Our Staff

Karen L Goldman, Founder and Executive Director

Karen L Goldman, LMHC, BCPC is the Founder and Executive Director of Emma’s Place, the only not-for-profit grief education and counseling center on Staten Island. She is a New York State Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Board Certified Psychotherapist specializing in Bereavement Counseling. She earned her Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology with a specialty in Grief and Bereavement from (Russell) Sage Graduate School in Albany, New York. Karen also holds several advanced certificates in death and dying studies. She has been the Bereavement Coordinator for Hospice, working to serve those families who have experienced a life-altering illness, trauma, and loss. Karen was also the founding creator and the Clinical Director of Camp Good Grief of Staten Island (2009-2013). Karen’s education, personal and professional experiences help her to serve the community through various institutions: schools, church groups, hospitals, social service agencies, and private practice. Karen runs adult and children’s bereavement groups and counsels individuals, children, and families, guiding them through loss, depression, despair, and life’s transitions. Karen has been dedicated to the treatment of grief and loss for over thirty years.

Dr. Carolyn Oglio-Taverner, Co-Founder and Program Director

Dr. Carolyn Oglio-Taverner, Ph.D is our Co-Founder and Program Director at Emma’s Place. She is one of our senior counselors running both children’s bereavement groups and individual counseling for our initial Immediate Individual Crisis Counseling Program. She is a counselor and educator working on Staten Island. She has a background in psychology, including a Master’s Degree in Developmental Psychopathology from Columbia University, Teachers’ College and a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the City University of New York. She is, currently a Professor of Psychology at Wagner College, teaching courses including Developmental Psychology, Child Psychology and Death and Dying. Carolyn has partnered with Karen since 2009, co-creating children’s bereavement camps, grief education and activity programs and training and educating the New York City communities on grief and loss. She has also had the privilege to facilitate the Little Angels Children’s Bereavement group at St. Joseph St. Thomas Parish and is a New York Registered Director for Rainbows, Inc., an organization which works to guide children through the losses in their lives. She has acted as a consultant for the Archdiocese of New York to help establish additional children’s groups and train others to do this rewarding work.

Jessica, “Jessie” Capuozzo

Jessica is our Intern Supervisor and our Teen and Tween Group Facilitator. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and an Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Practitioner. She has a Master’s Degree in Social Work (LCSW), a Master’s Degree in Bioethics, and an Advanced Certification in Hospice and Palliative Care (ACHPC). Her areas of expertise include Mental Health and Trauma, case management, grief counseling and crisis intervention, assessments and evaluations, community resource planning, and conflict resolution. She is a natural addition to our Emma’s Place team!

Olivia Cimino

Olivia B. Cimino, BS, LMSW, serves as an Intake Coordinator at Emma’s Place, where she helps individuals and families access grief support services and navigate the next steps in their care. She also co-facilitates the children’s grief support group and provides immediate crisis counseling, offering guidance and support during times of acute need.

Olivia earned her Bachelor of Science in Education from Lynn University and her Master of Social Work from Yeshiva University’s Wurzweiler School of Social Work. She is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) in New York State and currently serves as a School Social Worker with the New York City Department of Education.

Since joining Emma’s Place as a graduate intern in 2021, Olivia has been committed to supporting children and their immediate family members through the challenges of grief and loss. Drawing on her experience in both educational and clinical settings, she provides compassionate, client-centered care that promotes resilience, connection, and healing.

Margarita Zarkhi

Margarita Zarkhi, LMSW, is an Intake Coordinator at Emma’s Place, where she provides support to children, teens, and families coping with grief and loss. She conducts intake assessments, connects families with appropriate services and resources, and helps ensure they receive compassionate, individualized support throughout their healing journey.

Margarita earned her Master of Social Work degree and has over a decade of experience in healthcare and social services. Prior to joining Emma’s Place, she worked as a hospital social worker, supporting patients and families through medical crises, trauma, loss, and major life transitions. Her background includes emergency room, acute care, rehabilitation, and long-term care settings.

Margarita is passionate about helping families feel heard, supported, and connected to the resources they need during difficult times. She is committed to creating a welcoming and compassionate environment where children and caregivers can begin their grief journey with understanding and hope.

Amanda Pearlman

Amanda Pearlman, BA, CLS, is our Child Life Specialist. She supports children and families through therapeutic play and coping-based interventions in both individual and group settings. She previously volunteered with Emma’s Place, assisting in facilitating children and tween bereavement groups and supporting the organization through community outreach and tabling events.

She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Human Development and Family Studies from Maryville University and has completed specialized coursework in death and dying. Amanda has completed her Child Life Internship and is currently working toward certification as a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS).

In addition to her work at Emma’s Place, Amanda is a dance teacher with a passion for using creative expression to support emotional growth and healing in children. She is grateful to be part of the Emma’s Place family and is passionate about helping children and families feel seen, supported, and empowered as they navigate their grief journey with care and connection.

Brittany DeCicco

Brittany is our Marketing Coordinator; her journey with Emma’s Place has come full circle. She first came to Emma’s Place as a bereaved 11-year-old after the loss of her father, where she found support, understanding, and connection during a difficult time in her life. The impact Emma’s Place had on her inspired her to return years later as a volunteer, and now to her current role within Emma’s Place.

Brittany earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Corporate Communications, with minors in Psychology and American Sign Language, from The City University of New York, College of Staten Island; she is also NARCAN certified.

Brittany works alongside Stacey, our Creative Director, overseeing social media, marketing campaigns, event promotion, and community engagement. Through her work, she helps raise awareness about childhood grief and the vital services Emma’s Place provides to children and families throughout Staten Island.

Stacey Cohen

Stacey Cohen, MS Ed, with an Advanced Certificate in School Psychology, is our Creative Arts Director. She is Emma’s Place’s creative arts therapist, designing our fundraising materials, Newsletters, volunteer trainings, and community workshops. She is a graduate of Brooklyn College, where she earned a B.S. in Psychology, a Master’s in Education, and an Advanced Certificate in School Psychology. She has worked as a school psychologist in the New York City Public School System in both elementary and junior high schools, and has provided grief counseling to students. Ms. Cohen has volunteered for Hospice in Staten Island, where she created and facilitated a children’s bereavement group in 2007, and designed and conducted one-day bereavement workshops for children. At these groups and workshops, she utilized art therapy activities that she developed. In addition, Ms. Cohen has also provided a portion of the bereavement training for new volunteers at Hospice and other local arts and activity programs. Currently, she is employed by the NYC Human Resources Administration as an Employee Initiatives Coordinator.

Katie Nuzzo

Katie is our Grief and Trauma Counselor. She is a board-certified Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor who earned her Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, her Grief and Trauma Certification, and is also a member of the International Honor Society. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the College of Staten Island where she worked as a research assistant in the Children’s Development Lab. Katie also co-authored the journal article, “Older Siblings Influence Younger Siblings’ Motor Development.” (Infant and Child Development, 17, 607-615) which was published in Infant and Child Development: Berger, S. & Nuzzo, K. (2008). As part of her undergraduate work, Katie also mentored emancipated female youth and successfully motivated them to earn a high school diploma and enroll in college. Currently, Katie is working in private practice, counseling individuals, couples, and families.  She joined Emma’s Place as an intern in 2016 and continues to find fulfillment in helping children and their families to process their grief and learn the tools they need to heal and move towards a healthier future.