health Services, responsible for all adult and child outpatient and grant-funded behavioral health services and programs. My final behavioral health director position was at NYU/Langone Sunset Terrace Mental Health Center located in Brooklyn, New York where I supervised a staff of over 80 individuals. Currently, having left the behavioral health field, I am working as a Real Estate agent for The Corcoran Group.
Edith Chaparro, PhD, LCSW-R
Adjunct Lecturer
esc240@nyu.edu
Dr. Edith Chaparro has extensive experience in the social work field, including academic, clinical, and advocacy work. Dr. Chaparro created the Social Work Exam Prep Bootcamp 17 years ago, assisting social workers nationally to obtain their professional licenses. In addition, she has had a private practice for 20 years, providing clinical psychotherapy and psychological evaluations for primarily Spanish-speaking clients. Dr. Chaparro is currently the 2nd Vice President of the National Association of Social Workers, NASW-NYC chapter, providing support and mentorship for members. Her research interests include the impact of exam predictors and minority ethnic exam takers.
Dr. Katherine Charlap, PhD, LCSW
Adjunct Lecturer
kc275@nyu.edu
Dr. Katherine Charlap earned her M.S.W. and Ph.D. at NYU Silver School of Social Work. She is an Adjunct Professor at New York University's School of Social Work where she teaches in the School’s Masters Degree and Advanced Certificate Programs in the areas of domestic and family violence practice and policy. In addition to her work at the School, she maintains a full-time private practice.
In her previous position, as Director of Clinical Services in the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, Dr. Charlap developed and implemented a comprehensive social service program designed to meet the needs of victims of domestic violence, sex crimes, and child abuse whose perpetrators were being prosecuted by the agency’s legal staff. She personally wrote and was awarded more than 4 million dollars in federal and state grant monies for the D.A.’s Office Counseling Unit, and she participated as a member of the multidisciplinary team which established the first Felony Domestic Violence Court in the State of New York.
She is the recipient of a National Science Foundation Dissertation Support Grant, as well as a Fahs-Beck Fund for Research and Experimentation Doctoral Dissertation Support grant. In addition, she has been awarded the Diane Greenstein memorial fellowship from New York University Silver School of Social Work, and an Influencing State Policy Grant in recognition of her dissertation entitled "Counseling and Advocacy Services for Intimate Abuse Victims: A Study of Recidivism in a Mandatory Prosecution Jurisdiction."
Dr. Benjamin J. Charvat, MSSW, PhD, LCSW
Adjunct Associate Professor
bc10@nyu.edu
Benjamin Charvat is research director at the Center for Innovation through Data Intelligence (CIDI) located in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services, Office of the Mayor, the City of New York. In this capacity, Dr. Charvat supervises cross-agency research projects to inform citywide policy in the health and human services field. His areas of research interest include child welfare, youth development, youth violence and justice.
In addition, Dr. Charvat’s interests include LGBTQ youth involved in child welfare and justice services. He has held various senior government and nonprofit positions to advance policy and research as well as improve client services.
Dr. Charvat earned his MSSW from Columbia University in 1988 and his PhD from Columbia University in 1999. Dr. Charvat was a recipient of a fulltime Columbia University Teaching Fellowingship while pursing his doctoral degree.
Select Publications:
- Baker, A.J.L., Ashare, C. & Charvat, B.J. (2009). Substance use and dependency disorders in adolescent girls in-group living programs: Prevalence and associations with milieu factors. Residential Treatment for Children and Youth, Vol 26, p. 42-57.
- Baker, A.J.L. & Charvat, B. (2008). Research methods in child welfare. New York: Columbia University Press.
- Charvat, B. (2002). Working for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth: A view from management. Focus, 9(4)5-8.
Debra Chatman-Finley, MS, LPC (NJ)
Adjunct Lecturer
dcf5@nyu.edu
I have a private practice in Somerville and Montclair NJ where I provide individual and couples therapy. In addition to my Master's degree from the College of St Elizabeth, I have certifications in marriage and family therapy, traumatic stress, childhood sexual abuse and domestic violence. The focus of my private practice is the therapeutic treatment of the various forms of trauma ranging from abuse and neglect, to the traumatic effects of micro aggressions. While I'm trained in a number of therapeutic techniques including EMDR, they're practiced from a multicultural perspective. In addition to my therapeutic work, I've done numerous presentations on subjects such as "Examining Race Through Trauma Lens," "Unmasking Race With Interracial Couples," and "Understanding Loss Through Family Play Genograms."
Cristino N. Chavez Jr., LMSW
Adjunct Lecturer
cnc350@nyu.edu
Cristino N. Chavez Jr., LMSW, CTP is a research associate at the ACS Workforce Institute/Silberman School of Social Work/CUNY Research Foundation, adjunct professor, and immigration court mental health evaluator in New York City and Long Island. Cristino's professional and research interest focuses on the intersectionality of gang & gun violence among youth, community trauma, and mass incarceration, as well as distinguishing the benefits of community-based approaches to crime recidivism and decarceration. Cristino has been awarded several awards and fellowships including the CSWE-GADE-SSWR Doctoral Policy Fellowship, the Nassau County Office of the Executive Citation for the Community Advocate Award, 40 Under 40 Award through Phi iota Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and former recipient of the Latino Social Work Coalition and Fund Scholarship. Cristino currently holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from SUNY Old Westbury, Master of Social Work from Adelphi University, and currently a PhD student at Yeshiva University.
Rosa Cho, PhD, MSSW
Adjunct Lecturer
rac464@nyu.edu
Assistant Chair of Social Science & Cultural Studies at Pratt Institute. A researcher with extensive experience in human rights advocacy and various social justice issues, Rosa has worked across a wide variety of NGOs, including Amnesty International USA, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Re:Gender, as well as grassroots social service organizations. Her research interests are on labor, globalization, poverty, and qualitative research - especially as they intersect with race/ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class in the U.S. and globally.
BA, University of California, Berkeley; MS, Columbia University; PhD, New York University
Jessica Chock-Goldman, DSW, LCSW (NY)
Adjunct Lecturer
jcg337@nyu.edu
Jessica Chock-Goldman, DSW, LCSW, is the Director of Clinical Services/Social Worker at Bard High School Early College of Manhattan. She is the former School Social Worker at Stuyvesant High School. She received her Doctorate of Social Welfare in Clinical Social Work at NYU School of Social Work focusing on restructuring how mental health and suicidal ideation are addressed within the Department of Education (DOE). She is an adjunct professor at NYU School of Social Work and has taught numerous Continuing Education Workshops on Suicide Prevention and Intervention in Schools to MSW students and clinicians. Jessica also started the first peer-to-peer support group for school clinicians, providing peer supervision regarding the rise of suicidal ideation, self-harm, and drug use in middle and high schools. She has two years of advanced clinical training at the Ackerman Institute for the Family and is the former adviser to Stuyvesant’s LGBTQ club. She received her MSW from NYU School of Social Work and her BA from Oberlin College.
Becky Clark, PhD, MSW, LCSW-R, CGRS
Adjunct Lecturer
rac2030@nyu.edu
Dr. Becky Clark is a licensed clinical social worker, mental performance consultant, sports diplomat, supervisor/mentor, and scholar, in private practice in New York City. She has consulted with Olympians, Paralympians, and Deaflympians, college, youth and recreational athletes throughout her career. As a therapist, she specializes in working with athletes with and without disabilities. Her research interests center on the intersectionality of mental health, trauma, gender, disability, and sport performance. Dr. Clark co-developed the first course for Mental Health in Athletes and Clinical Social Work for NYU Silver School of Social Work.
Dr. Clark earned her PhD in Kinesiology with a specialty in Sport and Exercise Psychology at Temple University and MSW in Clinical Social Work from New York University. Dr. Clark is a Fellow of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology and listed in the United States Olympic and Paralympic Mental Health and Sport Psychology Registries.
Dr. Clark has published in sports-related publications including scholarly journals and books, and presented papers and keynote addresses for various regional, national and international conferences and organizations. She served as a Sports Envoy to Thailand and China to advance disability rights, inclusion and gender equality for the U.S. Department of State, and as an American Cultural Ambassador in the area of sports for the Deaf in Venezuela. She has worked with organizations, institutions and individuals from over 100 countries as a consultant and sports diplomat in the areas of leadership, mental skills training, youth sports, deaf & disability sport, trauma-informed sports, gender equality, inclusion and the use of sport as a tool for effective and positive social change.
Dr. Clark has a long and rich history as a multi-sport elite athlete including former basketball player for the University of Tennessee Lady Vols, a three-time Deaflympian with one gold and two silver medals for the USA Deaf Women’s Volleyball Team, and gold medal in the 1991 U.S. Olympic Festival. She has run seven marathons and competed in fast pitch softball for 25 years. Dr. Clark was a torchbearer for the 2002 Winter Olympics Torchbearer Relay Team.
Dr. Clark is a recipient of the President’s Council of Fitness, Sports and Nutrition Community Leadership Award, New York University Silver School of Social Work Distinguished Alumni Award and the Sheldon Williams Leadership Award. She serves on the executive board of WomenSport International and the Association for Applied Sport Psychology’s Reconciliation Plan Steering Committee.
Andrew F. Cleek, PsyD
Adjunct Lecturer
afc4@nyu.edu
Dr. Andrew F. Cleek is an expert on the scalable implementation of systems change initiatives, particularly related to healthcare reform, value-based payments, Medicaid managed care, and trauma-informed services. Dr. Cleek is the Chief Program Officer at NYU’s McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research. In this role, Dr. Cleek oversees a portfolio of technical assistance offering training and support to all behavioral health, child welfare, and intellectual and developmental disabilities serving agencies in New York State. He additionally directs a number of initiatives involving trauma-informed prison education, early childhood mental health, and the implementation of healthcare reform.
Prior to his current role, Dr. Cleek was the founding director of the Urban Institute for Behavioral Health an association of 15 Nonprofits dedicated to the implementation of evidence-based models in real-world settings. Dr. Cleek has 15 years of experience leading local and statewide, and national technical assistance activities to nonprofit improve business, clinical, and administrative operations.
Dr. Cleek holds a Psy.D. and MA in Clinical Psychology from Spalding University, a BA in psychology from California State University, Long Beach, and is also a Research Assistant Professor at the NYU School of Medicine.
Orsolya D. Clifford, MSW, LMSW, LCSW-R
Adjunct Lecturer
ov222@nyu.edu
Orsolya Clifford teaches Human Behavior I and II, Clinical Work with Families, and one-credit intensives on practice with traumatized youth. She is currently a clinician at the Westchester Intensive Day Treatment Program of Rockland Children's Psychiatric Center, a therapeutic program that helps students in emotional crisis transition from hospital to school.
Her area of expertise is in working with traumatized youth and their families. Her previous work includes social work in residential settings, foster care, and at Hackensack University Medical Center.
Orsolya received her MSW from NYU in 2004 and obtained postgraduate training at the Ackerman Institute for the Family and in CBT for depression and trauma through the Evidence Based Training and Dissemination Center Project at Columbia University. She currently serves as vice president of New York State Society for Clinical Social Work, Rockland Chapter, and maintains a private practice in Nyack, New York.
Sabrina R. Cluesman, LCSW (FL)
Graduate Student Adjunct
src593@nyu.edu
Sabrina R. Cluesman is a current Ph.D. Candidate at NYU’s Silver School of Social Work. Sabrina holds an MSW degree from Florida State University. Prior to joining NYU, Sabrina spent the past 19 years working in nonprofit organizations serving youth and young adults. The majority of Sabrina’s career has been working directly with Queer and Trans youth and young adults in the South, this experience fueled their pursuit of doctoral-level education.
Sabrina is currently working on their NIH-NIDA F31 funded dissertation study; Using mixed methods to understand barriers to PrEP use among Black and Latinx transgender and gender-expansive youth and emerging adults: The impact of gender minority stress and gender affirmation. Using mixed methods to understand barriers to PrEP use among Black and Latinx transgender and gender-expansive youth and emerging adults: The impact of gender minority stress and gender affirmation.
Sabrina’s recently published works can be found on Google Scholar.
Christine M. Cocchiola, MSW, LCSW (CT)
Graduate Student Adjunct
cmc1316@nyu.edu
Christine M. Cocchiola, MSW, LCSW is a tenured professor at Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury, CT, teaching in the Pre-Social Work Program for over 18 years. Christine began her career in social work as Certified Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Counselor for Safe Haven of Greater Waterbury at the age of 19 where she remains a volunteer. Her expertise is in the areas of intimate partner violence, sexual abuse, trauma, and child maltreatment, developing and presenting workshops on these topics. Christine is a 2022 candidate for a Doctorate in Social Welfare, attending New York University; her Capstone Project on Coercive Control and the impact that this abuse has on adult and child victims. She has been published in the CJSW, Shared Trauma, Shared Resilience During a Pandemic: Social Work in the Time of COVID-19. Ms. Cocchiola has a private practice serving adolescents, families, and couples and is a divorce mediator.
Terrence Coffie, MSW
Adjunct Assistant Professor
tc1864@nyu.edu
Terrence Coffie, Adjunct Assistant Professor at New York University’s Silver School of Social Work, is the Founder of The Social Justice Network and Co-Founder of the Cannabis Justice & Equity Initiative. With a deep commitment to criminal justice reform, Coffie leverages his academic background and personal experiences to advocate for marginalized communities. He earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from NYU's Silver School of Social Work. Coffie’s recent publications include a feature on Syracuse.com (2024) and Forbes (2021), as well as a contributing chapter in Transforming Careers in Mental Health for BIPOC (Chang & Lausell Bryant, 2023).
Jasmin Collazo, DSW, MSW, LCSW (NJ)
Adjunct Lecturer
ja2589@nyu.edu
Dr. Jasmin Collazo is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who graduated from NYU’s Silver School of Social Work with her DSW in May 2021. Jasmin currently serves in multiple roles as a practicing clinician in her own private practice and as a Director for a tech company that serves adolescents and young adults. Through her experiences working with various types of traumas, Jasmin focused her Doctor of Social Welfare degree at NYU Silver on trauma-informed policing and police reform. Jasmin continues to focus her academic writing and social work practice in these areas.
Gerri K. Connaught, MSW, LMSW
Graduate Student Adjunct
gkc240@nyu.edu
Gerri K. Connaught is a PhD Candidate at the NYU Silver School of Social Work. She obtained her MSW from the Silberman School of Social Work at CUNY Hunter College and is a licensed master social worker. Her clinical experience includes working with various student populations—such as first-generation college students, student veterans, and adult learners—in transitioning into life as college students.
Gerri's research interests focuses on providing underserved and underrepresented groups with equal opportunity and access to higher education. She is interested in examining the racialized experiences of BIPOC students in social work education programs, and the ways in which these experiences contribute to feelings of the impostor phenomenon among BIPOC students, as well as the impact this has on their mental health.
Jose E. Cotto, MSW, LCSW (NY)
Adjunct Lecturer
jc11371@nyu.edu
Professor Cotto is currently a Senior Vice President at the Institute for Community Living, overseeing Residential Treatment. Prior to this appointment, he was VP of 14 ambulatory treatment teams including Assertive Community Treatment, Intensive Mobile Treatment, Home Community Based Services and Pathway Home. Professor Cotto also works for a private agency, as an Evaluator, where he determines if a toddler is on the Autism spectrum. Prior to this, he was a Child and Family Therapist for 10 years. Professor Cotto recently joined the University of Connecticut's School of Social Work faculty and will be teaching their advanced clinical course on children, families, individuals and communities. UConn is where he earned his MSW. He received two BA’s from the University of Massachusetts. He has had the opportunity to present and publish articles on a number of topics including intimacy, risk management, clinical supervision, grief & loss, LGBTQ+, Latinx communities and evidence based practices.
Genny Cuocci, MSW, LCSW-R (NY), CASAC-NY
Adjunct Lecturer
gc914@nyu.edu
Genny Cuocci is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New York as well as Credentialed Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor with over 13 years of experience. She currently holds the position of Assistance Director of Clinical Services and Group Programming at NYU's Student Health Center as well as teaching at Silver. She is trained in Gestalt and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. She has extensive experience with clinical work in the fields of substance use and mental health. She has experience with crisis intervention with adolescents and adults as well as experience with suicide risk assessment and crisis phone work.
Laura Curran, MA, LMHC (FL)
Adjunct Lecturer
lec468@nyu.edu
Laura Curran, MA, LMHC is a 4th year doctoral candidate in the Silver School of Social Work at New York University. Her research focuses on medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder among pregnant women. She has 4 years of post masters clinical experience working in the child welfare system and as a substance use counselor in a harm-reduction methadone program in Tampa, Florida. She received her Masters in Community Mental Health from the University of South Florida, Tampa. This is also her third year being funded by a predoctoral fellowship (T32) with the Behavioral Sciences Training program in the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing.
Laura seeks to contribute knowledge about substance use and mental health interventions, and to improve collaboration between substance use services, child welfare system, and healthcare systems. Her current research examines the effectiveness of Critical Time Intervention (CTI) for individuals with substance use disorders leaving residential treatment, as well as evidence-based practices among residential treatment programs in New York City. She recently first-authored a publication entitled "The risk of child removal by child protective services among pregnant women in medication-assisted treatment for OUD" (2021), which explored biopsychosocial factors that influence child removal of women served by CPS. Her dissertation focuses on estimating rates of utilization of medication for opioid use disorder among pregnant women nationwide, and also examines multi-level barriers to accessing treatment. She also has a strong interest in the ways in which stigma associated with substance use during pregnancy influences treatment outcomes, as well as advocating for specialized services for women and families experiencing substance use.