Barnard College Barnard College

Meet Our Staff

Staff photo

Furman Counseling Staff 2022 - 2023

The Furman Counseling Center staff is made up of psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and interns in these fields.   As a group, we represent a wide variety of professional interests and specializations, including multicultural issues, wellness, sexual identity, women's issues, eating disorders, and social justice. All of us are committed to providing services in ways that recognize, respect, and value the diversity of Barnard students.

Mary Commerford, Ph.D.,(she/her), Director, Furman Counseling
mcommerf@barnard.edu

Education History:

  • Ph.D. Clinical Psychology, Fordham University
  • M.Div. Ministry, Yale University Divinity School
  • A.B. Theology, Philosophy, University of Notre Dame

Professional Interest and Specialties:

  • Eating Disorders
  • Psychoanalysis
  • Spirituality/Religion
  • Women and Young Adult concerns
  • LGBTQ

Kathleen Niegocki, Ph.D., (she/her), Associate and Training Director  

Education History:

  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, Counseling and Psychological Services, Princeton University 
  • Pre doctoral Fellowship, Counseling and Psychological Services, University of Pennsylvania
  • Ph.D.,  Counseling Psychology, Ball State University
  • M.A., Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Social Psychology, Ball State University
  • B.A., Psychology, Earlham College

Professional and Research Interests:

  • Eating Disorder Specialist
  • Eating and body image concerns
  • Trauma recovery
  • Concerns related to relationships, adjustment, and life transitions
  • Cultural and identity concerns
  • Positive psychology, mindfulness, and self-care

Julien A. Almonte, Ph.D.,(she/her), Staff Psychologist and BIPOC Liaison

Education History:

  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, Counseling and Psychological Services, University of Pennsylvania
  • Predoctoral Internship. Counseling and Psychological Services, University of Pennsylvania
  • Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, University at Albany, State University of New York
  • M.A., Counseling Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University
  • B.A., Psychology, Dartmouth College

Professional and Research Interests:

  • Eating and body image concerns
  • Body liberation, dismantling weight stigma, and combating fatphobia
  • Chronic health conditions
  • Grief and loss and existential concerns
  • Cultural and identity concerns
  • Career and Life Transitions
  • Self-esteem development  and self-compassion

Kiswana Alexander, L.C.S.W., (she/her), Staff Psychotherapist and Alcohol and Drug Specialist 

Education History:

  • MSW, Columbia School of Social Work, Columbia University
  • BS, Sociology & Social Work Minor, Marymount Manhattan College

Professional Interests and Specialties:

  • Substance Use & Harm Reduction
  • Trauma and Healing
  • CBT and DBT Interventions (trained in CBT for Sexual Minorities)
  • LGBTQIA+ and Intersectional Identities Wellness 
  • Emerging Adulthood

Christina Liddy, LMSW, (she/her), Case Manager and Staff Psychotherapist

Education History:

  • MSW, School of Social Work, Columbia University
  • B.A., Psychology, New York University

Professional and Research Interests:

  • Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
  • The impact of childhood trauma on adult attachment
  • Emerging Adulthood and Life Transitions

Cyrano Patton, Ph.D., (they/name), Staff Psychologist and Gender & Sexual Minority (GSM) Liaison

Education History:

  • Evaluation and treatment of psychiatric illness in adolescents and young adults
    Medical ethics, research ethics, and narrative writing Postdoctoral Fellowship, Counseling and Psychological Services, Barnard College

  • Predoctoral Fellowship, Adolescent Track, Mount Sinai Morningside and West.

  • Ph.D.,  Clinical Psychology, Case Western Reserve University

  • M.A.,  Clinical Psychology, Case Western Reserve University

  • B.A., Psychology; Philosophy minor, University of California, Berkeley

Professional and Research Interests:

  • Emotional and interpersonal regulation 
  • Identity development and life transitions
  • Relational trauma
  • Integrative interventions (DBT, Mindfulness, and Psychodynamic)
  • Transgender and Gender Expansive (TGE) wellness
  • Sexual Minority (LGBQ) wellness

 

Elizabeth Mc Innes, LCSW, (she/her), Staff Psychotherapist & Crisis/Trauma Specialist

Education History:

  • MSW, Silberman School of Social Work, CUNY Hunter College
  • BA, Anthropology & Latin American Studies, Fordham University

Professional Interests and Specialties:

  • Trauma & Crisis Recovery
  • LGBTQ+ mental health
  • CBT and DBT interventions
  • Immigrant and Refugee/Asylum seeker mental health

Drew Bianchi, M.D., Staff Psychiatrist

Education History:

  • Fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University
  • Residency in Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
  • M.D. University at Buffalo School of Medicine
  • B.A. Psychology, University at Albany

Professional Specialties:

  • Evaluation and treatment of psychiatric illness in adolescents and young adults
  • Mindfulness and meditation
  • Spirituality

Research Interests:

 Clinical applications of mindfulness and spirituality in psychiatry

Lesha D. Shah, M.D.,(she/her), Staff Psychiatrist

Education History:

  • Fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
  • Residency in Psychiatry, Tufts University
  • M.D. Ross University School of Medicine
  • B.A. Political Science, Barnard College

Professional Interests and Specialties:

  • Evaluation and treatment of psychiatric illness in adolescents and young adults
  • Medical ethics, research ethics, and narrative writing

Doctoral Externs:

  • Devon Washington, Doctoral Fellow 
  • Emmett Line, Doctoral Candidate
  • Lea Beresford,  Doctoral Candidate
  • Michael Kerman, Doctoral Candidate

Social Work Intern: 

  • Brittany Murphy

Administrative Staff:

  • Kelin Tamay, (she/her), Department Manager
  • Cachaundra Tarvin, (she/her),Receptionist