Anna Guimaraes, LMSW, Program Director
Anna Guimaraes is a licensed social worker and Yoga Alliance Certified Yoga Teacher. She earned her MSW from Columbia University, where she focused her field and academic work on both mental health and substance misuse populations, with a particular focus on integrating holistic health practices into her practice. She has worked at Fountain House since 2010, where she honed her skills in positive engagement, Motivational Interviewing, and served as a liaison and advocate between adults with mental illness and community resources. She helped create the College Re-Entry Core program, focusing on wellness initiatives, course development, coaching approaches, and community building activities. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Bates College
Julie Wolfson, LMSW, Director of Outreach and Research
Julie Wolfson is a licensed social worker with special interests in strengths-based approaches and early intervention. She has a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MSW from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Julie completed an internship at UNC's specialized outpatient clinic for young adults experiencing early episode psychosis and also founded the Mental Health Caucus at the UNC School of Social Work. She previously worked at Green Door in Washington, DC, a community mental health clinic and Clubhouse with an emphasis on advocacy, psychoeducation, and engaging young adults. She has been with College Re-Entry since its inception and helped to develop the Core curriculum.
Lucas Hall, Creative Expression
Australian born wellness specialist Lucas Hall is a yoga/meditation/sound healing instructor, certified personal trainer, and creative expression facilitator. His years of training and experience working both as a professional actor/singer/dancer and corporate wellness educator adds to his versatility, creativity, and understanding of working with a wide variety of people.
Shiv Kotecha, Critical Reading, and Writing Instructor
Shiv Kotecha is a poet, critic, and writing instructor living in New York City. He is the author of several books of poetry and is currently a PhD candidate at NYU, completing a dissertation titled "Decomposition as Explanation: The Forms of Duration from Poe to PostConceptual Writing."
Christine Zehner, Meditation and Yoga Instructor
Christine first stepped onto the yoga mat ten years ago and was immediately inspired by the transformative power of an alignment based practice. She chose to study at World Yoga Center because of its deep lineage and connection to Anusara principles and received a 200-hour teacher training certificate in 2014. Christine also holds certificates through advanced training in kids yoga from OM Schooled, restorative yoga, focus for older adults via BomerPlus, meditation, classical myths, and the in-depth mentoring program at Twisted Trunk. Along with teaching at various yoga studios and schools across the city, her downtown loft provides an inspired space for private practice geared towards teens and a creative community seeking precision through joyful action.
Jenn Patel, Student Skills Instructor
Jenn Patel is an educator and community organizer in NYC. As a Learning Specialist, her focus is on executive function skills for college students with mental health conditions, ADD/ADHD, learning differences and other challenges that impact academics. With Jenn, students learn sustainable academic success strategies that integrate physical and emotional wellbeing. She grounds this work in culturally relevant pedagogy and the Freirean model of education. Jenn holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in English from St. John's University, where she focused on post-colonial literature and the application of Critical Race Theory in the classroom. In addition to her work in Higher Ed, she co-facilitates an Undoing Racism™ accountability hub connected to The People's Institute for Survival and Beyond.
Marcia Owens, Cooking Instructor
Marcia's cooking instruction is rooted in the belief that 'Food feeds the body and cooking feeds the soul'. Trained at the French Culinary Institute, the Institute of Culinary Education in NYC and Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, Marcia brings her expertise to the College Re-Entry program teaching practical cooking skills and healthy meals to busy college students.
