Counseling Staff

Named Director of Counseling Services in 2010, Mark Vogel has been a consulting psychologist with the school since 2007. He was previously the chief clinician of a private group practice specializing in child, adolescent, and family therapy. His areas of expertise include teen alcohol and drug issues, parent/teenage relations, learning disabilities, diagnostic testing, and psychological and vocational assessment. He is a frequent consultant to attorneys, courts and schools on psycho-educational issues, and is an authority on the relationship of adolescent alcohol and drug use to achievement motivation, future goal orientation, and parent supervision and control.

Dr. Manley is an associate professor of psychiatry and the director of Medical Student Education at New York University. He joined the counseling department as a consulting psychiatrist at The Family Foundation School in 2009. He has worked extensively with adolescents and addictions as part of multi-disciplinary treatment teams, and in his clinical practice. An outstanding educator, Dr. Manley has been the recipient of numerous teaching awards, which explains his exceptional rapport with the FFS students.

Jeff joined The Family Foundation School in 2004 as a psychologist specializing in counseling adolescents and young adults with social, emotional, behavioral and developmental disabilities and their families. In 2005 he was named Vice President for External Relations and Director of Admissions, and became Dean of Admissions in 2011. The school's Anger Management program was developed by Jeff, and as a Certified Trauma Specialist, he currently leads the grief support group as well. He previously provided clinical oversight and leadership to programs serving individuals with special needs and challenging behaviors, and was senior clinical administrator with Volunteers of America. Jeff and his wife Debbie enjoy hiking and backpacking, and are the proud owners of two certified therapy beagles, Jack and Jake.  

Susan joined The Family Foundation School in 1988 and was the principal architect of today's counseling department. She has served as family leader, student and family counselor, and from 1996 to 2010 was the Director of Counseling Services. Her specialties include counseling adolescents with addiction problems and working with parents and families of high-risk adolescents. She has designed programs to help FFS parents develop more effective parenting skills, and has organized student groups for dealing with special issues including eating disorders, anxiety, loss and adoption, and sexual abuse. Susan's outside interests include writing and traveling.

Marcia joined the counseling staff at The Family Foundation School in 2007. She was previously a counselor with the Delaware County (New York) Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services. A certified New York State school counselor, she has worked as a special education counselor and play therapist with emotionally disturbed and learning disabled students. She has also held positions as academic tutor, New York Gear-up mentor, college-level instructor in play therapy, and has counseled individuals, groups and families as a private practitioner. Away from the school, Marcia loves hiking with her Old English Sheepdog, Cami, as well as reading, swimming, meditating and traveling.

Mary joined the FFS Counseling Department in 2010 just as it launched a new individual counseling program, and is among the Masters-level staff that conducts these private therapy sessions with students. She also directs three of the school's weekly group counseling sessions. Prior to FFS, Mary spent more than 20 years at Tri Valley Central School in New York providing individual and group counseling to elementary school students. Off campus, Mary is a performing arts enthusiast and an animal lover who is especially fond of cats.

Rick joined the staff of FFS in 2007 as Executive Director of The Family Foundation, Inc., and was named Development Director at the school in 2010. An abiding interest in psychology led him to the C.G. Jung Institute of New York where he is completing training to become a psychoanalyst. He currently works with clients in the city as well as with individual students here as both counselor and sponsor. His positions prior to FFS included executive director for non-profit organizations, school principal, and English teacher. In addition to his counseling duties, Rick leads the school's outreach efforts across the internet and is involved in community building with various school constituents. He also continues to oversee administration of The Family Foundation. The father of two, Rick and his wife Judith enjoy rural living in the surrounding Catskills.

Sephiratu ("Sephi") joined the FFS counseling staff in 2011. She previously worked with the Lourdes Hospice Program providing social work support services to terminally ill individuals and their families, and with the Broome Developmental Center, Binghamton, NY, where she counseled aging, medically frail and developmentally disabled individuals living in long term residential facilities. A native of Ghana, Sephi and her husband arrived in the U.S. in 2005. Her experience transitioning to a new culture with a different language and customs has given her a special empathy with students adjusting to the therapeutic boarding school environment. The mother of two young children ages two and five, Sephi and her family live in Binghamton.

Rochelle joined the FFS counseling staff in 2012 with more than 15 years' experience in the field of addictions and anxiety related disorders.  She previously held positions with a not-for-profit K-12 special needs program in Binghamton, New York, and with the Broome County (NY) Department of Social Services.  She has completed two independent study projects on children and youth protection services with the Human Development Department at Binghamton University, and a qualitative process and evaluative research project for the Broome County Deputy Commissioner of Children and Family Services.  Rochelle has a special interest in the eclectic and spiritual approaches to youth and family counseling.

Curtis joined the FFS counseling staff in 2012 with more than 20 years' experience in the field of youth development, mental hygiene, addictions, and therapeutic residential services.  He has credentials in ministry and in alcohol and substance abuse counseling, a Certificate of Advanced Study in disability law, and is nationally certified as an activity director.  Curtis has served professionally as a county coordinator of integrated care for persons with co-occurring disorders; a domestic violence counselor/advocate; youth pastor and music director; and an undergraduate instructor of social policy.  His other professional experience includes activities consultant for a county Office for the Aging; program director at a teen cafe and activity center for youths at risk; owner-operator of a family-type adult home; and director of therapeutic recreation for persons with developmental disabilities.  Curtis received the Chancellor's Award for Excellence for Public Engagement from Syracuse University in 2010 and the Martin Luther King, Jr. "Unsung Heroes Award" from Loretto Healthcare System of Central New York.

Curtis served in the United States Armed Forces as a Patriot Missile Firing Section Technician in the Persian Gulf War between 1990 and 1992. 

Ann joined the counseling staff at The Family Foundation School in 2013 as a therapist specializing in addiction, emotional trauma, human development and family counseling.   She was previously a counselor and assistant clinical supervisor at Cayuga Addiction Recovery Services outpatient clinic in Ithaca, NY for the past ten years.  Prior to that she worked with at-risk children at William George School, and as a counselor in the criminal justice system where she promoted 12-Step work.   Ann has extensive background in both individual and group therapy, and uses a cognitive behavioral approach that encourages children, adults and families to find their true potential mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually and socially.  She is also certified in Reiki techniques and continues to study holistic approaches to healing.   In her free time Ann enjoys traveling with her mother and two children, facilitating dream circles, engaging in spiritual practices and reading.

Thomas joined The Family Foundation School in 2013, having begun his career in the mental health field working as a psychometrist administering IQ and achievement tests and various other measurements.  In 2006 he completed his master’s degree in counseling psychology at Loyola College.  He has also completed Child Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) and Filial Play training at The National Institute of Relationship Enhancement in Maryland, and has experience working with adolescent victims and perpetrators of sexual abuse.   Prior to moving back to New York, Thomas resided in Alaska where he provide therapy to SED (severely emotionally disturbed) youth and their families, and where he and his spouse were licensed foster parents. He is currently studying to take the New York State NCE exam to become a LCMHC.

Thomas is a Gulf War veteran who served in the US Coast Guard as a boatswain's mate and in the Army National Guard as a heavy equipment operator.   He is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hunting, fishing, canoeing, camping, and farming.