Staff

Jennifer Aitken, Director - Ms. Aitken is the Director of the Office of Specialized Services and Staff: Regional Center for Students with Learning Disabilities. As the Director, Ms. Aitken oversees the management and coordinating of the OSS and Project Mentor. She is involved in all of its functions, curriculum development, and report writing.  She also serves as a liaison to high school personnel, other post-secondary institutions, potential students and their parents, as well as the University Community and community-at-large.  Additional responsibilities include reviewing documentation, developing accommodation plans, coordinating outreach activities, counseling services and supervising graduate assistants.  She co-chairs the annual conference on NJ Higher Education Opportunities for Students with Learning Disabilities. Ms. Aitken also serves as a mentor and has an open door policy regarding all Center students. If you are seeking information regarding any type of disability support or accommodation questions, please email Ms. Aitken at jaitken@njcu.edu.

Leah Jackson, Project Coordinator - Ms. Jackson is responsible for coordinating on-campus support services such as testing accommodations, assistive technology lending, outreach to University students, faculty and staff as well as manages Diagnostic Evaluations for eligible undergraduate college students. Ms. Jackson serves as a mentor and tutor for Project Mentor students. As a tutor, she helps with formatting, editing and proofreading papers, research, reading comprehension and stress management. Ms. Jackson also co-chairs the annual conference (NJ Higher Education Opportunities for Students with Learning Disabilities). Ms. Jackson provides administrative and managerial support to the Director, Ms. Jennifer Aitken. If you are interested in more information about Project Mentor, please email Ms. Jackson at ljackson1@njcu.edu.

Brian Barrow, Mentor/Tutor - Mr. Barrow is currently an eighth grade language arts teacher in the Bayonne School District. He is both an undergraduate and graduate alumnus of New Jersey City University as well as a former graduate assistant for Project Mentor. Mr. Barrow holds a Master's degree in Reading, with a Reading Specialist certification. Mr. Barrow acts as a mentor and tutor during the fall and spring semesters and a College Life instructor during the summer orientation program.

Wayne Decker, Instructor/Tutor - Mr Decker is a Math teacher in Hillside High School. He serves as the math instructor for the summer orientation program as well as tutoring Project Mentor students durning the Fall and Spring semesters in mathematics.

Allan DeFina, Instructor/Mentor - Dr. DeFina is currently the Chair of the Literary Education Department and has been a full professor at NJCU for over fifteen years. He has aided with the curriculum development for summer orientation program. Dr. DeFina acts as a mentor throughout the academic year and participates in the planning of the annual conference. 

Lily Fulton, Tutor - Ms. Fulton has been with Project Mentor from year one and has maintained her dedication to the students of this program. She is an adjunct professor here at NJCU, instructing in the required courses of Civilizations II and II. Ms. Fulton serves as a member of the instructional team during the summer orientation program and is also a tutor during the academic year.  Ms. Fulton has been a member of the annual conference planning committee.

Kevin McKenna, Mentor/Tutor - Mr. McKenna is Special Education teacher at Kearny High School. He has been a Teacher for the Handicapped for the last eight years. He tutors in several subjects, including mathematics. Mr McKenna also serves as an instructor in our summer orientation program. He is a graduate of Rutgers University and New Jersey City University.

Sharon McKenna, Mentor/Tutor - Mrs. McKenna is learning disabilities teacher consultant and conducts diagnostic assessments for Center and non-Center students who are referred for testing.  She is a tutor with a variety of subjects during the academic year and also provides training workshops to students on computer software and assistive technology.

Cheryl McKay, Instructor/Tutor - Ms. McKay, an alumnus of New Jersey City University receiving both her undergraduate and graduate degree in Education and Mathematics. She is currently teaching advanced level and standard level math at Passaic High School. Ms. McKay is a member of the annual conference planning committee and assists in grant report writing and data analysis.

Joan Serafin, Instructor/Tutor - Mrs. Serafin has been with Project Mentor for over eighteen years. She currently is working with the Department of Literacy Education as an adjunct professor. Mrs. Serafin assists in grant report writing and is a curriculum coordinator for the summer orientation program. She is also a member of the instructional team for the summer program.  She serves as a tutor during the academic year and participates in outreach activities.  Mrs. Serafin is a member of the annual conference planning committee.

Robert Serafin, Instructor/Tutor - Mr. Serafin, high school and NJCU mathematics instructor, serves as a member of the summer orientation instructional team. Mr. Serafin is involved in curriculum development for the summer orientation program.  He serves as math tutor during the academic year and assists in the planning of the annual conference.

Graduate Assistants - Graduate Assistants who are working toward graduate degrees in appropriate areas serve as mentors to current students and are involved in interviewing potential students.  They also provide academic support services, perform various record keeping functions, and are members of the annual conference planning committee.