Hilary Ben-Ami, M.S., Ed.D.; Parenting Teacher and Coach, Peace at Home Parenting Solutions
Hilary Ben-Ami is an executive functioning coach and former middle school English teacher who currently works with middle school through college students. As a middle school teacher, Hilary began after-school programs in writing for students who needed one-on-one support in writing initiation and organization. While teaching middle school, Hilary began a life coaching and student coaching practice when she noticed a gap in the achievement of students with ADD (attention deficit disorder) and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and other learning differences. Hilary earned an Inspiring Teacher award in 2002 and was a Best Mentor for beginning teachers. She has a life coaching certification as well as a yoga and EFT (emotional freedom technique) certification. Hilary integrates the habits and practices of mindfulness in her work to create a balanced learning mindset. She believes that learning and success are achievable for all kinds of minds and that, with coaching, students can achieve resilient comebacks from challenging academic experiences. Hilary and her husband raised a daughter and a son who are now adults, and she knows the joys and challenges of parenting. She holds a B.A. in speech communications and secondary education and a master’s degree in elementary education.
Alex Bickford, M.B.E.; Director, College Finance, Bright Horizons College Coach
Alex Bickford joined Bright Horizons College Coach as part of the college financing team from the education finance department of Citizens Bank. Before his stint with Citizens, he worked as an assistant director of financial aid at Southern New Hampshire University. Alex has spent most of his professional career working in financial aid and has assisted traditional undergraduate, adult learners, and master’s degree students in financing their educations. He has a master’s degree in business education, a bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management, and an associate’s degree in culinary arts.
Kelley Bonner, L.C.S.W., M.A.; Founder, Burn Bright
Kelley Bonner is a licensed clinical social worker, burnout expert, and wellness advocate. She launched Burn Bright to help high-achieving professionals prevent burnout through mindfulness and self-care. Over the last 15 years, Kelley has worked with individuals, groups, and organizations to provide tools to reduce stress, enhance wellness, and strengthen workplace culture. Kelley has teaching experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion, and holds additional certifications in resiliency, mindfulness, and trauma.
Lindsay Bryan-Podvin, L.M.S.W.; Owner and Founder, Mind Money Balance
Lindsay Bryan-Podvin, owner and founder of the financial wellness business Mind Money Balance, is a biracial, certified financial therapist and a Licensed Master Social Worker, who began her career in mental health treatment and advocacy. She was always interested in mental health and found an even greater love in working at the intersection of mental health and money. Lindsay is the facilitator of the Financial Empowerment Initiative, a five-part workshop series on financial wellness at the Center for the Education of Women+ at the University of Michigan. She is a published author of the book, The Financial Anxiety Solution, which helps people work through their anxiety when it comes to engaging with their money. Lindsay has been featured in major media outlets, including Vox, CNN, Real Simple, CNBC, NPR, Bustle, HuffPost, and more. She holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Michigan State University and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Michigan, with certificates in financial social work and financial therapy. Lindsay lives with her partner and their dog on the occupied land of the Anishinaabe, also known as Michigan.
Kristen Cascio, M.S.W., L.I.C.S.W.; Program Manager, MIT HR Work-Life
Kristen Cascio is a licensed independent clinical social worker and a certified Mental Health First Aid instructor. Kristen is a program manager for Work-Life, where she oversees MIT MyLife Services and backup care benefits, coordinates programming via the Seminar Series, and works on a variety of resources and projects to support the overall wellbeing of MIT’s community. Prior to joining MIT, Kristen was a behavioral health care manager at Tufts Health Plan, where she worked directly with individuals with severe and persistent mental illnesses to coordinate the resources needed to achieve safety and wellness in the community. Kristen has extensive experience in crisis intervention, including conducting emergency mental health assessments and staffing 24-hour crisis hotlines related to mental illness, domestic violence, and sexual assault. Kristen received her B.A. in psychology from Clark University and her M.S.W. from Simmons University.
Mike Collins, Psy.D.; Clinical Director, Kendall Psychological Associates
Dr. Mike Collins works with adults, providing evidence-based treatments for a variety of challenges and concerns. His areas of interest include trauma, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, insomnia, and stress reduction. Dr. Collins’ primary treatment approach is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which incorporates mindfulness and a focus on finding meaning by exploring clients’ values through the lens of self-compassion and acceptance. He also provides cognitive and behavioral therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy, and empirically validated treatments for trauma. He graduated from Boston College and received his doctorate from La Salle University. Dr. Collins worked in various multidisciplinary outpatient and hospital settings prior to joining Kendall Psychological Associates.
Patricia C. D’Agostino, J.D.; Partner, Margolis Bloom & D’Agostino
Patricia C. D’Agostino is a partner at Margolis Bloom & D’Agostino, practicing in the following areas: estate and long-term care planning, MassHealth applications and appeals, planning for children with special needs, settlement planning, guardianship and conservatorship, and probate administration. She has developed a specialized practice in advising clients on how to supplement the cost of care at home or in an assisted living facility through the use of myriad MassHealth, Veterans Administration, and low-income programs.
Cora Megan D’Alessandro, M.A., IMH-E®; Parenting Teacher and Coach, Peace at Home Parenting Solutions
Cora Megan D’Alessandro is an early childhood specialist and parent educator who has worked with infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and their families for over a decade. She is currently a faculty member at the University of Connecticut in the Human Development and Family Sciences department, where she teaches courses in early childhood development and education. She formerly served as the director of The Nest Shoreline Campus, an early learning center located in Branford, CT. Cora is a trained Circle of Security Facilitator and a member of the Connecticut Association of Infant Mental Health. She views her work with families through an attachment lens, and provides support and guidance that promotes secure and positive parent-child relationships.
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Steve Dimitriou, A.I.F, C.P.F.A.; Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Mayflower Advisors
Steve Dimitriou is a co-founder and managing partner at Mayflower Advisors, with more than 30 years of experience in the retirement-plan industry. He has been named Retirement Plan Advisor of the Year by PlanSponsor Magazine, and is the former president of both the American Retirement Association (ARA) and the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA), the largest retirement-plan advocacy group in the nation and the preeminent sponsor of professional development and continuing education in the industry. As such, he meets regularly with congressional members and various governmental agencies, and is a frequent speaker at industry conferences. Steve has earned the Accredited Investment Fiduciary (A.I.F.) and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (C.P.F.A.) designations, and is a graduate of Colby College, where he earned an Honors B.A. in both physics and economics.
Nicole Doyle, B.A.; College Admissions Consultant, Bright Horizons College Coach
Nicole Doyle has spent her entire career in education. She was a work-study student in the admissions office at the College of the Holy Cross, a tour guide, and a senior interviewer. After graduation, she spent one year on the West Coast participating in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps before returning to work at Holy Cross as an admissions counselor. There, she developed a program to increase the number of international students on campus and traveled extensively throughout Europe and Central America. Most recently, Nicole spent many years in the admissions office at Skidmore College conducting interviews, providing information sessions to students and families, and reading over 1,500 applications each year. Nicole holds a B.A. in political science from the College of the Holy Cross.
Lauren Dumont, Psy.D.; Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Director, Kendall Psychological Associates
Dr. Lauren Dumont is a clinical psychologist and the clinical director at Kendall Psychological Associates based in Cambridge, MA. Through her work in private practice, she engages with individuals, couples, and groups to help them achieve enhanced wellbeing. Dr. Dumont integrates empirically based techniques with tailored approaches for each of her clients. She also regularly works with companies and organizations in Cambridge to promote employee and organizational wellbeing through seminars, workshops, and groups. Her knowledge base, expertise in stress management, and sense of humor often put people at ease as they navigate their journeys toward health and wellness. Dr. Dumont holds a doctorate from Loyola University Maryland and has worked in various outpatient settings, including New York University, the University of Delaware, and Drexel University.
Tanika Eaves, Ph.D.; L.C.S.W., IMH-E; Assistant Professor of Social Work, Fairfield University Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies
Tanika Eaves is an assistant professor of social work at Fairfield University’s Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies. Tanika holds a B.A. in psychology from Fairfield University, an M.S.W. from Rutgers University, and a Ph.D. in human development and family science from the University of Connecticut. She has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for over 20 years and holds the CT Association for Infant Mental Health Endorsement as an Infant Mental Health Specialist. Her professional experience includes child and family guidance clinics, early intervention programs, early childhood mental health consultation, policy work, parent-infant psychotherapy, and training/consultation with home-visiting clinicians. Her research investigates the individual and organizational factors related to work-related stress management among frontline and supervising infant mental health practitioners.
Ruth E. Freeman, L.C.S.W.; President and Founder, Peace at Home Parenting Solutions
Ruth E. Freeman is a licensed clinical social worker who has taught parenting education to hundreds of parents annually over the past 35 years. She is co-founder of the Connecticut Parenting Education Network and lead author of Building Family Futures, a University of Connecticut train-the-trainer parenting education curriculum. She has also served as the family services director for The Cove Center for Grieving Children. Ruth’s approach to parenting education incorporates her clinical experience with children and families in crisis, as well as key concepts synthesized from a wide range of sources. Ruth freely and humorously shares the real-life blunders, challenges, and successes that she has experienced applying positive parenting as a mom, stepmom, foster mom, and “Nana.”
The Future of You (Nan Ives, M.B.A. and Lisa Stornaielo, M.S.; Co-Founders)
Nan Ives and Lisa Stornaielo are the co-founders of The Future of You, a venture that was born out of their personal experiences with retirement. Recognizing the need for a life plan, they immersed themselves in the pre-retiree experience, seeking to understand how people rebalanced their lives and regained a sense of purpose in retirement. From there, they leveraged their expertise in transition planning and life coaching to develop a transformative four-step process that empowers individuals to design their ultimate retirement life. With their passion for helping others and their profound understanding of the retirement experience, Nan and Lisa are on a mission to inspire and guide people toward a rewarding and fulfilling retirement.
Sally Ganga, M.S.; Director, Educational Counseling, Bright Horizons College Coach
Prior to joining Bright Horizons College Coach, Sally Ganga’s most recent college admissions role was at the University of Chicago, where she was associate director of admissions and ran the application reading and scholarship process. Previously, she had worked at Whittier College in the Los Angeles area as an associate director of admissions. She graduated from Reed College in Portland, Oregon, with a B.A. in history, beginning her admissions career there, first as a tour guide and then as an intern in the admission office before being hired after graduation as an assistant dean of admission. After taking a break from college admissions, Sally became the director of college counseling at both the Archer School for Girls and Chadwick School in the Los Angeles area. In addition to counseling students one-on-one, Sally taught classes on preparing for the college process and general college life skills.
Kathy Kasabula, B.A.; Program Manager, MIT HR Work-Life
Kathy Kasabula oversees the many services that support MIT’s Technology Childcare Centers (TCC) and works closely with MIT’s child care management vendor, Bright Horizons, to ensure that TCC centers are able to meet the needs of the families they serve. Kathy visits all TCC locations regularly and works closely with parents and a host of MIT departments in order to coordinate projects, establish systems, monitor activities, and resolve problems. Kathy also manages the MIT Childcare Center scholarship program for employees and postdoctoral scholars, leads “Choosing Quality Childcare” sessions, oversees the campus lactation rooms, and is a contributor to many Work-Life projects offering support to MIT children and families. Kathy holds a B.A. in communication from Rhode Island College, a graduate certificate in project management from Boston University, and is certified in the Classroom Assessment Scoring System®, a leading quality improvement system for measuring and improving classroom interactions.
Lorene Lacey, B.S.W., M.Ed.; Mental Health Clinician, Workplace Options
Lorene Lacey is a highly experienced mental health clinician specializing in Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and family services. With a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in education, Lorene has a robust track record of delivering webinars and workshops worldwide, enhancing the understanding of mental health, trauma, resilience, and effective management of personal and workplace stressors. She was a medical social worker with elders for many years, working with families who were caregivers in their home, as well as supporting a variety of seniors who needed assistance or further placement plans depending on their situation. Her expertise extends to providing clinical consultations for managers on issues such as addiction, absenteeism, stress management, and depression/anxiety. Lorene is dedicated to fostering wellbeing in both personal and professional environments.
Suzanne Levy, Ph.D., Peace at Home Parenting Solutions
Suzanne Levy, Ph.D., is an internationally renowned licensed clinical psychologist and co-developer of Attachment Based Family Therapy (ABFT). Previously, she was the executive director of Strategic Initiatives and Training for the ABFT Training Program at Drexel University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions. Since 2007, Dr. Levy has conducted ABFT training workshops and supervision for therapists nationally and internationally. She has presented regionally, nationally, and internationally on ABFT as well as emotion coaching, child and adolescent therapies, resilience, adolescent depression, adolescent development, and adolescent substance use. Suzanne was formerly the training director at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Center for Family Intervention Science.
Michael Marquez, Psy.D.; Psychologist; Co-Owner, Bmore Liberated
Dr. Michael Marquez is a licensed psychologist and co-owner of Bmore Liberated, a group practice of queer-identified therapists whose passion lies in providing affirming care for marginalized communities. He has experience providing outreach and consultation with several organizations and clinics, with a focus on optimizing relationships and happiness during the pandemic and organizational policies to be more inclusive. Dr. Marquez holds a Psy.D. from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Wynne Meyer, M.A., L.M.H.C., Certified Employee Assistance Professional
Wynne Meyer is a subject-matter expert in mental health and leadership topics. She is a passionate leadership development consultant with demonstrated experience supporting organizations in training and development, delivery, and coaching initiatives for over 20 years. Her experience spans industry sectors, including Fortune 500, healthcare and biopharma, not for profit, and higher education. Wynne earned her B.A. from Franklin & Marshall College and completed her M.A. in counseling psychology at Boston College. She holds a license in mental health counseling (L.M.H.C.) in Massachusetts and is a certified employee assistance professional (C.E.A.P.). Driven by her love of learning, she takes pride in delivering quality content and providing opportunity to engage in dialogue on sensitive issues.
Laurie Peltier, M.B.A.; College Finance Director, Bright Horizons College Coach
Laurie Peltier spent over 20 years in financial aid at the college and university level prior to joining Bright Horizons College Coach. She is an expert in all aspects of education finance, including saving for college, paying for college, and student loan repayment, expertise that she has applied to the benefit of thousands of families at Bright Horizons. Laurie graduated from Bentley University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and completed her Master of Business Administration at Anna Maria College, where she also served as financial aid director. In addition, she was an assistant director of financial aid at Becker College and has worked as a consultant with several other colleges in Massachusetts.
Heidi Roth, R.D., L.D.N., B.S.; Owner, Heidi Roth Nutrition
Heidi Roth is a registered/licensed dietitian, health coach, and nutrition expert with a passion for health and wellness. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.S. in nutrition and dietetics. Heidi spent the first part of her career as a critical care neonatal dietitian and pediatric nutrition specialist. She went on to found her own corporate wellness consulting business, with a goal of making science-based nutrition recommendations simple, real, and fun. Today, Heidi shares her enthusiasm for nutrition and wellness virtually and in person through webinars, worksite seminars, individual counseling, and healthy food demonstrations. She enjoys traveling, hiking, and skiing, and considers herself to be a total foodie.
Sherri Snelling, M.A.G.; Consultant and Corporate Gerontologist
Sherri Snelling is a corporate gerontologist, “authorpreneur,” and founder/CEO of Caregiving Club, a strategic consulting and educational content creation firm with an expertise in caregiver wellness, well home design, and brain health/Alzheimer’s disease. She is the author of the new book, Me Time Monday – The Weekly Wellness Plan to Find Balance and Joy for a Busy Life, and is the host of the podcast, “Caregiving Club on Air.” Snelling writes articles, appears on TV and radio, and has served on aging and caregiving advisory committees for the White House, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Alzheimer’s Association, the National Institute on Aging (NIA), and Georgetown University. She has a master’s degree in gerontology from USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and a master’s certification from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Aaron Weintraub, M.S., Curriculum Advisor, Peace at Home Parenting Solutions
Aaron Weintraub has thirty years of experience in supporting families of children with special needs. Aaron’s approach is focused on recognizing strengths in the child and family system and draws from experience working in settings from infant development centers, public schools, university instruction, adult day services, private practice for children with special needs, and everything in between. Aaron has three children whose ages range from an adult daughter to a young son. Aaron is serving as both a teacher of live online classes and virtual parenting coach. He is the director of Kids Cooperate in Tolland, CT and the family specialist at CLICC supporting parents who are incarcerated.
Dan Williams, C.L.U., Ch.F.C., C.F.P.; Senior Partner and Co-Founder, The Dover Group
Dan Williams graduated from Babson College with a triple major in finance, investments, and entrepreneurial studies. Dan is a Certified Financial Planner, a Chartered Financial Consultant, and has been named one of Boston’s top financial planners by Boston Magazine. He is a frequent speaker to corporate, higher education, and senior organizations, and teaches several adult education courses in the Greater Boston community.
Gayle Parker Wright, M.S.W., L.C.S.W.-R.
Gayle Parker Wright is an L.C.S.W.-R in NY, a licensed social worker in NJ, and a certified Mental Health First Aid instructor. She graduated from Howard University with a B.S. in social work and from Columbia University with an M.S.W. Gayle is currently working toward her doctoral degree at Simmons University. She has over 30 years of experience working with individuals and families in underserved communities, and has provided services to populations such as foster care, criminal justice, mental health, substance abuse, case management, juvenile justice, and geriatrics. Gayle has worked in and provided services in various settings, such as residential, corrections, substance abuse, mental health, respite, and private practice. Over the last 25 years, she has served in many leadership roles, providing management oversight and clinical consultant services to community agencies. Gayle is a motivational speaker, sharing her life experiences and information to empower others.