About Us
at the Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research
Geriatric Psychiatry Research Program
Meet The Team
Director
Nunzio Pomara, MD
Dr. Pomara is the Director of the Geriatric Psychiatry Division at NKI as well as the Mood States and Alzheimer’s Disease Risk Program at the New York University School of Medicine.
Email: Nunzio.Pomara@nki.rfmh.org
Clinical Research Coordinator
Antero Sarreal, MD
Dr. Sarreal is the Clinical Research Coordinator for our program. He has been a part of the GERI team since 2007.
Phone: 845-398-6532
Email: Antero.Sarreal@nki.rfmh.org
Administrator
Vita Pomara
Vita Pomara has been our program's administrator for the past 20 years. Vita is also the back-up study coordinator for GERI.
Phone: 845-398-5582
Email: Vita.Pomara@nki.rfmh.org
Post-doctoral Fellow/Clinical Instructor
Chelsea Reichert Plaska, Ph.D.
Dr. Chelsea Reichert is our Post-doctoral Fellow and our former research assistant for the MERI program. She has been doing clinical research since 2012.
Phone: 845-398-5583
Research Assistant
Andrew Orefice, M.S.
Andrew Orefice is our research assistant for the MERI program. He has been with GERI since 2023.
Phone: 845-398-6533
Email: Andrew.Orefice@nki.rfmh.org
Current Interns and Graduate Students
Lauren Sarreal
Wagner College
Class of 2025
Major: BS-MS PA Program
Deanna Murray
St. Thomas Aquinas College
B.S. Psychology
Michelle Trozzo
St. Thomas Aquinas College
B.S. Psychology
Leo Castelluccio
St. Thomas Aquinas College
B.S. Psychology and Art Therapy
Former Team Members
Research Scientist
Randy Hernando, MD
Research Assistant
Katie Brundage, BS
Research Assistant
Kensei Maeda, BS
Rater
Ivie Uzamere, BS
Rater/Coordinator
Ann Marie McGrory, BS
Intern
Giovanna Novi
Rater
Annie Schatz, BS