Director, Mental Health Counseling and Wellness
Doreen is the Director of Mental Health Counseling and Wellness at the college. Her
office provides mental health counseling support and crisis intervention to students.
She also facilitates mental health training and develops programs to promote HCCC
as a stigma-free campus. In addition to managing day-to-day operations, Doreen supervises
staff and graduate-level interns. She is also the Chair of the Jed Campus team and
the Chair of College Life. With 22 years of experience as a licensed clinical social
worker in the mental health field, Doreen specializes in working with students who
have learning disabilities, mental health needs, or who have had traumatic experiences.
Doreen is a highly skilled therapist with over 22 years of experience in the mental
health field. She specializes in helping college students manage stress and develop
practical coping tools using evidence-based techniques. Doreen focuses on mindfulness
and relaxation techniques to promote well-being and assists students in achieving
their academic goals. Doreen has been employed in the field of higher education since
August 2019. In 2020, the Hudson County Borough recognized Hudson County Community
College (HCCC) as a stigma-free institution. During her tenure, Doreen took the initiative
to establish and implement mental health awareness and educational programs to benefit
staff, faculty, and students. She has also written two grants, one for the Innovation
Grant, which provided $287,587 to develop community partnerships for supporting students,
and the other for Staff and Faculty Professional Development, which awarded $22,222.
In 2023, she was recognized with the Excellence Award Recipient at the National Institute
for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD). Before pursuing higher education,
she gained extensive experience in the mental health sector, working as a clinician,
family counselor, and lead social worker in an alternative high school for nearly
two decades. Throughout her career, she has focused on supporting students who are
at risk of failing in school, with a particular emphasis on treating trauma and domestic
violence survivors. Her passion and dedication have driven her work to advocacy. Doreen
began her educational journey at Bergen County College and later transferred to Fairleigh
Dickinson University on an academic scholarship. Despite learning disabilities, she
has achieved several degrees and is a doctoral candidate at Manhattanville College.
She is set to graduate in the summer of 2024.