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METRO

New York Metropolitan Association of Applied Psychology

Officers

President

Dr. Nicole Keyser received her PhD in Applied Organizational Psychology from Hofstra University with a focus in Multi-Generational Teamwork. She is currently a Senior Manager, Human Resources Business Partner at Disney and was previously a Senior Management Consultant at E. Rogers Associates, Inc. Dr. Keyser has been on the board for the past few years, but started supporting METRO as the director of educational offerings in coordinating workshops, certifications, and hands-on tutorials for members to learn new skills.

 

Vice President

Dr. Allisa Ciccia-Esposito is an Organizational Effectiveness Strategist at The Federal Reserve Bank of New York where she works throughout the Bank on various organizational effectiveness initiatives. Her role allows her to engage with all parts of the organization to educate and redefine behavioral science; she works on a small team acting as internal consultants who bring IO research into all human capital experiences. She earned her B.A and M.A. from Fairfield University, Ph.D. in I/O Psychology from Hofstra University Prior to her current role, she worked for a boutique consulting firm that advised on talent strategy and management for financial services, hedge funds, and fin-tech start-ups. Her research has coalesced around productivity in the workplace, incorporating one microbreak into a workday at a time.

               

Treasurer

Krystina Moustakis is a Sales Enablement Specialist at Uber, where she develops content and programming for the global sales team. She creates learning experiences that translate directly into improved sales performance and drive meaningful behavior change across the organization. Krystina holds an M.A. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from NYU. Previously, she founded KrystinaM.com, a learning experience design firm focused on bridging the gap between training and real-world results.



Secretary

Dr. Elliott Larson is a lecturer at Baruch College and senior consultant with Siena Consulting. His research focuses on fair and valid employee selection systems, including assessment design, predictive validity, and group score differences. He applies this work in consulting and legal contexts, helping organizations implement evidence-based talent strategies. His contributions have earned honors such as the M. Scott Myers Applied Research Award, the SIOP-SHRM HRM Impact Award, and two IPAC Innovations in Assessment Awards. He holds a Ph.D. in I-O Psychology from the Graduate Center, CUNY.


Volunteer Directors

Sponsorships

Social Media

Johanna Seppalainen works to develop and expand METRO's sponsorship relationships. She received her M.S. in I/O Psychology from San Francisco State and has well over a decade of experience in Talent Management & Learning and Development. She specializes in integrating assessment results into developmental goals, which she has applied to projects in talent management, executive development, group facilitation, and the delivery of organizational development initiatives.

Paige Matuszynski is returning for her third year volunteering with METRO. She earned her B.A. in Art Therapy and Psychology from Capital University and her M.A in Industrial Organizational Psychology from Hofstra University. Paige currently works for Capri Holdings Ltd. as a Workday Analyst where she focuses on global Workday-related support, engagement survey creation/analyses, running reports, and more. Paige also has experience in applied behavioral analysis, leadership, marketing, human advocacy, and research.

Career Day

Paisley Shultz (she/her) is an industrial-organizational psychology doctoral student at the CUNY Graduate Center and Baruch College. Her research examines how organizations and employees navigate change, with particular attention to automation-related job insecurity and reskilling, pay transparency, and virtual interviewing practices. Since 2023, she has served as coordinator of METRO's annual Career Day. 

Pavel Smirnov is a Change Management Specialist at Northwell Health, where he works on organizational change initiatives big and small. Pavel earned his M.A. in I/O Psychology from Hofstra University.

Social & Career Day

Website

Brandon Sulzberg is a graduate of Hofstra University with a Master’s in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. He currently serves as a Learning and Organizational Development Specialist at NYU Human Resources, where he designs and facilitates enterprise-wide programs on psychological safety, coaching, leadership development, and performance management. Outside of NYU, Brandon is the co-host of the Brando and Joe I/O Podcast, which was created to help students and early professionals navigate the field of I/O psychology, and is a co-founder of Students of I/O Psychology, NYC (SIONYC). He is passionate about advancing I/O psychology and is excited to contribute to METRO in shaping the future of the field.

Kirsten Carroll Ly is an organizational development and learning professional with a Master’s in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Baruch and over 15 years of experience driving employee engagement, performance, onboarding, and talent development across multiple industries. I have served as an Adjunct Professor, designing and facilitating courses in Teams and Group Dynamics, and have managed operational and learning programs for organizations of varying sizes. I also support individuals navigating career transitions and personal growth, drawing on both research-based practices and lived experience, including my time as a stay-at-home parent. Committed to lifelong learning, mentorship, and community involvement, I am thrilled to be a METRO volunteer!  

Technology Lead

Technology & Food & Beverages

Pallavi N Honkanadavar is a Master’s student in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at Montclair State University, where she is currently exploring how AI is shaping hiring decisions and exploring ways to make this process more fair and effective. Her passion for People Analytics, data-driven decision-making and talent management has grown through hands-on experience in a variety of global organizations where she designed training programs, analyzed HR and performance data, and managed global projects. Alongside her professional experience, Pallavi enjoys exploring new cultures, spending time with animals, and finding creative ways to connect with people. She is passionate about building meaningful relationships and hopes to use her career to create workplaces where people feel valued and inspired.

Charlotte Chen is a senior at New York University studying Psychology with a minor in Business Studies. At METRO, she supports the Technology and Food & Beverages teams, drawing on experience in change management at Golub Capital and talent acquisition at Avis Budget Group. Her work focuses on how people adapt to new systems and experiences. Outside of work and school, Charlotte practices Katonah Yoga, strength training, and enjoys creative pursuits like ukulele and reading, bringing a holistic and balanced approach to both professional and community settings.

Food & Beverages Support

Gabrielle Green Smith is a graduate student at Montclair State University, where she is pursuing her Master’s in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, expected in May 2026. She currently serves as a Graduate Assistant in the Office of Inclusive Excellence, supporting event coordination, developing training materials, creating and analyzing surveys, and collaborating with various university offices to foster community engagement. Additionally, she works as a Personal Trainer, where she enjoys helping clients achieve their physical and wellness goals. Gabrielle is passionate about employee well-being, inclusive learning environments, and enhancing learning outcomes. She hopes to pursue a career in learning and development, with a particular interest in leadership development after graduation.

Ami Shah is a 2nd year Masters student at Montclair State University pursuing Industrial & Organizational Psychology. She is interning at a company as a Training and Talent Management Intern where she mostly assists the specialist with conducting organizational training, performance management and talent acquisition initiatives.

Food & Beverages Lead

Emanuel (Manny) Elkass is an HR Coordinator at New York City Economic Development Corporation. He has been at NYCEDC for over two years contributing to and supporting the many pillars of HR such as the HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, and Diversity, Inclusion, & Learning. He has also received his B.S. in Psychology at the University of Arizona and his M.A. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at Hofstra University. This will be his first volunteer role at METRO supporting as Food and Beverage Lead.

Logistics & Registration

Paulina Wiedmann earned her Master's in I/O Psychology from Montclair State University in 2022. She is currently working in Queens, NY as a Talent Management/Training Specialist. She is responsible for employee development by creating and managing programs that help employees gain impactful experiences like leadership training, mentorship, skill development, career pathing, and much more. Paulina has been an active member of METRO since 2019 and has been contributing to the group's success as a volunteer the last few years.

Logistics and Registration

Education

Finn Boettcher is an Associate Management Consultant at Latchmere Consulting, where he supports various projects ranging from organizational restructuring to developing recruitment materials and employee engagement programs. He previously worked in business operations and organizational management in Germany, gaining experience in HR processes, training, and team development. Finn is currently pursuing his Master’s in Industrial and Organizational Psychology at Baruch College, where he serves as Treasurer Advisor of the MSIO Executive Board.

Md Allama Ikbal Sijan is responsible for the planning and execution of educational events for METRO. He is a Ph.D. student in the Industrial/Organizational Psychology program at Montclair State University (MSU) with a concentration in Data Science. He also serves as the president of Eagle I.O., a student-led consulting group at MSU. Sijan’s current research focuses on the use of Natural Language Processing (NLP) in measuring workplace psychological constructs. His research interests include team processes, delay discounting, leadership development, and DEI.

Education Lead

Education & Speaker Concierge

Kavya Shetty is a second-year master’s student in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at New York University (GSAS) and the Head Course assistant for Introduction to Psychology for College of Arts and Science, NYU. She works on a variety of projects. Some of these projects and interests include training and development, talent management, performance, machine learning, and workforce planning. She is very excited to assist METRO in contributing to the I/O field.

Ross Thompson works as an Associate Management Consultant at E. Rogers Associates while pursuing his MA in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Hofstra University. He first received his AA in Humanities & Liberal Arts from Onondaga Community College in 2019 and then went on to receive his BA in Psychology at Binghamton University in 2021. Before attending Hofstra Ross worked at Target as a team trainer in their retail locations and was successful at developing and retaining frontline talent. During his time so far at Hofstra University, Ross has fully immersed himself within the field as an active member of the local community, supporting PhD students in their research, and serving as President of Hofstra’s Industrial-Organizational Psychology Student Association (IOPSA). In these roles he works to foster an engaging community with ample opportunities for his fellow students to develop and connect with others.

Speaker Concierge

Nicole Gelfman is in her final semester of the Master of Science program in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at Baruch College. She earned her BA in Psychology, with a minor in Legal Studies, from The City College of New York. Nicole is an experienced English and Math educator transitioning into the field of I/O psychology. Currently serving as President of the MSIO Student Association Executive Board, she helps students connect with peers and professionals through social and networking events, while also securing funding for the annual SIOP conference and METRO memberships. She is eager to contribute to METRO and expand opportunities for members at all levels.

Jeannie Alonzo is a Human Capital Management Associate at Neuberger In his role he leads global process optimization projects, manages diversity and inclusion data reporting, oversees HRIS data audits, and delivers strategic HR support across onboarding, offboarding, and compensation processes. He earned his B.S. in Neuroscience from Binghamton University and his M.A. in Industrial Organizational Psychology from Hofstra University.


Mentorship Program

Janis Ward holds a Ph.D. in industrial/organizational psychology from Stevens Institute of Technology and a Master’s from NYU. With over 35 years as a management consultant, she founded J. M. Ward Consulting in 2002. Her expertise centers on executive and managerial talent development, focusing on assessment, coaching, team building, and Action Learning team coaching. She served in all officer roles of the Metropolitan New York Association for Applied Psychology (METRO) and as Director of Professional Development. Janis has presented at national conferences, such as SIOP and SCP, and co-authored a chapter in Advancing Executive Coaching (2011).

Allisen Casey holds a Master’s degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Baruch College. She currently practices I/O as a Training Coordinator for a law firm, where she designs and executes firm-wide trainings for lawyers. During her time at Baruch, she interned at a large translations company doing Talent Management and Recruitment. Then, she joined the Organizational Development team at NASA Langley as an intern, before moving to her current role. As a student, she served as an Event Coordinator and then Vice President for the MSIO Student Association where she helped organize student-led informational and social events.

Riley Morrison is an Industrial-Organizational Psychology Master’s student at Hofstra University. Her experience with mentoring blossomed during her internship within Hofstra University Provost’s Office for Faculty Affairs where she designed a mentoring program for university faculty, as well as developed evaluation tools to assess program engagement and participation in other professional development initiatives. She currently serves as President of Hofstra’s I-O Psychology Student Association and sits on the board for SIONYC, the I-O metropolitan student network. Riley is also a volunteer for Disrupt HR NYC, Stamford, and Westchester. Riley is passionate about pursuing a career in Talent Management and Development, as she works as a Talent Management Specialist at MiTek.

Past Presidents

  • 2024 - '25: Lily Blocker, Ph.D.
  • 2023 - '24: Jared Weintraub, Ph.D.
  • 2022 - '23: Dan Simonet, Ph.D.
  • 2021 - '22: Roza Jankovic, Ph.D.
  • 2020 - '21: Christina Fleck, Ph.D.
  • 2019 - '20: Comila Shahani-Denning, Ph.D.
  • 2018 - '19: Anthony S. Boyce, Ph.D.
  • 2017 - '18: Rania Vasilatos. Ph.D.
  • 2016 - '17: Katherine Bittner, Ph.D.
  • 2015 - '16: Wendy Becker, Ph.D.
  • 2014 - '15: Terri Shapiro, Ph.D.
  • 2013 - '14: Michel Buffet, Ph.D.
  • 2012 - '13: Christine S. Fernandez, Ph.D.
  • 2011 - '12: Pete Rutigliano, Ph.D.
  • 2010 - '11: Charles Scherbaum, Ph.D.
  • 2009 - '10: Dan Fisher, Ph.D.
  • 2008 - '09: Erika D’Egidio, Ph.D.
  • 2007 - '08: Warren Klein, Ph.D.
  • 2006 - '07: LeAnne Bennett , Ph.D.
  • 2005 - '06: Christopher Rotolo , Ph.D.

METRO


Email Us
metro.ny.app.psych@gmail.com

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