Meet The Team
Maria Mahtani
Executive Director - NY and NJ - Fair Lawn
Maria earned her master’s degree from Nyack College and has over 20 years’ experience working with youth and families, both in church youth ministry and in the non-profit sector as a case manager and psychotherapist. She served on the local Bethany board for four years before taking the role of director. She is passionate about child welfare and is grateful to work with a dedicated team to fulfill the vision of Bethany to keep children safe, loved, and connected through family. Maria and her husband are proud parents of a teenage boy from South Africa.
Jessica Prickett
Refugee Immigrant Services (RIS) Program Director - Albany
Jessica, a licensed independent clinical social worker, has worked with Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) programs for over a decade and provides training development for federal child welfare programs. She’s passionate about mental health access for underserved communities, engaging the local church, organizational management, and supporting staff. She has a bachelor’s from Gordon College and master’s from Rutgers University with an emphasis in international social work. She loves hiking and going to the beach with her husband and three children.
Christina Rivera
PRS Intake and Quality Assurance Coordinator - Fair Lawn
Christina joined Bethany Christian Services in 2020 as the Program Support Specialist for the Pregnancy Counseling and Adoption program. She graduated in January 2021 from Montclair State University with a Bachelors in Family Science and Human Development and currently enrolled in the MSW program at Rutgers University. She has experience working with children and families and feels blessed to be apart of the Bethany team.
Adriana Arteta
Supervisor/Therapist - Fair Lawn
Adriana joined Bethany Christian Services in 2021 as part of the Wraparound Stabilization Services (WSS). She earned her master’s degree in Forensic Psychology and Counseling from Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology in 2014. She has experience working with children, adults, and families. She is committed to helping the immigrant community and appreciates being able to assist those in need.
Alejandra Zuniga
UAC HS/PRS Case Manager - Fair Lawn
Alejandra has a bachelor’s degree in child advocacy and policy with a minor in social work from Montclair State University. She’s grateful to be able to help clients and their families and is thankful to be part of Bethany Christian Services.
Angel Baez Jr.
UAC HS/PRS Case Manager - Albany
Angel has worked closely with the migrant population both in shelter systems and post-release services. He has helped numerous families with reunification while providing psychoeducation on trauma, loss, anxiety, and emotions. He has a master’s in clinical social work and a bachelor’s in care coordination from Hunter College. Prior to becoming a social worker, Angel was an operations manager on Wall Street for 24+ years. He knows God set him on his life journey to where he is today, helping others help themselves.
Arianna E. Urena
Adoption Specialist - Fair Lawn
Arianna joined Bethany in September of 2021 initially as an Intern Advocacy Support Specialist and has moved her way up to Adoption Specialist. She received her bachelor’s degree at Montclair State University with a major in Family Science and Human Development and a minor in Social Work. She has experience working with young children and hopes to continue helping them as she continues her journey in the social work field. She is very excited to be part of the Bethany team.
Camren Fitzsimmons
Advocacy Support Specialist - Fair Lawn
Camren joined Bethany as an intern before moving into her current role. She has a bachelor’s in social work from Seton Hall University and a master’s in social work from Ramapo College of New Jersey. She has experience working with people of all ages and feels extremely blessed working for Bethany and supporting the team.
Catherine Alonso
UAC HS/PRS Lead Case Manager - Fair Lawn
Catherine earned her master’s degree in social work from Rutgers University. She has experience working with adolescents, adults, and families. She feels extremely blessed to be part of the Bethany team and uses her skills and knowledge to assist those in need.
Cesar Leiton
UAC HS/PRS Case Manager - Fair Lawn
Cesar has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Rider University. He has experience working with adolescents, adults, and families. He feels a passion for helping others and is thankful to be part of Bethany Christian Services.
Claudia Borriero, MSW/MA
UAC Regional Supervisor - Fair Lawn
Claudia received her bachelor’s in social work from Kean University and a Master of Divinity from Drew University Theological School. She has extensive experience working with domestic violence survivors and unaccompanied minors. Claudia feels honored and blessed to be part of Bethany Christian Services where she has the opportunity to respond to God’s call in her life by serving others.
Claudia Zabala
UAC HS/PRS Case Manager - Fair Lawn
Claudia was born in Colombia, and Spanish is her first language. This has allowed her to work with multicultural populations, especially the Hispanic community. Before coming to Bethany, she worked as a bilingual counselor and mental health clinician for 16 years. Claudia has a master’s in clinical counseling at Fairleigh Dickinson University. She enjoys being in close contact with God, spending time with her son and family, and continuing to learn and grow.
Daisy Cordero
UAC Case Manager - Fair Lawn
Daisy feels privileged and blessed to be part of the UAC program at Bethany Christian Services. She enjoys serving unaccompanied minors and being a part of their journey.
Dorka Maloon
UAC HS/PRS Case Manager - Fair Lawn
Dorka has over 20 years’ experience working in the mental health field with adults, children, and youth. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Rutgers University. Dorka feels a passion for helping people and feels blessed and thankful to be part of Bethany Christian Services.
Evey Williams
Office Manager - Fair Lawn
Evey has a degree in business administration and is pursuing a BA in psychology. She has a strong desire to support her team to excel to their highest potential to serve the surrounding community. When Evey’s away from the office, she enjoys exploring with her husband and three children, serving at her home church, or spending time with extended family. Evey is beyond grateful to work with others who share the love of God and for an organization that invests in the community.
Jeremy Mateo
UAC HS/PRS Case Manager - Albany
Jeremy’s passion for assisting undocumented children was influenced by his mother, who served as a transitional foster parent during his high school years. This experience led him to begin pursuing a degree in community psychology. Jeremy is passionate about his faith and committed to helping others find their identity in God. He is actively involved in his local church, working with youth and young adults, and continues to inspire many. He continues his studies and lives with his wife and their dog.
Mauricio Chivara Silvestre
PRS Intake and Quality Assurance Coordinator - Fair Lawn
Mauricio graduated from Montclair State University with a bachelor’s in justice studies and brings over 11 years of diverse experience to his role. His unwavering passion for helping others fuels his commitment to the Bethany team, where he feels blessed to contribute and support the families we serve.
Natasha Escoto
UAC HS/PRS Case Manager - Fair Lawn
Natasha is passionate about seeing children grow and learn about their potential. She has a bachelor’s in psychology and enjoys working with the Office of Refugee Resettlement to support the growing community of unaccompanied children as they adapt to new environments and lifestyles. Natasha, a born-again Christian, grew up serving as a dance ministry worshipper, and from a young age, worked with children in her local church’s dance ministry and in her community as an after-school tutor.
Sinnamon Shelton
Clinical Supervisor for the Domestic Infant Adoption and Pregnancy Counseling - Fair Lawn
Sinnamon joined Bethany Christian Services in 2020. She earned a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at Rutgers University and is Licensed Clinical Social Work (LCSW). She has experience working with children in a therapeutic environment and is committed to providing a necessary support network for families. Sinnamon feels blessed to be part of Bethany Christian Services, providing care and support to the people we serve every day.
Stephanie Santiago
UAC HS/PRS Case Manager - Fair Lawn
Stephanie has experience working with people of all ages and backgrounds and is especially passionate about working with families and children. She has a bachelor’s degree in human services with a minor in psychology from Liberty University. Stephanie feels blessed to be a part of the Bethany team and being able to support the families we serve.
Teresita (Katrina) Rubino
UAC Case Manager - Fair Lawn
Katrina has been working with the immigrant and refugee population at Bethany for almost a decade. She received her bachelor’s in family and child studies from Montclair State University. Katrina feels blessed to support the families Bethany serves.
Thais Flores
UAC HS/PRS Case Manager - Albany
At a young age, Thais felt a divine calling to create a safe haven where children and families could find refuge and support. After graduating with a BSW, she pursued a career in social work and psychology to equip herself with the tools needed to make a meaningful impact. Drawing on her background in social work as well as her deep-rooted Christian faith, Thais serves at Bethany with immense joy, eager to serve the refuge population.
