A woman with long blonde hair smiling, wearing a black sleeveless top and large silver earrings, standing against a plain background.

NYSMHA Leadership

  • Hennessey Lustica, PhD, LMHC, is the founder of NYSMHA and a trusted partner to school districts statewide, helping them build supportive systems that empower mental health professionals and improve outcomes for students and families.

A woman with long wavy light brown hair, wearing a black turtleneck, smiling in front of a gray background.


  • Stephanie Betts, LMSW, serves as NYSMHA’s COO, coordinating the systems, partnerships, and day-to-day operations that help districts build strong, sustainable supports for their Collective Care Teams and ultimately, for students and families.

Meet the Team

  • A woman with curly brown hair smiling at the camera, wearing hoop earrings and a dark top.

    Sandra Ordan

    Internship & MTSS Coordinator

  • Professional headshot of a middle-aged man with a bald head, gray beard, wearing a white dress shirt and a red and navy striped tie, against a gray background.

    Steve Humbert

    Content Area Specialist: Students with Disabilities

  • A woman smiling, wearing a white cable-knit turtleneck sweater and a gold cross necklace, standing against a textured beige brick wall.

    Nelly Edinger

    Content Area Specialist: ENL

  • A man with a bald head, light skin, and a goatee, wearing a blue and green plaid button-up shirt, standing in front of a plain light-colored wall.

    Aaron Backhaus

    GYO Consultant

  • A woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a maroon shirt, smiling.

    Cristi Kuhn

    GYO Consultant

  • A smiling woman with shoulder-length blonde hair and bangs, wearing a navy blazer over a light-colored top, standing outdoors in front of a stone building.

    Mary Banaszak

    Collective Care Team Consultant

  • Professional headshot of a man with dark hair, beard, wearing a navy suit, white shirt, orange and navy striped tie, and orange pocket square, smiling against a gray background.

    Dr. Ryan Heath

    Content Area Specialist: Supervision

  • A woman in a white lab coat standing in front of a brick wall, smiling at the camera.

    Jill Harper

    Content Area Specialist: Pediatric Integration

  • A young man with short black hair wearing a white button-up shirt, looking at the camera against a plain white background.

    Yinlong Liu

    Doctoral Graduate Assistant