Students on the Pace Pleasantville Campus

Westchester Staff

Professional Staff

Rosa B. Ament, Ph.D.

Director of Counseling Services
Counseling, St. John’s University
Advanced Training/Supervision, Milton H. Erickson Society for Psychotherapy and Hypnosis

Dr. Ament has been the Director of the Counseling Services since 1982. She specializes in helping people from multicultural backgrounds cope with stress caused by major life transitions. Dr. Ament is also an Adjunct Professor of Management in the Lubin School of Business. She is an avid skier and enjoys biking.

Mariesa S. Cruz-Tillery, Ph.D.

Associate Director, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Specialist
Counseling Psychology, Temple University and Teacher's College

Mariesa's psychology training is wide in range with a research focus on resilience, acculturation and identity development in first and second-generation immigrants and multicultural issues in counseling, training, and supervision. She has enjoyed working with a traditional and non-traditional college population for the past several years and approaches her work from a developmental perspective. Areas of interest include: women's issues, relationship and familial conflict, racial/ethnic identity, and coping with stress, anxiety and depression. In her spare time, Mariesa enjoys traveling, independent movies, a nice summer day at the beach and spending time with her husband and their three children.

Jennie Sucilsky, LCSW, Ph.D.

Assistant Director, Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Specialist
Social Work, New York University and Adelphi University
Social Welfare, Stony Brook University

Jennie has worked with adults, children, and families in behavioral health for fifteen years. She specializes in addiction treatment and recovery-focused care and practices from a trauma-informed, person-centered perspective. Jennie is passionate about creating space to understand the connections between larger social justice issues and one’s personal lived experience. While she loves learning and professional development, Jennie also loves to have fun with her daughters and husband doing all sorts of activities like baking, crafting, swimming, and hiking.

Caitlin Gardner, LCSW

Coordinator, Groups and Wellness
Social Work, Boston College

Caitlin’s role involves coordinating wellness and therapeutic groups, facilitating psychoeducational workshops, and providing individual therapy. She is passionate about providing support and encouragement to empower students to attend to their mental health needs. Caitlin’s past experience includes working in a mental health hospital, a primary care clinic, and partial hospital programs for adults, children, and adolescents. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and son, reading, listening to podcasts, and exercising.

Deborah Stromes, LCSW

Senior Staff Clinician
Social Work, Fordham University

Deborah’s role involves clinical assessment and evaluation of students for counseling and providing individual and group therapy. She is dedicated to working with students to help them recognize their abilities and thrive through emotional struggles, in an encouraging and validating environment. Deborah’s past experience includes working in psychiatric facilities with children, adolescents and adults in residential, inpatient and partial hospital levels of care. Deborah is also trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). For recreation she enjoys spending time with her family, decorating, being in the sun, and eating as much sushi as possible.

Benjamin Hindell, LCSW

Staff Clinician
Social Work, New York University
Clinical Psychology, University of Denver

Ben specializes in helping college students cope with anxiety and mood concerns, relationship issues, trauma and grief, gender and sexuality identity development, as well as fostering work-life balance. He has had the privilege of working as a therapist in a variety of college counseling centers including The Julliard School and Colorado College and is excited to be part of the Pace University community. On his free time Ben enjoys time with his partner and children, playing tennis, being in nature, and trying out new restaurants.

Jenn Magdits, LMHC; LPC

Staff Clinician
Mental Health Counseling, Fordham University

Jenn joins the Pace Law Community after over 10 years in public behavioral health, servicing the City of New York’s employees and their families. While Jenn’s theoretical approach is integrated, it is always fueled by curiosity, empathy, and collaboration. Jenn believes in the resiliency of the human spirt and its ability to help us write and rewrite own stories. She is also passionate about raising mental health awareness and decreasing the stigma of mental illness. In her personal life, Jenn enjoy finding new adventures to undertake with her husband and 2 children. She loves the ocean, working out, and finding different ways to be creative.

Eugene J Lombardo, LCSW

Clinical Case Referral Coordinator
Social Work, New York University

Mr. Lombardo works to assist students in finding clinical resources within the community. He has worked in most facets of psychiatric and substance abuse settings and has developed an awareness of the various services and specialties throughout the area. A perennial networker, he is active in cultivating resources for Pace students and is well versed in the systems involved with finding and obtaining health care. In addition to his clinical background, he has worked in administrative, teaching and supervisory positions. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, reading, exercising and meditating.

Ilene Zwirn, M.D.

Consulting Psychiatrist
Psychiatry, Hahnemann University

Consulting Staff

Patti L. Cox, Ph.D.

Process Group Facilitator
Psychology, University of Missouri-Columbia

Nobuko Meaders, C.S.W.

Psychological Consultant
Social Work, University of Texas, Arlington

Support Staff

Grace Griffin

Staff Associate