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With a heritage rooted in volunteerism and community activism, LESHRC continues to attract and cultivate individuals who are committed to social change and the harm-reduction philosophy. Women and men from diverse ethnic, cultural, educational, and professional backgrounds join forces here with the shared goal of nonjudgmentally offering relevant and effective services to injection drug users.
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ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Raquel Algarin Rev. Raquel Algarin is an Interfaith Minister and Licensed Holistic Nurse. She is a founding member and currently the Executive Director at LESHRC. Raquel is a Reiki Master/Teacher and has provided training in Reiki to various AIDS-service organizations for clients and staff, and at healthcare facilities, medical and nursing schools in NY. In addition to Reiki, she is a Thai Massage and Raindrop Technique practitioner as well as an Acupuncture Detox Specialist, and has facilitated many workshops on stress management for clients, staff and volunteers in a number of organizations and conferences. She has served as a Board Member of the Andrew Glover Youth Program and currently serves on the Advisory Boards of Henry Street Settlement Community Consultation Center, PRIDE (Puerto Rican Initiative to Develop Empowerment – an LGBT organization), Caring Hands for HIV+ Women, and the Latino Commission on AIDS.
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Alberto Alonso, LCSW-R
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Alexandra Bell
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Burnett Elliot
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Jim Gutierrez
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Tanesha Jemison
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James Motley
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Kimberly Smith
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PROGRAM STAFF
Colleen Barber, LMSW
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Ajani Benjamin
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Eva Cordova-Rodriguez
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Sonja Herbert
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Jamal Khan
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Dore Mann
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Nancy Morales
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Sarah Perl, LMSW Sarah Perl joined the Vital Services team at LESHRC as a psychiatric social worker in December 2007. She received her MSW in May 2007 from New York University’s School of Social Work. Ms. Perl obtained her BA from Stony Brook University where she completed a double major in Psychology and Sociology. Her professional interests focus on clinical mental health work with adults, crisis intervention and advocacy. While not working she enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family in upstate New York.
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Kenneth Sally
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Jose Sanchez
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Myron Simmons
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Nadya Torres
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Ezell Turner
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Henry Vera Henry was born in the Bronx, NY where he still resides. Since 1987, he has worked in various community-based organizations providing services to the homeless, Substance users and people living with HIV/AIDS. He also worked for the Department of Health as a Youth Outreach Worker/Trainer, providing street outreach and trainings to youth, youth organizations and schools. In 1993, Mr. Vera joined the Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center to the position of Case manager; he was the first full time paid staff of the LESHRC. He is currently the Peer Education Program Coordinator, a position he’s held since 1996. The Positive Action Peer Education Program was the first peer education program in the country to target injection drug users. To date, more than 150 peers have completed and graduated the peer education program, some who are on staff and many others that continue to volunteer and work as interns.
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Jennifer Wolfe, LMSW
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