Meet Our Team

Anthony DiFabio
Dr. Anthony DiFabio
President & CEO
Melissa Fox
Melissa Fox, MHA, FACMPE
Chief Operating Officer
Kathy Wingate
Kathy Wingate
Chief Financial Officer
Mari Considine
Mari Considine
Chief Development & Marketing Officer
Greg Speed
Greg Speed
Chief Integration Officer
John Z
John Zukauskas
Executive Consultant
Kathie Nixon
Kathie Nixon
FamCare Chief Executive Officer
Eleanor McBride
Eleanor McBride
Executive Vice-President of Psychiatric & Residential Services
Bridget DeFiccio
Bridget DeFiccio
Senior Vice-President of Integrated Health
Jo Anne Dunagan
Jo Anne Dunagan
Senior Vice-President of Community Psychiatric Services
Monica Lallo, Ed.D., MPM, MPA
Senior Vice President of Prevention, Youth & Education Services
Kate Royal
Kate Royal
Senior Vice-President of HR & Facilities
Jeremy Wampler
Jeremy Wampler
Senior Vice-President of Finance
Lisa Haya
Lisa Haya
Vice-President of Child & Family Services
Gwen_Houldsworth
Gwen Houldsworth, MPH
Associate Vice-President of Quality & Compliance

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President & CEO

Dr. Anthony DiFabio

Dr. Anthony DiFabio’s vision for innovative care and strategic development has elevated him as a leader within health and social services. In July 2019, Dr. DiFabio orchestrated the merger of Robins’ Nest, Cape Counseling Services, and NewPoint Behavioral Health Care to form Acenda. Respected as a prominent voice within population health, Dr. DiFabio’s serves on several boards, including Children’s Home Society of America, New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies, the New Jersey Alliance for Children, Youth and Families, and the Commissioner of Health’s Integrated Health Advisory Panel among many other county and regional committees and boards. At the national level, Dr. DiFabio is an active member of Mental Health Corporations of America, and the Child Welfare League of America.

Dr. DiFabio received his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Loyola College of Maryland, Masters of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Farleigh Dickinson University, and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Vanderbilt University. He is married to Dr. Alicia DiFabio and is the father of four beautiful daughters.

Chief Operating Officer

Melissa Fox, MHA, FACMPE

Fox has a distinguished 20+ year career leading operations management, innovation, strategic growth, partnerships, and development for various types of Healthcare organizations including Federally Qualified Health Centers, Healthcare for the Homeless, Behavioral Health, HIV/AIDS care, Homeless Shelter Outreach, Home Care and Hospice. She also led a multi-disciplinary team to launch the first Homeless Medical Respite program in Philadelphia.

Melissa is a 2014 LEADERSHIP Philadelphia alum, a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Medical Group Management Association and is a Fellow in the American College of Medical Practice Executives. Fox has served as an expert speaker for organizations including the National Healthcare for the Homeless Council, National Nursing Centers Consortium, Philadelphia Social Innovations Journal, Philadelphia Housing Authority, and the Health Center and Public Housing Symposium.

Chief Financial Officer

Kathy Wingate

Kathy A. Wingate, CPA is the Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of Acenda. She received her B.B.A. degree in 1981 from Baylor University’s Hankhamer School of Business and became licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in 1988. In 1994, Kathy left her position as Sr. Accountant in a CPA firm to join Robins’ Nest (now Acenda) as a part-time budget analyst, which quickly became a full-time position.

She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the NJAMHAA Chief Financial Officers Group, and the First Presbyterian Church of Clayton. Kathy and her husband, Lee Braddock, were foster parents to five children between 1998 and 2006, and were recognized as “Treatment Home Family of the Year” by the NJ Association of Children’s Residential Facilities in 2003. Kathy was also named as a “Top CFO” in 2014 by South Jersey Biz. Kathy lives in Franklinville, NJ with her husband and enjoys travel, playing piano and bells, reading and bicycling.

Chief Development & Marketing Officer

Mari Considine

Mari Considine leads all aspects of Acenda’s strategic marketing and communications efforts providing vision and direction for all digital and print communications, key messaging, storytelling and brand experience. She is also responsible for Acenda’s philanthropy strategy and fosters relationships with the community to advance the organization’s mission. Mari has extensive expertise in business management, development operations, creative direction and brand development and oversight. She is passionate about team collaboration, the creative process and executing strategy from inception to successful finish which has led to several prominent awards for brand marketing and development communications.

Mari is an active member of the American Marketing Association and currently serves as President of the Board of Directors for the American Marketing Association New Jersey. She is also a member of several CMO roundtables and executive groups including the AMA Executive Marketer and CMO Council. Mari is also a member of the NJ Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and has served on several local and national AFP committees. She has a Master of Science degree in Nonprofit Management from Eastern University, a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies and French from Mount Saint Mary’s University and is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Business Administration from Johnson & Wales University.

Chief Integration Officer

Greg Speed

Executive Consultant

John Zukauskas

John started working in the mental health field as soon as he graduated from Villanova University in 1976 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. His first job was working on a locked inpatient unit at Albert Einstein Medical Center and he also worked on the Alcohol Detoxification Unit. Over time, he was promoted to a Psychiatrist Therapist providing outpatient counseling and working in a psychiatric partial care program.

While working, he attended Widener University part time to acquire an MBA degree in Health and Medical Services Administration. Upon graduation from Widener University in 1988, he accepted a job as a Unit Director in Delaware State Hospital to manage two 49 bed inpatients units. He was later promoted to the Administrator of Professional Services managing medical ancillary services. In 1995, he was promoted again as a Hospital Administrator II and responsible for managing a $35-million-dollar budget and responsible for all administrative and support services. Prior to Acenda, he was the CEO of NewPoint Behavioral Health Care for 18 years.

FamCare Chief Executive Officer

Kathie Nixon

Executive Vice-President of Psychiatric & Residential Services

Eleanor McBride

Eleanor McBride is the Executive Vice President of Psychiatric and Residential Services at Acenda Integrated Health with many years of experience in Psychiatric Emergency Services and Behavioral Health. With a focus on wellness and recovery, Eleanor specializes in crisis services for both children and adults as well as longer term intense mental health services. A strong believer in a person’s ability to achieve all they set out to, she encourages both staff and the person served to participate positively in their own growth and development. Eleanor enjoys spending her time off with her husband, Bob Spalding, and their combined family of children and grandchildren.

Senior Vice-President of Integrated Health

Bridget DeFiccio

Bridget received her BA degree in 1984 and a MS in 1986 from West Chester University and is a New Jersey Licensed Professional Counselor. In 1986, Bridget began her career providing therapy to women and children who experienced trauma through abuse and domestic violence. She expanded her clinical skills to work with individuals across the life span in non-profit, academic and private practice settings. She expanded from clinical practice into management and administration within her career. Bridget is an administrator who has both a clinical and administrative business acumen for program development and strategic growth initiatives.

Bridget joined Robins’ Nest (now Acenda) over seven years ago and was instrumental in developing outpatient practices in which evidenced based protocol is the standard of care. She now oversees the outpatient mental health and outpatient and recovery services across four counties, Children’s Mobile Response across three counties, and School Based Clinical Services in 12 school districts along with evidenced based in-home treatment models. Bridget’s greatest accomplishment is raising two independent, intelligent and compassionate women who are forging their path through adulthood. She lives with her husband John and their furry children in Sewell and enjoys traveling, reading and supporting our agricultural community.

Senior Vice-President of Community Psychiatric Services

Jo Anne Dunagan

Jo Anne Dunagan has proudly worked in the field of mental health for the past 40 years. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Kean University in 1978 and Master’s degree in Social Work from Rutgers University in 1998. Ms. Dunagan’s career path has been filled with positions that enabled her to promote the development of community services, implement the statewide plan for the integration of community mental health agencies into the hospital system, advocate for services for the mental ill in the criminal justice system, and help eliminate the stigma of mental illness.

Some of the positions she has had the privilege of working in were Discharge Case Manager for the Bureau of Transitional Services, Southern Region’s Liaison Coordinator, Quality Assurance Specialist, and Social Work Supervisor at Ancora State Hospital. Prior to Acenda, she spent the last 24 years working for NewPoint Behavioral Health Care, a community mental health agency. Initially she was the Director of several case management programs but was later the Clinical Operations Officer of the agency for 18 years. Ms. Dunagan’s work in the MH field has been focused on empowering individuals to work on their recovery to improve their quality of life.

Senior Vice President of Prevention, Youth & Education Services

Monica Lallo, Ed.D., MPM, MPA

Dr. Monica Lallo is an educator, team strategist and advocate for improving government and nonprofit services to under-served youth and families. Throughout her professional career, she has been committed to bridging the socioeconomic divide that exists in disadvantaged communities. Dr. Lallo has extensive experience specializing in contract management, program development and evaluation over her eleven years in county government. She produced several accomplishments with the creation of numerous initiatives that helped improve service delivery outcomes, increase stakeholder involvement and promote networking among nonprofit organizations serving youth and families in the County of Union.

Dr. Lallo also served as a resource to local agency providers seeking state and national research information about services, which was rated effective by the Federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), and other national foundations that support youth initiatives. Dr. Lallo received her Doctorate in Education from Immaculata University, her Master’s degree in Public Administration from New York University, and Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Rutgers University. She taught several courses at Rowan College at Burlington County (RCBC) in their Human Services Program as a Senior Adjunct Professor.

Senior Vice-President of HR & Facilities

Kate Royal

Senior Vice-President of Finance

Jeremy Wampler

Jeremy P. Wampler, CPA is the Senior Vice President of Finance for Acenda. Jeremy leads and manages the finance department and oversees all of the day-to-day financial operations. He provides fiscal management oversight for the agency’s financial reporting, budget and review process, contracting, and cash flow, as well as ensures compliance with the various external reporting requirements.

Prior to joining Acenda in 2009, Jeremy worked as a senior accountant for a local public accounting firm with experience across multiple industries in tax, accounting and auditing services. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Finance from Eastern University, and he is a Certified Public Accountant.

Jeremy resides in Williamstown with his wife, Kelly, and their five children. He and his wife are blessed with the joy of being foster parents and enjoy serving as active members of Joy Community Fellowship.

Vice-President of Child & Family Services

Lisa Haya

As the Vice President of Acenda’s Child and Family Services Division, Lisa has over 30 years of experience in the field of child welfare, focusing on improving the lives of children and families in our communities. Lisa helps guide and develop the clinical and administrative aspects of our in-home counseling, family preservation services, adoption, foster, kinship programs and our continuum of visitation services.

Lisa’s areas of expertise include program development and management, clinical supervision, implementation of evidence based practices in child welfare programs, adherence to best practice accreditation standards and data-driven decision making. Lisa also recognizes the value of collaboration and is invested in partnering with the Department of Children and Families on the state and local level to produce positive outcomes for our children and families. As a proponent of healing-centered care and strength-based treatment, Lisa remains passionate and dedicated to supporting and developing her staff and programs so the children, parents and families can be empowered and improve their functioning and well-being. Lisa received her Master’s degree in Social Work from Rutgers University and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

Associate Vice-President of Quality & Compliance

Gwen Houldsworth, MPH

Gwen received her Bachelor of Science degree in Phycology from Indiana University and her Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in maternal and child health from Boston University. Gwen’s initial experience providing in-home direct services as a Robins’ Nest Family Preservation Services Counselor in Salem County, New Jersey gave her invaluable insight in subsequent positions overseeing maternal and child health programs. She later worked at the Northeast Florida Healthy Start Coalition where she simultaneously implemented programs from multiple grant sources, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Covering Kids & Families Initiatives.

She was also responsible for coordinating the Jacksonville Friendly Access Initiative which focused on decreasing barriers that low-income women face when accessing prenatal and pediatric care. She presented this data at the 2005 APHA Annual Meeting. Her experience then took her to the Center for Family Services in Southern New Jersey, where under her leadership their emergency homeless shelter for pregnant and parenting women became accredited through the National Council on Accreditation for the first time in the shelter’s thirty-year history.