Miki Koyama, Ph.D., Interim director
Dr. Koyama received her doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Western Michigan University. Before joining Student Counseling Services at Northeastern Illinois University, she worked at multiple university counseling centers including Butler University, Western Michigan University, and University of Illinois at Chicago. She also volunteered at the Marjorie Kovler Center as a clinician and worked with survivors of torture. Dr. Koyama enjoys working with university students from diverse backgrounds, who present with various clinical concerns. Her areas of interests include multicultural issues, international, immigrant, and undocumented student concerns, acculturation and adjustment, intersectional identities, relational and interpersonal dynamics, LGBTQ concerns, mindfulness, spirituality, and group therapy. Dr. Koyama’s therapeutic approach is gentle yet direct and active. She strives to be authentic and genuine in therapeutic relationships. She incorporates non-Western, alternative perspectives whenever appropriate.
Jennifer Knuepfer, Psy.D., Interim Assistant Director for Training/Staff Psychologist
Dr. Knuepfer received her master's degree (M.A.) and doctorate (Psy.D.) in clinical psychology from Roosevelt University, Chicago. Before joining the counseling staff at Northeastern Illinois University she worked in a number of university counseling centers, including Elmhurst College, Illinois Institute of Technology, and Indiana University-Bloomington. She has also provided clinical services in hospital and community mental health center settings, and she has experience working with clients with co-occurring mental health and substance use issues. She uses an integrative approach within a multicultural and feminist framework, incorporating elements from psychodynamic, interpersonal, and cognitive theories. Her areas of interest include multiple identity development, depression, anxiety, grief and loss, trauma, childhood and recent sexual assault, adult children of alcoholics, substance use, eating concerns, relationship issues, and couples therapy. She enjoys working with students from diverse backgrounds and members of the LGBTQA community.
Michael McPartland, Psy.D., Outreach Coordinator and Staff Psychologist
Dr. McPartland received his master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Adler University. He has worked in university counseling centers throughout Chicago and the Midwest including Michigan State University and Roosevelt University. Additionally, he has provided clinical services in community mental health, primary care, and inpatient psychiatric hospital settings. Dr. McPartland enjoys the range of opportunities working within a university setting, including individual and group therapy, supervision/training, consultation, and outreach. His clinical interests include identity development, life transition and adjustment, LGBTQA concerns, family of origin issues, mood disorders, and trauma. He has worked with children, adolescents, and adults from diverse backgrounds presenting with a wide range of clinical issues. Dr. McPartland has enjoyed over four years at NEIU as a staff psychologist and outreach coordinator.
EBony jiminez lee, m.a., Staff Psychotherapist and Case manager
Ebony Jiminez Lee is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC). Ebony received her master’s degree in Psychology and post-graduate community counseling certificate from National Louis University. Ebony has more than 10 years of experience working as an LCPC in private practice and an academic advisor in higher education. She enjoys working with people from diverse backgrounds and has experience in psychotherapy, individual, group, and couples counseling. Her areas of interest include coping with life transition, family of origin issues, anxiety, grief, loss, and multicultural perspectives. Ebony believes in having a safe, empathetic, supportive space to explore challenges, gain insights, improve communication, and learn new behaviors to have more enriched, empowered, productive life experiences and relationships. She utilizes an eclectic approach of strength-based and cognitive-behavioral counseling and psychotherapy treatment.
Paulina Wojtach, Ph.D, Post-Doctoral Fellow
Dr. Wojtach received her master’s (M.A.) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Social Psychology and her doctorate (Ph.D.) in Counseling Psychology from Ball State University in Muncie, IN. She has worked with traditional and nontraditional, undergraduate and graduate students in multiple counseling centers in the Midwest, including Ball State University, Illinois State University, and IUPUI. Additionally, she has provided clinical services in private practice, community mental health, and integrated health settings. She has provided services such as individual therapy, couples therapy, group therapy, psychological assessment, workshops, crisis intervention, and workshops. Her areas of interest include identity development, family of origin issues, anxiety, depression, trauma, multiculturalism, immigration, and LGBTQ+ issues.
Kevin Hamor, M.A., extern
Mr. Hamor is an advanced Pre-Doctoral Extern from Adler University where he is completing requirements towards a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology. He has previously worked in a variety of settings such as a behavioral hospital, health department, and at a high school. At these sites he provided psychological assessments for children, adolescents, and adults as well as providing individual and group therapy to individuals from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds. He currently also works at a private practice in which he provides psychological assessments to a diverse group of people across the lifespan. Mr. Hamor has worked with individuals who reported academic problems, mood disorders, interpersonal relationship issues, and complex trauma. Mr. Hamor strives to create an environment in which the client feels empowered, safe, and invited to explore themselves and process any concerns they may be experiencing.
JENNY Z. INGERSOLL, M.A., Extern
Jenny is a Counseling Extern from Northeastern Illinois University’s own Department of Counselor Education where she is pursuing a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She draws from 10 years of teaching, tutoring, and administrative experience in Illinois and Chicago higher education institutions where she witnessed the importance of students’ mental health not only to their own identity development, but to the vitality of their communities and the university. Jenny works from a humanistic, feminist perspective, believing that individuals naturally move towards becoming the best versions of themselves even as they navigate oppressive societal systems. Through a warm, genuine, and collaborative therapeutic alliance and counseling informed by cultural humility and social justice, she wants to empower clients to live as present, genuine instruments of change for themselves, in their relationships, and in the wider world.
Jenny is interested in career counseling, grief, adjustment, transitions, academic concerns, higher education, trauma, the mind-body connection, relationships, and how education and educators can more mindfully integrate mental health best practices and trauma-informed approaches to better connect with students, colleagues, and themselves, promoting institutional health and healing.
Neeti shenoy, M.A., Extern
Neeti is a Psychology Extern from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, where she is working towards a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology. She previously worked at an inpatient hospital with children and adolescents challenged by trauma, depression, anxiety, anger, and relationships issues. Additionally, Neeti has worked in Chicago Public Schools, providing support to high school students related to identity development and academic challenges. Her areas of interest include multicultural identity development and exploration, intersectionality, social-justice and antiracism, trauma, life transition and adjustment, family, friend, and romantic partner relationships, and immigration. She aims to provide students a warm and supportive environment where they can explore their experiences and comfortably address current or past stressors.
Herleena Verraich, M.A., Extern
Ms. Verraich is a Pre-Doctoral Psychology Extern from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, working towards her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology. She previously worked as a diagnostic extern in a multidisciplinary medical setting where she conducted psychological assessments with adults, primarily middle-aged women experiencing chronic migraines with a history of traumatic experiences. Ms. Verraich’s area of clinical interest includes multicultural psychology where her current research focuses on identity development as a consequence of multigenerational trauma. Ms. Verraich is also clinically interested in social justice issues regarding women’s rights and advocacy, complex trauma, romantic partner relationships, and evidence-based spiritual interventions in mental health care.
Jessica de leon, M.A., Extern
Ms. De Leon is an advanced Pre-Doctoral Extern from Adler University where she is completing requirements towards a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology. She has previously worked in a variety of settings providing psychological assessments for children and adolescents, as well as providing individual and family therapy to individuals across the lifespan from a diverse range of cultural background, mostly with Latinx individuals and families. Ms. De Leon has provided support to individuals experiencing a plethora of concerns and difficulties, including mood disorders, academic challenges, relationship and interpersonal difficulties, familial challenges, acute and complex trauma, identity development, acculturation difficulties, adjustment disorder, anxiety, and depression, to name a few. Ms. De Leon aims to provide an affirming, supportive, warm, and validating environment in which students allow themselves to be fully themselves, and feel comfortable exploring their experiences with the difficulties they are currently and have previously experienced. Furthermore, Ms. De Leon hopes to provide consistent reassurance and support for students to embrace their full authentic selves.
