Activities Staff

Administrative Staff

Finance

Human Resources

Information Technology (IT)

Development

Communications

Admissions Staff

Clinical Social Workers

Erikson Institute Distinguished Faculty

Erikson Institute Staff

Faculty

Leadership

Nursing Staff

Online Intensive Outpatient Program

Therapeutic Community Staff

Therapy Staff

Fellows

Psychology

David Jordan provides oversight of and direction for all dietary/food needs for patients and staff at the Center.

David Jordan

Director of Dietary/Executive Chef

BA in computer science (with a concentration in software development and a minor in cybersecurity) from Marist College

Nick Judson is the Security and Support Analyst at the Austen Riggs Center.

Prior to working at Riggs, Judson completed an internship with the Walt Disney Company where he built upon his customer service skills while working as a Disney College Program cast member at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Upon returning from this internship, Judson worked on contract in the Help Desk for the Schenectady City School District. Here, he kept a knowledge base up to date and answered help desk inquiries for a district of 17 schools providing onsite support.

Outside of Riggs, Judson enjoys art, photography (especially film), and hiking, often with his two-year-old Husky-mix named Gus.

Nick Judson is an IT technician at the Austen Riggs Center.

Nick Judson

 Security and Support Analyst

Cornelia Kalisher is a staff member in the Therapeutic Community Program at the Austen Riggs Center.

Cornelia Kalisher, LSW

Therapeutic Community Staff Member

Barbara Keegan is the Medical Office Building receptionist. 

Mrs. Keegan has extensive administrative and human resources experience, most recently at ServiceNet, a human services agency in Northampton, MA.

Barbara Keegan is the Medical Office Building receptionist at the Austen Riggs Center.

Barbara Keegan

Medical Office Building Receptionist

MS in counseling psychology with an emphasis in marriage and family therapy from California Lutheran University

PsyD in clinical psychology from California Lutheran University

Fellowship in Infant-Parent Mental Health at the University of Massachusetts Boston

Fellowship in psychoanalytic studies at the Austen Riggs Center

Dan Knauss, PsyD, ABPP, is the director of training, a staff psychologist, and vice-chair of the Institutional Review Board at the Austen Riggs Center. 

He holds interests in infant mental health, epistemic trust in systems of care, and mentalization informed approaches to treatment. Dr. Knauss is board certified in psychoanalysis and is active in organizations promoting psychoanalytic thinking and approaches to treatment. He serves on the boards of the Accreditation Council for Psychoanalytic Education, Inc., the American Board and Academy of Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic Psychology, and as a Member at Large on the board for The Society for Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychology, Division 39, of the American Psychological Association. 

In addition, he serves on the Editorial Board for 

 and formerly served on the Editorial Board of the 

Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association

. He is passionate about psychoanalytic education and supervision.

Board Certified by the American Board and Academy of Psychoanalysis

Member at large on the Board of The Society for Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychology (SPPP), Division 39, The American Psychological Association

Mentalization-informed approaches to treatment, infant and early-childhood mental health, and working with expectant parents.

Daniel Knauss, PsyD, APBB

Director of Training/Staff Psychologist/Grand Rounds Coordinator

BAs in psychology and criminal justice from Virginia Commonwealth University

PsyD in clinical psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Two-year fellowship with the Chicago Center for Psychoanalysis

Student in the International Psychotherapy Institute Combined Child Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis Training Program

Megan Kolano, PsyD, is a staff psychologist, assistant team leader, and faculty member at the Austen Riggs Center.

Dr. Kolano has worked clinically in a variety of contexts including correctional centers, community-based residential settings, psychiatric hospitals, psychoanalytic institutes, and outpatient private practices.

Dr. Kolano enjoys writing, teaching and has taught courses related to psychological testing and psychoanalytic theory and practice. She has presented professionally on subjects such as schizophrenia, psychosis and spiritual experiences, object-relating and subject-relating in adolescent texting, working psychoanalytically with individuals with developmental disabilities, and humor and horror in teaching the Rorschach. She also maintains a private practice where she treats adults, adolescents, and children.

Professional Affiliations/Organizational Memberships

Center for the Study of Groups and Social Systems (CSGSS)

A.K. Rice Institute for the Study of Social Systems (AKRI)

American Psychoanalytic Association (APSaA)

AKRI Training and Certification in group consultancy

Certified in psychoanalysis by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABAPsa)

Accreditation Council for Psychoanalytic Education (ACPEinc) Board of Trustees member

Megan Kolano, PsyD, is an assistant team leader and staff psychologist at the Austen Riggs Center.

Megan Kolano, PsyD

Assistant Team Leader/Staff Psychologist

PhD in clinical psychology from the Brooklyn campus of Long Island University

Pre-doctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Albany Medical Center

Katie C. Lewis, PhD, is the director of research and medical staff member at the Austen Riggs Center. Her research focuses on examining personality processes in adults diagnosed with complex psychopathology as they relate to suicidal and self-destructive behaviors. Her research has been supported by the Robert Wallerstein Fellowship in Psychoanalytic Research (San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis), a Young Investigator Grant through the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, an Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant through the NIMH, and the APF/Division 39 Marsha McCary Grant for Psychoanalytic Research.

She has published and presented on a wide range of topics including suicide and self-harming behaviors, personality psychopathology and assessment, and the ethics of confidentiality in clinical writing. Dr. Lewis is a licensed clinical psychologist in New York and Massachusetts and operates a small private psychotherapy practice in addition to her work at Austen Riggs.

Former graduate student representative on the Ethics Board of Division 39

Former Fellow of the American Psychoanalytic Association (ApsaA)

Former Fellow, Psychoanalytic Research Training Program, Yale University School of Medicine

Founding member of the College of Research Fellows at APsaA

Board of the Society for Personality Assessment Representative at Large (2023-2026)

Fellowship Committee member, American Psychoanalytic Association

Consulting editor and special section editor (Clinical Applications and Case Studies) for the 

American Association of Suicidology Professional Poster Award (2019)

PPRS Stuart Hauser Memorial Poster Award (2014)

Long Island University's Dissertation Award (2014)

Suicide, personality disorders, ecological momentary assessment, psychic pain, personality assessment

Katie Lewis, PhD

Director of Research

Courtney Littlefield is an executive assistant at the Austen Riggs Center.

Courtney Littlefield

Executive Assistant

MLIS from Long Island University-The Palmer School

Alison Lotto, MA, MLIS, is the manager of the Erikson Institute library, archives, and operations at Austen Riggs.

Ms. Lotto was formerly employed by One River Grants in Troy, NY as a researcher and grant writer. Among the places she has worked as an archivist/librarian include: the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Grolier Club, and as an electronic records administrator for Lincoln County, Nebraska.

Alison Lotto, MA, MLIS, is the manager of the Erikson Institute, library, archives, and operations at the Austen Riggs Center.

Alison Lotto, MA, MLIS

Manager of the Erikson Institute Library, Archives, and Operations

BA, Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy from the University of Minnesota

Kristin Lyon, CTRS, RYT-200, is a group facilitator in the 

 for College Students and Emerging Adults in Massachusetts at the Austen Riggs Center.

As a recreation therapist, Kristin has spent the last 20 years of her career working with individuals to explore the role creativity and play have in caring for one's mental health. Her education and training also allow her to bring an experiential element into the therapeutic process for enhanced exploration and integration of therapeutic concepts as a complement to more traditional forms of talk therapy. 

Kristin is trained in motivational interviewing, CBT-E and sensorimotor psychotherapy, and continues to specialize in trauma treatment. Prior to Riggs, Kristin spent 15 years specializing in eating disorder treatment.

Kristin is also employed by two other behavioral health treatment centers where she facilitates yoga, mindfulness, and meditation groups as well as leads recreation therapy groups, serving adolescents, young adults, and adults enrolled in intensive outpatient programs.

Behavioral Health Specialty Certification, National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification

Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS), National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification

Kristin Lyon is the IOP Group Facilitator at the Austen Riggs Center.

Kristin Lyon

IOP Group Facilitator

Valerie MacLean, MSN, RN, is a staff nurse at the Austen Riggs Center.

Valerie MacLean, MSN, RN

Staff Nurse

Rachel Margolis, RN, is a staff nurse at the Austen Riggs Center.

Rachel Margolis, RN

Meet the Austen Riggs staff of therapists, nurses, administrators, and other healthcare professionals who work as a team on behalf of our patients. 

Staff Directory of Therapists and Teams | Austen Riggs

For more information on our residential treatment programs, or answers to any questions, please feel free to contact us. 

Meet Our Team

David Jordan

Nick Judson

Cornelia Kalischer, LSW

Barbara Keegan

Daniel Knauss, PsyD, ABPP

Megan Kolano, PsyD, ABPP

Katie Lewis, PhD

Courtney Littlefield

Alison Lotto, MA, MLIS

Kristin Lyon

Valerie MacLean, MSN, RN

Rachel Margolis, RN

Contact Us for More

For more information on our residential treatment programs, or answers to any questions, please feel free to contact us.

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