Meet Our Team

Project Director
Tabitha comes to Bright Start Connect with over a decade of experience in evaluation design and implementation science in behavioral health and child welfare.  Her passion is supporting children and families, focusing on prevention and systems working together to make sure they get what they need. She has experience working with state/local government, school districts, and Community Based organizations across NYS and in DC.  Additionally, she has worked on over a dozen federally funded grant projects including initiatives such as Systems of Care and IV-E Waiver demonstration projects, Trauma informed care in child welfare, family treatment court, youth mentoring programs, and Youth Mental Health First Aid Trainings.  

She is a mom to three young children.  With that experience, she not only understands the intricacies of navigating the health, behavioral, and educational systems but I also bring a deeply personal perspective to our mission.  She enjoys spending time with her family, watching cooking shows, trying new recipes, walking in the sand, and sunsets. When Tabitha was little, “I wanted to be a teacher”.

Project Evaluator
Jordan brings extensive experience to Bright Start Connect from his background spanning health and human service delivery, including direct care social work, academic research, policy advocacy, and data analytics. Jordan has worked on multiple federally funded SAMHSA grants in a similar capacity as Project Evaluator. Jordan’s emphasis on clearly communicating complex concepts makes him an effective collaborator, bridging the gap for those with varying levels of experience working with data.

Jordan is passionate about understanding and improving systems to help make life better for the people affected by those systems. 

His dream job as child was to become a paleontologist.

Project Coordinator
Jacquelyn comes to Bright Start Connect with a diverse background in clean energy, education, direct care social work, and program development with a strong emphasis on harm reduction. Jacquelyn’s passion is supporting communities and those in need through improving how we give and receive information around healthcare. In addition to her excitement in exploring how we collectively improve access to healthcare information, Jacquelyn believes that to succeed in designing sustainable healthcare systems with restorative practice in mind, communities served are the most valuable voice. Before joining the BSC team, Jacquelyn had the great pleasure of traveling across NYS and exploring various harm reduction centers before aiding in the design of a local harm reduction center where the vision and mission centered around holistic care with a breadth of peace and rest. 

Jacquelyn is working towards her master's degree in strategic communication, with a concentration in public health.  

When she was little, “I wanted to be an aerial firefighter or an explosive ordnance disposal specialist when I grew up.”

Diversity Equity and Belonging Consultant
Kyla Carter is a passionate and forward-thinking leader dedicated to transforming the healthcare landscape to ensure equity and access for all. With extensive experience in health equity initiatives, strategic partnership development, and project management, Kyla has consistently championed efforts to address systemic disparities in healthcare. She has led the charge in designing and implementing innovative, sustainable strategies that turn the values of diversity, equity, and belonging into action. Her career is marked by a relentless drive to build bridges across diverse sectors, fostering collaboration and creating lasting impact.

Kyla’s work is deeply influenced by her role as a mother to three daughters, who inspire her daily to advocate for a more just and equitable world. Her passion for maternal and child health is woven into her professional endeavors, as she understands firsthand the importance of accessible, compassionate, and culturally competent care for families. Whether she is developing health equity frameworks, leading community-driven initiatives, or guiding organizations through strategic partnerships, Kyla’s unwavering commitment to social justice and community well-being shines through.

Fueled by a belief that patient-centered healthcare should be a right, not a privilege, Kyla continues to use her voice, expertise, and dedication to sow the seeds of change in the communities she serves, ensuring that everyone can thrive. Kyla is currently pursuing her M.B.A at Syracuse University. 
When Kyla was younger, "I  wanted to be a veterinarian."

Social Media Consultant
Jon joined Bright Start Connect after several years of honing his expertise in tech and e-commerce startups, where he played a pivotal role in helping brands build their identities through social media, email marketing, and paid advertising. His work in the fast-paced startup world gave him a unique perspective on how to communicate effectively with diverse audiences.

As a father of two young children, Jon has firsthand experience with the stress and confusion that can accompany early childhood. His personal journey through these formative years is what drew him to BSC. He understands the need for clear, accessible resources that can help parents navigate the challenges of raising young kids, especially for those without a healthcare background.

At BSC, Jon aims to bring that much-needed layman’s perspective to the content, making sure the information is straightforward and easy to understand. Additionally, he is eager to contribute to the distribution strategy, ensuring that these valuable resources reach as many parents and caregivers as possible, helping to ease their journey.

From an early age, Jon was an avid reader, spending countless hours lost in books. This love of reading naturally led to a childhood dream of becoming a writer, a passion he’s carried into adulthood. In many ways, Jon is now living that dream, blending his skills in communication, strategy, and storytelling to help make a difference in the lives of parents and children alike.

Eating/Feeding Consultant
Jasmine comes to Bright Start Connect with a board certification in clinical child psychology and a specific expertise in pediatric eating disorders.  She did her training in New York City, attending St. John’s University and completing externships at Bellevue Hospital and Zucker Hillside Hospital.  She did her internship at the University of Rochester Medical Center and fellowship at the VA in Dallas, TX.  Jasmine has a history of working in academic medical hospitals, especially in higher levels of care and appreciates being able to serve diverse patient populations.  She looks forward to translating her clinical experience and psychological research to information everyone can digest (no pun intended).  

When Jasmine was younger, she wanted to be an astronaut.

Provider
Dr. Stephanie Godleski is a New York State licensed clinical psychologist, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and a mother. She is one of the Co-Directors of the Health and Addictions Research Center as well as a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. She is passionate about helping families. Her work focuses on family support and interventions throughout the lifespan, particularly during critical developmental transitions such as the transition to parenthood. Dr. Godleski has been involved in the development and evaluation of interventions and programming to support children and families. 

She received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York. While obtaining her doctorate, she pursued research experiences in developmental and clinical laboratories as well as clinical training with children and adults. In particular, her graduate training focused on early childhood development and interventions to improve outcomes for children and families, especially for children with emotional and behavioral concerns. Dr. Godleski completed her residency with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta working in a variety of pediatric settings and then completed a National Institute of Health postdoctoral fellowship at the Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions in Buffalo, NY. 

Dr. Godleski has been working to clinically support families for over 20 years and is active in clinical and developmental research. Her research incorporates both investigation of child development as well as intervention and prevention work – interweaving her research and practice.

When Dr. Godleski was young, “I wanted to be a doctor and ballerina when I grew up.”

Provider
Dr. Briannon O’Connor is a parent of two young children and a licensed clinical psychologist in New York State. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Buffalo, learning effective treatment and assessment techniques for children and adults. Dr. O’Connor’s area of expertise includes helping children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and behavior difficulties and their families and teachers. Her work centered around improving treatments for children with behavioral needs and bringing treatments that work into settings where children spend much of their time like schools, summer programs, and sports settings. Dr. O’Connor completed her residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals, and furthered her expertise as a postdoctorate fellow at NYU Langone Medical Center’s Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. In addition to providing treatment for families for over 15 years, Dr. O’Connor has also published research studies in numerous peer-reviewed journals to help others continue to improve how families are supported. As a statewide consultant, Dr. O’Connor has supported clinicians, social workers, family therapists, and others in improving their quality of care and proficiency with treatment for youth. She has shared expertise with organizations on navigating a shifting Medicaid environment, Value Based Payment arrangements, quality improvement, and data-driven decision making to improve both business outcomes and quality of care for patients. 

Dr. O’Connor is currently Chief Clinical Officer of Forward Leading IPA (FLIPA), a network of Federally Qualified Health Centers, Behavioral Health Organizations, and a Rural Health Network that together serve over 325,000 people across 27 counties of New York State. In this role, Dr. O’Connor supports FLIPA member organizations as they continually develop and implement best practices in whole-person integrated care, improving the quality of care for communities. 

Provider
Dr. Dustin Haraden is a clinical/community psychologist, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and a father of two children. He is invested in understanding the dynamics of sleep and circadian rhythms and their impact on youth depression and anxiety. Dr. Haraden aims to support parents and caregivers through intervention and preventative measures to promote positive well-being for families. 

He received his doctorate in Clinical/Community Psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. While obtaining his degree, he pursued research experiences with developmental and clinical focuses as well as clinical training with children and adults. Throughout his training, he sought experiences to further work with youth and families. Dr. Haraden’s experience includes from assessments for autism spectrum disorder, being a group leader for youth on the autism spectrum focusing on developing social skills, using trauma informed approaches in therapy and utilizing evidence-based practices to provide tailored approaches to individual therapy. Dr. Haraden completed his residency at Genesee Mental Health within Rochester Regional Health, working with youth and families in the greater Rochester, NY area. He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Priority Behavioral Health Clinic at Rochester Institute of Technology. 

Dr. Haraden understands firsthand the joys and struggles of parenting and this personal experience fuels his commitment to helping families thrive, especially when it comes to dealing with challenging situations. He aims to continue to integrate evidence-based practices with the expertise of the family he works with to provide the appropriate support.

As a kid, "I wanted to be a professional athlete when I was growing up. I wanted to play hockey or golf professionally.”

Provider
Dr. Kathryn Karch is a licensed clinical psychologist in New York State. She earned her B.S. in Human Development at Cornell University, and then worked for three years at the Mt. Hope Family Center conducting research on the impact of maternal depression on child development. She then earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University at Buffalo where her research focused on ADHD and the impact it has on learning and on families. She completed her residency at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) in the Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness program within the Department of Psychiatry. She also completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at the Institute for the Family at URMC during which time she worked within the family clinic as well as within a pediatric practice located at Rochester Regional Health Hospital. She further earned a post-degree certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy during her fellowship. 

In addition to being a mother of three young children, Dr. Karch runs a private practice in Rochester, NY.  She works with children and families around many issues from anxiety, depression, and ADHD to divorce and co-parenting to problems at school and much more.  Dr. Karch is also a Senior Clinical Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. She has also provided numerous lectures to psychology interns, psychology fellows, and primary care residents on various mental health issues related to working with children and families.    

When Dr.Karch was a child “I wanted to be a pre-k teacher when I grew up.”

Provider
Dr. Natalie Nordlund is a licensed psychologist in New York and Wisconsin and nationally certified school psychologist who specializes working with children, teens, families, young adults, and systems that serve, support, and educate youth. Dr. Nordlund has a background working in schools, clinic-based settings, and non-profit organizations providing individual and group therapeutic services, wellness/mental health-focused programming, supervision, and consultation. Dr. Nordlund received her doctorate in School Psychology from The Chicago School in Chicago, IL and completed her predoctoral and postdoctoral training in Rochester, NY at Coordinated Care Services, Inc. (CCSI) and the Rochester Institute of Technology's Priority Behavioral Health Clinic. Prior to returning to graduate school to complete her doctoral degree, Dr. Nordlund worked as a school psychologist for four years in Milwaukee Public Schools in Wisconsin, primarily with young children in Head Start (ages 3-4) and grades K-5. While working as a school psychologist, Dr. Nordlund often consulted and collaborated with families, educators, mental health providers, and community members/organizations and led and supported systems-level initiatives focused on health and wellness and equity-focused, trauma-informed practices.

Dr. Nordlund is passionate about prevention/systems-level initiatives and systems change work, aiming to help make conversations about mental health and wellness normalized early on with youth in an engaging, kid-friendly way, and to create and provide mental health resources for families, educators, and providers that are accessible, culturally relevant, and as beneficial as possible in meeting needs. When working with youth, Dr. Nordlund often incorporates play, storytelling, educational media/technology, and creative expression tools and activities including art for learning about and practicing social-emotional concepts/skills, to help with self-expression and self-exploration, and for cultivating connection, aiming to ensure youth can feel truly seen and heard in a way that works best for them. When working with families, providers, and systems that serve, support, and educate youth, she aims to help make talking about mental health topics, concepts, and skills as accessible, helpful, and meaningful as possible.

Growing up, Dr. Nordlund's career aspirations varied and changed, including wanting to be an astronaut, interior designer, and art or music teacher.

Predoctoral Psychology Intern

Samantha is a pre-doctoral intern at Rochester Institute of Technology’s Priority Behavioral Health Psychology Internship and is expected to receive her doctorate in School Psychology from Syracuse University in July of 2025. Samantha has provided intervention, assessment, and consultation services to children, youth, and their families in school, hospital, and outpatient settings over the past several years. She also has experience acting as a liaison between families and different systems their child may be a part of to bridge communication and aid in coordinating care. Samantha feels passionately engaging in both clinical work and research to ensure best practices are implemented while enhancing knowledge within the field. Specifically, Samantha’s research is focused on student school absenteeism and taking a preventative approach to addressing it. 

When Samantha was young she wanted to be a writer and an actress when she grew up.

Predoctoral Psychology Intern
Anna is currently a pre-doctoral intern at Genesee Mental Health Child and Youth Center. Her primary focus is supporting children, parents, and families. She comes to Bright Start Connect with a vast array of experiences with school districts and community-based organizations across Illinois. Anna feels passionate about assisting individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds to access quality care. In her childhood, Anna wanted to be a teacher.