Meet The Staff

Debra Futterman, LCSW

Director

Debra Futterman has over 23 years in the Behavioral Health field.  Debra is a Florida Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Florida International University and is a Florida State Approved Supervisor. Debra’s vast experience has spanned working with children and adults in various settings including community mental health, the judicial court system, private for profit and corporate organizations and private practice with a specialized focus in crisis intervention and stabilization, individual, family and group counseling. In addition to her clinical work, Debra brings an expertise in program design, implementation and administration, as well as system development, outcome monitoring, and data analysis.  In 2010, Debra created Henderson Student Counseling Services which is the dedicated behavioral health provider for the student body of Nova Southeastern University, Broward College, and the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Regional Campus. 

Debra serves as the Director of Student Counseling Services for Henderson Behavioral Health and was part of the team that wrote the Student Counseling Services accreditation standards for CARF, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities and her program is accredited under these standards.  Debra is honored to also be the recipient of the 2017 EPIC Award (Exceptional People Impacting the Community) given by the Mental Health Association of South Florida.

Self-Care Practice: Debra loves to unwind and relax by spending time with her family and her dog Lola.  She also enjoys watching movies, tv, and reading fiction novels usually containing main characters that are strong women.

Pronouns Preferred: She/Her/Hers

Erika Correa

Assistant Director

Licensed Psychologist

Erika Correa, Psy.D. has been at Henderson Student Counseling Services since 2015. She is a licensed psychologist in the state of Florida who completed her Bachelor’s in Psychology with Honors from Florida International University, and received her Master’s and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Correa enjoys working with college and graduate students to help them gain the tools needed to thrive in their personal and academic lives. She utilizes an integrative therapeutic treatment approach that draws from cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and client-centered perspectives, tailored to meet the client’s individual needs. She has been trained as a generalist, but has extensive experience working with anxiety, depression, stress management, first generation, adjustment issues, and crisis intervention. Dr. Correa also enjoys providing supervision for HSCS’s psychology doctoral trainees. Additionally, she is fluent in English and Spanish.

As part of her self-care practice, she enjoys the challenge of long-distance running, spending quality time with family and friends, yoga, reading fiction, watching movies and tv, and cuddling with her 2 dogs.

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Daiya Persaud

Office Manager

Daiya Persaud has been with Henderson Behavioral Health since 2004. Daiya has a lot of experience providing support to individuals that struggle with various mental health issues, and overall, enjoys helping individuals in different areas of life. She values and shows respect to all individuals no matter what the circumstances. Her favorite self-care practices include singing, meditation, listening to music, and spending quality time with her family, including her pet cat, Samantha.

Karl Backman, MD

Psychiatrist

Dr. Karl Backman is a graduate of University of Texas Medical Branch medical school in Galveston, Texas and completed his Psychiatry residency training at University of Miami. After residency, he worked in private practice before joining Henderson Behavioral Health and has experience working with various populations. He has history working with several populations including the Severe Mentally Ill and has provided psychiatric services for Nova Southeastern University students through Henderson Student Counseling Services since 2010 and also serves as Medical Director of Broward Sheriff’s Office Drug Court Treatment Program.

Amelia Cordova, LMFT

Counselor

Pronouns Preferred: She/Her/Hers

Amelia Cordova is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She earned her M.S. in Family Therapy

at Nova Southeastern University. Formerly, she obtained her B.S. in Communications at FIU. She has worked several years in the community serving youth and adults through individual, couples and family counseling. Amelia enjoys helping students learn how to navigate through life's stressors and enhance their understanding of themselves.  Mrs. Cordova utilizes a culturally sensitive, collaborative, and client-centered approach. Her therapeutic approach is integrative, drawing primarily from Solution Focused Therapy and incorporating family systems, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing and mindfulness-based skills.

Clinical Interests: Family and marital conflict, relational difficulties, adjustment/transitions, self-empowerment, identity issues, self-esteem, stress management.

Self-care practice: Finding moments of solitude in her day to recharge and center herself, so that she may continue to be present with her children, family and students.

Shoshana Farbman, LCSW

Counselor

Shoshana Farbman is a Florida Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has been working in the field of behavioral health for close to a decade. Shoshana obtained her Master's Degree in Social Work from Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College in New York City. During her time living and working in New York City, Shoshana gained experience working with children and adults in the areas of substance abuse, child welfare, trauma, juvenile justice, vocational training, and crisis intervention and management. Shoshana has experience working with individuals and families of diverse racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds through in-home therapy, community-based programs, and through individual, family, and group counseling. Since relocating to South Florida, Shoshana oversaw two teen leadership and identity-building, travel abroad programs, before joining Henderson Student Counseling Services at Nova Southeastern University. Shoshana loves working with the students at NSU to support their success, by working on establishing a positive adjustment to college and graduate school, stress and time management, balancing various responsibilities, anxiety reduction, socialization, relationships, and self-care.

In her free time, Shoshana enjoys traveling, bike riding and being outdoors as much as she can, and spending time with her dog, Maggie.

Jennifer Sincore, Psy.D.

Counselor

Dr. Jennifer Sincore is a licensed psychologist and obtained her doctorate from NSU. Dr. Sincore specializes in counseling focused on depression, anxiety, difficulties with self-esteem, eating disorders, body image concerns, and identity development. Before coming to HSCS, Dr. Sincore worked in outpatient and higher level of care treatment settings, including The Renfrew Center in Florida, ERC-Insight in Illinois, and Cambridge Eating Disorder Center in Massachusetts.

Dr. Sincore’s favorite forms of self-care are taking naps, spending time with family and friends, and going to zoos and aquariums.

Kyle Slough, LMHC

Counselor

Finding the joy and peace in life when confronted with change and uncertainty is a challenge. Kyle enjoys helping individuals identify their values and strengths to help them find joy and peace in their lives. Kyle uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), brief therapy, motivational interviewing, solution focused therapy, and many other therapy techniques to help individuals define their own sense of wellbeing. He has over 9 years of experience helping people from many different back grounds reach their goals. At his last post, Kyle helped active duty service members overcome substance use and mental health issues but started at a college helping fellow students with achieving their academic goals. Kyle would be ecstatic to join you on your journey to help you reach your goals and finding your own sense of serenity.

Kyle is originally from Charlotte, NC. He completed his undergraduate degree in Psychology at UNC-Chapel Hill. He has Master’s degrees in Rehabilitation Counseling and Vocational Evaluation, as well as a graduate certificate in Assistive Technology from East Carolina University. Kyle is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in FL.

For self-care he enjoys being with his wife and family, scuba diving, mountain biking, video games, reading, and working on his cars and other projects.

Shelley Kavanagh, LCSW

Part-time Counselor

Shelley Kavanagh is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, living in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Originally from Canada, she completed her Master’s in Social Work (MSW) in 2015 from Barry University in Miami Shores, and joined the Henderson SCS team in March 2019. She works part-time at SCS and also works in private practice. She has been trained in several trauma-based modalities, including Accelerated Resolution Therapy, Rapid Resolution Therapy, and Clinical Hypnosis. Her areas of interest include trauma-based work, early attachment, and working with marginalized populations. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Social Work from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.  

When not at work, her method of self-care is connecting with her adult children in Canada, trying new recipes, and watching the Food Network!!!

Ana Vitenson, LMHC

Part-time Counselor

Ana Vitenson completed her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Miami with a dual concentration in Psychology and Religious Studies and received her Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University. Ana has been a Licensed Mental Health Counselor since 2002. She has been a mindfulness practitioner since she received training in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction in 2010, and is now a certified Mindfulness Meditation teacher. Ana specializes in individual psychotherapy and focuses on helping students learn to cope with anxiety in academics and relationships. Ana is passionate about helping individuals elevate their self-esteem by learning to be kinder to themselves through the evidenced-based practice of self-compassion. She also has a telehealth-based private practice where she helps individuals improve their emotional and physical well-being. Her favorite self-care practices include meditation and spending time with her family including her four-legged best friend, Dorito.

Carolyn Lenz, LMHC

Part-time Counselor

Carolyn Lenz is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Board Certified Counselor. She completed her Undergraduate degree in Social Work and has a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling. Carolyn is a Certified Sexual Assault Advocate and an active member of Pinellas County’s Sexual Assault Response Team. She is passionate about working with adult clients impacted by anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and low self-esteem. Carolyn utilizes a strength-based approach to counseling, integrating mindfulness techniques, and working towards empowering clients to reach their goals. For self-care Carolyn enjoys reading, creating things, pugs, and gardening.

Mary “Beth” Shoaff, M.S.

Psychology Trainee – Support Group Coordinator

Hi my name is Mary Shoaff but everyone calls me Beth! I am a psychology trainee here at Henderson Student Counseling. I am going into my fourth year of my doctoral program in Clinical Psychology and I have loved every second of it! My area of focus is sport psychology, but I also have a passion for working with people experiencing depression and/or anxiety specifically in the young adult and emerging adult population. One of my favorite quotes is "You can't pour from an empty cup." That is why I value the field of psychology, therapy, and self-care. Two of my favorite self-care activities are running (I just completed my first half marathon!) and journaling.

Vanessa Castro

Health Information Specialist I

Vanessa Castro has experience working with children of different age groups, as well as children with learning disabilities. Vanessa has been at Henderson Student Counseling Services since 2019 and has been enjoying her new experience working with college and graduate students. She strives to assist students to her fullest potential. For self-care, she enjoys spending time with her family, dog, and two cats.

Naomi Honorat

Health Information Specialist II

Naomi Honorat has experience working in the healthcare field. Her interest for the healthcare field stems from her desire to be a helper. She has a passion for helping those in need and playing a part in brightening up their day. For self-care she finds baking and home decorating to be her relaxing hobbies that she loves and enjoys.