Staff & Volunteers
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Ajit Baid, MBA (he/him/his)
Executive Director
Ajit is a mission-driven and visionary leader with extensive experience in nonprofit management, organizational development, and strategic planning. He has held leadership roles in both global biopharmaceutical companies and nonprofit organizations, with a strong focus on advancing programs that serve vulnerable and underserved populations. Ajit has served on boards including Bikes Not Bombs and the Metrowest Free Medical Program, and he has founded and supported multiple community-based initiatives. Professionally, he has led rare disease strategies at organizations such as UCB, Alexion, and AstraZeneca. Ajit holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and an MBA in Marketing, and he is passionate about fostering sustainable growth, equity, and community impact.
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Armindo Oliveira, MS (he/him/his)
Clinician - School Based
Through therapy and caring, this journey can become a reality. I hope I can share some of my energy and experience to help you with your path. In my 27 years of working in Social Services, I know it’s not an easy road but always one worth traveling. My background practice is in trauma-informed therapy, CBT, motivational interviewing, mindfulness therapy, behavior regulation, substance abuse therapy, and co-occurring disorders. Armindo has a Master’s in Counseling from Springfield College and is a pre-licensed clinician. As part of the NCCS team, Armindo works directly with students in the Somerville Public School system.
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Anna Maria Saropoulos (she/her/hers)
MA Level Clinician
Anna is working towards her LMHC. and has worked in the field for 3.5 years helping clients with anxiety, depression and behavioral issues. I utilize many modalities such as Play Therapy, CBT, DBT, Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing and ARC frameworks, as well as a trauma-informed focus. I have also worked in higher education for 25 years assisting high school students in the college process. I am passionate about working with children, adolescents, and families, supporting them through trauma and building self esteem.
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Breanne Schatzman, LMHC (she/her/hers)
Clinical Supervisor
Breanne Schatzman is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who uses a trauma-informed intersectional feminist approach to center therapeutic work in healing one’s relation to oneself and the world. Breanne believes that collaboration, creativity, and curiosity are fundamental to self-empowerment as individuals strive to find their places in their communities.
Her specialty areas include: attachment & trust, depression, self-acceptance, adult children of alcoholics, relational issues, and trauma, as well as support for those who are simply feeling “stuck” and want a little guidance to create change in their lives. She is trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Attachment Theory, and Narrative Therapy techniques, with certifications in Cognitive Processing Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Motivational Interviewing.
Breanne earned her counseling degree at Suffolk University. Throughout her professional life she developed a strong clinical foundation via working in community clinics, home-based services, and private practice settings focusing on mental health treatment for adults of all ages. -
Chantelle Romero, LICSW (she/her/hers)
Clinical Supervisor/Mental Health Clinician
My name is Chantelle Romero, LICSW. I am a dedicated clinical social worker with over seven years of experience providing compassionate and evidence-based care to individuals across the lifespan. With more than two years of clinical supervision experience, I bring a strong commitment to supporting emerging clinicians and fostering professional growth within the team. I have provided school-based and outpatient support using interventions such as CBT, DBT, Mindfulness, Narrative Therapy, and Solution-Focused approaches. I am passionate about promoting emotional wellness and equitable access to care. I am excited to continue expanding my clinical expertise and providing meaningful support to the NCCS community.
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Ed Cordis (He/They)
Mental Health Counseling Graduate Intern
Ed is a third year graduate level student at Cambridge College, working towards their future goal of obtaining an LMHC. They have experience working with clients of all developmental areas, including work with adolescents through school-based counseling, families and adults.
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Eleanor Sultana (he/they)
Clinical Social Work Intern
Eleanor is a first year graduate level student at Simmons University working towards his future goal of obtaining a Clinical Social Work license. They have additional experience working with children and adults in psychiatric inpatient settings, as well as developmental areas, problem solving, and communication.
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Kristina Best Ramos, LICSW (she/her/hers)
Mental Health Clinician
Hello! I am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker located in the Greater Boston area. My approach is to be authentic, non-traditional and meet clients where they are in their journey. I am specially skilled in a harm reduction framework and provide therapy without judgement. I also use an equity-focused lens and bring social justice into my whole-person approach. My flow is to allow the client to drive the sessions and encourage them to come with whatever version of themselves that they see fit. My experience has been working as a therapist in a community health center, working on an addiction team, primary care teams and providing group therapy. My group work experience has been running creative coping (art-based skills) groups, women’s groups and addiction/recovery groups. Most of my clinical work has consisted of working with those with a history of chronic homelessness, individuals with prolonged institutional care histories, poly-substance use and severe mental health complexities.
My education: Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from UMass Boston and MSW from Boston University.
Special certifications: Certified Domestic Violence Counselor since 2019
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Meredith Mashtare, MSW (she/her/hers)
Social Media Coordinator
Meredith has her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Wheaton College, MA and her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Vermont. She has been with NCCS since January of 2022, primarily running our social media pages, website, and newsletter. She has also helped organize a fundraiser, apply for grants, and does various other tasks to help out the organization.
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Maria Mirabella (she/her/hers)
Social Media Volunteer
As the founder and owner of Body by Mirabella Day Spa, as well as Designs by Mirabella, Maria has extensive design, website development, advertising, and marketing experience, in addition to a strong management and customer service background. Maria also works behind the scenes for Mirabella Magazine, a beauty industry publication.
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Shirley Eng (she/her/hers)
Administrative Volunteer
Shirley has extensive experience working in customer service in a variety of industries. She is known for her excellent organizational skills and professional approach to administrative tasks. She has volunteered for a number of non-profit organizations, including AIDS Action.
Board Members
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Jennifer Williams (she/her/hers)
Board Chairperson
Jennifer Williams currently serves as Action for Boston Community Development, Inc.'s (ABCD's) General Counsel, where she focuses on compliance, grant administration, employee/employer relations and policy development, amongst other matters. Prior to joining ABCD, Jennifer worked for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Jennifer started with HHS as a Presidential Management Fellow with the Administration of Children and Families, working on Head Start grants. In 2015, Jennifer transitioned to working for HHS’s Office of the General Counsel and litigated Medicare, Medicaid, Federally Qualified Health Center, and employment law matters and provided advice and technical assistance to HHS’s programmatic staff. Jennifer graduated Magna Cum Laude from DePaul University College of Law in 2012 with a Certificate in International and Comparative Law and was a member of the Order of the Coif. She is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts.
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Alison Abrams
Board Treasurer
More info on Alison coming soon!
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Leah Bolles (she/her/hers)
Board Secretary
Leah Bolles is a Clinical Trial Project Coordinator at the Boston VA Research Institute, and is pursuing a PhD in School Psychology to continue her commitment to advancing accessible and evidence-based care for youth. She has experience in crisis prevention, fundraising outreach, and expanding access to mental health resources on college campuses through ambassadorship programs. Leah also works with children living in a domestic violence shelter, supporting their emotional growth and resilience.
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Shabnam Atif
Board Director
More info on Shabnam coming soon!
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Ebrahim Barkoudah MD, MPH, MBA, FACP, FACHE (he/him/his)
Board Director
Dr. Barkoudah is a healthcare leader. Dr. Barkoudah previously held leadership roles at multiple academic centers and medical schools in the US. Dr. Barkoudah’s research interest lies in clinical research outcomes, and his work focuses on quality improvement and clinical innovation. He currently serves on several clinical innovation committees regionally and nationally. Dr. Barkoudah is a graduate of Harvard School of Public Health, Damascus University, and St Hugh’s College, University of Oxford, along with admin training at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Global Management Program at Yale, and the completion of the Executive Management Track at Harvard Business School and the Business School at the University of Oxford. He is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and the American College of Healthcare Executives.
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Julie Catalano, LICSW (she/they)
Board Director
Julie is a licensed independent clinical social worker who has 20 years of experience working with adults, adolescents, and children, as well as couples, families, and groups in schools, community mental health clinics, and private practice. Julie is trained in EMDR, Hypnotherapy and DBT Group Leadership. She is also a Level II Reiki Jin Kei Do practitioner.
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Miriam Dellheim Baumel (she/her/hers)
Board Director
Miriam Dellheim Baumel is a psychiatric and primary care nurse practitioner. The majority of herover 25 years of practice she has worked in Community Health Centers. Miriam’s greatest joy is volunteering locally and internationally.
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Sarah Friend
Board Director
More info on Sarah coming soon!
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Christopher Maffucci, Esq. (he/him/his)
Board Director
Christopher maintains a general civil litigation practice representing businesses, non-profit entities and professionals involved in contract disputes, employment issues, regulatory matters and property taxation. Chris's practice also includes real estate, land use and construction litigation, representing real estate brokers, developers and contractors when disputes arise out of transactions, property development or construction contracts. He has handled trials and appeals in state and federal courts in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and has extensive experience in arbitration and mediation.
He has advised several non-profit organizations pro bono with respect to their affordable housing programs and the land use issues that arise out of them, including an artist cooperative involved in a major affordable housing/artist work-space development in Boston.
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Ellen Neacy (she/her/hers)
Board Director
Ellen has extensive experience working as a paralegal, legal assistant, and investigator. She has worked in the corporate legal department of two Fortune 500 companies. She has contributed her expertise to several non-profit organizations over the past 20 years.

