Miriam Clark, MSN, FNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner/Practice Manager
miclark@lasell.edu
617-243-2216

Jennifer O'Keefe, MSN, ANP-BC
Nurse Practitioner/Practice Manager
jokeefe@lasell.edu
617-243-2077

Monica Powtak
Administrative Assistant
mpowtak@lasell.edu
617-243-2451

Sharon Harrington-Hope, MA, LMHC
Director of Counseling and Clinical Counselor
she, her, hers
sharrington-hope@lasell.edu
617-243-2145

Sharon honors diversity in its variety of forms and is grateful to have the opportunity to know and work with all Lasell students. She strives to create a supportive connection with anyone seeking help as she works to understand the unique strengths and needs of her clients. Her areas of clinical interest include: the experience of first-generation students, integrating multicultural perspectives in counseling, utilizing a trauma-informed lens, and supporting people in recovery from addictive or self-injurious behaviors.  
  
When not in the office (or the telehealth screen) she enjoys spending time with family, biking, walking her dog, and trying new recipes.  

Joanna Garcia, MA, LMHC
Clinical Counselor
she, her, hers
jgarcia2@lasell.edu
617-243-2286

As a clinician of color, Joanna is interested in recognizing the diverse individual and collective experiences and identities of each person. She aims to create and hold space for each student in a way that is culturally responsive and inclusive. Her areas of clinical interest include: intergenerational trauma, BIPOC identity development, domestic violence, racial trauma and stress, mind-body connection, and psychospirituality. 

Outside of work, Joanna enjoys listening and dancing to music, hiking, cooking, trying different cuisines, and exploring different nature landscapes in the US and abroad. 

Adela Hruby, PhD, MPH, MS 
Health Educator and Clinical Counselor
she, her, hers
ahruby@lasell.edu
617-243-2334

Adela believes that life is easier when someone else "gets it." She aims to provide that kind of feeling to students in counseling. She feels it is a privilege to accompany students on their journey of self-discovery and reaching their unique potential. Her areas of clinical interest include: anxiety, grief, eating disorders and hoarding, holistic well-being, and psychospirituality.   

When not in the Counseling Center, you'll find her campaigning for and teaching public health, conducting research, baking in her kitchen, hiking in the Whites, or on her yoga mat. 

Lenora Benson, MSW, LICSW  
Clinical Counselor
she, her, hers
lbenson@lasell.edu
617-243-2054

Lenora is fulfilled when she has the opportunity to help and support diverse groups of students on their journey to self-discovery and healing. She approaches her practice with an open mind and sees the therapeutic relationship as a collaboration and partnership. Lenora wants every person to leave a session feeling a bit more equipped and confident in their own strength and ability to persevere and be resilient through life’s most challenging and complicated moments. Her areas of clinical interest include: intergenerational trauma, racial trauma and stress, substance use disorders, anxiety, and the mind-body connection.

In her free time you can find her creating memories with family and friends, participating in hot yoga, working out, running, getting a massage, or EATING! She will also never turn down a comedy show, poetry slam, or a Beyoncé concert.

Cindy Spertner, MA
Office Manager
she, her, hers
cspertner@lasell.edu
617-243-2181

Cindy has a B.A. in English/Education and a master’s degree in Writing and Publishing. She has worked as a writing instructor and was an editor at Teen Ink magazine for over 12 years. Her professional interests include writing, editing, expressive/art therapy, and empowering students and staff in the Lasell community.  
 
Outside of work, Cindy enjoys spending time with family, baking apple pies, creating new soup recipes, walking in the woods, and working toward her goal of reading 500 novels in her lifetime. 

Our clinical and social work interns are graduate students in mental health counseling or social work, completing their clinical training in the Counseling Center. They conduct individual and group counseling, and facilitate various academic and mental health programs across campus.

Amy Foley 
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Intern 
she/her/hers 
AmFoley@lasell.edu 

Amy is currently completing her final year of her master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Lesley University. She believes in a collaborative, non-judgmental approach to counseling, and her clinical interests are grounded in feminist and person-centered approaches. Professionally, she is interested in supporting emerging adults as they navigate college experiences and independence. Prior to Lasell University, Amy was a clinical intern at the Rivier University Counseling Center.   

In her free time, Amy enjoys dancing (specifically ballet, jazz, and contemporary), reading, knitting, baking, and spending time with her cat. 
 

Sara Freeman, MFA 
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Intern 
She/Her/Hers 
SFreeman@lasell.edu 

Sara believes in the healing power of relationships and views the therapy session as collaborative and creative in nature. She approaches each session and client with openness, empathy, and respect, and is informed by the idea that clients are the experts of their own experiences. She hopes that therapy can be a safe place to explore, deepen, and begin to repair one’s relationship to oneself, and to others. Her areas of clinical interest are psychodynamic, feminist, existential, trauma-informed, and writing therapy. 

Sara is in the second year of her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Lesley University. She brings with her over a decade worth of experience as a college writing instructor and fiction writer, and is fluent in French and Spanish. She hopes to bring her deep knowledge of the trials and tribulations of the artistic process to her counseling work.
 
In her spare time, Sara loves reading and writing, watching movies, catching up with friends and family, baking, and spending time outdoors with her gregarious toddler. 
 

Dana Hatab 
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Intern 
She/her/hers 
dhatab@lasell.edu 
  
Dana is in her final year of clinical training in the master’s of Mental Health Counseling program at Boston College. She is interested in questions of meaning and purpose, and through an existential lens seeks to understand the diversity and dimensionality of the human experience. She believes that healing looks different for everyone and thus employs a holistic approach when working with clients, drawing from humanistic, relational, and cognitive-behavioral perspectives. Grounded in her own experience as a woman of color, she understands the complexities of identity development and intersectionality, inspiring her strong passion for both multicultural integration and psychospirituality. 
  
In her free time, Dana enjoys walking in nature, baking, spending time with her loved ones, and tracking down the best hummus in Boston! 
 

Genevieve Martin  
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Intern 
she/her/hers 
gemartin@lasell.edu 
 
Genevieve is in her final year of the master’s program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Lesley University. She believes in highlighting the strengths of every individual and seeks to support clients exactly where they are in their journey, no matter what that journey entails. She is person-centered, strengths-oriented, and is interested in supporting individuals who are going through life transitions, experiencing anxiety or depression, navigating relationship problems or family dynamics, moving through health issues, or seeking to increase their self-esteem and confidence, among many other challenges one may face. She believes every human has unique strengths and potential and seeks to help her clients know themselves and see their own strengths.  
 
In her free time, Genevieve likes to go on walks, exercise, cook or bake, listen to podcasts, and hang out with friends and loved ones. 
 

Brandon A. Páez 
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Intern 
he/him/his 
bpaez@lasell.edu  

Brandon is in the final year of clinical training at Boston College and hopes to pursue his PhD in Clinical Psychology in the future. Brandon is committed to cultivating a space where all clients are not only seen and listened to, but valued and celebrated. His counseling orientation is grounded in a humanistic relational-cultural approach that emphasizes the power of social connection and belonging in healing. He seeks to incorporate a whole person framework into his clinical practice since he believes there is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives. Brandon is passionate about working with the LGBTQ community and advocating for a better future.  
 
During his free time, Brandon likes to walk through nature, listen to music, read a good book, row on the Charles River, and spend quality time with his loved ones. 
 

Pritha Ray-Costello 
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Intern 
She/Her/Hers 
PRay-Costello@lasell.edu 
 
Pritha is in her final year of her master’s program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in trauma studies at Lesley University. She is interested in the mind-body-soul connection and supporting individuals who struggle with trauma, self-esteem and identity issues. Pritha is a first-generation student and immigrant who understands feeling like an imposter and not fitting in. Pritha adapts a relational-cultural approach with client centered therapy and also appreciates art and expressive therapies. Pritha is interested in a holistic approach and believes there is no one size fits all approach to counseling as everyone is different. She is looking forward to supporting students as they navigate difficult terrain and aims to provide a safe space for all.  
 
In her free time, Pritha likes to spend time with her two cats and her partner. Pritha loves to watch movies and TV shows (Her favorites are Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Disney) She also likes to cook and try new recipes and restaurants.