The Quad Manhattan
Programs for Twice-Exceptional (2e) Children
Heather Goldman, Ph.D. – Supervising Child Psychologist
Dr. Heather Goldman, a Clinical Instructor of Psychology at Columbia University, has been the Supervising Clinical Psychologist for The Quad since its inception in 2010. She has over 10 years experience coordinating school-based mental health programs, running her own private practice and serving as a school psychologist at 2 schools, one that serves 2E children. She additionally teaches and is experienced in running clinical trials. Heather is the Program Director for The Quad's Psychosocial Internship Program and for the Certificate Program in Meeting the Needs of Twice Exceptional Children. She directs all afterschool programs and provides professional insight to the ALL programs at The Quad by supervising several interns and staff members in working with our kids. She is enthusiastic with knowledge and experience.
Email: heather@thequadmanhattan.com
Ashley Riviere – Director, Summer Camp
Ashley began at the Quad in 2012 as a Core teacher and as the Summer Camp Director in 2013. Ashley is a teacher, tutor, writer, and admirer of all things fun! Ashley graduated from The College at Brockport, SUNY with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism and NYS Teaching Certification in English and Special Education. Ashley is currently a Special Education Teacher for New York City Department of Education. She specializes in reading and writing and has implemented two summer curricula for The Quad Manhattan including writing for the media and multi-cultural, hands-on reading with interactive field trips. Ashley has a true passion for teaching, children and their advancement in the world.
Email: ashley@thequadmanhattan.com
Mirlet Auguste – Capoeira and Dance Specialist
Mirlet Auguste has been teaching summer camps at the Quad since 2011. He is a Graduado from Grupo Capoeira Luanda NYC under the supervision of Mestre Jelon Vieira and has been training capoeira for over 8 years. Mirlet has also taught Capoeira at Kipp Amp Charter School in Brooklyn. A native New Yorker, Mirlet is also a free-style dancer and performer with a strong influence of Afro beats and House music and a full-time Fashion Designer.
Kimberly Busi, M.D. – Founder and Director
Kim Busi is a Psychiatrist in private practice in Lower Manhattan and a former Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the NYU School of Medicine. She left her faculty appointment in 2009 to found The Quad Manhattan. She received her Medical Degree from the Brown University School of Medicine in 1997. After completing a year’s training in Pediatrics at the New York Hospital-Weill Medical Center, Dr. Busi finished her residency training in Psychiatry at the NYU School of Medicine in 2001. At NYU, Dr. Busi has designed curriculum, and taught and supervised residents. She served on the Curriculum Committee for the Department of Psychiatry, and as the Director of Education for the NYU/Bellevue Program for Survivors of Torture, a not-for-profit multidisciplinary treatment center within the Bellevue Hospital Center. There, she developed a multilevel curriculum to teach and supervise over 100 medical students, residents and psychologists. Best of all, she is the mother of two wonderful boys, 14 and 10.
Email: kim@thequadmanhattan.com
Nicole Cavaliere- Fine Art and Photography Specialist
Nicole started at The Quad as a fine arts teacher in 2013 and has taught in The Quad After School program and summer program as a Core Teacher. She is an artist and teaching artist with a degree in Art and Design Education from Pratt Institute, where she taught in their Saturday Art School. She has also taught at Academy of the City Charter School in Queens and has worked with sick, disabled, and disadvantaged children in South America and Africa for 3 summers with the Hope For The Children Foundation.
Jackson Kent- Improvisational Theater Specialist
Jackson started at The Quad as an intern in the summer of 2013. He returned in the summers of 2015 and 2016 as an improv teacher. He was an assistant teacher at The Quad Preparatory School from 2013 to 2014. During this time he taught two afterschool classes in improv theater and psychosocial core curriculum. He has been working with children since 2009 and has been involved with theater for his entire life. Jackson completed undergrad studies in Psychology at Oberlin College and is currently pursuing a masters of social work at Hunter College and graduates in May of 2016.
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Jennifer Yu- Core Teacher
Jennifer is a graduate of Wellesley College and Teach For America, Jennifer holds Master’s degree in Secondary Special Education and is currently pursuing a PsyD in School-Clinical Child Psychology at the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology at Yeshiva University. She has experience teaching co-taught and self-contained Reading to high school students and most recently worked with 2e children at the Quad Preparatory School and Quad Manhattan Afterschool Program where she has co-written curriculum for the humanities and taught after school programs.
Psychosocial Internship Class of 2023
Abigail Minkove, Chief Intern
She/Her/Hers
Abigail (Abby) Minkove, Yeshiva University Psychology (2023), is an aspiring social worker. She grew up in New Rochelle, NY and has lived in New York her entire life. She completed The Quad Manhattan Psychosocial Internship in 2023 and quickly rose to the top of her class, connecting naturally with twice-exceptional learners. Abby returns in 2023 as our Chief Intern. In her free time, Abby loves to bake, watch movies, organize her things in color order and hang out with her friends.
Celia Ziliak (Barnard `24)
They/Them
Celia Ziliak is a student at Barnard College of Columbia University studying psychology and women's, gender, & sexuality studies. They currently work as a research assistant for the Group Dynamics Psychology Lab as well as a teaching assistant for the Clinical Psychology class at Barnard. Celia has previously worked in other research settings and organized with many activist groups. They are passionate about mental health, social justice, and art and they strive to find ways to integrate those passions with the work they do.
Rafaella Spielberg (Vassar `23)
She/Her
Rafaella Spielberg was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She is currently a senior at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY. In May 2023, she will be graduating with a BA in Psychological Science. Her main interests lie in developmental psychology and education, and she hopes to pursue a master's degree in developmental psychology. Outside of school, she has experience in child supervision and education, and research. She currently works at a nursery school as an assistant teacher.
Max Fan (Wesleyan `24)
He/Him/His
Max Fan is a student at Wesleyan University double-majoring in Psychology and American Studies. Max was a camp counselor over the previous two summers, giving him valuable experience in fostering a fun and inclusive classroom environment. He also has experience as a teacher's assistant, working directly with the professor to provide an exceptional class experience to hundreds of students.
Eleanor VanRheenen (Swarthmore `24)
She/Her/Hers
Eleanor studies Cognitive Science, Linguistics, and Engineering at Swarthmore College. She is passionate about inclusivity and cares deeply about children. After college, she plans to pursue a career in pediatric Speech-Language Pathology as a way of combining her passion for the study of language with her love of children and commitment to issues of accessibility and inclusivity. Eleanor grew up loving summer camp and has since spent several summers volunteering with kids at an art camp and coaching youth volleyball teams. She also has experience in Sign Language research and has created a raspberry-pi based communication device for a disabled man in Philadelphia.
Nicole Miara (Trinity College `24)
She/Her/Hers
Nicole was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She is currently studying to receive her bachelor's degree in psychology at Trinity. Nicole is passionate about child psychology and plans on going to graduate school for clinical psychology. She also loves language learning, speaking English, Polish, and Russian, and is currently studying abroad in Spain, practicing to regain her Spanish fluency. Nicole loves spending time with children through volunteer work and emphasizes the importance of self love. In her free time, Nicole enjoys traveling, cooking, and going on long walks with her two-year-old German Shepherd.
Sarah Fischer (Binghamton University `24)
She/Her/Hers
Sarah Fischer has spent her last 6 years working summers and through-out the school year with children and adults with exceptionalities. Her ability to bring warmth, creativity, and sensitivity to all she does is largely attributed to her childhood and high school years spent immersed in art and sports. Through sports Sarah learned to lead, to be inclusive, and how to be part of a team. Through art she has developed her ability to create and think outside the box. Sarah has applied her passions in the classrooms, on the ice-skating rink, at sleep away camps, and on travel tours. She is a rising senior, majoring in psychology, at Binghamton University
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Madeline Toledano (Barnard `24)
She/Her
Madeline is currently a student at Barnard College of Columbia University double majoring in Psychology and Religion. Madeline has enjoyed working with children as a summer camp counselor and a nanny. She plans to pursue a Master of Social Work after college, with the hope to continue working with children in a professional capacity. In her spare time, Madeline enjoys going to museums around the city, trying new recipes, and journaling daily.
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Nora Butler (Wesleyan University `24)
She/Her
Nora Butler is a psychology student at Wesleyan University, specializing in child development. Over the course of her psychology career, she has been fortunate enough to work as an intake coordinator for couples/family therapy, volunteer at a social-psychiatric cafe for the elderly, and conduct child development research. She has also worked with children throughout her life, through various babysitting and camp counseling experiences. She hopes to use her skills and knowledge in psychology to pursue social work with children and families in the future. When she is not studying, Nora loves to perform in her college’s improv and a cappella groups!
Pascale Zissu (Cornell University`25)
She/Her
Pascale was born and raised in NYC and is now an undergraduate at Cornell University studying psychology and government. She has experience as a tutor, camp counselor, mentor, and babysitter. Pascale hopes to become clinical psychologist for children, teenagers, and their families. In her free time, she loves spending time with her friends and family, playing with her dog, and going on runs.
Leah Schneyder (University of Colorado `25)
She/Her/Hers
Leah is currently studying psychology at the University of Colorado Boulder. As an aspiring school psychologist, she hopes to work with children with special needs from a psychological perspective in the future. Leah has served as a summer camp counselor to groups of 8-9 year old girls in 2020 and 2021 and volunteered prior at Manhattan Children's Center where she was a peer buddy for children with autism spectrum disorder and organized and taught art classes to help children with sensory needs. She has a deep passion for working with children, and enjoys being able to share her love of learning with the next generation.
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Micah Pravda (Adelphi `24)
He/Him/His
Micah Pravda is a rising senior at Adelphi University majoring in Psychology. He is on the Dean's List and a member of Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology. Micah has been a camp counselor for the past three consecutive summers and has experience working with children who identify as neurodivergent, including those diagnosed with ADHD, dyslexia, and anxiety. He has worked with children from 5 to 14 years old and has found working with younger populations to be incredibly rewarding. Micah plans to pursue graduate studies to become a clinical child psychologist following graduation from Adelphi next year. In his free time, Micah enjoys traveling and learning new languages.