Embark at Cabin John

Nate Luongo, LCSW-C joined Potomac Programs in 2015. He holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from Columbia University. Nate has dedicated his life to working with adolescents and young adults struggling with substance use and mental health issues. He’s received extensive supervision and clinical training from Robert Schwebel, PhD. – creator of the Seven Challenges Program, the evidence-based model utilized within the First Step program. Prior to joining Potomac Programs, Nate provided family and individual therapy to at-risk families in Brooklyn, NY. He has worked in a number of community and clinic settings addressing an array of mental health concerns. After his college football playing career was cut short due to injury, Nate served as an assistant coach at Catholic University. Outside of work, Nate enjoys spending time with family and friends, going on hikes, and playing with his dog, Millie.

John Pelletier is a graduate of University of Maryland, College Park with a BA in English. He has a long history of management and administration in companies both large and small in various industries including big box retail, local grocery and veterinary medicine. A former veterinary assistant, John continues to spend time volunteering with animals and enjoys gardening, meditating and reading.

Atira has worn many hats since she joined Potomac Programs in 2016. Hired as the clinic’s Compliance Officer, she then served as the Director of Operations for three years before stepping into her current role. Prior to that she had years of experience managing and leading retail businesses. She also spent more than a decade providing care and tutoring to children and teens with trauma, anxiety, depression, and ASD. As a teacher in the Palyul tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, Atira is passionate about connecting people to the therapeutic, spiritual and creative tools that help them befriend their own minds and the world around them. She offers classes on how to develop wisdom and compassion through meditation and mind-training. Atira is a strong proponent of the healing power of the arts and has been leading poetry workshops in schools since 2004. In her spare time, Atira enjoys reading, writing poetry, creating art, and exploring the great outdoors with her husband.

Dr. Gill is the Medical Director of Behavioral Health Services, Suburban Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medicine and MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center. Prior to his appointment with Suburban Hospital, Dr. Gill has served as the Medical Director, Behavioral Health Services, of Providence Hospital in Washington, DC. He is presently also Clinical Assistant Professor at George Washington University Department of Psychiatry as well as St. Elizabeth’s Psychiatry Residency Training Program. Originally from Croatia, Dr. Gill came to the United States to pursue study and research of the brain function. After obtaining his double-major Doctorate degree in Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience from Iowa State University focusing on brain mapping of visual imagery process, Dr. Gill served as Chief Medical Officer with the State of Iowa Department of Human Services Medicaid Agency. He has worked closely with (then) Health Care Financing Administration (presently Center for Medicare Services) on the development of quality of care measures for Medicaid and Medicare Managed Care. His continued interest in quality of care as well as providing optimal care to patients needing psychiatric care led to founding of the AXIS Healthcare Group that attracted a team of experts sharing the same mission. Dr. Gill also completed training in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy with the Washington Center for Psychoanalysis where he also chaired and taught in the Neuroscience and Psychotherapy course. In his private practice Dr. Gill provides psychiatric and therapeutic services. His interest in education of both professionals and lay audiences led to developing the educational branch of the AXIS Healthcare Group. He continues to promote psychotherapeutic intervention as essential component of treatment both through his clinical work as well as his ongoing teaching.

Elizabeth Kosin, LMSW is a licensed masters social worker.  Elizabeth graduated from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration with a Master’s degree in clinical social work.  Elizabeth swam and played water polo through college which has contributed to her understanding of mind-body wellness. She has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults in school, in-home, and in outpatient settings.  As a therapist, Elizabeth values a strength-based and collaborative approach. Outside of work, Elizabeth enjoys staying active on land or in the pool, spending time with family and friends, and watching comedy specials curled up with her cat, Winston.    

Barry Shapiro, LMSW earned his master’s degree in social work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. He has experience working with adolescents and adults with chronic mental illnesses in both outpatient and in-home settings. Barry is driven by his desire to find presence in life through mindfulness and meditation and has a passion for helping others do the same. He enjoys playing guitar and basketball (not at the same time), in addition to spending time with family and friends.

Grant Gamble, CADC-II started working in dual-diagnosis treatment in 2015 as a primary case manager for Sober College’s residential young adult program. He is a certified drug and alcohol counselor and is in the process of completing his Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology. Grant has experience working with young adults diagnosed with both substance abuse and mental health diagnoses. He has a great interest and understanding of the recovery process for young adults with substance abuse dependency. Grant believes in an entire mind and body connection in order to maintain long-term recovery. He focuses on helping steer client’s focus on their individualized treatment plan by supporting them in five major competencies he believes are essential to the life long recovery process (Life Skills, Sobriety, Fitness, Productivity, and Emotional Well-Being). Grant is an avid swimmer, frequent live music attendee, and lover of all things ocean related! Grant is a Washingtonian by birth, but loves to incorporate the positive California vibes he inherited during his time in Los Angeles!

Gabriel Martinez, LCPC graduated from St. Bonaventure University in 2011 with an M.S.Ed. in community mental health and school counseling. Prior to joining Potomac Pathways, he worked for a non-profit in western New York counseling at-risk individuals across the aging, substance abuse, mental health and developmental disability spectrum. He has also worked in numerous schools as an educator and counselor to help address students’ personal, social, emotional, and physical wellness needs. Gabriel engages clients with a holistic approach, including outdoor adventure therapy. He is interested in researching how natural environments impact individual and community wellness.

Christopher Hodgson received a BA in psychology from the University of Georgia in his hometown of Athens. He has a diverse background in administrative, customer service and management roles with various businesses ranging in size from “mom and pop” through an NYSE mutual fund corporation. After relocating to Maryland, Christopher met his partner in 1997 while living in Baltimore and they now reside in Western Montgomery County surrounded by the lush greenery of the Maryland Agricultural Reserve. During his personal time he enjoys audio books, cooking, learning about American Sign Language and deepening in the practices of Vajrayana Buddhism.

Dyuti Ganesh is currently a Master’s student at the University of Maryland in the Clinical Psychological Science program and will be graduating in December 2019. Her research specializes in the socio-cultural disparities within psychopathology in racial minority youth populations. Dyuti has worked with child and adolescent populations for the past five years in school, community, and clinical settings and hopes to continue this work in the future. In her spare time, Dyuti enjoys doing yoga, hiking, cooking, and exploring the city!

“Annie” Diane Bertran, LCSW-C earned her Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from University of Maryland, Baltimore in 2013. She worked in Baltimore City High Schools providing individual, group, and family therapy. Annie then moved back to her hometown and has worked in a hospital providing PHP/IOP level treatment. She has had extensive training in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) as well as Dialectic Behavioral Therapy. Annie is passionate in her work with different populations and finding individualized ways to work with each person. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends as well as swimming and being outside.

Adam Freidfertig, LGPC, NCC received his Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Johns Hopkins University. Prior to pursuing a degree in counseling, Adam worked as a senior field instructor at a wilderness therapy program, working with adolescents and young adults, combining his passion for the outdoors and supporting positive growth in clients. He has also worked in outpatient mental health settings providing individual psychotherapy to children, adolescents, and adults. Adam seeks to empower clients to utilize learned skills and feel more in control of their lives. He supports clients in engaging the areas of mind-body-spirit to heal the whole self. When not working, Adam likes to hike and camp with his two dogs Hooper and Dexter, read, listen to live music, play board games, travel and spend time with family and friends.

Brooke Senior, LMSW has a Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Maryland and is a licensed social worker in the state of Maryland. While in graduate school, Brooke was introduced to Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and became fascinated with the benefits of learning and applying skills in the areas of mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness to both emotional and behavioral difficulties, as well as the benefits of using the skills in life, in general! Brooke has also done significant research on experiential interventions, such as wilderness therapy, and was fortunate enough to study in Southern India, which emphasized her strong belief in the mind-body connection, and the benefits of “thinking outside the box (or, in this case, the therapy office).” Brooke has worked with children, adolescents and adults in a variety of settings, including outpatient mental health clinics, residential and day treatment programs, the school system, wilderness education and correctional facilities. Brooke stands by the maxim, “There is no health without mental health.” In her spare time, Brooke enjoys hiking, camping and being outdoors, live music, spending time with friends and family, and reminding people that ‘The Eagles’ are the greatest American rock band to ever be.

Benjamin Zeoli has many years of facilities management in primarily holistic settings. He has also worked very closely, as a technician, alongside doctors in the fields of human holistic health care and holistic veterinary care. Seeing to a clean, safe, healthy and properly functioning work environment will be Benjamin’s focal points at Potomac Pathways. For the past 33 years, Benjamin has been a practicing Buddhist. He enjoys gardening, decorating, music, cooking, spending time with family and friends and has a tremendous love of animals.

Brianna Wilson, LGPC-NCC, received her Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Johns Hopkins University. While in graduate school, Brianna was introduced to DBT while working at RICA in Baltimore. She was amazed by the progress made by incorporating mindfulness and concrete skills into the therapeutic process. She has always been passionate about the benefits of experiential therapy, which is how she came across Potomac Programs. In her final year of graduate school, she accepted an internship here which allowed her to deepen her understanding of DBT while incorporating various forms of experiential work. She looks at DBT from a creative lens that allows her to adjust a structured form of therapy in order to adapt it for each clients specific needs. She completed Behavioral Tech’s Foundational Training in May 2019. She is currently working through courses to complete her TF-CBT training through the Medical University of South Carolina. Brianna has worked with adolescents and young adults in residential, PHP, and IOP settings. She has experience working with Borderline Personality Disorder, PTSD, varying mood disorders, and substance abuse. Outside of work, Brianna enjoys catching up on her reading list, trying new recipes, and a relaxing weekend backpacking.

Julianne has worked in outpatient, home and community-based, and residential settings. She has experience working with individuals and families presenting with a range of mental health concerns- including eating disorders, co-occurring mental health disorders, and autism-spectrum disorders. Before pursuing mental health counseling, Julianne received her B.S. in Biobehavioral Health at Penn State University. While working as a research assistant in a Counseling Psychology lab, she became especially interested in the interplay amongst one’s family, relationships, and behavioral health. After graduating and working in homes with special needs clients and their families, Julianne went on to earn her Masters in Couple and Family Therapy from Drexel University. She is currently working toward licensure as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). Julianne strives to provide clients with a safe therapeutic environment, utilizing Dialectical Behavior Therapy and a variety of family systems approaches, such as Contextual and Structural Family therapy. Julianne approaches her work with individuals in the context of their relationships, with the ultimate goal of helping them gain self-love and compassion. In her free time, Julianne enjoys being active outdoors, spending time with friends and family, and reading.

Sheryl Walden is a Clinical Licensed Social worker with a Master of Social Work from Boston University. Sheryl has experience working with adolescents, adults, couples and families in office, home, hospital, and community-based settings. As a professional and a parent of grown children, Sheryl understands the adolescent years and knows the challenges of parenting. Sheryl has experience helping families balance the tension between a teen’s need for greater independence, a secure home- base and parental adjustments and flexibility toward ongoing changes. Sheryl believes each family is unique but all experience times when therapy can provide added support, increased communication and greater understanding of family dynamics. Sheryl is a fan of Motown, movies and Mexican food. She has been married for 30+ years and a native to California.

William “Will” Hughes holds a Master of Science in Counseling Degree with a specialization in Clinical Mental Health from Prescott College. He is currently working towards his LGPC licensure in the state of Maryland. Will specializes in mindfulness-based counseling techniques and psychoeducation for young adults experiencing challenges commonly associated with the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: attention-seeking; substance use; guilt; avoidance; depression; executive functioning; ect. Empowering teens and young adults with scientific knowledge of why they feel, behave and react in ways that don’t serve them and offering skills to help them maintain vigilant awareness of their symptoms and choices of response is his focus. He believes strongly in experiential and adventure-based learning, often taking clients into nature, where they may experience their immediate mental reactions to subtle stimuli. Will’s other passion is counseling adults through difficult career and life-stage transitions, utilizing the Pro Discovery assessment tool as a foundation. Clients experiencing feelings of identity loss, diminishing self-worth, hopelessness and catastrophic thinking respond well to the authentic personal reflection and Positive Psychology perspective Pro Discovery provides them. He is Founder and Director of the Family Legacy Project (on-going), an adaptation of this instrument for application with multi-generations of families seeking unity, purpose, identity and flourishing. Will is a Cancer survivor, adventure travel enthusiast, professional-level Chef and avid skier.

Rev. Jennifer Wilder, LGPC, NCC holds her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Johns Hopkins University and her Masters in Divinity from Union Theological Seminary. Prior to joining Potomac Programs, Jennifer worked in a variety of community and institutional settings, including Cristo Rey New York High School, New York University Langone Hospital, Baltimore Job Hunters Support group, and various churches. Jennifer brings cross-discipline professional experience as an agent of change and healing justice in different capacities, including her work as an ordained Minister and Pastor, community organizer, retreat leader, and leader in conflict mediation. Early in her career, Jennifer was drawn to therapeutic work with teens and emerging adults who were survivors of trauma and conflict in El Salvador, influencing her to dedicate her life to catalyzing individual and collective transformation. Jennifer discovered DBT and experiential therapies over a decade ago when training cohorts of youth to be change-making leaders in their communities, leading to the eventual founding of the Highlander Institute Maryland, Pride Southern Maryland, and a school-based peer mediator program. In addition to her clinical counseling work, Jennifer is a staunch public advocate, including for the right to affordable mental health care. She is a University of Maryland Master Gardener specializing in community and therapeutic gardening, and she and her dog Abby serve clients and the community as a certified Pets on Wheels therapy dog team. For fun, Jennifer loves spending time with friends and family, hiking with her pup, reading, running, and exploring near and far.

Kristen Moyer, LGPC, received her Master’s Degree in Clinical Counseling from La Salle University in Philadelphia, PA. After graduating, Kristen moved to the U.S.Virgin Islands where she worked as a Behavioral Therapist implementing Applied Behavioral Analysis to children diagnosed with Autism. Shortly thereafter, she began working as a School Counselor for a private K-12 school in St. John, USVI. Kristen returned stateside in 2017 and continued to work as a mental health counselor in schools. For the last 2 years, Kristen worked as a School Therapist and gained experience working with adolescents who struggle with academic, behavioral and emotional concerns. Kristen has experience working with theoretical approaches such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. In Kristen’s free time, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family in Pennsylvania and enjoys lazy afternoons with her cat, Cleopatra.

Stephanie Prigal, LMSW earned a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore in 2017. She has experience working with children, adolescents and adults in various settings including school-based, home-based and an outpatient mental health clinic. As a therapist, Stephanie highly values productive communication and utilizes a strengths-based approach. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys listening to music and podcasts, reading books and spending time outdoors.

Dr. Brian Masterson is a physician with over 30 years of clinical experience. His major interests include: Integration of medicine and psychiatry, issues of transplantation of solid organs, existential management of chronic life-threatening diseases especial HIV, biopsychosocial treatment of trauma related incidents, immunologic response to stress, psychopharmacogenomics, advanced augmented intelligence for process improvement, database and model simulation design, human factors design process. Dr. Masterson continues to practice internal medicine and psychiatry while serving as a Senior Behavioral Health Medical Director for United Health Group / Optum. He leads development of value-based integrated care for Optum Behavioral Health Care Engagement. He is principal behavioral health consultant to OptumServe and federal programs. Dr. Masterson concluded 35 years of military service as the Chair of the Health Futures Group, Chief of Interagency Collaboration and the Medical Chair for Global Health at the National Defense University under the office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs. During that time, he had led efforts to predict and anticipate global health crisis that prepared the DoD for response to the Ebola outbreak in western Africa in 2014. Dr. Masterson received his Bachelor of Science as a Distinguished Graduate (Summa Cum Laude) from the United States Air Force Academy. He received his Doctorate of Medicine as an Aesculapian graduate from Harvard Medical School. He received his Master’s in Public Health from the University of Texas and a Master’s in Strategic Studies from the National Defense University. He completed a combined residency in Internal Medicine and Psychiatry from the University of Iowa and an Aerospace Medicine residency from the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine. He is boarded in both Internal Medicine and Psychiatry.

Sabrina Hansen is the Director of Marketing and Outreach at Potomac Programs- DC Metro. Her passion for creating a culture of helping through communication and outreach can be traced back to her pre-professional days, whether it was as a member of her high school student council or through serving as a university ambassador during her undergraduate studies where she served as a student liaison for prospective students. While earning her Master’s in Social Work, Sabrina joined a telehealth pilot program serving vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, Sabrina has also served as a volunteer for the American Cancer Society for over 7 years. In her professional career, Sabrina has had opportunities to spread her mission of compassion and well-being in her work as a people and business leader for a leading global cosmetics company, a 4-diamond luxury destination spa focusing on wellness, nutrition and fitness, and most recently, a leading nonprofit healthcare organization. Sabrina enjoys exploring new running, hiking and adventure paths both locally and internationally. She is happiest when she is making memories with her husband, friends, family and her two cats.