Meet Our Prescribers – Westfield, NJ

Dr. Leopold Bolona, Psychiatrist

Board Certified by the American Academy of Psychiatry and Neurology

Dr. Leopold Bolona is a distinguished psychiatrist renowned for his expertise, compassion, and dedication to mental health care. Fluent in both English and Spanish, Dr. Bolona obtained his medical degree from the Universidad Catolica Santiago of Guayaquil, Ecuador. He completed his General Psychiatry Residency and Child/Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital in New York City, where he also instructed medical students and psychiatry residents.

Founder of Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center: Dr. Bolona founded Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center, a leading private practice with offices in Wall and Westfield, New Jersey. Under his guidance, Embrace offers comprehensive mental health services, led by a team of 24 dedicated mental health practitioners, including:

• Neuropsychologists
• Licensed Social Workers
• Licensed Clinical Social Workers
• Licensed Professional Counselors
• Nurse Practitioners, Psychotherapists
• Certified SPRAVATO/TMS Technicians,
• … And More

Comprehensive Care in a Peaceful Environment: At Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center, Dr. Bolona and his team provide superior care in a peaceful, comfortable, and inclusive environment. Practitioners utilize a wide range of resources to find solutions tailored to each patient's needs, including medication management, talk therapy, and advanced treatments.

Bilingual Expertise: Dr. Bolona is bilingual in Spanish and English, allowing him to effectively communicate with a diverse range of patients and provide personalized care.

Leadership and Advocacy: Dr. Bolona has transitioned away from patient appointments to focus on mentoring and advocacy. He continues to mentor and teach nurse practitioner students and physician assistant students from Chamberlain University, Walden University, LaSalle University, Monmouth University, and the University of Delaware.

Legacy of Excellence: Dr. Bolona's commitment to compassionate care and innovative leadership continues to define Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center, ensuring high standards of mental health care and support for the community.

Fun Facts: In addition to his professional achievements, Dr. Bolona enjoys staying active and has completed multiple marathons and triathlons. He has a passion for travel, exploring different cultures and cuisines around the world.

Caitlin (Caity) DePaulo, Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurse

Caitlin (known as “Caity” by her patients) decided to go into healthcare because she wanted to make a real difference in the lives of struggling people. She was a Registered Nurse who worked in emergency settings for seven years before pursuing her Master of Nursing at Hunter College in the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program. She made this change because she realized what a lack of resources there was for psychiatric patients, including members of her own family who suffered from mental illness and addiction. As a practitioner, being able to improve someone’s quality of life is the best job satisfaction she could ever hope for!

Today, Caity is a proud member of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) and has her APN certificate. She also has her Waiver X, which allows her to prescribe medication-assisted drug treatments for those in need. Having grown up in Astoria, Queens, she lived in Manhattan for her adult life and just moved to NJ in 2021! She’s proud to now be a member of the Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center team. One skill she has that immensely benefits our patients is her ability to speak fluent English and Spanish (along with some not-so-good French).

Outside of work, Caity got married in December of 2022 and looks forward to starting a family very soon! She already has two special nieces who feel just like her kids. As far as hobbies go, she enjoys traveling with her husband, hanging out with family, cooking, reading, exercising, and going to dinners with her closest friends.

Edwin Bonilla, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

With 15+ years of experience in the medical field, Edwin loves having the opportunity to help others each day through his work. His mother always wanted to be a nurse herself, and she passed this strong desire onto her son so that he could one day make a positive impact in people’s lives! Mental health is particularly important and can be untreated for multiple reasons, such as lack of access, societal stigma, and lack of providers who speak multiple languages. Because of his personal experience with friends and family members who have struggled mentally, he decided to specialize in this unique field and hasn’t looked back since.

Edwin is a first-generation immigrant from Honduras. He studied at La Salle University, achieving his graduate degree in advancing nursing and specializing in mental health. He has worked with mental health patients throughout the vast majority of his career, including inpatient units, long-term care facilities, and outpatient care. Today, he is a Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, a member of the Neuroscience Education Institute, and a member of the National Institute of Mental Health.

Outside of working hours, Edwin spends lots of time with his loving family. Some of his biggest hobbies include smoking meats, barbequing, and cheering on his favorite sports teams.

JoAnne Piaggio, Nurse Practitioner

JoAnne has been a part of the healthcare field for multiple decades, starting out as an operating room nurse in 1989, which was a position she held for 35 years. However, a family tragedy changed the trajectory of her work – at the age of 14, her teenage daughter attempted suicide. It took her six months to find a practitioner to help her, and there was a six month wait for an appointment. GenPsych literally saved her daughter’s life, but learning how few Advanced Practice Nurses (APN’s) were available in the state troubled her. She decided to undergo the post Master’s Certificate for Advanced Practice Nursing program at Monmouth College, graduating in May of 2019 – and the rest is history! 

Today, JoAnne loves being able to provide essential mental healthcare to people all over New Jersey, changing lives for the better. She currently lives in Beachwood with her husband and their three grown children. Outside of working hours, she enjoys reading, putting together puzzles, learning how to crochet, and spending LOTS of quality time with Natasha, her fur baby. She’s also the self-proclaimed queen of useless trivia.

Candice Chambers, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Hi, I’m Candice Chambers, a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner here at Embrace Psychiatric and Wellness. I’ve been in the medical field for several years and joined the practice after completing my clinical rotation here. I officially began working with the team six months ago, and it’s been an incredibly rewarding experience so far.

I earned both my BSN and MSN from Chamberlain University of Nursing and hold certifications as a Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN) and a Certified Forensic Nurse Examiner. These credentials reflect my deep interest in trauma-informed care, both in physical and psychological health. I’m passionate about providing compassionate, culturally responsive psychiatric care for individuals of all ages. My clinical focus includes mood disorders, trauma, anxiety, ADHD, and dual diagnoses.

I was born and raised in New Jersey and graduated from Saint Peter’s High School in New Brunswick. I currently live in Woodbridge and am a proud mom of three amazing children. I come from a close-knit African American family rooted in strong values of faith, perseverance, and community service. Growing up, I witnessed firsthand how mental illness impacted loved ones, and I saw the obstacles they faced in accessing care due to stigma and cultural barriers. That experience is what ultimately called me to this profession. I wanted to be a part of the change, ensuring that others could get the support they needed without judgment.

Outside of work, I love traveling and photography. Exploring new places and capturing meaningful moments behind the lens allows me to stay creative and present. These passions keep me grounded and bring joy and balance into my life.

I’m a proud member of Sigma Theta Tau, the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA), the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), and the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN). I’m honored to walk alongside patients in their mental health journey and strive to provide care that is both clinically excellent and deeply human.

Kristen Heristchi, Physician Assistant

Born in Pennsylvania and raised in Winter Haven, FL, Kristen has been working in Internal Medicine and primary care for over two decades. Having grown up on a dairy farm, she grew a passion for animals and wanted to be a veterinarian at first. She even studied pre-veterinary medicine as an undergraduate at the University of South Florida in Tampa. However, she realized that she also had an interest in human medicine and began pursuing a career as a physician assistant after having the concept introduced to her by her childhood friend’s sister. Since then, she’s never looked back and can’t see herself doing anything else! After all, she gets to meet incredibly interesting and wonderful people while helping them to improve their overall quality of life.

Kristen began her career by attending the University of South Florida before studying at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, FL. She later graduated from Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Physician Assistant program and has been a board-certified Physician Assistant for over 20 years. For 13 years, she performed all medical clearances for the inpatient psychiatric units at Lakeland Regional Health in Lakeland, FL. She later furthered her training in psychiatry at Yantra Psychiatric Services and earned an additional board certification in Psychiatry. Today, she treats patients both outpatient and in residential rehabilitation settings for general psychiatry and addiction medicine. She’s also a Suboxone, Sublocade, and Vivitrol prescriber trained via the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and is also a member of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

Outside of psychiatry, Kristen loves being with her tight-knit family who has supported her in every endeavor and is her source of strength. In her spare time, she enjoys playing with her Labrador Retriever, Bratwurst, and her parakeet named Jose Luis Gaspar. She also likes baking, admiring abstract art, watching movies, looking at the nighttime space shuttle launches from her backyard, and is a major Saturday Night Live fan. One fun fact about her: she grew up in a very musical family, as her mother has a master’s in music education. In turn, Kristen can play various instruments, like the ukulele and harp, and has even been a soloist in several past church performances and weddings!

Jamie Lee Durchin, Physician Assistant Board-Certified in Psychiatry 

Jamie brings over 15 years of experience to our team—she has practiced in psychiatry since graduating from physician’s assistant school in 2006. She earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Temple University and went on to complete her medical training at King’s College, obtaining a master’s in physician assistant studies. Today, she is an active member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants.

Jamie holds a Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) in Psychiatry. This requires passing a specialty board examination every 10 years and completing training in addition to mandatory boards. To first qualify for the CAQ, she had to work in psychiatry for at least 2000 hours/1 year and receive a written recommendation from a physician, lead/senior PA, or physician/PA postgraduate program director.

The part she enjoys most about her work is helping people manage their mental health, and then she gets to hear back from them to see how our team has positively impacted their lives. Outside of the office, she lives with her partner/boyfriend of 5+ years, and she is an avid traveler who has visited 20 countries and 30 states (so far!). Back at home, you’ll usually find her cooking/baking, gardening, or biking.

Kala Camper, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Kala studied at Walden University and became a board-certified psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, and she has been in the medical field for 15+ years. When her son graduated from high school and joined the Army, she was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go back to school. She always found great joy in helping others, so nursing seemed like the right path. For her, it’s a great honor and privilege to help those in need, and she’s grateful for the chance to partner with her patients on their journeys in improving their mental wellness and quality of life.

As a nurse, one of Kala’s first jobs was working in corrections, which was the first time she had ever been exposed to the mental health “crisis’ within her community of Tampa, FL. She knew that she’d found her passion in nursing and felt that she could make a positive impact on those who were/are suffering or in need. She later worked in dual diagnosis facilities (substance abuse/addiction and mental health) both as a registered nurse and a nurse practitioner. She also has experience as a Sub-Investigator for psychiatric clinical trials/studies for disorders like ADHD, anxiety, and depression.

Originally from Columbus, OH, Kala is married, has a son and three grandsons, and three dogs. Whenever she isn’t at the office, she loves spending time with family and friends, being outside at the beach or working on her flowerbed at home, and traveling when she has the chance. She’s also a major football fan, as she enjoys watching both college and professional games—specifically her favorite teams, The Ohio State Buckeyes and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers!

Jennyfer Solorzano, PMHNP-BC Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Jennyfer Solorzano is a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP-BC) with over 14 years of experience in healthcare, and a deep commitment to supporting children, adolescents, and young adults in their mental health journeys. She joined Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center in 2025, bringing a uniquely holistic and relational approach to psychiatric care. Jennyfer began her professional life in an unexpected place: with degrees in Marketing and Spanish from Fairleigh Dickinson University and Rutgers University. However, a desire to pursue work that felt more meaningful and people-centered eventually led her to nursing. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from New Jersey City University, and later her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a specialization in psychiatry from Northern Kentucky University. 

Her clinical journey began in the pediatric intensive care unit, where she cared for critically ill children and teens. It was in that setting that she began to see how deeply intertwined physical health, emotional well-being, and family dynamics truly are. Her passion for supporting young people and their families continued to grow, and was further deepened by her own personal experience with postpartum anxiety, which opened her eyes to the powerful impact of early life experiences, emotional regulation, and mental health.

At Embrace, Jennyfer focuses on building strong, trusting relationships with her patients and their families. She understands the unique challenges young people face today and emphasizes connection, empathy, and curiosity in her work. She is especially interested in supporting individuals through ADHD, mood disorders, anxiety, and family-related stressors, and integrates a range of evidence-based strategies in her treatment planning. She is passionate about continuing education and frequently attends psychiatric conferences, particularly those focused on youth mental health.

Jennyfer was raised in South Brunswick, NJ and now lives in Cranford, NJ, with her 10-year-old son. She’s one of six siblings and was the first in her family to graduate from college and attend graduate school. In her free time, she enjoys DIY home projects, exploring small towns with a good coffee, and spending quality time outdoors. She also loves a good true crime podcast, watching Modern Family, and building Legos with her son.

Jennyfer is a member of the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Nurses Association (ANA).

Miriam Chandler, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Mariam Chandler is a compassionate, board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMH-NP) with extensive experience caring for patients across diverse healthcare settings. Born and raised in the Republic of Geogia-East Europe, Mariam relocated to the United States in her early twenties.

She earned her Master's degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University, following a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University of Texas, Arlington. With professional expertise gained through roles at Hackensack University Medical Center, Ramapo Ridge Psychiatric Hospital, and as Assistant Director of Nursing at Harmony Village Dementia Care Facility, Mariam specializes in comprehensive mental health care, including psychiatric assessment, personalized treatment planning, and medication management.

Dedicated to fostering wellness and resilience, Mariam approaches therapy by emphasizing individualized care tailored to each patient's unique journey. Her background equips her to effectively manage conditions such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, dementia, ADHD, PTSD, and OCD. Fluent in English and Georgian, Mariam creates an inclusive, supportive environment where all her patients feel understood and empowered to achieve mental wellness and personal balance. She is a proud member of several professional organizations, including the New Jersey Board of Nursing, Brain and Behavior Foundation, and Hackensack Meridian Health.

Outside of her professional life, Mariam believes in living a well-balanced life. She enjoys spending time with her family, preparing healthy meals, and visiting local botanical gardens for inspiration and relaxation. An avid traveler, she seeks out destinations known for their natural beauty, where she finds peace and recharges her spirit.

Melanie Miller, Clinical Program Manager

Administrative Staff

Heather Nocciolo, Office Manager