Meet the Team
Administrative Staff
Alex J. Hazzouri
President/Chief Executive Officer
570.510.1338
Chris L Howe
Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
1.800.226.0456 Ext. 1233
Emily Balon
Chief Financial Officer
800.226.0456 Ext. 1117
Judith Neri
Executive Director of Services
800.226.0456 Ext. 1062
Lauryn Cleveland
Executive Director of Administration
800.226.0456 Ext. 1013
Morgan Stelmack, LCSW
Executive Director of School Based Services
800.226.0456 Ext. 1037
Medical Staff
Nelson Asante, MD
Dr. Nelson Asante joined Friendship House in March and was previously a staff psychiatrist at Scranton Counseling Center. After graduating from the University of Ghana Medical School, Dr. Asante completed his residency training in psychiatry and a fellowship in neuropsychiatry at Yale University Affiliated Hospitals. Dr. Asante is board certified in both adult psychiatry and addiction medicine. His clinical interests include, but are not limited to, managing treatment-resistant schizophrenics, using the assertive community treatment team model, and evaluating Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Ann McDonald, MD
Dr. Ann McDonald is an outpatient psychiatrist at Friendship House, bringing over 35 years of clinical leadership and experience to the medical team. Dr. McDonald graduated from Temple University Medical School and completed her psychiatric residency at Hahnemann University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa. She began her extensive career as an outpatient psychiatrist at Bristol-Bensalem Human Services and later became an inpatient psychiatrist at Lower Bucks Hospital. Throughout her career, she has supervised psychiatry residents at Hahnemann University Hospital, family practice residents at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Erie, and medical students from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. McDonald previously provided psychiatric care at St. Vincent’s Hospital as well as Pocono Medical Center – East Stroudsburg, in addition to her experience in private practices before joining the team at Friendship House in 2018 as an Adult and Older Adolescent Outpatient Psychiatrist at NHS/Merakey for 3 years.
Marwa Salam, MD
Dr. Marwa Salam joined Friendship House in August and is board certified in both adult general psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry, her focus specialty. Dr. Salam completed her medical training at Egypt Medical School before joining New York University’s Langone Medical Center Alzheimer’s Research Program. She completed her general psychiatry residency at Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, NY, and fulfilled her child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at Rutgers University New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Salam serves as the President-Elect of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society. She became a staff psychiatrist at Scranton Counseling Center following her postdoctoral training in 2018.
Maria Murnock, PA-C
Maria Murnock is a licensed Certified Physician Assistant (PA-C) at Friendship House, certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, with 20 years of child, adolescent, and adult psychiatric experience. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre and has served as a PA in both private practices and community-based psychiatric centers throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania. Her experience in child and adolescent populations includes, but is not limited to, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Disruptive Behavior Disorders, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Autism, Affective Disorders, Depressive Disorders, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Tic Disorders, and Learning and Communication Disorders. Ms. Murnock is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants as well as the Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants. She has served as a preceptor for students from Marywood University Physician Assistant Program and The Commonwealth Medical College (now Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine).
Carlene Spitzer, PA-C
Carlene Spitzer is a licensed, Certified PA-C at Friendship House with nearly 40 years of nursing and psychiatric experience. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Marywood University and her Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre. Ms. Spitzer previously was employed as a PA at Scranton Counseling Center, Advanced Community Service Associates, and Aaron Center. Ms. Spitzer is professionally affiliated with the Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants and the American Academy of Physician Assistants. She has also served as an adjunct faculty member at both Marywood University and King’s College.
Danielle Kamine, MS, ANP-BC, PHMNP-BC, CRNP
Danielle is a dual board-certified nurse practitioner; she is ANCC certified in adult primary care as well as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. She comes with 20+ years of experience in the field of psychiatry. Her specialties include mental health across the lifespan, eating disorders, perinatal mental health and substance use disorders.
She has worked in the role of a CRNP for the last 13 years. She received her master’s degree from University of South Florida, with additional education of a postmaster certificate from Saint Louis University. She has worked in a variety of roles, including outpatient community mental health, inpatient Acute and chronic, Locums and residential treatment. Currently she serves adults and children in the outpatient setting, as well as a support to local School Based Behavioral health programs.
As a nurse practitioner, she believes that the care provided to every individual should be unique to their specific needs and desires. She works closely with a team-based approach, assessing bio-psycho-social factors that contribute to an individuals mental health. In her patient care she is passionate about imparting an understanding of multiple human strengths, positive emotions, distress tolerance and the use of cognitive strategies to overcome stress. She is a NEPA local, and enjoys travelling, gardening, and spending time with family.
Laurie McHale, CRNP, PMHNP
Laurie is a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner, CRNP, who is dual board-certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner through AANP and as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner through ANCC. She received her BSN degree from College Misericordia, her MSN degree from Misericordia University and holds a post-masters PMHNP certification from Wilkes University. Laurie has been a Registered Nurse for over 39 years and a Nurse Practitioner for over 15 years. She is a member of the American Nurses Association, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the Pennsylvania Coalition of Nurse Practitioners. Laurie primarily serves the child, adolescent and young adult populations in an outpatient setting at Friendship House. She works in coordination with school based behavioral health teams that include CSBBH, Outpatient and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) treatment programs, to provide psychiatric evaluation and medication management services to patients. Laurie coordinates with therapists, children’s support services, medical providers and schools, to evaluate, diagnose and treat ADHD, Autism, Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, Developmental disorders and Mood Disorders. Laurie currently acts as a preceptor for physician assistant students through Marywood University and has been a preceptor to Nurse Practitioner students. Laurie is a native of NEPA and enjoys spending time with family, biking and camping.