Our Team

Chief Executive Officer

Ross Ellenhorn, LICSW, Ph.D.

Dr. Ellenhorn is trained as a sociologist, psychotherapist and social worker. He has spent the last two decades helping individuals suffering psychiatric symptoms find the psychological and social means for remaining outside institutional settings. He created the first fully-operating intensive hospital diversion and wrap-around program in Massachusetts, later creating and leading, one of the first Programs for Assertive Community Treatment teams in the Commonwealth. His book, which addresses psychiatric hospital recidivism and techniques for diverting hospital use, was published by Springer Publishing in 2007. Dr. Ellenhorn has given talks and seminars throughout the country, and has provided consultation to numerous mental health agencies and psychiatric hospitals on the subjects of hospital diversion, psychosocial rehabilitation, patient careerism and the PACT model. Dr. Ellenhorn is trained in Open Dialogue, a method for helping individuals experiencing extreme psychiatric states, and which has documented success in minimizing the need for psychotropic medications. A graduate of the UCLA School of Social Welfare, Dr. Ellenhorn is the first person to receive a joint Ph.D. from the prestigious Florence Heller School for Social Welfare Policy and Management and the Department of Sociology at Brandeis University.

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Chief Operating Officer

Laurie Damsky, PMHNP‑BC

Laurie received her undergraduate degree in biochemistry from the University of Rochester with a minor in music. She then worked at Massachusetts General Hospital in the clinical microbiology laboratory. Laurie decided to pursue a career in nursing rather than remain in a lab, graduating magna cum laude from the University of Rochester School of Nursing. She began her career as a registered nurse at McLean Hospital, working on the bipolar/schizophrenia psychosis unit. Her work there was recognized with a Partners in Excellence award for nursing. Laurie has been with Ellenhorn since 2009 and during that time she received her MSN in psychiatric nursing from Boston College. Starting here as a program nurse, Laurie was promoted to Lead Nurse, then to Director of Admissions and now to COO. Laurie is also a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

Chief Medical Officer, MD

Matt Bernstein, MD

Dr. Matt Bernstein is passionate about constantly learning as much as he can to help people achieve their best functioning. After graduating from Columbia University summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in English literature, he received his MD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Dr. Bernstein trained at the MGH-McLean Psychiatry residency-training program, where he served as chief resident. Dr. Bernstein remained at McLean after residency as a psychiatrist-in-charge, later serving as assistant medical director of the Schizophrenia and Bipolar Inpatient Program. His other roles at McLean included medical director of the Substance Abuse Residential Treatment Program, and attending psychiatrist and substance abuse consultant at the Pavilion. He continues his teaching affiliation with McLean and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Bernstein also has a private practice in psychopharmacology and psychotherapy.  He has developed a passion for alternative ways to help individuals achieve better outcomes without relying solely on traditional psychiatric approaches, which includes a focus on metabolism, nutrition, and exercise in brain function.  He has proudly been a Psychiatrist at Ellenhorn since 2010.

Chief Financial Officer

Tim Haley, CPA, CFP

Tim brings 25-plus years of financial and business management experience to his role at Ellenhorn. A licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Tim earned his undergraduate degree in finance from the University of Miami and his graduate degree from Bentley University where he graduated first in his class and received the Professor E. Dandes Award for Graduate Academic Excellence.

Director, Psychosocial Rehabilitation

Dicla Circelli, M.S.

Dicla Circelli is a rehabilitation counselor with more than 25 years experience working with people who experience extreme states of mind. After receiving a bachelor’s degree from Brandeis University and a master’s degree from Boston University, she worked as a rehabilitation counselor in various community settings, including Massachusetts’ first bilingual and multicultural clubhouse program. In the 1990s, Dicla partnered with Dr. Ross Ellenhorn to develop and implement the first fully-operating evidence-based program in Massachusetts aimed at decreasing hospital use by mental health clients. In 2002, she implemented one of the first publicly-funded PACT Teams in the state, serving as program director for five years. Most recently, Dicla completed a two-year certification program in Open Dialogue at the Institute for Dialogic Practice, North Hampton, MA. Over the past decade, she has served in a variety of roles at Ellenhorn.

Director, Human Resources

Annalisa Lafferty

Clinical Director, Team One / Director, Education & Training

Erica Amidio, LICSW

Erica is a licensed independent clinical social worker in Massachusetts who received a bachelor’s degree from Assumption College in psychology and rehabilitation studies. She earned her MSW at Salem State University, completing field placements at a dual diagnosis group home and Tewksbury State Hospital. Erica joined Ellenhorn in August 2016, following six years of experience working in a PACT program operated by Eliot Community Human Services, a local non-profit organization contracted by the Department of Mental Health to provide intensive outpatient supports to individuals with severe and persistent extreme states of mind. She held various positions, including vocational specialist and lead clinician, then directed the program for almost two years. While with this PACT program, Erica made meaningful connections with individuals and families in treatment, as well as with state agencies and other community-based programs. For most of her career, Erica has helped individuals who experienced the trauma of multiple hospitalizations re-engage with their community and rebuild purposeful lives. Her focus on individualized, person-centered treatment and her belief in the value of enriching life with fun, social, and meaningful activities can be seen in her daily work with clients.

Medical Director, Team One

Pamela Wine, MD

Dr. Pamela Wine is committed to excellence and innovation in the practice of psychiatry. She graduated from Harvard University cum laude, then attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, where she was awarded the Appel Award in Psychiatry. Dr. Wine completed a residency at the Harvard Longwood Psychiatry Program, and while there, discovered her passion for helping people with severe and persistent extreme states of mind. Dr. Wine also pursued an interest in student mental health as a Fellow at MIT Medical Center, and trained at the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute. She weaves together these multiple perspectives in her creative patient-centered approach to treatment and recovery. In addition to her work with the PACT team, Dr. Wine has a private practice in psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, and psychoanalysis.

Team Psychiatrist, Team One

Elizabeth Weinberg, MD

Psychiatrist Dr. Elizabeth Weinberg practices psychopharmacology, psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, with a focus on understanding the experience of the person as well as the meaning of illness and treatment in the context of a full life. Dr. Weinberg graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1986 and went on to obtain her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, where she was recognized for her work in community service. She completed her residency training at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass., and subsequently joined the faculty of the department of psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine, where she was recognized with teaching awards, served as medical director at Ben Taub Hospital, and designed and ran an intensive outpatient program for complex psychological needs. Dr. Weinberg later completed her psychoanalytic training at the Center for Psychoanalytic Studies in Houston and then joined the staff of the Austen Riggs Center in Stockbridge, Mass., where she provided intensive psychotherapy and psychopharmacology to patients with treatment-resistant psychiatric conditions. Dr. Weinberg teaches, lectures and writes with special interest in personality disorders, treatment-resistant psychiatric conditions, psychodynamic psychiatry, and the integration of psychoanalytic and psychiatric practice.

Clinical Director, Team Alpha

Katherine Clemens, LICSW

Katherine is a licensed social worker in the state of Massachusetts.  After receiving a BS in psychology at Champlain College, Katherine earned an MSW with a forensic focus at the University of New England. While in graduate school, she completed field placements as an outpatient clinician through a behavioral health agency and also completed an Americorps service where she supported elementary-school-aged children living in poverty with their emotion regulation. Throughout school, Katherine worked at a homeless shelter for youth addressing symptom management, substance use, housing, and vocational needs. She also received training in psychological first aid and crisis response.

Katherine’s clinical experience includes supporting people living with extreme states of mind, dual diagnosis, and homelessness. Before joining Ellenhorn, Katherine worked as a clinical supervisor for a DMH-funded psychiatric rehabilitation program where she continues to work part-time. While in this role, Katherine acted as the primary risk manager for her team and worked to safely keep people in the community. She also led agency-wide training on crisis prevention and de-escalation, also facilitating harm reduction-based groups for dually-diagnosed and at-risk clients.

Katherine takes a harm reduction approach that allows people to define their own recovery. She is focused on promoting safety, supporting people in realigning with their values, and identifying the things that bring purpose and meaning into their lives. Katherine believes that everyone is capable of living a meaningful and purpose-driven life no matter what their lived experience has been.

Registered Nurse, Team One

Carolyn Miller, RN, BSN

Carolyn Miller earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Massachusetts in Lowell, Mass. While pursuing this degree, she also worked as a mental-health counselor in the psychotic-disorders unit at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass., where she focused on patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Following graduation, Carolyn continued to work as a registered nurse in this same unit at McLean, where she was a part of a multidisciplinary team. After many years as a psychiatric nurse, Carolyn continues to hone her skills and uses a wide range of nursing, psychosocial and neurobiological expertise to promote well-being through prevention and education.

Registered Nurse, Team One

David Geist, RN

After receiving a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Connecticut, David worked as a mental health counselor for seven years before obtaining his nursing degree from Regis College. David has worked for several hospitals in the Boston area, including Waltham, Cambridge, and McLean hospitals. During his time at McLean Hospital, David worked on a floor dedicated to persons diagnosed as bipolar and schizophrenic. With his extensive inpatient psychiatric experience, David has a unique perspective on the trials a person goes through when hospitalized. His experience has also led him to be very comfortable working in a multidisciplinary setting.

Registered Nurse / AMBIT Coordinator, Team Alpha

Erin Kane, BSN, RN

Erin received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Massachusetts in Lowell. While pursuing her degree, she worked as a mental health counselor at McLean Hospital on a unit specifically geared towards persons diagnosed as having bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. During this time, Erin was involved in developing Nursing Students Without Borders at UMass Lowell. In January 2009, she traveled with a group of nursing students to Ghana, Africa, to deliver medical supplies and work in hospitals, clinics and orphanages. Following graduation, Erin continued to work as a registered nurse at McLean Hospital on the same unit, as a member of multidisciplinary teams in an inpatient setting. For this work, Erin was awarded the Partners in Excellence award, “Entry into Nursing Psychiatric Practice” in 2010.

Registered Nurse, Team Alpha

Julie D’Andrea, BSN, RN

After graduating from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, Julie began her career as a registered nurse at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass., where she worked in the Dissociative Disorders and Trauma Inpatient Program with adults who live with the adverse effects of trauma and abuse. Julie is highly attuned to the needs of trauma survivors and highlights the importance of focusing on overall psychological health and individualized functioning. In her time at McLean, she gained invaluable experience working with those who struggle with depression, anxiety, PTSD, dissociation and personality disorders. Most recently, Julie worked on an adolescent inpatient unit for Cambridge Health Alliance in Cambridge, Mass., where she cared for individuals between the ages of 13 and 17 who were struggling with a wide range of mental disorders, including psychotic disorders, and was afforded the opportunity to care for those in acute distress and teach emotional regulation, mindfulness and various distress-tolerance strategies. Julie has been trained in collaborative and proactive solutions, and is passionate and enthusiastic about mental health. She works diligently to provide a safe, transparent and trusting atmosphere for each of her clients, and encourages client empowerment and choice. Julie wholeheartedly believes in directly involving individuals in their care in order to work together to achieve common treatment goals and successful patient outcomes. 

Clinical Director, Team NY

Jessica Steyers, LCSW‑R, MA

Jessica Steyers is a licensed clinical social worker and trauma specialist with close to a decade of experience working with adolescents and adults facing chronic and pervasive mental health challenges. Prior to joining the Ellenhorn team, Jessica spent six years at BronxWorks working in supportive housing with individuals experiencing co-occurring substance and mental health challenges who were previously street homeless. As the assistant program director and clinical team lead, she provided staff supervision, training and program development all while continuing direct clinical practice.

Jessica received her training at Newyork Presbyterian – Weil Cornell and in the New York City Public School System. Following her Masters level education from NYU’s Silver School of Social Work, she earned an advanced certificate in Integrative Trauma Treatment from the Trauma Studies Center at the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy in NYC, where she is currently a supervisor and faculty member, serving on the curriculum review committee.

Complimenting her higher education, she is trained in EDMR Level 2 and sensorimotor psychotherapy level 1. Additionally, she is trained to work with people experiencing food and exercise-related challenges through the Health At Every Size lens, acknowledging that overall wellness and healthy habits are more important than any number on the scale.

Before making a career change to social work, Jessica was a producer, writer and researcher for ABC News Good Morning America, and covered four Olympic Games with NBC Sports. She received an Emmy for work on the 2008 Olympics Games. She also holds an MA in Journalism with a certificate in science and environmental reporting from NYU. In addition to her work at Ellenhorn, Jessica maintains a small private practice in Manhattan.

Medical Director, Team NY

Christina Brezing, MD

Dr. Christina Brezing works collaboratively with her clients to achieve their individual goals by developing personalized treatment strategies and integrating the latest evidence-based care. Dr. Brezing completed an adult psychiatry residency at Harvard Medical School’s Massachusetts General Hospital/McLean Hospital training program, where she served as a chief resident. She also completed an addiction fellowship at Columbia University Medical Center/New York State Psychiatric Institute. She graduated alpha omega alpha with honors in research from the University of Florida College of Medicine and received a BS in biology with a focus in biochemistry from Duke University.

During medical school, she completed the Howard Hughes Medical Institute-National Institutes of Health Research Scholars Program. At the NIH, she studied the neuroimaging of impulse control disorders, including pathological gambling, compulsive sexual behavior and excessive shopping. Dr. Brezing is double board certified in adult psychiatry and addiction psychiatry. She is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry in the Division on Substance Use Disorders at Columbia University, where her research focuses on the application of technology to the development of novel treatments for problematic substance use. Her work in problematic substance use and mental health has been funded by the American Psychiatric Institute for Research and Education, and by the Dartmouth Center for Technology and Behavioral Health. Dr. Brezing has published work in numerous academic journals and books, presented at national conferences, and received a number of awards for both her research and clinical care. She previously served on the board of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry and currently serves on the board of the New York Society of Addiction Medicine.

In addition to her extensive medical training, Dr. Brezing has completed a one-year fellowship in psychodynamic therapy at the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute. She also completed formal training in Motivational Interviewing, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Mentalization-Based Treatment. In conjunction with her work at Ellenhorn and Columbia, Dr. Brezing maintains a small private practice in Manhattan.

Team Psychiatrist, Team NY

Brian Clinton, MD

Dr. Clinton’s psychiatric training was at Harvard University’s Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital. While there, he spent his final year focused on mood disorders and psychodynamic psychotherapy. He was chief resident of McLean Hospital in 2009. Dr. Clinton’s medical training was at Columbia University’s College Of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Clinton also earned a Ph.D. in Neurobiology and Behavior, studying brain development at Columbia University.

After training, Dr. Clinton served as Assistant Unit Director for Columbia’s 9 Garden North inpatient unit, caring for patients in acute crisis, often with complex diagnostic, medical/pharmacological, and family situations.  He served as a full-time faculty member at Columbia Psychiatry for eight years, treating inpatients and outpatients, and supervising residents. Dr. Clinton often provided second-opinion consultations to patients at a roadblock in their treatment plan.  He worked closely with patients attending intensive outpatient treatment programs such as the Columbia Day Treatment Program (for people struggling with depression, anxiety, and/or personality disorders) , as well as Columbia’s Lieber Recovery Clinic (for patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, depression, high functioning autism, ADHD/executive functioning difficulties, and co-occurring disorders).

Registered Nurse, Team NY

Jennifer Crespo, BSN, RN

Jennifer Crespo holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from St. Francis College in Brooklyn, N.Y., a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from New York University and has also completed graduate studies in biomedical science at New York’s Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine. She began her nursing career as an ambulatory nurse in affiliation with NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan providing community-based care in East Harlem, N.Y., and has since worked as a psychiatric nurse for NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County, where she gained experience in the comprehensive psychiatric-emergency program and in various child, adolescent and adult inpatient units. Jennifer also has experience caring for the unique needs of adults with intellectual disabilities and co-occurring mental-health difficulties as well as those struggling with feeding/eating disorders. 

Mental health has long been the nursing specialty in which Jennifer finds the most meaning and purpose, and she is excited to join Ellenhorn and expand her knowledge, especially as it pertains to modalities such as mentalization-based treatment, and add to her ever-evolving nursing tool kit as novel evidenced-based treatments continue to emerge. Jennifer’s ultimate goal is to dignify the mental-health care experience. 

Clinical Director and Director of AMBIT

Shelly Simpson, LCSW

Shelly is the Clinical Director of our LA program and the AMBIT Coordinator at Ellenhorn. She has a passion for helping people integrate back into the community and build a life worth living. She previously worked at The Menninger Clinic in Houston, Texas as a Program Manager for the Pathfinder Community Integration Program. She received her Master of Social Work Degree at The University of Houston, while receiving psychotherapy training at The Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston. Following graduation, Shelly pursued additional training working as a Post-Graduate Fellow at The Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston. Shelly has a concentrated focus in addressing the issues of attachment disorders, problematic substance use, trauma, and interpersonal relationship struggles.

Medical Director, LA Program

Dr. Adam Lowy, M.D.

Dr. Adam Lowy is an eclectic psychiatrist who believes in combining various forms of psychotherapy with medication in order to achieve optimal psychiatric treatment. Despite the fact that he enrolled at Harvard College as an aspiring writer, graduating magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in biology, his passion for literature and the arts has remained relevant in his life and his work in psychiatry. After graduating from Harvard Medical School, he completed his adult psychiatric training at Cambridge Hospital in Cambridge, Mass., and Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital in Baltimore, Md. Dr. Lowy also considers his fellowship with the American Psychoanalytic Association and supervision by Dr. Leston Havens as pivotal to his training. He has completed more than 200 studies in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression and substance dependence, and has had works published in the fields of immunology, cellular biology and psychiatry. His clinical work has included practice and administration of inpatient psychiatric services, substance-dependence programs (inpatient and outpatient) and assertive community treatment. He has served as team psychiatrist for the Washington Nationals baseball team and, most recently, as the director of psychiatric services for the Venice Family Clinic in Venice, Calif. He is thrilled to bring his various life and clinical experiences to his work at Ellenhorn.

Director, Referral Relations

Dave Werbeck

Ellenhorn New York’s National Director, Referral Relations David Werbeck brings more than 15 years of behavioral-health experience with him to the Ellenhorn leadership team. His seasoned approach to business growth is rooted in his passion for serving as an advocate for individuals and their families. After beginning his career as an admissions counselor in 2006, David quickly realized his proficiency for helping others and began focusing on how to more effectively support those in need. He was certified as an ARISE® interventionist in 2013 and has been focused on outreach since 2015. His background as an interventionist has taught David how to best work with a family and/or a client hands-on. He does not, however, see himself as a traditional marketing rep, but more of a “relationship builder” and “guide” for anyone seeking help, whether for themself or a loved one. His goal is to be each client’s advocate from the first call through the entire process, as long as that may take. David, a native of Seattle, spent the past 20 years in Nashville before relocating to the suburbs of New York City in August 2021 with his wife, Kristin, and their two-year-old daughter, Scout. David prides himself on building and leading highly successful teams of outreach professionals while sticking to the basic rule that the client’s needs always come first.

Director, Operations, Team NY

Hilary Bye Kaul, LCSW

Hilary Bye Kaul is a licensed clinical social worker and therapist with extensive experience working with individuals and families. Hilary has worked in a variety of inpatient, outpatient, and community based settings, working with caregivers and young adults newly diagnosed as experiencing psychosis, mood disorders and comorbid substance use challenges. Most recently, Hilary created a pilot day treatment program at Mclean Hospital for young adults after assessing an unmet system-wide need to increase functionality and socialization of individuals while simultaneously decreasing stigma. She also served as a primary clinician leading a patient’s multidisciplinary team in a first episode psychosis clinic. In this role, she developed and executed the hospital’s first community and home based services.

Prior to working at McLean Hospital, Hilary taught English and History in Shanghai to middle school and high school students. Hilary holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Richmond and a Master of Social Work from Boston College, where she won the M. Rita Walsh award for excellence in mental health. Hilary has completed extensive family therapy training at Ackerman Institute For The Family. Hilary believes in working collaboratively to empower clients to make choices to help them build happy and fulfilling lives.

Lead PACT Clinician/IPSRT Program Coordinator, Team Alpha

Diana Cosmas, LICSW

Diana received a bachelor’s of science degree in counseling/psychology from Lesley University, then earned an MSW from Boston University. She is a licensed social worker in Massachusetts. Diana’s clinical experience includes more than ten years in Department of Mental Health-funded community-based mental health programs. These included a community-based crisis stabilization unit, an intensive respite and hospital diversion program, as well as a PACT team at another program on which she served as lead clinician. Diana also worked for more than ten years with developmentally disabled adults in privately-run group homes.

Diana came to Ellenhorn in June 2016, bringing to the program great depth of experience working with clients in the community as well as supporting clients as they re-integrate into the community after spending long periods in multiple inpatient hospitalizations. She excels at helping clients find creative solutions in the community to meet their needs. Diana believes in educating and working with the families of clients, when possible, so family members develop positive and supportive relationships. She is impressed by how comprehensively the Ellenhorn team is able to work with people with persistent extreme states of mind, so that many clients experience recovery. She likes that clients have a voice in their treatment and that they are an integral part of the team.

Diana is a wellness coordinator for Team Alpha.  Here she works with clients to assess their needs around sleep, nutrition, symptom management and mindfulness.  Diana practices meditation and mindfulness with clients and creates personalized essential oil blends side by side with clients as she is a certified Aromatherapist. Diana currently runs the weekly Mindfulness Group at Ellenhorn and she co-leads the Wellness Group and Women’s Group.

Director, Residential Services

Robert Macdonald, LCSW

Robert is a licensed social worker from the Boston area. He earned a BA in sociology from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a Master’s degree in social work from Salem State University in Massachusetts.  Robert has 30 years’ experience in the social service field, including nine years in residential care as a direct care worker, supervisor and manager; three years’ experience in home-based family and individual treatment; and twenty years doing child protection work for the state of Massachusetts in roles ranging from case management to supervisor and area clinical manager.

Director of Addiction Services (IDDT)

Zoi Andalcio, LMHC, CPT

Zoi is a graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. He holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Northeastern University, where he was a Graduate Research fellow. Zoi’s 13 years of public health service span participation in the first Boston Teen Health Report, graduate school public health research and working at a community-based substance abuse outpatient center in Boston. Zoi has been trained in and has facilitated many evidence-based approaches to group work, and was a member of the team that developed groups for dual-diagnosed men funded by federal grants given to the Bureau of Addictions Prevention/Treatment and Recovery Support Services, a bureau of the Boston Public Health Commission. He has worked with clients in diverse settings, from homeless shelters and correctional facilities to community clinics and hospitals, in both individual and group settings. Zoi is trained in psychological first aid and as a psychiatric crisis clinician. His recent clinical interest lies in mind-body connections and using physical exercise to combat impulse control issues.

Director, Family Services, LMFT

Teri Bryant, M.Ed

Teri Bryant holds a master’s degree in education and is a licensed marriage and family therapist. She completed her training in family therapy at The Family Center/Kantor Family Institute in Somerville, Mass., and earned her certification in Open Dialogue through a two-year training program at The Institute for Dialogic Practice in North Hampton, Mass. Teri trains Ellenhorn clinicians in Open Dialogue/Dialogic Practice and also has a broad range of expertise and training in management and leadership, psychosocial injury, Integrated Dual Diagnosis treatment, adoption, LGBTQi+ support, Motivational Interviewing, Mentalization-Based Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Reiki, and family education and coaching. In addition to her work at Ellenhorn, Teri manages her own private practice, through which she works with individuals, couples and families.

Clinical Admissions Manager

Sarah Peace, LICSW

Sarah Peace is a compassionate, client-dedicated psychotherapist who earned a bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University and a master’s degree from Smith College School of Social Work. Sarah has extensive experience in psychosocial rehabilitation, Narrative Therapy and Open Dialogue. She places a high value on working with families, recognizing that the family has a role in the healing journey. Before coming to Ellenhorn, Sarah worked in a private Program for Assertive Community Treatment team, serving adults experiencing extreme states of mind and dual disorders. She believes in the model of community integration and as a result, has spent the past 15 years dedicated to the PACT model, in which a client’s engagement with a mobile team helps them regain a sense of self. Sarah has volunteered for NAMI for several years, organizing NAMI Walks for previous agencies and exhibiting at the National Convention.

Lead PACT Clinician / AMBIT Coordinator, Team One

Heidi Wolf, LICSW

Heidi is passionate about building strong relationships through curiosity and respect, and helping others to find healing and change whenever possible. After completing her BA in counseling and family ministries at MBI in Chicago, she attended Boston College for her master’s degree. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and certified in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. She started out her work providing independent living supports for adults with developmental disabilities. Heidi then spent several years living and working in India, helping to develop and implement a program for treating emotional and mental health and improving the quality of care for children living in orphanages and residential programs. She loves to connect with individuals from a variety of backgrounds and to explore the role that ethnicity and culture plays in people’s lives. Heidi then worked as an in-home therapist for children and families, using the Family Centered Treatment model to address individual and systemic issues. This experience gave her a desire to support and encourage families as they cope with unique mental health challenges.

PACT Clinician, Team One & KAP Coordinator

Elizabeth Miller, LICSW

Elizabeth is an LICSW who first earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Westfield State University, in Ethnic and Gender Studies, followed by a Master’s Degree from Salem State University’s School of Social Work, in Salem, MA. Elizabeth completed field placements in a leadership position for a non-profit PACT team, as well as at a Community Crisis Team where she provided short term, solution-focused clinical intervention evaluations and placements for individuals in extreme states of mind.

Elizabeth joined the Ellenhorn team in November of 2018, following having worked as the lead clinician at a Department of Mental Health-funded public PACT program. In this position, she provided individualized therapy, guided by clinical interventions, evidenced-based practices, facilitated the recovery process and responded to the needs of the individual on a case-by-case basis. During her six years with that program she also served as the vocational specialist, and dual-diagnosis clinician. Her clinical experience in the field is diverse, also having worked for years with at risk children/adolescents and their families suffering with mental health, domestic violence, and homelessness, through a Department of Children and Families-funded program.

Elizabeth believes building therapeutic alliances with individuals and their families are vital in the collaboration of creating effective interventions that promote recovery, rehabilitation, and growth in a community setting.  Elizabeth is dedicated to learning and growth surrounding the importance of the connection between mind and body, in order to inform treatment interventions, and overall health.

Assistant Director, Residential Services

Michael Chiulli

Michael has been with Ellenhorn since 2009 and has worked in various roles in our residential program. Michael graduated from Suffolk University with a major in personality psychology and a minor in sociology.  After completing his degree Michael worked in varying roles in the field of mental health including; community based outreach at a Boston non-profit, Dept. of Social Services for the state of Massachusetts and as a mental health technician at South Coast Hospital.

Lead PACT Clinician / AMBIT Coordinator, Team NY

Lauren Pellettieri, LCSW

Lauren Pellettieri is a licensed clinical social worker with close to a decade of varied experience supporting children, adolescents, and adults living with extreme states of mind and physical illness. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Fordham University and a master’s degree in Social Work from The Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College. Lauren has worked in a variety of settings including a hospital-based substance use clinic, public middle school, drop-in center and shelter for transitional age youth experiencing homelessness in San Francisco, and an outpatient mental health clinic. Most recently, she helped develop and implement a scattered-site housing program in the Bronx for people living with chronic illness, providing comprehensive support in people’s transition from homelessness to community living. Lauren employs a strength-based approach that focuses on accepting people for who they are, supporting them in how they want to live their lives, and evoking internal resources for personal development and change.

In complement to her clinical work, Lauren is the founding Executive Director of a dance non-profit, Liberated Movement®, which provides donation-based dance classes to the NYC community. As a life-long dancer and movement enthusiast with over 15 years of teaching experience, Lauren is passionate about helping people get into their bodies in healthy, accessible ways. She enjoys incorporating mindfulness, movement, and breath-work into therapeutic practice, to help people to build a holistic, empowered, and cohesive sense of self.

Lead Chef

Katrina Vazquez

Katrina joined the Brackett House in the Summer of 2017 bringing with her a passion for cuisine crafted with care and lots of love. After graduating from culinary school, she honed her skills as a chef working in a Residential Care Facility and then spent time as a personal chef where she was able to fully realize her creative side. Using her specialized skills in the French Style, she has taken her knowledge and fondness for preparing soups and sauces from the classics she was taught and modernized them being mindful of the dietary challenges many of us face today. Katrina is passionate about preparing beautiful and healthy food as simply put “Food IS Love!”.

PACT Clinician / IDDT Coordinator, Team NY

Alivia Hall, LCSW

Alivia Hall is a licensed social worker with a passion for providing a non-judgmental and compassionate space where clients can safely explore and better understand their internal experience, process thoughts and identify unhelpful patterns and behaviors that may be hindering personal growth and overall happiness. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Northeastern University and a master’s degree in Social Work from Columbia University.

Alivia has worked in a variety of inpatient, outpatient and private practice settings working with individuals and families experiencing significant psychiatric difficulties. Prior to joining Ellenhorn, Alivia was working at Mount Sinai Beth Israel in Inpatient Psychiatry, where she assessed and provided direct clinical services to high-risk individuals with severe psychiatric and substance use disorders upon initial admission to the hospital inpatient psychiatric unit. Alivia’s approach to working with clients is warm, empathetic, and curious as she strives to work through a strengths-based, person-centered lens. She believes in the importance of building a strong therapeutic alliance with individuals and their families in order to best support overall recovery and growth in a community setting.

Recovery Coach, Team One

Amy Trahan

Amy joined Ellenhorn in September 2018 as a recovery coach and now also serves as a certified peer specialist.  Her lived experience with a mental health diagnosis and substance abuse helps Amy connect Ellenhorn clients to multiple pathways to recovery. Amy’s one-on-one work with individuals, along with the support and supervision of a team, is proving very effective for clients.

Amy is a comedian and motivational speaker with a storytelling style that shifts between playing with stereotypes and “telling it like it is.” She frequently speaks and performs for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and participated in This Is My Brave Boston 2017.  Amy proudly uses her humor to advocate for mental wellness. Through a ton of hard work and self-discovery, she is now 11 years sober. This lifestyle has inspired her to dedicate her life to travelling the road of wellness and assisting anyone she can help along the way.

Peer Specialist, Team Alpha

Megan Wiechnik, CPS

Meg Wiechnik is a certified peer specialist (CPS), which means she lives with a mental health condition and uses her experience to support and connect with her peers at Ellenhorn. Meg lives well with bipolar disorder thanks to personal education, support communities, helpful providers, the love of her family, and the passage of time. Meg believes in the power of mutual support and using our voices to advocate for what we want in treatment and in life. Meg also works as a peer specialist at an inpatient psychiatric hospital and is an active volunteer with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Before her work with Ellenhorn, Meg started an information and resource helpline at NAMI Massachusetts called COMPASS and taught English as a Second Language (ESL). Meg earned both a bachelor of arts in philosophy and a bachelor of science in psychology from Northeastern University in 2012, and trained to become a peer specialist in 2018.

PACT Clinician, Team Alpha

Francesca Vitale, LICSW, RYT

Francesca is a licensed independent clinical social worker, yoga teacher, and emergency medical technician with a passion for supporting people in creating their own sustainable wellness.  She earned a master’s in social work from Simmons University. Upon graduating from Simmons, Francesca worked as a mobile crisis clinician and with tenants in affordable housing who experience mental illness, addiction disorders and/or developmental disabilities. Francesca also taught yoga at the state Department of Mental Health, working with people to use emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness and mindfulness skills. Francesca uses a narrative therapy approach to incorporate dialectical behavioral therapy skills while drawing on both cognitive behavioral and acceptance and commitment therapy tools. At Ellenhorn, Francesca teaches a weekly yoga group that incorporates movement and mindfulness skills that supports clients in developing and using grounding and coping skills.  She also leads a weekly walking group that focuses on practicing tools and skills learned in therapy.  To complement her work at Ellenhorn, Francesca volunteers as a clinician with the Boston Critical Incident Stress Management team through the Boston Fire Department.

PACT Clinician, Team Alpha

Maggie O’Brien, LMHC

Maggie is a licensed mental health counselor who uses a strengths-based and person-centered approach to collaborate with individuals and their loved ones. After completing her Bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in personality and positive psychology, Maggie earned a Master’s degree in counseling at Boston College. She completed field placements at a Boston area high school and a small liberal arts college. Maggie went on to work with people experiencing more extreme states of mind as an emergency services clinician, as a clinical recovery specialist with an outreach program contracted by the Department of Mental Health, and as a manager of a short-term respite program. Her experience with emergency services, outreach programs, and residential programs deepened Maggie’s understanding of extreme states of mind and acute crises. Through these experiences, she also developed skills in quickly building rapport, navigating community resources, and helping individuals and families collaborate, as well as the ability to build on people’s strengths and to cultivate hope. Maggie is passionate about using an integrated wellness approach by incorporating mindfulness, nutrition, and physical activity into recovery practices.

PACT Support Manager

Miranda Levy

Miranda deeply believes in the Ellenhorn philosophy of rebuilding purposeful lives through compassionate care, and approaches each of her clients with authenticity and empathy as they work together to achieve their goals. She also understands how important laughter is in the healing process, and is passionate about making her clients feel valued and understood.

Miranda holds a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Rutgers University and a Master’s degree in clinical psychology from Columbia University, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in child psychology from St. John’s University. Before joining the Ellenhorn team in 2019, Miranda worked with home- and community-based human-services provider New Jersey MENTOR to support at-risk youth in group-home settings. She is confident that nurturing strong and meaningful connections with her clients makes it possible to champion them as they build happy and rewarding lives.

Peer Specialist, Team LA

Nicole Mensinger

Nicole Mensinger is a Peer Specialist for Ellenhorn Los Angeles whose own journey has instilled in her an incredible passion for mental health, wellness, addiction and healing. Nicole’s motto, learned from a beloved mentor, is that “you can’t be curious and critical at the same time — so stay curious!” She thus enjoys sharing her experiences, tools, humor, curiosity and hope with her clients in order to help them see themselves in a new way and, ultimately, alchemize their “challenges” into “superpowers.”  

Lead PACT Clinician / IDDT Coordinator, Team LA

Sarom Kim, LMSW

Sarom Kim, a licensed social worker with Ellenhorn’s Los Angeles PACT
team, earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Boston College and her
master’s degree in social work from Columbia University. Prior to joining
Ellenhorn, she worked as a PACT clinician specializing in substance-misuse
treatment at Mount Sinai Beth Israel hospital in New York City, where she
provided community-based services such as crisis intervention, risk assessment,
and safety planning in order to ensure that individuals with co-occurring substance-
misuse and mental-health conditions received integrated care that promoted harm
reduction and was responsive to each client’s stage of change.
Over the course of her career, Sarom has provided therapeutic services with a
social justice-informed lens to clients in hospital, rehabilitation, community,
shelter and correctional settings. She also has experience providing play-based
therapy designed to foster social-emotional development in children and
adolescents with developmental disabilities, including those undergoing the
adoption process or in foster care.

Sarom is passionate about utilizing a strengths-based, person-centered
approach in treatment, and has done extensive work with grief, complex trauma
and resilience. She strives to provide holistic, culturally competent treatment with
unconditional positive regard in order to provide compassionate, recovery-based
and trauma-informed services focused on collaboration and hope.

PACT Clinician / Open Dialogue Coordinator, Team LA

Ariela Rotengold, LCSW

Ariela Rotengold is a licensed social worker with extensive experience helping support adults, adolescents and families as they navigate psychosocial and structural challenges. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn., and a master’s degree from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College in New York, N.Y. In the course of her career, Ariela has provided outpatient psychotherapy and counseling for survivors of domestic violence as well as assessment and advocacy for individuals navigating the criminal legal system. Most recently, she served as the clinical social worker for a family shelter for women and children, where she provided individual and family therapy, therapeutic case management and collaborative care to families experiencing homelessness, as she helped address mental health, educational, employment and other systemic barriers to their well-being. Ariela is committed to social justice and anti-oppression, and strives to bring an intersectional cultural responsiveness to her clinical work. Her strengths-based, compassionate and collaborative approach is grounded in the belief that her clients are experts in their own lives and stories, and that a strong therapeutic relationship is foundational for recovery and growth.

PACT Clinician/Art Therapist; Expressive Arts, Team NY

Sarah Shulbank Smith, LCAT, MT-BC

Sarah Shulbank-Smith (she/her) is a board-certified music therapist and expressive-arts clinician at Ellenhorn who earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Pennsylvania State University in State College, Pa., and a master’s degree in music therapy and counseling from Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pa. Prior to joining the team at Ellenhorn, Sarah worked in an inpatient psychiatric hospital, where she provided daily music and psychotherapy groups for patients five years of age and up. Sarah also has extensive experience working with the LGBTQ+ population, a particular area of passion for her, and looks forward to continuing this work at Ellenhorn. Sarah approaches her clinical work with a person-centered intersectional lens, and strongly believes that creativity and self-expression have the power to promote healing and open new avenues of exploration. She is in the midst of completing a year-long DBT-informed music-therapy training program, which will enhance her ability to work with those with persistent mental-health challenges. In past roles, Sarah has used music therapy (playing instruments, listening to music, singing, music-based mindfulness and more) to foster strong, open relationships with clients of all backgrounds.

PACT Clinician, Team Alpha

Hannah Daley, LMHC

Hannah Daley is a licensed mental health counselor who embraces a person-centered approach to therapy, while also placing substantial significance on how an individual’s childhood, environment, relationships and psychosocial characteristics contribute to their mental health. Hannah earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology with a concentration in crime and criminal justice from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., and then worked at Mathematica Policy Research in Princeton, N.J., where she worked on data collection for the National Mental-Health Services Survey and National Survey of Substance-Abuse Treatment Services. She subsequently earned a Master of Education degree in mental-health counseling from Boston University and went on to utilize this degree as a mobile-crisis clinician with an emergency-services team working with children, adolescents, adults and geriatric clients in Boston. By collaborating with clients at hospitals, homes, schools, health centers and shelters, Hannah conducted safety assessments in order to determine and facilitate the appropriate treatment and level of care for clients. Through these experiences, Hannah realized that she would like to continue to support individuals in their quest to live meaningful, fulfilling and immersive lives in the community, which led her to work at Ellenhorn as a PACT clinician. Hannah utilizes a holistic approach to collaborate with clients, while also highlighting the benefits that physical activity, nature, nutrition, sleep and mindfulness can have on our overall well-being.

PACT Clinician / Family Support, Team One

Camille Matthews, MSW

Camille is passionate about building positive relationships within family, work and individuals. After earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Northeastern University in Boston, Mass., she went on to work as an in-home family therapist for eight years, during which time she utilized a family-centered treatment model to address individual and systemic issues within families. This work increased her passion for building sustainable and impactful relationships with families with widely varied demographic backgrounds, and inspired her to go on to obtain a master’s degree in social work from Boston University. Through the course of her education, Camille has had the opportunity to work with individuals who have experienced severe trauma and has utilized trauma-focused therapy models in order to help them. Camille continues to encourage individuals and families to improve their lives through mental-health challenges.

Administrative Assistant / Receptionist

Kimberly Jankowski

Kim Jankowski, front-desk receptionist for the Boston office, brings with her a strong administrative background combined with stellar communication skills honed during her time in the hospitality industry. She actively seeks to assist everyone she comes in contact with, and vows to provide support to Ellenhorn clients and staff in any way she is able. She devotes her free time to raising her three teenagers and volunteering for community causes.

PACT Clinician, Fellowship & Internship Program Director, Team Alpha

Caroline Karalias, LICSW

Caroline is a licensed clinical social worker in Massachusetts with a master’s degree in social work from Boston College focused on trauma and trauma-informed care. Caroline began her work in the field as a residential counselor in a transitional program for homeless youth and worked closely with folks presenting with attachment issues as well as those who were transitioning. She has also worked with high schoolers at a therapeutic day school, as an outpatient clinician at a community clinic and as an assistant team lead for an adult community clinical-services program for the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health. 

In her work, Caroline prioritizes a strengths-based approach guided by each client’s goals. She realizes that therapeutic progress is most likely to occur in a space that feels safe and supportive and that growth is best promoted at a pace set by the person doing the growing. Caroline’s focus on trauma-informed care ensures that stability and reliability are paramount in treatment and in the therapeutic relationship. Caroline hopes to find a path to recovery that is sustainable and beneficial for each client.

Director, Brand Identity & Development

Gabe Dunn, MSW

Gabe Dunn, a marketing coordinator at Ellenhorn, graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a certificate in social welfare and a double minor in sociology and education, and earned her master’s degree in social work from Salem State University in Salem, Mass., in May 2020. During graduate school, Gabe worked as a clinician at a group home for teen mothers and as a social worker at Arlington High School in Arlington, Mass. She later served as a development/program coordinator for Boston-based nonprofit The Wily Network, for which she ran volunteer programs, assisted with programming and development, and provided administrative assistance to the organization’s directors. Gabe enjoys being creative in her work and utilizing that creativity to help make the world a better place.

PACT Peer Specialist, Team NY

Tony Muñoz-Hilliard

Tony Muñoz-Hilliard is a certified peer specialist (CPS)/national certified peer specialist (NCPS) who firmly believes in the power of lived experience. Tony uses the challenges he has navigated in his own life to inspire hope in others and illustrate that recovery and whole-health wellness are indeed possible, despite mental illness, substance use and/or difficult life circumstances. Tony has lived experience with major depressive disorder and substance use, and uses his training in intentional peer support and the need-adapted treatment model to support and provide trauma-informed care to peers. Tony also works on a mobile treatment team in New York City and is an advisor for the Public Psychiatry Fellowship of New York State Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University Medical Center. He has presented nationally and internationally on topics such as peers on interdisciplinary teams, peer workforce, trauma and social determinants of health. Tony is currently a student at SUNY Empire State College, where he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and is a trained video producer with Manhattan Neighborhood Network, which allows him to incorporate the arts in his recovery process. He also enjoys biking, movies, theater, painting, photography and travel, and is fluent in English, Spanish and French.

Lead Milieu Hospitality Coordinator

Stephanie Drysdale

Stephanie has always had an innate desire to help others and a naturally loving demeanor. In fact, she takes great pride in helping others feel safe, welcome and worthy.

Stephanie truly began to focus her passion for serving and supporting others while a student at the University of Massachusetts Boston, where she volunteered at places such as the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center Emergency Room and Healthworks Community Fitness, dedicated to promoting high-quality fitness and wellness education to women in underserved neighborhoods in order to prevent and manage chronic disease, improve health and promote well-being and empowerment.

Stephanie has spent the past decade as a caregiver for vulnerable members of the geriatric population in need of physical and mental care. Part of that care included leading activities that promoted quality of life via a connection to society. Stephanie, who has a son with behavioral disabilities, also believes that her patience and passion for helping others stems from a combination of life experience, work knowledge and instinct, which together makes her thrive as Ellenhorn’s hospitality coordinator.

Manager, Residential Services

Brian Vetrano

Brian Vetrano, Ellenhorn milieu manager, joined the Ellenhorn team as milieu counselor in 2012, and also has more than 15 years of professional experience as a protection-services officer at a major community hospital in Greater Boston. He is particularly known for his consistent ability to assess and resolve crises and support the professional care and safety of all patients. Besides a winning smile and exuberant attitude, Brian also has a strong altruistic streak and genuine desire to see everyone do well. He is committed to helping individuals in any way he can and serves as a direct form of support for residential clients.

PACT Clinician / IDDT Coordinator, Team One

Esteban Da Cruz

Esteban Da Cruz  is a mental-health counselor with more than a decade of experience teaching mindfulness, yoga and meditation. His areas of expertise include wellness, spirituality, addiction recovery and psychedelic therapy. He graduated summa cum laude with a master’s degree in mental-health counseling from the University of Massachusetts Boston and also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Boston University. He is trained in motivational interviewing and holds certifications in internal family systems as well as in various mindfulness-based modalities. Esteban, a polyglot with a diverse background, has worked clinically with children, adolescents and adults in inpatient psychiatric units and, in addition to his PACT work at Ellenhorn, currently works as a mindfulness instructor, consultant and clinical-addictions interventionist at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Cambridge Health Alliance Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, where he has also worked as a research assistant studying the effects of mindfulness interventions on chronic pain and addiction.

He studies and practices closely with seasoned teachers of Tibetan and Indian lineage and integrates Eastern wellness and contemplative practices with modern Western psychology to help individuals and groups cultivate healing, harmony and well-being in their lives.

Recovery Coach

Kevin Bryant

Ellenhorn Recovery Coach Kevin P. Bryant firmly believes that “there is no greater service, than service to others.” He began his career in law enforcement in 1983 as a Somerville, Mass., auxiliary police officer and retired after 29 years with the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) in 2020. Along the way, he also served as a Somerville Housing Authority police officer and as a patrolman, sergeant, station commander, security-services coordinator and diversity/community-liaison officer for HUPD, which awarded him three commendation awards, one award for meritorious service and two Harvard Hero awards. During his time as HUPD diversity/community-liaison officer, Kevin is proud to have conducted motivational seminars for Black students throughout Greater Boston, been a keynote speaker at wellness conferences for first responders and presented a webinar about bias and systemic racism for Acadia Healthcare treatment placement specialists.

Kevin, who earned a master’s degree from Andover Newton Theological School in Newton, Mass., in 2017, has served as a deacon and minister at the historic Myrtle Baptist Church in Newton, as an affiliated Baptist minister at The Memorial Church at Harvard University and is also a chaplain for Harvard University and the Newton and Arlington, Mass., police departments. He is an author of “Spiritual Humility” in the book One Nation, Indivisible: Seeking Liberty and Justice from the Pulpit to the Streets (Wipf & Stock, 2019), a member of the National Organization of Church Security and Safety Management, an advocate for The Greater Boston Food Bank and a board member with the Youth Advocacy Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending the school-to-prison pipeline in Massachusetts. Grandmaster Bryant is also a 10th Dan (Judan) in Kenpo karate and has been inducted into the International Black Belt Hall of Fame.

Office Manager / Hospitality Coordinator

Georgette Garza

Georgette Garza, office manager/hospitality coordinator for Ellenhorn New York, earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from the University of Texas at Austin, with a minor in technology, literacy and culture. She is excited to bring her passion for health care, wellness and technology to Ellenhorn, and enjoys collaborating across teams in order to improve and innovate daily processes via effective communication. Georgette’s ultimate goal is to create positive client and team-member experiences with a human-centered mindset in the spirit of kaizen, a Japanese term/business philosophy aimed at continuous improvement. When not at the office, Georgette enjoys running in Central Park, attempting to memorize all the different breeds of dog and watching independent and foreign films.

Human Resources Manager

Alexandra Vanegas

Director of Administration

Sarah Ferguson

Sarah Ferguson earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Marshall University in Huntington, W.Va. She has more than 15 years of management experience and is excited to bring her passion for health care and technology to Ellenhorn. Sarah’s daily goal is to create a positive client and coworker experience. When not at the office, she enjoys spending time with family and friends and traveling.

Technical Support Specialist

Zachary Pacheco

Zachary Pacheco, Ellenhorn’s tech- support specialist, earned a master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pa. In the years since, Zachary, who is known to be a technology-minded problem-solver accustomed to working in high-intensity environments, has had the opportunity to work in fields in which he designed everything from slot machines to employee-tracking software to hostage-reconnaissance and rescue technology for the military. He has also taught classes in game design targeted at high school students, managed a dormitory for international students and served as a milieu counselor for Brackett House. As Ellenhorn’s resident tech expert, Zachary is dedicated to meeting the technology needs of staff and removing any stumbling blocks they may encounter.

Referral Relations Manager, Team LA

Erin Benner

Erin Benner studied psychology and entrepreneurship at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she became heavily involved with eating-disorder outreach and found a passion for connecting people with resources and one another. While an undergraduate, Erin helped found The Recovery Box, a company whose aim is to bridge a gap in the mental-health field via innovative tools that support recovery by adding tangibility to abstract clinical ideas, and continues to serve as its chief architecture and design officer.

Outside of The Recovery Box, Erin’s professional career began in Denver, Colo., where she served as a regional outreach representative for a partial-hospitalization program that specialized in the treatment of eating disorders. Through this role, Erin developed the core belief that meaningful outreach is built on trust, curiosity and genuine connection, and she is honored to now bring this ethos to her work with Ellenhorn Los Angeles as referral relations manager. Erin looks forward to furthering Ellenhorn’s mission via events that showcase its unique role in the treatment landscape, thought-provoking conversations on how clinicians can keep clients connected to their communities while prioritizing treatment and as a resource to professionals who need support with treatment placement.

PACT Clinician, Team NY

Jacqueline Caso, LMSW

Jacqueline Caso (she/her) earned a master’s degree in social work from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, along with a certificate in Violence Against Women and Children. She earned her undergraduate degree through the City University of New York’s Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies program in which she designed her own major in Sexuality & Gender and drew from coursework in psychology, sociology, anthropology and women’s studies. Prior to joining Ellenhorn, Jacqueline provided crisis intervention, counseling and advocacy services to LGBTQ+ and HIV-affected survivors of violence, as well as homeless queer and trans adolescents. She also worked in a private mental-health practice with clients who received transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for the treatment of major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and volunteered at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue and NYU Langone Health as an emergency-department advocate for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.

Jacqueline employs an empathetic, trauma-informed and sex-positive approach to client engagement and intervention. She believes in working collaboratively with clients in order to explore healing and growth that will empower them to live freely and authentically. Jacqueline is especially dedicated to creating a safe and affirming space for members of the LGBTQIA, poly/CNM, kink and sex-worker communities.

PACT Clinician, Team NY

Harrison Tract, LMSW

Harrison Tract is a licensed social worker with significant experience supporting individuals who face varied mental-health challenges. His compassionate and collaborative approach is grounded in the belief that his clients are the experts when it comes to their own lives and stories, and he thus works to consistently meet them exactly where they are.

Harrison, who earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Emory University in Atlanta, Ga., and a master’s degree in social work from New York’s Fordham University, has worked extensively with Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment (IDDT) at well-respected substance-use treatment centers in metropolitan New York, including the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, and has more than a decade of experience in 12-step recovery and meditation practices. He also has advanced training in group psychotherapy and utilizes an integrated approach to care in which he pulls from psychodynamic, cognitive and mindfulness modalities.

Harrison is dedicated to providing a nonjudgmental, compassionate and warm space where clients can safely explore their internal experiences, process thoughts, and identify and address unhelpful patterns and behaviors that may be hindering their personal growth, overall happiness and recovery. He is also passionate about utilizing a strengths-based, person-centered approach to treatment that offers unconditional positive regard in order to provide compassionate, recovery-based and trauma-informed services focused on therapeutic alliance and hope. Harrison has dedicated his life to traveling the road of wellness and assisting anyone he can help along the way.

PACT Clinician, Family Support/Open Dialogue Coordinator Team NY

Miles Roberts, LMSW

Miles Roberts is a licensed social worker with diverse experience providing support and counseling to adults and adolescents who struggle with dynamic psychiatric and psychosocial difficulties. Miles earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, and a master’s degree in social work from Columbia University in New York, N.Y. Prior to joining Ellenhorn New York’s PACT team, Miles worked as a substance-use treatment counselor and group-therapy facilitator in Marin County, Calif., and San Quentin State Prison, as well as at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center’s psychiatric emergency room, where he helped clients and their families navigate the difficulties of the traditional mental health-care system by meeting clients with unconditional positive regard and providing therapeutic case management.

Miles uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Internal Family Systems models of care to help clients gain insight into past experiences, modes of thinking and behaviors. He is passionate about empowering clients to succeed in the face of psychosocial difficulties and utilizes mindfulness-based practices to help clients respond to difficulties in more beneficial ways. Miles also utilizes a trauma-informed and strengths-based approach to collaboratively address struggles within the client’s mind and body and the systems that surround them. Above all, Miles is committed to fostering a safe, compassionate and helpful therapeutic space in which clients can grow and effectively build a more joyful and self-actualized life.

PACT Clinician/IPSRT Program Coordinator, Team LA

Mele Weaver

Mele Weaver is a PACT clinician and licensed occupational therapist. She grew up in San Diego, Calif., earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Pepperdine University in Malibu, and recently graduated from California State University, Dominguez Hills, with a Master of Science degree in occupational therapy. Mele has professional experience working with children and adults with developmental disabilities in aquatic therapy and social-skills groups as well as occupational-therapy internship experience in acute rehabilitation and inpatient psychiatric care. Mele has also been a certified yoga teacher for more than five years and strives to combine her passion and knowledge of the mind-body connection with culture-affirming, holistic and client-centered care in order to empower her clients and help them reach their goals. She loves baking (especially eating the confections that are the result), traveling, and pursuing new adventures and hobbies.

PACT Clinician, Team One

Reid Slavin, LCSW

Ellenhorn PACT Clinician Reid Slavin earned a bachelor’s degree in substance-use counseling and a master’s degree in social work from Springfield College, in Springfield, Mass., and has more than 15 years of experience working with children and adults who are experiencing substance-use disorders and mental-health conditions, including those with co-occurring disorders. Reid is trained in mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, guided self-help, mentalization-based treatment, motivational interviewing, solution-focused therapy and psychodynamic therapy. During his time off, Reid finds joy and relaxation in creating culinary delights for others, hiking, fishing, traveling, spiritual development and reading.

Chef

Massiel Infante

Chef Massiel Infante started working her magic in the Brackett House kitchen in October 2022 and brings with her skills she obtained from culinary school, running her own business and working in the restaurant industry. Massiel has a passion for food and loves having fun in the kitchen. Although she has a lot of experience with Latin and Asian cuisine, she also likes to challenge herself to learn new styles of cooking. Massiel considers the kitchen a “creative space” where she feels inspired to create amazing, healthy and mindful food that people can enjoy, and firmly believes that “food can heal” and has everything we need to leave long, healthy lives.

PACT Support / Peer Specialist / Wellness Facilitator, Team LA

Harry Archer Eddleman

Marketing Events Coordinator, NY

Paige Rothaus

Paige Rothaus, a graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a focus on organizational psychology and marketing, brings 10 years of experience in corporate consulting in human resources, leadership and culture development with her to Ellenhorn. Through her work across various industries, Paige has discovered a passion for helping individuals and organizations that goes beyond the workplace, and firmly believes that the most important work she has done focuses on the holistic well-being of each individual. Over the years, she has also taken a keen interest in using cutting-edge therapeutic modalities to support her clients, and, in 2021, began consulting for psychedelic-assisted therapy companies that offer tools for deepening self-awareness and raising consciousness. Paige looks forward to using her passion for holistic healing to help educate and heal our community and assist with marketing and event coordination.

Psychiatrist, Team Alpha

Kristin Budde, MD, MPH

Dr. Kristin Budde began as a lover of stories. She studied English literature at the University of Michigan, then earned her medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, ultimately graduating with honors and also earning a Master of Public Health. She completed her psychiatry residency at Yale University, where she served as chief resident for diversity, received excellent training in psychotherapy, pharmacology and neuromodulatory therapies, and also began to appreciate the importance of the stories we tell ourselves, and the power these narratives have to shape our outlook and life.

Dr. Budde has mentored and taught medical trainees at all levels, and served on the teaching faculties of Yale University, Harvard University and the University of Washington in both inpatient and emergency-department settings. She remains passionate about teaching and public engagement, even as she continues to write, consult, lecture and occasionally participate in storytelling events. She also maintains a private practice in psychotherapy and pharmacology, for which she takes a holistic approach to well-being that includes diet, exercise, social connection and even a bit of storytelling. Her steadfast goal is for clients to receive superb care in an environment in which they feel understood and supported, and to help them find moments of joy and humor along the way.

PACT Peer Specialist, Team One

Scott Friedstein, CPS

Scott Friedstein is a certified peer specialist and recovery coach who earned his bachelor’s degree in theatre from the University of Maine at Farmington. Scott began peer work in 2021 as part of Vinfen’s YouForward young-adult program in Everett and Lawrence, Mass., where, as a peer-leadership coordinator, he was responsible for creating youth-focused events, groups and workshops aimed at driving engagement and supporting self-determination and independence. Scott is also certified in Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP), an evidence-based model used to promote recovery through a self-made wellness plan.

Scott believes in using the power of connection to eliminate stigma and build meaningful relationships, and is passionate about sharing his own story of mental-health recovery in order to inspire hope and engage clients. Scott is also a comedian and musician and uses creativity and self-expression to bridge barriers and create a strengths-based approach to recovery.

PACT Clinician/Expressive Arts Therapist, Team One

Noelle LeBlanc, M.A., ATR-P

Noelle is a mental-health counselor with a passion for both art and psychology. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Salve Regina University in Newport, R.I., where she studied studio art and psychology, embraced the value of advocacy and worked tirelessly to understand the complexities of human behavior, and a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass., where she specialized in art therapy. Noelle has outreach-work experience supporting those in an adult-community clinical-services program, teens in a therapeutic high-school program and residents in assisted living. With a strong belief in the transformative power of expressive therapies, Noelle utilizes art as a catalyst for positive change in the lives of her clients. In her work, she prioritizes trauma-informed, client-centered and strengths-based approaches to care. Outside of work, she finds joy and rejuvenation in outdoor activities such as hiking, biking and skiing, which, she feels  foster her well-being and creativity.

Office Coordinator, Team LA

Jacob Kelly

Jacob Kelly, office coordinator for Ellenhorn Los Angeles, is proud to utilize his strong organizational skills and communication expertise to support Ellenhorn’s clients and uphold Ellenhorn’s commitment to radical hospitality. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in English/creative writing from California State University Northridge, and is passionate about literature and film.