Meet Our Providers – 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.

Heena Patel-Owens, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Heena has been working in the medical field for well over a decade now, and she never gets tired of hearing from her patients about how much better they feel after they’ve visited her! She knew she wanted to become a nurse early on because she loves healthcare and loves people. So many individuals close to her struggled with ongoing mental health issues without any hope of getting better or understanding of treatment options that were available to them. This led her to specialize in psychiatry, and the rest is history!

After graduating from Villanova University, Heena achieved her Masters in Psychiatric Nursing from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Today, she is ANCC certified and trained to prescribe medication-assisted treatments like Suboxone.

Away from work, Heena loves coming home to her husband, three daughters, two Labrador Retrievers, and one Jack Russell Terrier. In her free time, you can typically find her binging TV shows, going for walks, sleeping in, or hanging out with loved ones. She’s also a BIG ultimate frisbee fan!

 

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.

Dr. Jenise Lum, Neuropsychologist

Dr. Lum loved learning about psychology and biology in college, and these passions eventually led her to the field of neuropsychology. Today, she is uniquely qualified to help our patients work through even the most difficult emotions and personal situations! After earning her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, she has cared for numerous populations, including veterans, individuals with brain injuries, older adults, teens, and more.

In addition to her degrees, Dr. Lum has completed a postdoctoral fellowship in neuropsychology. She’s also worked within numerous Veterans Affairs and private hospital systems, as well as private practices and community mental health resources. She is a current member of the National Academy of Neuropsychology and the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology.

When Dr. Lum isn’t busy at work, she spends her time reading good books, painting, discovering new restaurants, and taking her dog on long walks. She also loves dance and even danced ballet for a decade!

Timothy Wever, Licensed Professional Counselor

Ever since he can remember, Timothy has had a strong desire to be of service to people in need. Today, with nearly a full decade of experience in this essential field, he loves the strong relationships he’s built with patients! He studied at the University of Montana and achieved his Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling from FDU Madison. He also has his LPC (Licensed Practicing Counselor) LCADC (Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor) certifications.  

When Timothy isn’t busy at work, his favorite hobbies include completing crosswords, caring for his trees and butterfly garden, and going on long walks and hikes with his two Springer Spaniels.

Lauren Ritz, Licensed Professional Counselor

With 15+ years of experience in the medical field so far, Lauren is a true expert when it comes to helping people feel confident and live up to their best potential! This profession naturally fits with her natural empathy and desire to care for those in need. She attended graduate school at Yeshiva University and has taken extensive training courses for the treatment of trauma and dually diagnosed individuals with an intellectual disability and mental illness. Additionally, she has a post master’s endorsement for school counseling, which has provided lots of valuable knowledge about how to navigate the school system and provide support for students and parents alike.

Today, Lauren has a vast wealth of experience when it comes to caring for patients with mental illnesses, intellectual/developmental disabilities, and /or traumas. She does a great job of helping parents navigate the world of special education and can even coach them to manage or modify behaviors of concern. Her additional areas of specialty include depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, substance use, and overall emotional distress.

At home, Lauren is happily married with a daughter, a son, and a dog. Her favorite hobbies include going on outdoor adventures, traveling, and spending lots of quality time with her loved ones.

Julie Delinsky, Licensed Professional Counselor

Julie works as a licensed counselor at our Westfield HQ location. Through being a field hockey coach with young adults, Julie realized her true passion was in coaching people and helping them become the best versions of themselves. She truly enjoys working with many types of people, meeting them where they are, and helping them move forward to where they want to be.

After graduating from Miami University in Oxford, OH, Julie earned her master’s degree in sports administration from St. Thomas University. She later went back to school for a master’s degree in counseling from Johns Hopkins University and has more than 10 years of counseling experience, especially with children. She believes in a psychodynamic approach, which means that she believes that understanding the past is important to understand actions and feelings in the present. She is currently a member of the American Counseling Association and the National Board of Certified Counselors.

Outside the office, Julie is married and has three children. She has been a field hockey coach for more than 20 years so far and loves it! In her spare time, she will be on the field coaching, spending time with her family, or walking her Australian Shepherd named Winnie on a nature trail. A fun fact about Julie is that she recently completed her first full marathon!

Rachel Brooks, Licensed Social Worker

Born and raised in Garwood, NJ, Rachel has been working as a social worker for several years and counting. After graduating from high school, she discovered the world of psychology and social work and the positive impact she could have in the lives of others. She also worked with children at her local YMCA, which helped her grow her passion for guiding individuals toward their best mental and emotional well-being. Now, she gets to build strong relationships with others while helping them to lead fulfilling lives.

Rachel attended Seton Hall University for her undergraduate, where she also worked in Child Protective Services for the state of New Jersey. There, she learned about the kind of positive change social work can have on people and the community. After this opportunity ignited her passion even further, she went on to intern at a local community mental health agency in Elizabeth, NJ, learning about the profound power of one-on-one therapy and the significance of evidence-based practices. Simultaneously, she studied at Fordham University for her Master of Social Welfare, specializing in areas such as phase of life challenges, emotion regulation, relationship issues, and problem-solving for adults. She’s also a proud member of the National Association of Social Workers.

When she isn’t at the office, Rachel enjoys spending time painting, reading, exercising (strength training), practicing digital art, and reading tarot cards. She’s also a do-it-yourself enthusiast, as she likes tailoring her clothes, cutting her hair, and decorating her home to express her unique style!

Randye Masel, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

Randye is dedicated to combining her experience, skills, and compassion to help her clients develop the tools that a person needs to navigate through various stages of life. Her work combines cognitive, behavioral, and psychodynamic techniques. She believes in a collaborative approach, working together with her clients in a warm and caring environment.

Originally from St. Louis, she graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a degree in Speech and Hearing and then went on to earn her MSW from Rutgers. She is certified to provide supervision to social workers who are working toward their clinical licenses.

When not at the office, Randye enjoys spending time with her family.

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!

Michael Peral, Therapist

Michael’s personal and professional experiences have allowed him to see the transformative effects that therapy can have for many individuals, especially when their struggles are commonly stigmatized. He has always had a natural strength in understanding people as well as being comfortable with emotionally difficult conversations. In addition, his background has allowed him to develop strong analytical skills which he incorporates into his work. Combining these skills and strengths seemed like a great fit for becoming a psychotherapist.

Michael has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Montclair State University and a Master of Social Work from Fordham University. He graduated with a Specialized Practice Certificate in Health and worked as a research assistant for 5+ years in both clinical and non-clinical groups. The research he was involved in included psychoanalysis, cognitive psychology, neuropsychology, the psychotherapy process, and the juvenile justice system.

Outside of work, Michael is a big gamer. He loves all kinds from video games and board games to outdoor games. He also enjoys logic puzzles and escape rooms when he gets a chance to do them with his partner and/or friends. In addition, he is naturally very curious and interested in learning about different topics not related to his work, including subjects ranging from history, mathematics, physics, and philosophy to random how-to guides for cooking, DIY gadgets, and so on. His curiosity has led him to collecting more books than his bookshelves can hold!

Cynthia Arch, Therapist (LCSW)

A native of Swarthmore, PA, Cynthia has well over three decades of experience as a social worker. Her favorite thing about her work is being able to have a major and positive impact on the lives of clients while helping them reach their full potential and self-awareness. After graduating from Dickinson College, she went on to study at New York University to earn her Master of Social Work, and she also earned her certificate in treating sexual abuse/trauma. Today, she is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who also works as a middle school counselor and is even a member of the National Association of Social Workers.

Outside of the office, Cynthia is happily married and has a daughter and son. Whenever she’s free, she loves to read and spend time outdoors with her family and their two English bulldogs. One fun fact about her: she’s completed two sprint triathlons!

Larry Zimmermann, Psychotherapist

After growing up being trained and working as an actor, Larry decided that he wanted to use his life experiences to help others. This eventually saw him graduate from Montclair State University and Rutgers University as well as training at the Identity House Counseling Center in NYC. He also has experience serving in psychiatric units at Trinitas Hospital.

He deeply enjoys meeting and working with new people and helping them get the care they need to achieve their goals and live fulfilling lives. Not forgetting his past, his main passions beyond his work are music and theater.

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.

Cherilyn Watts, Licensed Social Worker

Throughout her teen and young adult years, Cherilyn faced many barriers to accessing the mental healthcare she needed, including: long waitlists, no health insurance, high costs, and a lack of support. Once she was able to get her own treatment and was making progress, she knew she wanted to help others as well. For her, TMS treatment was life-changing, and she encourages anyone – providers and clients – with questions about it to ask her!

On top of having a master’s degree in social work from the University of Southern California, Cherilyn took classes through The Mental Health Association of NJ to become a Certified Recovery Support Practitioner, worked as a peer counselor at Easterseals women's mental health residential program, provided EISS (Early Intervention Support Services) in Piscataway, and has done a lot of training focused on LGBTQ+ identity and DBT. She is passionate about helping people overcome self-harm behaviors as she is many years in recovery.

Cherilyn loves spending most of her free time with her girlfriend as well as their dog and seven cats. When she isn’t hanging out with them, you’ll usually find her at the beach, paddleboarding, hiking, or traveling.

Veronica Lo, Psychotherapist

Veronica earned her master's degree in counseling from the Alliance Graduate School of Counseling, where she developed a strong foundation in providing therapeutic services to individuals, families, and couples. She is a trilingual therapist providing services in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin.

Her empathetic and creative approach enables her to connect with clients and offer practical solutions tailored to their needs. Veronica specializes in treating anxiety, depression, family conflict, and building coping skills. She helps clients manage stress, improve communication in relationships, and navigate life transitions. Veronica is passionate about guiding individuals on their journey toward healing and personal growth.

Outside of her practice, Veronica enjoys spending quality time with her family. She loves yoga to stay fit and unwind, listens to music to lift her spirits, and explores new, delicious foods as a way to relax and recharge.

Renee Woronowicz, Site Manager (Wall Township Location)

Melanie Miller, Clinical Program Manager

Administrative Staff

Heather Nenortas, Office Manager