Bethlehem Campus
Ross Bandics, Counselor
Ross provides academic, career, and personal counseling. He is an Academic Probation Counselor and teaches College Success 101.
Favorite ways to reduce stress: outdoor activities like hiking, camping, and kayaking
Favorite TV show: Curb Your Enthusiasm
Favorite food: chicken paprikash
Matt Bartholomew, Counselor
Matt is a licensed professional counselor in PA. He provides personal, academic, and career counseling to all students experiencing a wide range of issues. He serves as advisor for Veteran Students and counsels students on Academic Probation.
Favorite ways to reduce stress: all types of exercise and getting outdoors with his wife and kids
Favorite TV show: The Office – his favorite character is Dwight Schrute
Something surprising: has been a huge fan of Professional Wrestling since the 1980s
Ziona Brotleit, Counselor
Ziona is a licensed psychologist who assists students with a variety of issues, such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, parents and relationships, women’s issues, and LGBTQ+ concerns. She provides stress management and relaxation techniques. She also provides support and guidance for a range of academic concerns, including study skills, test anxiety, professor and class management concerns, selecting a major, and career decisions. She speaks both English and Spanish.
Favorite ways to reduce stress: hiking on trails in the woods, watching movies, and contra dancing - "Contra dancing? Ask me about it!"
Elba Carides, Counselor
Elba counsels students on personal, career, and academic skills and assists students in the development of their individual educational plans and goals. She provides outreach advocacy and support for students experiencing academic difficulty. She teaches College Success 101-150 and leadership development. She speaks both English and Spanish.
Favorite way to reduce stress: exercise, like Zumba, Salsa dancing, and walking outside
Favorite food: "I can eat lasagna every day if you let me!"
Favorite animal: her Miniature Schnauzer, Suki
Stephen Compos, Counselor
Stephen is a licensed professional counselor who provides general counseling and specializes in sexual dysfunction, relationship issues, and LGBTQ+ concerns. He also counsels students on Academic Probation.
Chelsea Cortright, Counselor
Chelsea provides personal, academic, and career counseling to all students experiencing a variety of concerns. She uses a wide range of approaches to empower students through difficult adjustment and assists them in making personal life decisions. She also provides support for students on Academic Probation. She is a proud member of THRIVE, NCC's mental wellness alliance of staff, faculty, and students, and co-leads its Ambassador program.
Favorite way to reduce stress: running
Favorite TV shows: reality competition shows, like Survivor and The Challenge
Unusual skill: solving riddles and puzzles, especially escape rooms
Teresa Donate, Counselor
Teresa is a Spanish-English bilingual counselor. She provides personal, academic, and career counseling to all students experiencing a wide variety of issues. She is a strong advocate for issues dealing with diversity, bilingualism, and the rights of students and staff of color.
Favorite ways to reduce stress: swimming, walking by the beach, and yoga
Favorite food: all seafood
Something surprising: "I'm retiring this May!"
Andrea Marcolla, Counselor
Andrea is a licensed social worker. She provides personal, academic, and career counseling to all students experiencing a wide variety of issues. She utilizes a range of creative and solution-focused approaches to empower students to improve life circumstances. She provides stress management and self-care support to students. She instructs College Success 101 and various yoga courses/workshops on campus. Andrea speaks Spanish and English. She is a certified suicide prevention specialist and offers various trainings related to suicide prevention and mental wellness. She is the Elected Leader of THRIVE, NCC's mental wellness alliance of staff, faculty, and students, and co-leads its Ambassador program.
Favorite way to reduce stress: yoga
Favorite foods: seafood and Mexican food
Favorite animal: dogs – every single one!
Beatriz Messina, Counselor
Beatriz is a licensed social worker who provides personal counseling to students struggling with a variety of issues. She facilitates personal counseling and other services to students experiencing Substance Use Disorders (SUD). She facilitates NCC’s Collegiate Recovery Program (CRP), a campus group set up for students in long-term recovery from Substance Use Disorders who want support in their academic journey. She is also skilled at connecting students to public benefits and community resources. She speaks both English and Spanish.
Favorite ways to reduce stress: running and Zumba
Favorite animals: her two cats, Sophie and Sammy
Unusual skill: has never fallen off a treadmill, despite reading and running at the same time
Monroe Campus
James N. Colon, MHSC (Master of Human Service Counseling), Counselor
James is a Spanish-English bilingual counselor. He assists students with personal life issues, such as depression, anxiety, parent and family issues, relationships, and LGBTQ+ concerns, and provides stress managment and relaxation techniques. He provides support to students on Academic Probation. He is also an instructor of College Success and Study Abroad and serves as advisor of the Monroe Campus Hispanic-American Cultural Club (HACC).
Ariane Medero, Counselor
Ariane is a Board-Certified and Registered Art Therapist and Certified Thanatologist (Grief Counselor) who specializes in using creative arts therapy and supportive counseling techniques to assist students to cope with grief and loss, stress, adjustment, and a variety of personal life issues. She provides an integrative approach when helping students to increase insight and self-awareness into individual wellness, challenges, and academic/career goals by promoting active and creative problem-solving. She also speaks both English and Spanish.
Favorite ways to reduce stress: color, draw, paint, nature walks, and playing video games
Favorite foods: Puerto Rican, Indian, Thai, and Japanese foods
Favorite animal: cuddly cats
Sarah Stone, Counselor
Sarah provides personal counseling to students struggling with a variety of issues. She facilitates personal counseling and other services to students experiencing substance use and abuse issues and connects students to public benefits and other community resources.