Meet the Team

The Center for Well-Being’s staff supports WPI’s students, staff, and faculty in developing and promoting their holistic wellness through various programs, activities, and curated environments. Please feel free to reach out to us, and we will help you in any way we can!

The CWB also works with a team of Wellness Partners and WPE Wellness Instructors from across WPI who specialize in different aspects of holistic well-being to provide additional programming and Wellness and Physical Education course credit.

CONTACT
Location: Daniels Hall
Paula Fitzpatrick
Director, Center for Well-being, Center for Well-Being Office

Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x5528

Paula Fitzpatrick, Ph.D., is the Director of the Center for Well-Being and a Faculty Affiliate in the Department of Social Science and Policy Studies at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. She also serves on the Mental Health Implementation Team.  Prior to joining WPI she was a Professor of Psychology and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Assumption University. Paula is a long-term practitioner of meditation and teaches Koru Mindfulness and the 8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program. She also conducts research in mindfulness and meditation, positive psychology, ...

Chev Right Icon of hollow arrow pointing right Arrow Right Icon of arrow pointing right view profile
Gina Heinsohn
Gina Heinsohn  (they/them)
Assistant Director, Center for Well-Being, Center for Well-Being Office

Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x5129

As the Assistant Director, Gina oversees the planning, implementation, and assessment of all the Center for Well-Being's events and programing, including Wellness Days, ProjectConnect, 1-on-1 Peer Education, health education and promotion events, and more. As a strong believer in the impact a sense of belonging has on an individual's holistic wellbeing, they are always looking to make connections with students, staff, and faculty across campus and learning how to best support the WPI community. Gina is a certified QPR instructor, NASPA Certified Peer Educator Trainer, and ProjectConnect ...

Chev Right Icon of hollow arrow pointing right Arrow Right Icon of arrow pointing right view profile
Monique Oles
Office Services Coordinator, Center for Well-Being Office

Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x4954

Monique assists the Director, Assistant Director and staff in organizing and delivering services that promote student success and wellness. With a focus on fostering an atmosphere of care, support, and professionalism, Monique is dedicated to ensuring all who interact with the Center feel welcomed and valued. Her role includes significant responsibilities in budget management, marketing and social media strategy, event planning, and supervising student workers.  She is passionate about creating meaningful connections and facilitating resources that support the well-being of the WPI community.

Chev Right Icon of hollow arrow pointing right Arrow Right Icon of arrow pointing right view profile
Preview

Amelia

Amelia Jones (she/her)

Senior - Mechanical Engineering

PWBA, ProjectConnect Facilitator

 

Preview

Daniel

Daniel Tuladhar (he/him)

Sophomore - Computer Science

PWBA

 

Preview

Derrick Headshot

Derrick DeVilbiss (he/him)

Masters - Neuroscience

PWBA

Preview

Eknoor

Eknoor Dhaliwal (she/her)

Sophomore - Electrical and Computer Engineering

PWBA

 

Preview

Faith Crosby

Faith Crosby (she/her)

Junior - Mechanical Engineering 

PWBA

 

Preview

Fernanda

Fernanda Cálix (she/her)

Senior - Aerospace Engineering

PWBA, ProjectConnect Facilitator

 

Preview

Gabriela

Gabriela Ortiz Rodriguez (she/her)

Junior - Biomedical Engineering/Pre-Med

PWBA

 

Preview

Geronimo headshot

Geronimo Idarraga (he/him)

Sophomore - Mechanical Engineering

PWBA

 

Preview

Hannah

Hannah Parisella (she/her)

Junior - Mechanical Engineering

PWBA

 

Preview

Joseph headshot

Joseph Vetter (he/him)

1st Year - Electrical and Computer Engineering

DA

 

Preview

Headshot of June

June Whittall (she/her)

Senior - Interactive Media and Game Development

PWBA, ProjectConnect Facilitator

 

Preview

Khoi

Khoi Dao (he/him)

Junior - Computer Science and Data Science

PWBA

 

Preview

Nicole Headshot

Nicole Pierce (she/her)

1st Year - Aerospace Engineering

DA

 

Preview

Nixon

Nixon Showalter (he/they)

Senior - Computer Science and Data Science

PWBA

 

Preview

Vivian

Vivian Nguyen (she/her)

Sophomore - Biology and Biotechnology

PWBA

 

Preview

Zarrin

Zarrin Rahman (she/her)

Masters - Environmental Engineering

PWBA

 

 

 

Preview

Rbenoit

Meditation Facilitator

Robin Benoit

Robin Benoit is the Well-Being Resource and Outreach Librarian at the Gordon Library and has been with WPI for 15 years. Robin was introduced to meditation 9 years ago and has been fascinated by it ever since. She is a Certified Mindfulness Meditation Facilitator as well as a Certified MIEA Teacher. Robin enjoys sharing meditation and mindfulness with the WPI community and is excited to be a community partner with the Center for Well-Being. 

In her free time, she enjoys sea glass hunting, needle felting, and reading.

Courses Taught:

WPE 1611: Introduction to Mindfulness

 

 

Preview

Catherine-Flayhan

Reiki Master

Catherine Flayhan

Catherine is passionate about supporting our WPI Community's wellness journey. Having encountered difficulty in her own life's path, she  found comfort in yoga and Reiki. Therefore, she expanded her personal practices to become certified. As an Usui Shiki Ryoho Third Degree Reiki Master Catherine serves as a channel, bringing energy to those who need it most. She seeks out energetic blockages in the body and trys to alleviate them to allow the energy within to flow more freely; as well as replenishing the body's energy stores. When people leave her room smiling, relaxed and refreshed... life is good.

In her free time she likes to do things with her family. Kayaking, cooking, or just making memories.

"You cannot always control what goes on outside, but you can always control what goes on inside. "

Courses Taught: 

WPE 1611: Introduction to Mindfulness

WPE 1612: Introductory Yoga

Preview Diana Fiorentino
Meditation Facilitator

Diana Fiorentino

Diana Fiorentino is the internal communications manager in Marketing Communications at WPI and has been with the university for two years working to support communications for and by members of the community. After years of having a dedicated daily meditation practice, she now partners with the Center for Well-Being to teach MIEA Mindfulness. Diana deeply appreciates the opportunity to share her love for mindfulness and meditation with faculty, staff, and students. In her time outside of WPI, Diana enjoys being with her family, reading, being active outdoors, and practicing yoga, meditation, and Reiki.

Courses Taught:

WPE 1611: Introduction to Mindfulness

Preview
Yoga Instructor

Kathryn Moncrief

Kate Moncrief (RYT 200) is trained in Iyengar-based Hatha yoga and has been teaching yoga for ten years. She teaches vinyasa flow classes focusing on the creative, thoughtful sequencing of postures, combined with breath, for a complete and inspiring practice. She believes in “yoga practice,” not “yoga perfect” and welcomes students to join her on this wellness journey.

Courses Taught:

WPE 1612: Introductory Yoga

Preview Meng Le
Yoga Instructor

Meng Le

Meng first started practicing yoga thanks to a recommendation from her primary care doctor for insomnia and anxiety while in high school. Her first experience was a Yoga for Beginners VHS tape by Patricia Walden and many years later, the first yoga studio class she took was a gentle restorative class. Yoga started as a way to achieve a restful night of sleep and has grown into a lifelong quest for knowledge of the heart, body and mind.

After years of practice and completing a 500HR Yoga Teacher Training with Theresa Murphy, she now teaches at many local studios in the Worcester and metrowest area as well as at WPI and Clark. She teaches various styles including hatha, vinyasa, gentle, restorative and yin.

Courses Taught:

WPE 1612: Introductory Yoga

Preview Aaron
Succeeding as an Introvert Instructor

Aaron Deskins

Aaron Deskins is a chemical engineer, geek, and introvert. He has taught at WPI for over 15 years. He understands the challenges that introverts face while navigating school, life, relationships, and the workforce. Aaron loves guiding introverts to learn skills that will help them during their time at WPI and beyond. He also loves it when students realize that being an introvert is perfectly normal and magnificent.

In his free time he enjoys music, games, puzzles, reading, spending time with his family, and traveling.

Courses Taught:

WPE 1613: Succeeding as an Introvert

Preview Kris Boudreau
Succeeding as an Introvert Instructor

Kris Boudreau

Kris Boudreau joined WPI in 2009 and teaches courses in HUA, GPS, and WPE. While she loves teaching and has learned to adapt to WPI’s fast-paced, collaborative, and project-based curriculum, she is at heart an introvert and is most at home in the world’s quiet moments –absorbed in a book, a conversation, a walk, or a bike ride, getting lost and being unknown in an unfamiliar place, or just sitting still with idle hands. Her favorite literature explores what it means to be human in a chaotic and sometimes brutal world. She is grateful for the opportunity to help students explore human experience in the WPE courses she teaches: WPE 1613: Succeeding as an Introvert (with Prof. Deskins) and WPE 1611: Introduction to Mindfulness.

Courses Taught:

WPE 1613: Succeeding as an Introvert

Preview Shavaun Cloran
Registered Dietitian

Shavaun Cloran

Shavaun Cloran is a Registered Dietitian who has been working at WPI for 10 years. Meeting, working with and supporting WPI students are some of Shavaun's favorite roles. She enjoys providing nutrition awareness during one on one sessions, group workshops or highlighting fueling foods during tabling events on campus. She enjoys sharing her enthusiasm for intuitive eating and recently became certified as an Intuitive Eating Counselor. Shavaun greatly appreciates being part of the CWB's holistic approach of self care and mental health.

Hiking, kayaking and reading are some of her favorite things to do during her free time.

"Eating Intuitively means learning to honor your mind, body and health."

Courses Taught:

WPE 1699 - Special Topics in Holistic Well-Being: Intuitive Eating

WPE 1699 - Special Topics in Holistic Well-Being: Exploring the Impact of Nutrition on Brain, Body, and Planet

Preview Katherine Foo
Pranayama Instructor

Katherine Foo

Katherine Foo is an Ashtanga yoga practitioner and a certified Level 2 pranayama instructor. She is a member of Thich Nhat Hanh’s Order of Interbeing and holds five precepts in the Kwan Um School of Zen. She is fascinated by the fact that our breath is so basic and essential to our vitality, and yet it also spans the physiological, neurological, emotional, and psychological dimensions of our health and well-being. Katherine enjoys teaching breathing techniques to strengthen resilience to stress, still fluctuations in the mind, and build physiological capacity

 “Take practice, and all is coming.” – Pattabhi Jois

Courses Taught: 

WPE 1699 - Special Topics in Holistic Well-Being: Pranayama: An Introduction to Yogic Breathing

WPE 1699 - Special Topics in Holistic Well-Being: Regenerative Cultures

Preview Michelle Borowski
Art Historian

Michelle Borowski

Michelle Borowski has been immersed in the art world since high school, always captivated by humanity’s creativity and imagination as evidenced in the visual arts. She is the author of the definitive monograph on William Tolman Carlton (1816-1888), a Boston painter of portraits and genre subjects. “I care deeply about the success—in whatever way that may be defined for an individual—and well-being of our students here. Providing them with the tools to guide their understanding of art is an effective means of nurturing these traits. Curiosity, wonder, responses of joy—all are at play in the appreciation of works of art.” 

For Art and Joy go together, with bold openness, and high head, and ready hand – fearing naught, and dreading no exposure.  

--painter James McNeill Whistler, from “The ‘Ten O’Clock’ Lecture”  1885

Courses Taught:

WPE 1699 - Special Topics in Holistic Well-Being: Finding Joy in the Visual Arts

Courses Taught:

WPE 1699 - Special Topics in Holistic Well-Being: Sophomore Success - Navigating Your Second Year at WPI