Mental Health and Human Services

Meet The MH Team

 

  1. George Kapetenakis: Program Coordinator
  2. Caroline Hallmark, Cynthia Olvina, Edan Simcha, Mental Health Committee Members
  3. Staff:
    1. Dr. Ariel Anderson is an Adjunct Lecturer at Kingsborough College and has been teaching in the Mental Health department since Spring 2024. Dr. Anderson is a full-time Psychotherapist in private practice and holds a License in Clinical Social Work. Dr. Anderson focused her dissertation on maternal grief and is passionate about women's health.
    2. Juann Watson has been a professor for thirty years, with twenty-five years at Kingsborough Community College. Juann is also a Psychotherapist with a private practice and has patients in Barbados, Scotland and Spain, to name a few. She is empathetic and it is with knowledge and warmth that she welcomes students into the field of Mental Health and Human Services.
  • Cynthia Olvina has been teaching Human Services Organization in Kingsborough’s Mental Health program since 2019. She also serves as Academic Affairs Manager, supporting faculty and academic programs across the College. Her teaching emphasizes organizational practices, management, and respect for different perspectives while helping students develop practical skills to succeed in the human services field.

Dr. Michelle Billies (all pronouns) is a full-time professor who has been teaching at KCC since 2012. Prof. Billies has a Masters’ degree in Social Work and a doctoral degree in Social/Personality Psychology. Prof. Billies brings 30 years of experience in nonprofit and government agencies, supervision, and private psychotherapy to their teaching.  They teach multicultural counseling, including race, gender, sexual identity, disability, immigration status, and poverty, to better understand ourselves as mental health professionals as well as our clients.  Prof. Billies was given the national 2024 Campus Compact Impact Award for her research and MH student internship with Black and brown tenants in Brooklyn. They love teaching KCC students, learning from them, and seeing them grow.

Brandy Barber is a dedicated LMSW, who has been in the social service field for over twenty-six years. She is very passionate about mental health, empowering individuals, and watching individuals grow emotionally. Her greatest strength is encouraging students to live their full potential by accepting therapy, as a form of self-care. 

Veronica McHugh is an LMHC in private practice for 18 years, with a decade of experience at a local NYC Hospital Psych Ward & has been teaching as an Adjunct Professor for 16 years.  Prof. McHugh teaches four of the six MH/HS classes offered as well as three different Field Classes.  Prof. McHugh is passionate about expanding students' understanding of what was, what is and what could be within the Human Services realm.

  • William “Billy” Miranda, PhD, LPC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor in New Jersey and holds a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision. He has experience in clinical counseling, counselor education, and higher education. Professor Miranda has taught undergraduate and graduate-level courses in the mental health and human services and counseling fields, beginning his teaching experience at Kingsborough in 2018. He is committed to supporting students in developing both their clinical skills and professional identity. His scholarly interests include caregiver stress and resilience, technology and artificial intelligence in mental health and caregiving, and counselor education and supervision.
  • Arlene Lehman has been teaching at Kingsborough since 2005. She is a certified Special Education Teacher and has worked in day programs for adults with developmental disabilities as a Teacher, Agency Trainer and Human Resources Recruiter, and public-school settings with children with Special needs in pre-school through junior high school settings. She has taught several courses in the Mental Health department and now focuses on supporting students enrolled in the internship program in a school for children on the Autism Spectrum. She strives to connect with students and work with them to build on their strengths, while gaining skills in a professional setting.

Edan Simcha has been teaching at Kingsborough since 2013. Edan is a practicing clinician since 2010. He has worked at outpatient mental health programs, day-treatment programs, and residential settings for adults with serious mental illness. He currently teaches the field internship course at a mental health outpatient clinic. He is passionate about helping students connect with the field and careers they are entering.