About Us

Counseling, Health & Wellness (CHW) provides medical, counseling, and wellness education services to Suffolk students as well as consultation and education to the entire campus community regarding student well-being. We look forward to connecting with you!

Counseling, Health & Wellness believes that health is multi-faceted and requires a holistic, culturally informed approach that attends to the unique needs of each student.  Our mission is to provide integrated services that support the academic success and personal development of our students.  Through counseling and medical services, wellness education, consultation, education, and community referrals, we support student and community well-being in a responsive, professional, and caring setting.

CHW takes an active stance against oppression in all forms, seeking to provide an identity-affirming space where all students feel comfortable seeking care and support. CHW staff strive to recognize the impact of oppression and privilege based on identities including sex, gender identity and expression, race, ethnicity, nation of origin/immigration status, sexual/affectional orientation, age, physical and mental abilities, neurodiversity, body size, religious beliefs, socioeconomic class, health status, and many other forms of personal identity or background. As a department, we aspire to understand and promote equality, empowerment, and healing for students impacted by systemic oppression, such as racism and sexism, human-rights violations, violence, or other social justice concerns in the United States or within countries of origin for international students. CHW staff have a responsibility to identify and respond to prejudicial attitudes and practices within themselves and others, working to recognize bias when it appears and seeking its elimination. We invite students seeking a confidential and safe space to openly discuss concerns related to diversity, identity, or prejudice, including how these concerns impact their experience at Suffolk or within CHW.

CHW counseling and medical services attend to and support the range of intersecting sociocultural identities represented among Suffolk students. We work collaboratively with students to provide culturally-informed services designed to recognize the impact of privilege and/or oppression, provide identity-affirming treatment options, and support and empower students with a holistic approach to health. CHW also provides consultation and education to the entire Suffolk community to increase access to identity-affirming wellness resources and practices, develop community understanding of the connections between wellness, oppression, and privilege, and advocate for the resources needed for healing at individual and institutional levels. CHW staff participate in in-service seminars, supervision, and/or continuing education opportunities related to culturally informed clinical practice skills, personal reflection and awareness regarding the impact of their own identities and unconscious bias, and understanding the impact of current events within the US and around the world.

Director

Stephanie Kendall

Director/Training Director

I joined the Suffolk community in 2016 and continue to love my job and the community it serves. As a psychologist and college health professional for over 20 years, I remain passionate about student wellness and increasing access to mental health and medical services for all students. Creating identity-affirming spaces for healing and growth is central to why I became a healthcare provider. Getting to live out those values with Suffolk’s diverse student population and CHW staff is one of the most meaningful aspects of my work. Areas of professional interest include enhancing college health service delivery systems, the integration of trauma-informed practices in healthcare, and the role of the body in psychological healing. I welcome connecting with students and all community members to hear feedback about CHW, collaborate in sustaining a campus culture of support and resilience, and identify ways we can continue to reduce systemic barriers to accessing healthcare. In my spare time, I can be found spending time outside (running, biking, or just being), cooking, volunteering for my spiritual community, and spending time with my wife and kids.

Counseling

Learn more about how to make a counseling appointment.

Natasha Torkelson

Assistant Director, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Licensed Psychologist and Clinical Supervisor

I first joined the Suffolk community in 2015 as a doctoral intern and returned as a staff member in Fall 2017. I became a psychologist specifically to support students of color because I still remember how important it was to have support from members of my own community. As a clinician, I work from an empowerment-oriented, social justice perspective, prioritize collaboration and transparency, and aim to care for, accept and uplift students, while challenging them to make the changes they need to in their lives. I love working at Suffolk because the students are amazing! I am committed to supporting students from all different backgrounds in achieving their dreams and minimizing barriers. I aim to call out bias and oppression, help students understand the impact of societal prejudice and marginalization, and to respect, value, and work to understand each person’s intersectional identities. I specialize in trauma, relational concerns, and working with BIPOC and other students with minoritized identities, with particular focus on aiding students in understanding the impact of culture and oppression on mental health, and navigating racial trauma and the racial identity development process. When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my children, reading fantasy novels, and baking.

Brice Tucker

Doctoral Intern

I joined CHW staff in August 2024 as a Doctoral Intern. I love being able to connect with students with a goal of increasing and maintaining well-being. I value the unique identities of each of my clients and work to understand how identities have impacted their reasons for counseling and previous life experiences. I utilize techniques from a variety of therapeutic theories but I primarily use CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy), both of which focus on identifying the connections between feelings, thoughts, and behaviors that impact well-being. Working with students to understand themselves and to live their lives in a way that aligns with their values is important to me. I enjoy working with all students and I have a specific passion for working with sexual and gender diverse individuals. When I am not at CHW, I enjoy watching reality competition shows, seeing live music, and exploring the Boston area.

Elizabeth Shum

Staff Psychologist/Practicum Coordinator
Licensed Psychologist and Clinical Supervisor

I joined CHW in August, 2023. I enjoy helping students with the exciting and sometimes difficult tasks of adjusting to college, finding community, and discovering what you need to thrive and live in line with your values, understanding that we all operate from our own unique lens and cultural background. One of my core beliefs is that we are all on a lifelong journey of learning.  As CHW’s Practicum Coordinator, I oversee the Practicum Training program and enjoy providing supervision to our Practicum Student clinicians each year. I am passionate about integrated healthcare, having spent the first part of my career working in primary care clinics serving diverse populations, most recently Latinx & other immigrant populations in East Boston. As a therapist, I draw on multiple approaches to best help the person in front of me including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Solution-Focused Behavioral Therapy (SFBT). In my spare time, I am an outdoor enthusiast and love spending time outdoors playing sports, being active, or lounging (I recently bought a hammock) and hanging out with my two cats, Stormy & Bear. 

Practicum Student

I’m a second-year clinical psychology Ph.D. student here at Suffolk and started working with CHW as a practicum student in Fall 2024. I’m looking forward to working with Suffolk students in therapy. I previously worked in a research role at The National Center for PTSD exploring interventions to prevent intimate partner violence. My current research interests are focus on trauma, specifically on better understanding experiences of dissociation, recovered traumatic memories in adulthood, and factors that promote post-traumatic growth in individuals. When I’m not working, I enjoy free diving and scuba diving when the weather is nice, trying out new recipes, and binge watching my favorite shows.

Ji Yu

Staff Psychologist/Multicultural Specialist

I joined CHW in January 2024 as a Multicultural Specialist in Counseling. Previously, I served as a Doctoral Intern with CHW in 2019-2020 and am delighted to have returned as a staff member. What I like most about working in CHW is the diverse Suffolk student population and being part of a team committed to student well-being. As a therapist, I mainly utilize culturally-informed, psychodynamic, and trauma-informed approaches. I strive to understand who people are through an integrated view of identities, backgrounds, and relationships in order to develop a healing journey together. Some of my particular interests include: working with international students, women’s experiences in Asian culture, complex trauma, family concerns, and grief. I’m also experienced in providing counseling in Mandarin and look forward to connecting with students who prefer to speak Mandarin for therapy. In my free time, I like to try different foods and good coffees, taking care of my plants, and enjoy walking outside on sunny days.

Megan Nelson

Staff Psychologist

I first joined the Suffolk community in 2021 as a doctoral intern and returned as a staff member in the Fall 2023. I pursued a career in college mental health and specifically decided to return to Suffolk because I believe in the power of relationships and particularly the Suffolk community. In both my personal and professional lives, I value conversations regarding intersectional identities, systemic power dynamics, and antiracist efforts. As a mental health provider, I believe the relationship I build with my clients is the main ingredient in the healing process. Therefore, I strive to create an authentic and trusting environment in which all parts of our identities can be acknowledged and processed. I am committed to supporting students with intersectionally marginalized identities and continue to be dedicated to making resources equitable for all students. In practice, I specialize in interpersonal traumas including sexual violence, childhood traumas, identity-based trauma, and the impact of generational trauma. I also enjoy working with the LGBTQIA+ community and aim to create spaces in which the LGBTQIA+ community can gather to not only celebrate queer identities, but to embrace and meet others with other intersectional identities as well. In my free time, I love to watch artsy movies – especially the Oscar nominated films, practice mindfulness and yoga, and dance.

Michael Denton Smith

Case Manager
Licensed Mental Health Counselor

I joined CHW in 2020. To me, being a case manager is more than just connecting a student to resources; it’s also giving students the tools to navigate the process of finding resources on their own. College is a time of transition, growth and independence, and it feels very rewarding to be part of that process for our students. I was drawn to Suffolk for its diverse student population and its programs for First-Generation Students. As a mental health counselor, my areas of interest include adjustment and life transition issues, anxiety, depression, interpersonal issues, and working with LGBTQ+ students. In my spare time, I love to sing, explore new cities, try new foods and restaurants, and spend quality time with my husband.

Practicum Student

I am a second-year clinical psychology Ph.D. student at Suffolk and joined CHW as a Practicum Student in the Fall of 2024. One of my favorite things about working with Suffolk’s diverse student population is the range of strengths and interests students use to problem solve for themselves and their communities in creative and meaningful ways. I have experience working with late-stage adolescents and young adults in therapeutic settings, enjoy my work with students, and hope to help in any way I can by providing my perspective as a Black woman and first-generation student. Outside of work, I like to explore my artistic side by attending concerts and live music shows, visiting art museums, exhibitions and other performances, and watching movies with friends and loved ones.

Nikki Bansal

Doctoral Intern

I joined CHW staff in 2024 as a Doctoral Intern. I have experience with various mental health concerns, including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, OCD, trauma, identity development, and more. I love connecting with my clients and fostering an accepting, non-judgmental, and empathetic space in therapy. I like to use humor and levity in sessions when I can. I strive to collaborate with each client to ensure that they feel empowered in therapy. As a queer woman of color, I am especially passionate about working with the LGBTQIA+ students, BIPOC students, and others who have experienced forms of marginalization and oppression. I enjoy working with diverse populations because I recognize the importance of cultivating space to discuss identity and related experiences. I like to draw from a multicultural, trauma-informed framework while incorporating elements of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), positive psychology, and relational modalities. When I am not in the office, I am probably curled up watching tv with my dog and cat or out for a swim.

Sam Greco

Practicum Student

I joined CHW in the Fall 2024 as a Practicum Student as part of my Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology at Suffolk. I am excited to continue engaging with our diverse community as a counseling provider. My research focuses on the impact of cultural factors on therapy, particularly in the Asian American community, and I am committed to approaching therapy from a multicultural framework when working with clients with diverse identities. My previous clinical work was focused on individuals with developmental disabilities, including adolescents with ADHD. I have a continued interest in exploring how clients can be empowered to cope with and disrupt systemic and societal oppression. In my personal life, I love hanging out with my cat and exploring new restaurants and coffee shops.

Sharon Stein

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

I joined CHW in 2019 after 35 years in private practice and community mental health. For many of those years I pursued opportunities to work with diverse populations and to provide care for people with limited access to health care. I love the Suffolk community, both the students and the staff, and I look forward to coming to work every day. I appreciate the opportunity to support such a diverse community, and I strive to meet each student where they are. Although my job primarily entails diagnosis and medication, I bring a strong background in holistic health care, which I share as part of my approach to mental health and wellness. Feel free to ask me about exercise, yoga, meditation, nutrition, supplements, herbs, or any other holistic approach! When I’m not at CHW I enjoy being a mom, working as the head nurse at a summer camp, spending time in nature, dog training, cooking, reading, and any opportunity to learn something new.

Taylor Stewart

Doctoral Intern

I joined the Suffolk Community in 2024 as a Doctoral Intern and am excited to be working with the diverse undergraduate and graduate student population here. I take a strengths-based and social justice-oriented approach in my clinical work. I am particularly passionate about working with students of Color and students with minoritized identities. I enjoy exploring issues related to racial identity and racial trauma as well as issues related to religion/spirituality in therapy. I primarily draw from Relational Cultural Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approaches in my work with clients. When I am not at CHW, I enjoy spending time with my family, nature trails, and a warm cup of tea.

Medical

Learn more about how to make a medical appointment.

Tracy Allen

Associate Director, Medical Operations Director
Nurse Practitioner

I joined the CHW team in 2016 still love coming to Suffolk every day. The University’s commitment to access, to restorative justice, and to promoting health and wellness makes me proud to be part of this community. I am pleased to be able to serve on the CHW leadership team, the DEI team, the COVID integrated response team, and also to provide direct care to patients one day each week in the clinic. I want Suffolk students to know that meeting people where they are is a defining aspect of my practice. For over ten years, I have pursued opportunities to work with diverse patient populations as a clinician and also to identify and eliminate barriers to receiving quality healthcare as an administrator and manager. In my role, I aim to properly equip the CHW Health clinicians to maintain identity-affirming spaces that honor personal health beliefs while providing supportive and evidence-based medical interventions to meet patients’ needs. When I am not at CHW, I love playing with my two puppy rescues (Penny Lane and Sgt. Pepper), making music (mostly singing Broadway show tunes), and playing board games with my family.

Alison Vivian

Nurse Practitioner

I joined the Suffolk community in 2022. I love my job because it allows me to provide accessible medical care to a diverse patient population with various medical conditions while also having the opportunity to positively impact someone’s life. In my practice, I am committed to providing ample time to listen to each patient’s needs, knowing this leads to the best clinical outcomes. I also work to maintain awareness of my own biases in order to provide the best medical care for each one of my patients. Specific areas of clinical expertise include complex chronic illness, disease prevention/screening, and women’s health. When I am not at Suffolk, I enjoy exercising, spending time with friends/family, and traveling.

Chery Cepeda

Medical Assistant

I started offering medical assistance at CHW in 2017 and value the opportunity to provide high quality care to our students. I love that I work with a diverse group of students and staff and that we can all learn from one another. I work hard to create a welcoming environment for every student where I can provide assistance by doing blood pressure checks and collecting vital signs, administering vaccines, performing phlebotomy, and offering health education. When I’m not in CHW, I can be found spending time with my family or friends, looking up places to visit, or shopping.

Medical Assistant

I joined the CHW community is 2023 as a Medical Assistant. What I love about this environment is that I get an opportunity to learn from others and participate in a community that is diverse and inclusive. At CHW, I offer my skills in phlebotomy, vaccine administration, and triaging patients/collecting vital signs. I find it rewarding to work with both the students and staff members here. When I am not at CHW, I spend my time shopping and traveling with my daughter and my dog.

Jasmine Haque-Ahmed headshot

Nurse Practitioner

I started working with the CHW team in the spring of 2023. I thoroughly enjoy Suffolk’s energetic, dynamic, and diverse student population. It is particularly rewarding to have the opportunity to provide impactful healthcare and education during students’ time at Suffolk University. I am genuinely interested in the lives of my patients and actively try to practice medicine with holistic goals in mind. I am particularly interested in global health, social determinants of health care, and infertility medicine. I enjoy traveling, trying to reproduce impossible recipes, drinking coffee, and chasing my children around town.

Nurse Practitioner

I have been a member of the CHW Health team since September 2014. I chose a career in nursing to make an impactful difference and to promote the health of patients and the community. Prior to CHW, I worked in a community health care setting in Boston for 8 years. My primary clinical interests include sexual health, preventative GYN care, and health promotion. When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, traveling, exercise, cooking, photography, and visiting museums/galleries.

Annie Brewster headshot

Physician Consultant to CHW Health
MGH Affiliated MD

I serve as the medical consultant for Counseling Health and Wellness at Suffolk. I am an Assistant Professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a practicing physician at Massachusetts General Hospital. I am also the founder and executive director of Health Story Collaborative (HSC), a Boston-based nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals navigating health challenges find meaning, and ultimately heal, through storytelling.

I live in Cambridge, Massachusetts with my husband, teenagers, and two dogs. I prefer to be awake rather than asleep, and love to hike, run in the woods, ski, and play ice hockey.

Wellness

Learn more about how to request a program.

Laura Golitko

Assistant Director for Wellness

I joined CHW in 2021 and love bringing wellness education to Suffolk’s student body. In particular, I enjoy mentoring the SUPERs (SU Peer Health Educators) and Wellness Graduate Fellows, as well as teaching wellness programs on nutrition, movement, stress management, mindfulness, and healthy relationships. Prior to entering higher education, I worked in the Boston Public Schools for six years as a Wellness and Physical Education teacher. I enjoy being an active member of the CHW DEI Team and look forward to bringing diverse wellness programing to CHW. As a former student athlete, I also enjoy working with student athletes and connecting them to CHW services. My favorite hobbies include, running, yoga, and playing with my Australian Shepherds, Maverick and Mae.

Administrative

Julianne Lenehan

Community Health and Immunizations Manager

I joined CHW in 2022 and love the high energy levels around campus when the students are here. I most enjoy attending events that allow me to interact with our students because it helps me understand both the challenges students face and what is exciting about being at Suffolk. When I am not working, I am often teaching yoga or taking a beach walk (all year round-Winter is actually my favorite time for this) somewhere on the North Shore.

Zoya Quraishi

Healthcare Data and Systems Specialist

I started at Suffolk in 2018 in Orientation, New Student & Family Programs before transitioning to CHW in 2022. In this role I have the opportunity to draw from my experience working with students and combine it with my interest in telling stories through data. I’m constantly in awe of the students at Suffolk; they have heart, determination, and define success for themselves. If you’re a student coming into CHW I encourage you to advocate for yourself and your health because you’ll be met with people who will support you in that endeavor. When I’m not here you’ll probably find me in a hot yoga class, tending to my houseplants, or drinking hot coffee all year round.

Eivid Hernandez

Administrative Coordinator

I joined Suffolk in November of 2021. What I love most about Suffolk is the never-ending learning opportunities and consistent commitment to putting students first. As a member of the CHW DEI Team, I work with other staff members to bring DEI awareness and education to our center. The best part of my job is getting to interact with our students either in CHW or through our events and outreach programs. When I’m not working, you can find me at a soccer field with my son or studying.

Jo-ann Mastro

Administrative Coordinator

I have worked at Suffolk for over 17 years and enjoy working with students whose enthusiasm for life, learning, and the future is inspiring to be around. I also enjoy the opportunity to meet so many students from different parts of the world; it’s a great place to learn and appreciate different cultures. In my spare time, I enjoy being with my family and friends, taking Barr, Spin, and Zumba classes, and sitting on the beach listening to the ocean and life happening around me.

Administrative Coordinator

I’ve been in my role at Suffolk since 2009. I enjoy working here because I get to meet and interact with students from all over the world and get to learn a little about different cultures. I also like working in Boston for its history and beauty. In my spare time, I enjoy going for walks and listening to music.