Faculty and Staff

Dr. Milton A. Fuentes received his MA in psychology with a Latinx psychology focus from Montclair State University and his doctorate in clinical psychology from Rutgers University. He completed a pre-doctoral fellowship in clinical and community psychology at Yale University and secured post-doctoral training in epidemiology at Columbia University.  He is the 2012 President of the National Latinx Psychological Association and was recently awarded fellow status in the American Psychological Association for his outstanding contributions in the field of psychology.  Dr. Fuentes is also the recipient of the 2023 Society for the Teaching of Psychology Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award.  Dr. Fuentes’ professional interests are in the areas of diversity science, program development, pedagogy, and motivational enhancement.  He serves as a consultant to academic campuses, community-based agencies, and corporate clients, helping them center equity, diversity, and inclusion in their mission and strategic planning efforts.  Dr. Fuentes is currently a professor in the psychology department at Montclair State University as well as a licensed psychologist in New Jersey and New York.

Dr. Quiros, Associate Professor, earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare from The Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York, where her dissertation focused on “The Social Construction of Racial and Ethnic Identity among Women of Color from Mixed Ancestry: Psychological Freedoms and Sociological.” She also earned a master’s degree in social work from Hunter College School of Social Work and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Skidmore College. Dr. Quiros’ latest book focuses on incorporating diversity and inclusion into trauma-informed social work. Dr. Quiros joins Montclair State University, Department of Social Work and Child Advocacy as an Associate Professor on September 1, 2022. This move situated Dr. Quiros in her community of Montclair NJ, where she continues to lead and be involved in anti-oppression work within the school system and the wider community. Her research and scholarly interests focus trauma informed care through a social justice lens and the social construction of racial and ethnic identity.

Jacqueline Catalano, MS, is the Program Manager in the Department of Social Work and Child Advocacy. She earned a Master of Science in Counselor Education from Queens College. Before joining Montclair State University in 2007, Ms. Catalano worked in public child welfare for over 18 years serving New York City’s children and families in the foster care and adoption system. Ms. Catalano’s more than 33 years of experience in child welfare and higher education administration lend to her professional interests and expertise in program development, academic advisement, and child welfare and child advocacy.  Ms. Catalano supports the department’s academic programs and initiatives including collaborating with leadership and faculty to develop the BA in Child Advocacy, MA in Child Advocacy online program, the Master of Social Work, and minors in Social Work and in Child Advocacy. Ms. Catalano oversees the Child Advocacy MA and MSW graduate application process, executes recruitment initiatives, and provides continued support to students throughout their programs. Advisement is a core part of her job, and alongside direct advising with undergraduate and graduate students, Ms. Catalano provides support to faculty in their advisement responsibilities. Other major activities include coordinating the yearly assessment plan, data collection, and data submission efforts for Middle States accreditation, managing the academic schedule, coordinating the Child Advocacy MA Online schedule, supporting student registration, and participating in undergraduate and graduate events.  Ms. Catalano has experience working on direct training grants, including overseeing the Robert D. McCormick Center’s Post BA Certificate Grant in collaboration with New Jersey’s Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP 2007–2014).

Lesley Dixon, MSW Field Director, received an MSW from Boston University. Her areas of interest include children, youth and families, youth transitioning from foster care, and grit/resiliency. She is the lead teacher on the field courses in the MSW program, assisting new teachers with the course content and set up. She primarily directs the field education for the Master of Social Work program. Ms. Dixon is a New Jersey Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 20 years experience including direct practice, supervisory and management experience. She holds certifications in clinical supervision, complex trauma and seminar in field instruction.

Jennifer Dudeck-Lenis, MA is the Career and Recruitment Specialist for the Department of Social Work and Child Advocacy within the College of the Humanities and Social Sciences. She provides comprehensive career advising to students in the Child Advocacy and Social Work programs to enhance their professional development. She also engages in new student recruitment initiatives and alumni outreach and programming.

Priya B. Sookbir, Field Education Coordinator, received her MSW from Columbia University. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has years of experience working with children, youth and families in roles as a mental health therapist, case manager and supervisor. Ms. Sookbir is committed to service and is an AmeriCorps alum. At MSU, she provides support to MSW students participating in field placements. She also holds a Seminar in Field Instruction Certification (SIFI).

Imani Smallwood, Field Education & Practicum Coordinator, holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Montclair State University. She is also a Licensed Social Worker. Her clinical experience includes working with children, youth and families, including facilitating youth and adult grief support groups, and providing psychotherapy in a private practice and hospital setting. Ms. Smallwood provides support to undergraduate Child Advocacy students as well as MSW students participating in field placements.

Roxanna Sh. Ast,(She/Her/او) is an assistant professor in the Department of Social Work and Child Advocacy at Montclair State University. In her research, she focuses on the intersections of quality of life, social policy, and experiences of violence victimization among marginalized groups including the LGBTQ+ community, international migrants, and Middle Eastern immigrant communities. She is a community-focused researcher and often collaborates with community partners to identify ways to improve quality of life through preventative and strengths-focused community-based initiatives and strategies.

Nancy Coba, Associate Teaching Professor, received a PsyD in Clinical Psychology from Rutgers University. Her clinical interests are in the area of Latino mental health and child abuse/neglect. She teaches courses including Child Abuse and Neglect, Cultural Competencies in Child Advocacy, and Practicum in Child Advocacy. In past and current clinical work, Dr.Coba has conducted psychological and mental health evaluations (in English and Spanish) of children, adolescents and families and also worked with underserved, inner-city, low-income children, adolescents and families in outpatient settings, as well as in school settings.

Heather R. Edwards, Ph.D., LMSW, BSW joined the Department of Social Work & Child Advocacy as an Assistant Teaching Professor on September 1, 2024; she transitioned from the role of Adjunct Faculty that she held since Fall 2021. She received her Ph.D. and master’s degree in Social Work from Howard University, and she holds a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to joining the Montclair State University faculty, Dr. Edwards held several academic positions in the Schools of Social Work at the University of Maryland Baltimore, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Wayne State University, and University of Texas at Arlington.

Dr. Brad Forenza, MSW, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Montclair State University, and a recognized scholar of social policy. His research foci pertain to youth development, primary prevention, and civic engagement. Dr. Forenza’s academic career is accentuated by direct social work practice at youth and family development agencies, program evaluation for clients in the human services, and public policy analysis at the state and federal levels. He regularly publishes and presents his work in national and international forums. His original, public scholarship also extends to the organization of practice-oriented events and panels, the production of documentary film and a social welfare podcast, and the authorship of policy-based reports, interviews, and speeches.

Emily Douglas is a Professor in the Department of Social Work & Child Advocacy. Douglas joined the Montclair State faculty in fall 2020 coming from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, where she was also a full professor and department head. Her research focuses on the program and policy implications of issues that address child and family well-being, largely in the areas of family violence: fatal child maltreatment, under-represented victims of partner violence and help-seeking, children’s exposure to partner violence, corporal punishment, family disruption, and the connection between research and policy. Dr. Douglas is the author of 60+ peer-reviewed publications, 4 books, and she presents annually at domestic and international conferences. Dr. Douglas has spoken at the State Houses in Maine, Massachusetts, and Connecticut and provided invited testimony before a Congressionally-created committee focused on children’s deaths. In 2016-2017 she was a Congressional fellow in Washington, D.C., dually sponsored by the Society for Research in Child Development and the American Association for the Advancement of Science and Technology; during this time, she held a position in the U.S. Senate where she was the lead author on an investigation concerning for-profit foster care.

Peter Herbst, Assistant Teaching Professor has been a professional social worker since 1977 and is a New Jersey Licensed Clinical Social Worker. He has served as program director of a New York City community Center (1977-1980), assistant director for community relations for a New Jersey network of social service agencies (1980-1986), regional director for a national religious organization (1986-1989), executive director of a county-wide child abuse prevention agency (1989-2011) and, currently, a family therapist in private practice, trainer and columnist. He has been an adjunct professor at MSU since 2007. He writes a monthly column for the Jersey Journal, Parenting with Pete.

Nicole E. Lytle, Associate Professor, received a PhD in experimental psychology from the University of Toledo. Her research interests are in the area of forensic developmental psychology and include examining interview procedures used with children. Dr. Lytle is currently working on a National Science Foundation funded project examining the usefulness of remote interviewing with children. She teaches courses on child development, forensic interviewing, and forensic psychology.

Sara Matsuzaka, Assistant Professor, received her PhD in Social Work from Fordham University. Prior to joining Montclair State University, she was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Virginia Department of Psychology where she examined the links between experiences with gendered racism and mental health among Black women. Her research aims to investigate how oppressive discourses and policies contribute to mental health and substance use inequities among sexual minorities of color and other multiply-marginalized groups. She teaches courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, such as generalist social work practice and social work & social justice. She has worked as a licensed clinical social worker in addiction treatment settings as well as in private practice.

Nydia Monagas, Associate Teaching Professor, received a PsyD in Clinical Psychology from Rutgers University. She teaches courses including: Seminar in Child Advocacy, Introduction to Child Advocacy, Child Abuse and Neglect, and she supervises the practicum experience. In addition to more than 15 years working in the arena of child advocacy, she is also the Chapter Coordinator of the New Jersey Children’s Alliance, which provides training, support and technical assistance to children’s advocacy centers and multidisciplinary teams in New Jersey to ensure a coordinated and comprehensive response to child abuse and neglect.

Mona Ressaissi, Assistant Teaching Professor, has guided and advocated for families and children through the New Jersey legal system since 2006 and served students in higher education for over twenty years. She earned a Master Degree in International Humanitarian & Human Rights Law (L.L.M.) from the Raoul Wallenberg Institute at the School of Law at Lund University, Sweden, where her Master Thesis was promoted for publication among a collection of new authors on human rights. Ressaissi earned her law degree (J.D.) from Rutgers School of Law in Newark and served as the graduation speaker of her class. Her work on transnational union cooperation at Rutgers also earned publication. Ressaissi joined the firm of Margolin & Neuner in 2006, dedicating her time to legal and pragmatic problem-solving with children and families. Ressaissi also spent 14 years as a high school and college basketball coach. She has consulted on cultural competence within education and youth sports, delivering training and workshops.

Dr. Lynette Reitz, associate professor and MSW program director, received her PhD in Human Development and Social Work from Marywood University.  Dr. Reitz recently retired from Lock Haven University where she was the BSW program director and department chair. She is a Licensed Social Worker and currently volunteers as a mental health member of the Seven Mountains/Susquehanna Valley Critical Incident Stress Management team. Her research is about best practices in social work education, and she has presented several workshops about effective teaching and leadership.

Beth Sapiro, LCSW, PhD completed her PhD in Social Work at Rutgers-New Brunswick in May 2018. After earning her Master’s of Social Work from New York University, she worked as a clinical social worker in school-based and community mental health programs in New York City for six years, providing individual, family and group therapy to adolescents and their families. Dr. Sapiro’s research centers on the intersection of trauma, marginalization, and healing in adolescent and young adult interpersonal relationships. At Montclair State University, she teaches Social Work Practice courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Svetlana Shpiegel, associate professor and MSW Director, received her PhD from the School of Social Work at Rutgers University. Dr. Shpiegel developed the Minor in Social work and spearheaded the development of the MSW program which launched in Fall 2018.  Her research interests include adolescents emancipating from foster care, child abuse and neglect, resilience among vulnerable populations and international social work. She teaches courses including Child Abuse and Neglect, Research and Evaluation, Public Child Welfare, and Introduction to Social Work. Her recent publications have appeared in the Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, and Children and Youth Services Review. Dr. Shpiegel has presented at numerous national and international conferences, including Society for Social Work and Research, Society for Research on Adolescence, American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, International Family Violence and Child Victimization Research Conference and Society for Research on Child Development. She is currently involved in a number of research projects examining the health and well-being of adolescents emancipating from foster care.

Lucy Takagi, Associate Teaching Professor, received a PsyD in Clinical Psychology from Rutgers University. She teaches courses including Abuse and Neglect, Current Social Issues, Practicum and Seminar in Public Child Welfare. Dr. Takagi is a trained forensic evaluator and has worked clinically with inner-city, ethnically, financially and culturally diverse populations and with adult and child victims of sexual abuse.

Wendy Zeitlin, Associate Professor, received a PhD in social welfare from Yeshiva University. Her research interests include: organizational research, child well-being, cultural competence and research methods. She teaches courses in research methods, child abuse and neglect, and current social issues in child advocacy. Dr. Zeitlin is a co-author of two books on research methods and program evaluations, published by Oxford University Press. She is the lead author on a textbook to be published in early 2018 on statistical analysis in the behavioral and social sciences, also to be published by Oxford. Dr. Zeitlin also co-authored A Toolkit for Modifying Evidence-Based Practices to Increase Cultural Competence with funding from The Nathan Kline Institute and New York State’s Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene.