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Tania Czarnecki, PsyD
Executive Director of Counseling
(She/Her/Hers)
Dr. Tania Czarnecki is the Executive Director of the Counseling Center. She received her PsyD in clinical psychology from The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and completed her APA-accredited internship at Trenton Psychiatry Hospital / The College of New Jersey’s Counseling Center. Dr. Czarnecki has clinical experience in a variety of treatment settings, including inpatient, outpatient community mental health care, and college counseling centers. Since receiving her doctorate, she has specialized in collegiate and young adult mental health. Dr. Czarnecki served as the Associate Director/ Director of Training at Drexel’s Counseling Center for the last eight years, providing direct clinical services to students, administrative oversight of the Center, as well as establishing the APA-accredited internship and overseeing the training program.
Tania’s professional interests include clinical training and supervision for trainees and staff, developmental issues of early adulthood, multiculturalism, mindfulness, stress/anxiety management and trauma. She is a Pennsylvania licensed psychologist.
Outside of work, Tania loves to spend time outdoors paddleboarding, hiking, or at the beach. She also spends time practicing meditation, tending to her plants, and spending time with her family and rescue dog, Baxter.
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Matthew LeRoy, PsyD
Associate Director of Counseling
Training Director
(He/Him/His)
Matthew LeRoy, PsyD, is the Training Director / Associate Director of the Counseling Center. He received his graduate degree from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology, and has practiced for over ten years at the University of Pennsylvania’s Counseling and Psychological Services. He is a generalist with extensive experience centered on issues related to equity and social responsibility. This work has entailed working with individuals who experience marginalization, and exploring the effect of privilege. He believes being a therapist requires flexibility in approaching students to meet their unique needs, and attention to the way culture and identity affects their lived experiences.
In therapy, Matt believes listening carefully and learning about the specific difficulties clients are experiencing is crucial to helping them live a more meaningful and authentic life. Therapy is inherently a time when individuals examine their lives in an attempt to improve it. In that effort, he sees his role as helping people understand their emotions and different patterns in their lives, which could be hurting their quality of life. He values discussions about relationships including the collaborative relationship between therapist and client, and the most significant relationships in clients' lives.
More personally, Matt enjoys reading speculative fiction, board games, and enjoys spending time with his cat, Arya. He is originally from New York, but over the past ten years has grown to love Philadelphia.
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Barbara Inkeles, PsyD
Assistant Director of Counseling
(She/Her/Hers)
Barbara Inkeles, PsyD, joined Drexel's Counseling Center after spending eight years at The Renfrew Center of Philadelphia, a residential facility specializing in the treatment of girls and women with eating disorders and co-occurring mental health issues, including substance abuse, trauma, low self-esteem, anxiety and depression. Her previous experience also includes providing learning therapy to university students with learning disabilities, other disabilities and ADHD. Barbara works collaboratively with students in identifying treatment goals and developing new coping strategies. She creates a safe and supportive environment for students to explore and navigate the complex interconnection between learning, past experiences, interpersonal communication, self-esteem and general well-being.
Barbara has years of experience working in collaboration with and as a member of interdisciplinary health care teams. Her clinical interests include strategies for creating effective interdisciplinary team collaboration as well as improving the health and wellness of both care providers and recipients through stress management and mindfulness skills. She received her doctoral degree from the Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology at Widener University in 2005.
Aside from work, Barbara enjoys cuddling with her cats, hiking, spending time with loved ones and getting into deep discussions about cars with her three-year-old nephew.
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Elena Cucco, PhD
Staff Psychologist
Outreach Coordinator
(She/Her/Hers)
Elena Cucco, PhD, earned her doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2018 after completing an APA-accredited internship at the Veterans Affairs New Jersey Healthcare System. Subsequently, she completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Princeton University's Counseling and Psychological Services and served as group coordinator at Lehigh University’s Counseling and Psychological Services.
Elena has been working with college students for over ten years and much of her therapeutic style is informed by the honesty, vulnerability, bravery, and hope she sees in her clients. Talking with young folks has taught her to work slowly, care generously, and say what she means. She believes that anyone seeking therapy has come by their pain honestly and that much of what folks find distressing in themselves is a reasonable response to what has happened to them. Thus, she is unlikely to give rote advice and more likely to partner with students in unpacking their histories (personal and generational), learning to trust their feelings, and deciding what wellness would entail for them. While Elena believes in students’ inherent capacity for healing, she holds space in therapy for the very real harm done by forces outside their control and consent like racism, queer phobia, interpersonal violence, and all forms of hate and domination. She thinks that for therapy to be a liberating space, students need the freedom to talk about how their lives are shaped by their identities as well as corresponding experiences of bigotry, marginalization, and erasure. Elena’s interests include trauma and recovery, sexual and interpersonal violence, difficult family relationships, identity development, queer affirming care, Veterans’ concerns, and managing intense emotions.
Outside of work, Elena spends her time listening to mid '00s emo, exploring the wide world of carbohydrates, lovingly caving to the many demands of her rescue dog, and bookmarking Instagram workouts she will likely never complete.
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Catherine Dubaillou, PsyD
Lead Psychologist
(She/Her/Hers)
Catherine Dubaillou, PsyD, received her master of arts degree in art therapy from Drexel University in 1999 and her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Widener University in 2012. She previously spent four years at The Renfrew Center in Philadelphia, a residential facility specializing in the treatment of women suffering from eating disorders and co-occurring mental health problems. Prior to The Renfrew Center, she provided services in a variety of settings including community-based mental health clinics, a veteran's medical center, inpatient, residential and partial hospital settings. She has experience working with families, couples, children and adults from various backgrounds and levels of functioning. Her clinical experience began in the art therapy field.
Catherine primarily conceptualizes her clinical work from an integrative psychodynamic and interpersonal-relational theoretical framework, but incorporates interventions from a variety of theories based on the student's needs and presenting issues. Her training as an art therapist has made her particularly attuned to the role of creativity, the use of metaphors, and non-verbal approaches to treatment. Catherine emphasizes a collaborative therapeutic relationship where the focus is on fostering personal growth and awareness and in helping students make choices that are adaptive and empowering.
Catherine's professional areas of interest include body image and eating disorders, trauma, interpersonal relationship issues, cultural transitions, sociocultural influences and socioeconomic status in adjustment issues. As a French native, she is also fluent in French.
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James Kim, PsyD
Staff Psychologist
Groups Coordinator
(He/Him/His)
James received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2019 from George Fox University in Newberg, OR after completing his pre-doctoral internship at Drexel Counseling Center in Philadelphia, PA. He earned his bachelor's degree in Biblical Studies from Lancaster Bible College in Lancaster, PA, and his master's in Clinical Psychology at George Fox University in Newberg, OR.
James has clinical experience working with college and graduate students from various college counseling centers. He has also provided clinical services in community mental health settings and crisis consultation services at emergency departments.
James takes a Relational-Cultural approach to therapy, the idea that we are relationally oriented, and human connection provides meaning and empowerment in one's life. In addition to understanding the student's concern within the context of past and present interpersonal relationship patterns and sociocultural factors that may intersect with their experience, he utilizes aspects of Humanistic Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy to meet the student's goals. His clinical interests include diversity/multiculturalism/cultural humility, group therapy, spirituality, relational concerns, identity formation.
Outside of work, you can find James catching up on TV shows/movies, adding songs to his ever-growing music playlist, spending time with loved ones, taking road trips, and exploring new areas/eateries.
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Minsun Lee, PhD
Staff Psychologist
(She/Her/Hers)
Minsun Lee, PhD, received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Drexel University in 2012, after completing her pre-doctoral internship at the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Florida. Before joining the Center, she served as Assistant Professor at Temple University School of Medicine where she conducted studies to enhance health equity in racial/ethnic minority populations through community-based participatory research.
As a clinical health psychologist by training, Minsun worked in various multidisciplinary settings including sleep, oncology, and pain clinics, rehabilitation services, HIV partnership center, and community-based mental health clinics, as well as student counseling centers. She primarily adopts a broad-based cognitive and behavioral orientation utilizing a biopsychosocial perspective, but incorporates psychodynamic, humanistic, and interpersonal approaches to address clients' unique needs. Minsun values a culturally adapted approach in therapy and is passionate about serving diverse clients who face a variety of biopsychosocial issues including somatic symptoms, depression and anxiety, interpersonal issues, acculturation, and social identity in their journey to self-discovery and maturation. Minsun is available to provide therapy in Korean.
During her spare time, Minsun enjoys watching feel-good movies and TV shows with her loved ones. She also frequents local gardens and parks to roam around and interact with her neighbors and their small dogs.
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Stephanie Shiffler, PhD
Part-Time Staff Psychologist / Alcohol and Other Drugs Specialization
(She/Her/Hers)
Stephanie Shiffler, PhD, received her doctorate in Counseling Psychology from University of Georgia in 2020 and completed her APA-accredited internship and postdoctoral residency at Lehigh University’s Counseling and Psychological Services. She is a part-time staff therapist, specializing in AOD. Stephanie also works in private practice, providing long-term therapy to individuals and couples.
Stephanie operates from a relational, emotion-focused perspective when conducting therapy, aiming to see the world through her clients’ eyes. She prioritizes students’ lived experiences, making space to explore intersecting identities and to process challenging life experiences. Stephanie is especially interested in helping students understand and optimize their relationships to substances by providing a nonjudgmental space in which they can be open about their use. She believes that shame often interferes with our ability to get curious about our behavior and take constructive steps toward healing.
Stephanie uses her time away from work connecting with loved ones, being outside, and watching bad television.
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Robia Smith-Herman, LCSW
Staff Therapist/Embedded BIPOC Specialist
(She/Her/Hers)
Robia Smith-Herman, LCSW, joined the Counseling Center and Center for Black Culture in January of 2022. She received her Bachelor’s in Psychology and Africana Studies from Gettysburg College, and her Master's in Social Service from the Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research at Bryn Mawr College. Prior to joining the Drexel team, she worked at the Renfrew Center of Radnor as the Team Leader and Student Internship Supervisor.
Within the therapeutic relationship, Robia is strength based, with a significant focus on the person in their environment with their intersecting identities. As an integrative therapist, she uses skills from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Relational Cultural Theory, Exposure Therapy, including Prolonged Exposure, and Psychodynamic Therapy.
More personally, Robia is a huge soccer fan, loves Broadway, and enjoys visits to National Parks. Originally from Maryland, Robia has been in PA for over 10 years.
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Sarah Maver, PsyD
Staff Psychologist
Peer Support
(She/Her/Hers)
Sarah Maver received her doctorate in clinical psychology from Immaculata University in 2021 after completing her pre-doctoral internship at Drexel University Counseling Center. Subsequently, she completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Tuttleman Counseling Services at Temple University. Sarah earned her interdisciplinary bachelor's degree in biology and psychology from Loyola University Maryland and a master's degree in clinical psychology from Immaculata University.
Prior to entering the college counseling world, Sarah spent time working in residential, inpatient hospital, and outpatient medical settings. In therapy, she primarily utilizes relational and psychodynamic perspectives, focusing on a client's strengths and holding space to explore the various pieces of their identity. She also incorporates interventions from other modalities, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy. Sarah strives to create a warm, collaborative, and safe space where clients can be their authentic selves. Her areas of clinical interest include difficulties in relationships, adjustment, body image and eating concerns, cultural humility, and peer counseling. In addition to her clinical work, Sarah leads the peer support programs at the Counseling Center.
Outside of work, Sarah enjoys spending time with loved ones, adventuring through the city with her dog, reading and researching, and visiting new places.
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Melisa Mitchell, MSW, LSW
Case Manager/Therapist
(She/Her/Hers)
Melisa Mitchell joined the Counseling Center in October of 2022 as their clinical case manager. Melisa received her Masters of Social Work degree and Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology with a minor in geography and urban studies at West Chester University. She also completed her post-graduate trauma studies certificate at Widener University. Melisa is passionate about empowering and helping others to achieve their goals. Melisa has experience in clinical work serving individuals of all life stages and diverse backgrounds at an acute psychiatric crisis center; community-based mental health clinics; and non-profit agencies providing crisis intervention, counseling, care coordination, and case management services.
Melisa works from a strength-based, humanistic, psychodynamic, and behavioral approach to counseling. Melisa also integrates different therapeutic techniques tailored to her client’s current needs, such as motivational interviewing, mindfulness, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Melisa believes in creating a nurturing and calm environment that fosters safety, respect, empathy, collaboration, and authenticity for her clients to facilitate their growth and wellness. Her clinical interests include diversity, relationships, personal growth, grief and loss, life adjustments, depression, anxiety, and stress management.
In her spare time, Melisa enjoys watching anime, shows, and movies; baking; and playing video games. She also enjoys reading, drawing, spending time with loved ones and pets, and trying out new things.
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Mara Capistrano, LCSW
Staff Therapist, DEI Focus
(She/Her/Hers)
Mara Capistrano is a clinical social worker and practices in Pennsylvania. She was born in Quezon City, Philippines and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mara grew up in a multi-generational, immigrant household. She received her bachelor's from Rosemont College, and then attended Bryn Mawr College for her Masters in Social Services.
She has been a licensed mental health provider for over ten years, practicing mostly in Philadelphia. Her experience includes HIV counseling and testing, substance use treatment, psychiatric rehabilitation, and college counseling. In the university setting, Mara provides individual and group therapy, using a strengths-based, multi-cultural and trauma-informed approach.
Outside of work hours, Mara appreciates time with her family and extended family, gardening, and traveling. She loves watching sci-fi, fantasy, and basketball.
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Zachary Hankle, PsyD
Athletics-Embedded Clinical Psychologist
(He/Him/His)
Zachary Hankle, PsyD is the athletics-embedded clinical psychologist. His role is focused on providing therapeutic services to Drexel's community of student athletes. Zach completed his doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology from Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA. He earned his MS in Counseling Psychology from Chatham University, and a BA in Communication from the University of Cincinnati. Zach has prior clinical experience in college counseling centers, outpatient clinics, and inpatient medical hospitals.
Zach's theoretical foundation is in cognitive behavioral therapy with an integration of third-wave techniques such as dialectical behavioral, acceptance and commitment, and mindfulness therapy to meet students’ unique needs. He utilizes a multicultural lens as well as emphasizes genuineness and compassion in forming strong therapeutic relationships. Zach welcomes the opportunity to work with student athletes and his office can be found in the Daskalakis Athletic Center.
Aside from work, Zach enjoys taking long walks, talking about his home city of Pittsburgh, and watching any sporting event he can find.
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Kelly Ozambela, PhD
Lead Psychologist
(He/Him/His)
Kelly earned his doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Temple University after completing his pre-doctoral internship at the University of Florida Counseling Center. He received a Master of Education degree in Counseling Psychology in Higher Education from Northern Arizona University and earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Northern Michigan University in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Kelly joined the Drexel University Counseling center with over 20 years of experience working in university settings. He also brings seven years of experience working in community mental health and federally qualified health center settings in the Northeast and East Falls sections of Philadelphia.
Kelly is a generalist who has expertise working with a broad range of concerns and student populations. Some of his expertise includes working with life transition and adjustment issues, relationship, anxiety, depression, identity development, identity-based stress and trauma, self-esteem, acculturation, stress-management, ADHD, academic performance, alcohol and other drugs, sleep, career development, and grief. Kelly is appreciative of working with all students, and he values providing affirming care to students who may historically underutilize mental health services. He thus holds a deep commitment to working with first-generation, BIPOC, immigrant, DACA and undocumented, international, LGBTQIA+, and neurodivergent students. Kelly also has native fluency in Spanish and enjoys working LatinX Spanish- and "Spanglish-" speaking clients.
As a clinician and consultant, he seeks to establish a collaborative relationship of understanding and respect for the multicultural and intersectional aspects of one's identities within their social context. His advocacy efforts are guided by a social justice and human rights perspective. Kelly's theoretical orientation is integrative with a focus on interpersonal, existential, psychodynamic, and mindfulness-based CBT interventions. He also conceptualizes from a holistic wellness perspective to clarify areas of imbalance, as well as one's resources and strengths. Kelly also finds it helpful at times to provide psychoeducation, paired with experiential interventions in some circumstances, designed to provide immediate amelioration of individuals' distress and somatic-based symptoms.
Outside of work hours, Kelly enjoys being at home time with his family cooking, gardening, tending to their backyard chickens, and binge-watching comedy and sci-fi. Away from home, he enjoys "forest bathing" — seeking opportunities to be immersed in nature, and during warmer months, surfing.
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Nick Dalvano
MS, LPC, NCC
(He/Him/His)
Nick Dalvano, LPC, received his Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Scranton after completing his major internship working with college students with a wide variety of presenting concerns. During this time, he saw the wide range of unique struggles that students can face while managing the difficult demands of academia. His bachelor's in counseling and human services was completed at the same school. His previous experience also includes providing therapy to individuals struggling with eating disorders and co-occurring disorders such as substance abuse, trauma, low self-esteem, uncertain gender and sexuality identities, anxiety, and depression in a residential treatment setting. Before this, he provided brief outpatient services, crisis intervention, and family-based interventions, and worked on many interdisciplinary teams.
Nick's goal is to create a space where students can feel the freedom and safety to explore who they truly are, what they hope to accomplish, and how to navigate the many struggles and trials of life. He works from a strengths-based, person-centered, relational-cultural, solution-focused perspective in addition to incorporating many interventions from other therapeutic techniques and theories. Nick likes to adapt his approach to best suit the student's needs, ranging from direct to indirect, serious to casual, and logical to emotional.
Outside of work, Nick is a passionate cyclist and races in varying disciplines around the East Coast. He also loves spending time with friends and family, watching anime/K-dramas, and playing video games.
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