Catherine Thurston, LCSW
Chief Executive Officer
[email protected]
Catherine Thurston is responsible for overall agency management including finances, human resources, fundraising, and program development. Before moving into this role in 2024 she previously served as Chief Program Officer at SPOP for eight years with oversight of all clinical programs and community outreach. She has over three decades of experience in geriatrics which includes serving as Chief Services Officer at SAGE/Service & Advocacy for LGBTQ+ Elders and as Director of Alzheimer’s Programs at the Cobble Hill Health Center. She received her Masters of Social Work from Hunter College School of Social Work.
Geordana Weber, LCSW
Chief Program Officer
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Geordana Weber oversees all SPOP programs, including the Clinic, PROS, STRIVE, Bereavement, Community-based services, and other initiatives. Geordana has 20+ years’ experience working in aging and mental health in a variety of settings including NYC Aging. She received her Master’s Degree of Social Work from Hunter College School of Social Work.
Eeva J. Mikkola, MD
Medical Director
Dr. Eeva Mikkola received her medical degree (Licentiate in Medicine) from the Faculty of Medicine of Helsinki University, Finland. She did her psychiatry residency and fellowship in geriatric psychiatry at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York. She is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in both general psychiatry and geriatric psychiatry. She is fluent in English, Spanish, Finnish and Swedish.
Stephen Beramsingh
Chief Administration Officer
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Stephen Beramsingh has over 10 years of experience specializing in team management, hardware risk management, and infrastructure operations in for-profit and non-profit settings. He has particular expertise in network infrastructure, security compliance, and cyber risk prevention and remediation. He is a graduate of DeVry University.
Johnny Lee
Chief Financial Officer
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Johnny Lee oversees all financial budgeting reporting, and analysis for the agency. He has over 30 years’ experience in financial management in the nonprofit and for-profit sectors. He holds a degree in accounting from the Philippine School of Business Administration
Janet Rosenberg
Chief Development Officer
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Janet Rosenberg manages all external communications and donor relations, including foundation, corporate, government and individual support. Her previous experience includes annual and capital fund raising at the Council on Foreign Relations, The Newark Museum, and DOROT.
Arianne Dunstan-Halliday, LCSW
Senior Vice President for Intake and Admissions
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Arianne Dunstan-Halliday manages SPOP’s Intake Department and oversees all referrals and admissions. She is a graduate of the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and has 15 years of experience working in aging and mental health.
Jessica Fertig-Brodsky, MA, ATR-BC, LCAT
Senior Vice President for PROS
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Jessica Fertig is a graduate of New York University and a board-certified and licensed Creative Art Therapist. She joined SPOP after working for the Office of Mental Health at Bronx Psychiatric Center. Jessica enjoys providing workshops and trainings about ethical considerations and trauma-informed practices in the creative arts field.
Farah Jean Philippe, LCSW
Senior Vice President for Clinical Services
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Farah Jean Philippe oversees the outpatient mental health clinic at SPOP. She is a graduate of New York University Silver School of Social Work and has 10 years of experience working in mental healthcare, including clinical work and oversight of a Personalized Recovery Orientated Services (PROS) program.
Teresa Theophano, LCSW
Senior Vice President for Community Programs
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Teresa Theophano oversees SPOP’s community-based programming including mental health care services at satellite clinics supported by NYC Aging’s Geriatric Mental Healthprogram; STRIVE; psychotherapy groups; and bereavement services. She has over 15 years’ experience in social work with LGBTQ+ communities, most recently at SAGE: Advocacy and Services for LGBTQ+ Elders. Teresa received her MSW from Hunter College School of Social Work and is currently a doctoral student at the NYU Silver School of Social Work.
Alexandra Webb, LCSW
Senior Vice President for Training and Initiatives
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Alexandra (Allie) Webb oversees training and education initiatives at SPOP. Allie is a graduate of Columbia University School of Social Work and has spent her career supporting adults with a lived experience of mental illness. She formerly served as the Sr VP of Community Support and Education and Sr VP for the Personalized Recovery Oriented Services (PROS) program. Prior to joining the SPOP team, Allie was a psychiatric social worker in the CPEP at Jacobi Medical Center, and on the adult psychiatric inpatient service at Bellevue Hospital. Allie has a certificate in Learning Design from NYU School of Professional Studies and has been training providers for nearly a decade. She is committed to promoting anti-ageist and anti-ableist practice through education and workforce development.