Anita Mancini, LCSW, MBA
Executive Director

Anita Mancini has spent more than 20 years in the behavioral health arena. She spent 16 years at The Holliswood Hospital, becoming Regional Director of Marketing. She also worked at the Corona Elmhurst Guidance Center Day Treatment Program with chronically mentally ill adults and at St. Vincent’s Hospital with chemically dependent patients. Ms. Mancini earned an MSW from the Hunter College School of Social Work and an MBA from Baruch College of the City University. She is also a cofounding member and Secretary of the Health and Business Alliance and a board member of the Alfred Adler Institute.

Mark Naghsh, LMSW
Regional Executive Director

In his previous careers, Mark Naghsh has been a Clinical Social Worker at Village Center for Care in Brooklyn, providing family-centered therapy, and was a therapist in private practice with Laurence Florek Associates. He has also served as Clinical Manager and Director of Creative Art Therapies for Housing Works in Brooklyn, where among other roles, he designed and implemented therapeutic recreational programs for the elderly. Mr. Naghsh has been a consultant in music therapy for Global Communication Services, Lake Success, New York, and a music therapist at Parkshore Nursing Home in Brooklyn. He has a Master's degree in Social Work from Hunter College School of Social Work and a BS in Music Therapy from the State University at New Paltz, New York.

James C. Schmidt RN, CMC, BSN, MPA
Director of Client Service

James Schmidt has over 25 years of experience in geriatric, home health and hospital care, as well as assisted living. Most recently he was the Administrator and Director of Patient Services for Extended Care Services, a home care agency on Long Island, NY. Prior to that he ran a consulting firm doing home health assessments, was Executive Director of Senior Care Assisted Living, and Director of Patient Services for several home care agencies. He has also worked in Emergency, Coronary and Intensive Care units in hospital settings. James has a Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Adelphi University, a Masters Degree (MPA) in Health Care Administration from Long Island University. In addition, he has a degree in Surgical Technology, a Professional Nursing License (RN), and is a certified Family Caregiver Instructor.

Carol DiBella, RN
Care Manager

Carol DiBella joined SeniorBridge in March, 2005. Prior to that she worked for Sunrise Senior Services in Port Washington as a Care Manager, and before that, she spent 10 years at Booth Memorial Medical Center in Flushing, Queens. There she worked as a RN on the medical surgical floors, in pediatrics, and in the ambulatory surgical unit. She earned her nursing credentials at Adelphi University in New York.

Joanna Laplaca, LCSW
Care Manager

Joanna LaPlaca joins our Great Neck office as a Care Manager with more than 10 years' experience as a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist. Previously, she was a Case Manager for The Holliswood Hospital's inpatient and outpatient adult psychiatric units. Her focus there was on adult substance abusers and geriatric patients with mental illness. She was also the dedicated social worker for phase III clinical research trials of psychiatric medications and has been a field instructor for master's level social work students at Adelphi. Ms. LaPlaca obtained her MSW from the Adelphi University School of Social Work.