Meet the staff of the Academic Success and Advising Center.
Dr. Erin Andersen
Dr. Erin M. Andersen
Dean of Academic Success and Advising Center
- B.A., English, Writing Concentration; College of Saint Elizabeth
- M.A, English; Fordham University
- M.Phil., English, Composition and Rhetoric Concentration; The Graduate Center of the City University of New York
- PhD., English, Composition and Rhetoric Concentration; The Graduate Center of the City University of New York
- Advanced Certificate, Women’s Studies; Center for the Study of Women and Society, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York
Dr. Erin Andersen is the Dean of Academic Success and the Director of The Writing Collaboratory, Centenary University’s writing center. Formerly an English adjunct at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY and the developer of an online writing tutor program at Saint Elizabeth University, Dr. Andersen has dedicated her research, teaching, and administrative work to helping student writers navigate expectations of composing in the university using inclusive pedagogical frameworks.
Her research interests, focused on feminist, queer, and social justice paradigms in writing education, are evident in her dissertation, “Assessing the Cyborg Center: Assemblage-Based, Feminist Frameworks Toward Socially-Just Writing Center Assessments,” which uses archival methods and critical discourse analysis to examine a case study of one writing center’s assessment practices, making connections between writing center studies, assessment research, and intersectional feminist approaches to assemblage theory to foreground arguments for assemblage-based antiracist assessment protocols in writing centers.
Margie Pavlichko
Director of Veteran Services
- A.A. Humanities, County College of Morris
- B.A. Individualized Studies, Centenary University
Margie joined the Centenary Community in 2006 as the Administrative Assistant in the Academic Success and Advising Center. She was assigned the veteran/veteran dependent student population in 2007. The “one-stop” Office of Veteran Services became official in 2012 with Margie as its first director. She is the primary point of contact for Centenary’s student veterans/veteran dependents, as well as those veterans/veteran dependents living in the greater Hackettstown community.
As the Director of Veteran Services, Margie is committed to assisting this very deserving population in navigating the internal and external systems of higher education and government agencies, so they can maximize their education benefits and all other available services and resources.
Abbie Davis
Director of Academic Success & Advising
- B.A. English, Minor: Environmental Science, William Paterson University
- M.A. English, Montclair State University
Abbie has worked in higher education for numerous years. While pursuing her master’s degree at Montclair State University, Abbie worked at Centenary University as a Professional Tutor where she was able to engage and work with students on a daily basis.
Additionally, she taught Developmental English at Middlesex County College for three years, as well as academic strategy courses at Northampton Community College and Centenary University. As a Director of Academic Success and Advising at Centenary, Abbie enjoys being able to assist students in working towards a successful academic career.
Lauren Hope Kreeger 
Director of Disability Services
- B.A. Psychology, Centenary College
- M.A. Human Service Counseling: Addiction and Recovery, Liberty University
Lauren is an alum of Centenary University and joined the Academic Success and Advising team in January 2022. After 11 years of working with children at her daycare center, Lauren realized that her genuine passion was higher education and she returned to Centenary University as a Student Success Specialist, and later became the Director of Disability Services & STEP Ahead Coordinator. Lauren is also an Adjunct Professor in the Psychology department at Centenary. Lauren’s primary goal for her students is to think positively. She encourages her students to strive to do their best because nothing is impossible. Lauren is driven to inspire her students through their talents to succeed. Lauren graduated with her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Centenary College in 2010 and has her Master’s Degree in Human Service Counseling (Addiction and Recovery) from Liberty University.
Lindsay Galasso
Retention and Success Coordinator
- B.A. Sociology, Moravian College
- M.A. Leadership and Public Administration, Centenary University
Lindsay came to Centenary University in 2015 where she began working as an Undergraduate Admissions Counselor. Since then, she has received a M.A. in Leadership and Public Administration and began working within the Academic Success and Advising Center as a Student Success Coach. As a Retention and Success Coordinator, Lindsay’s goal is to offer support, in all areas, to students in order to ensure that they are well-prepared, and successful during their time at Centenary.
Christina Lenway
Academic Enrichment Coordinator for Multicultural Students
- B.A. Elementary Education, Elmira College
- M.S. Education, College of New Rochelle
Christina joined the Academic Success staff at Centenary University in 2023, after supporting students in elementary through college in parochial, private and public-school settings for the last 3 decades. As a first-generation college graduate, Christina understands the unique challenges of these students and offers experience and perspective in leveraging their culture, family support, and personal strengths for success. A reading specialist, she is passionate about literacy education and increasing students’ academic capital by teaching them how to use brain-based learning strategies and metacognition to improve their academic success. Christina attributes student success to the personal development skills of goal setting, self-motivation and self-authoring and is excited to bring these and more to Centenary.
Dennis Higgins
Student Success Specialist
- BS. Psychology, East Stroudsburg University
- MA. Clinical Psychology, Adelphi University
- MA. Mental Health Counseling, Adelphi University
Dennis joined the DSO staff as a Student Success Specialist in Spring 2021. Prior to Centenary, he worked as a project manager at a software company, a paratrooper in the U.S. Army, a case manager for a national veterans’ organization, and various therapeutic positions at VA hospitals, outpatient clinics, and private practice. Dennis uses these varied experiences to help his students forge a path to success that is both effective and true to who they are as individuals.
Annie Walters
Student Success Specialist
- BS: Psychology, Minor: English, Mount St. Mary’s University
- MA: School Psychology, Fairleigh Dickinson University
Annie joined the ASAC/DSO staff in the fall of 2021. Previously, they worked as a school psychologist in the public school setting and as an assistant teacher at Drew University’s Acorn Academy. They wanted to make the transition to higher education to assist college students in getting the most out of their college career and ensuring the students have access to the services they need.
As a Student Success Specialist, Annie ensures that the students can obtain the accommodations they need in the college setting, while fostering a sense of self-advocacy for the students they work with. Annie enjoys working with students daily and watching them succeed in the college setting.
Juliana Belar
Assistant Director of Academic and Career Services for Student-Athletes
- B.S. Kinesiology: Sport Studies, Minor: Business Administration, University of New Hampshire
- M.A. College Student Personnel, Bowling Green State University
Juliana came to Centenary in 2022 as an Academic & Career Coach after spending time at Bowling Green State University (BGSU), where she earned her master’s degree in Higher Education: College Student Personnel. In her time at BGSU, she also served as Assistant Women’s Gymnastics Coach and offered academic support to Student-Athletes in the Office of Student-Athlete Services. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of New Hampshire in Kinesiology: Sport Studies where she was a Division 1 Gymnast and then turn Student-Assistant Coach.
In her current role as Assistant Director of Academic & Career Services for Student-Athletes, Juliana works under the umbrella of Academic Success and the Athletic Department, striving to support student-athlete success in their collegiate journey and beyond.
Jennifer Campbell 
Administrative Assistant
- B.A. English, King’s College, Wilkes-Barre, PA
- M.A. English, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, NJ
As the Administrative Assistant, Jennifer assists with general inquiries and organizes the processes of Academic Success and the offices within the department. She is always happy to help students and their families. Prior to her position at Centenary, Jennifer was an adjunct at County College of Morris in the English Department. She has worked in higher education since 2007 at many local institutions including Seton Hall Law School and Fairleigh Dickinson, Madison campus.
Nancy Podesta
Nancy Podesta
Career Coach & Employer Development Specialist
- B. A. Sociology, Centenary University
Nancy’s background incorporates education and staffing. Prior to Centenary, she worked in Randolph Township Schools as an Instructional Assistant/Job Coach. In this role, she taught, advised, and coached students on career readiness as well as trained them on specific job requirements for entry-level positions. Before Randolph Schools, she worked as a Senior Recruiter for Lloyd Staffing where she was the liaison between job candidates and employers. Nancy handled the entire staffing process from recruiting to placing candidates in a wide array of businesses from small to Fortune 500 Companies. Additionally, she was responsible for sales development which gave her the vital skills of forming and building relationships with employers.
Nancy’s passion is to support students and help them reach their fullest potential. She has a student-centric focus to assist them in finding internships and gainful employment.