What Is a Confidential Advisor?

A Confidential Advisor is a staff person trained to provide support to students who are survivors of sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, and stalking. They provide a safe and confidential space for you to feel heard and learn about your rights and options. The information below may help you decide who you'd like to speak with.

To connect with a Confidential Advisor, we recommend emailing us at confidentialadvisor@neiu.edu. We check this inbox daily and make it a priority to respond to students promptly. You can also call the Student Counseling Services front desk at (773) 442-4650 and let them know you would like to schedule an appointment with a Confidential Advisor. Scheduling ahead of time, whether you have someone specific in mind or simply want to meet with the first available person, ensures you are seen by a Confidential Advisor rather than the general on-call clinician. Walk-ins are welcome, but please know that the on-call clinician may not be a designated Confidential Advisor.

Jennifer Knuepfer

Jen is a licensed clinical psychologist and received her master's degree (M.A.) and doctorate (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology from Roosevelt University, Chicago. Before joining the Student Counseling Services staff at NEIU in 2015, she worked in a number of university counseling centers, including Elmhurst College, Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), and Indiana University-Bloomington, as well as hospital and community mental health center settings. During her residency at Indiana University-Bloomington, she completed a concentration in Sexual Assault Crisis Services, where she worked with survivors in crisis and ongoing counseling and served as a member of the Sexual Assault Response Team on campus. She has a passion for working in advocacy around gender-based violence awareness and prevention, previously serving on NEIU's Sexual Assault & Violence Prevention committee and now NEIU's K(NO)W More committees. She is proud to serve as one of NEIU's Confidential Advisors on campus and is committed to providing a safe, comfortable space for all student survivors. She enjoys working with students from diverse cultural backgrounds and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Jen Knuepfer, Staff Psychologist
Student Counseling Services, Room B 119
Phone (773) 442-4650
Email: confidentialadvisor@neiu.edu

Amanda Ngola

Amanda is a licensed clinical social worker who has worked with college students for most of her career. In addition to NEIU, she has worked at UW-Madison and Wash U student counseling centers, where she focused on supporting students from various identities and backgrounds to navigate a variety of concerns. Amanda is passionate about building strong relationships in therapy and centers safety and warmth in her work.  Amanda received her master's degree in social work (MSW) from Washington University in St. Louis and her doctorate in social work (DSW) from Simmons University in Boston. She looks forward to supporting student survivors by providing deep listening, resource support, and problem-solving.

Amanda Ngola, Director 
Student Counseling Services 
Room B 119 
(773) 442-4659 
Email: confidentialadvisor@neiu.edu

Ebony Jiminez Lee

Ebony Jiminez Lee is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC). Ebony received her master's degree in Psychology and a postgraduate certificate in community counseling from National Louis University. Ebony's experience includes working with adults in group & individual private practice and as an academic advisor in higher education. Ebony uses an integrative approach within a relational and cultural framework, drawing on strength-based, mindfulness, and cognitive-behavioral theories. Her areas of interest include life transition, family of origin issues, anxiety, grief, loss, racial stressors, relationship issues, intersectionality, LGBTQ concerns, and multicultural perspectives. Ebony believes in having a safe, brave, empathetic, supportive space to explore challenges, gain insight, improve self-awareness, self-acceptance, coping, and communication, to break unhealthy patterns, and have more enriched, empowered, productive life experiences and relationships. Ebony is committed to honoring all identities, centering intersectional and BIPOC-specific needs.

Ebony Jiminez Lee, Staff Psychotherapist 
Student Counseling Services 
Room B 119 
(773) 442-4618 
Email: confidentialadvisor@neiu.edu