Administrative Team
Connie Greene, MA, CAS, CSW, CPS
Senior Vice President, RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery
Connie Greene, MA, CAS, CSW, CPS, is the Senior Vice President of RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery (IFPR) and has worked for RWJBarnabas Health since 1993. Under her leadership, IFPR has become a leader in the state in the delivery of behavioral health, drug and alcohol and addiction prevention and intervention services. IFPR is widely recognized for its training and educational programs for schools, agencies, businesses and healthcare organizations.
As co-chair of the RWJBarnabas Health’s Tackling Addiction Task Force, Ms. Greene works alongside other RWJBarnabas Health leaders to set the standard for executing a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to combatting substance use disorder and enhancing pain management across the healthcare system. Since its inception, the Tackling Addiction Task Force has worked to establish best practices, ensure the highest level of quality care is delivered to patients with substance use disorder, and provide the necessary tools to promote evidence-based and comprehensive substance use disorder services throughout the RWJBarnabas Health system.
In 2023, she was re-elected Chairperson of the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) Professional Advisory Committee for Addictions. The goal of the Professional Advisory Committee (PAC) is to make recommendations pertinent to the prevention, early intervention, treatment and recovery of substance use disorders, as well as co-occurring disorders, to the Commissioner of the Department of Human Services (DHS) through the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS). Through such recommendations, the PAC advocates for an integrated, holistic system of care to promote overall wellness.
Recently elected Vice Chair of the New Jersey Behavioral Health Planning Council, she works alongside other New Jersey residents in the mental health and substance abuse community, including advocacy agencies, providers, consumers, family members, and State staff from various departments and divisions to oversee DMHAS planning and activities specific to the New Jersey Community Mental Health Services Block Grant and the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant.
Through her expertise and unique training style, Ms. Greene is a well-known trainer and consultant to school districts in the areas of Intervention and Referral Services, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and drug and alcohol prevention and intervention programming.
Ms. Greene, earned a bachelor’s degree in Education from the City University of New York and a master’s degree in Management and Administration, with a concentration in Personnel, from Central Michigan University. She is also a Certified Addiction Specialist, Certified Prevention Specialist and Certified Social Worker.
Elliott Liebling, MPH, Director, Prevention and Operations
Elliott Liebling, MPH, Director, RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery, oversees the Institute’s operations, substance use prevention programs, and a team of mixed methods researchers tasked with designing and managing IT, data, and analytics systems. His research on peer recovery support services, substance use, pain, and access to treatment has been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences. Elliott is a member of the RWJBarnabas Health Corporate Tackling Addiction Task Force, the RWJBarnabas Health Pain Collaborative, and the New Jersey State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup. He received his bachelor’s degree and Master of Public Health from Brown University and is pursuing a Juris Doctor degree at Seton Hall University.
Gina Bucci, LCSW, Director, Recovery
Gina Bucci is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Director at RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery. She has over 10 years experiencing treating individuals with substance use disorder and their families. In her current role, Gina oversees the Peer Recovery Program (PRP), the largest provider of hospital and community-based recovery support services in the country, with over 100 staff of Recovery Specialists, Case Managers and Patient Navigators. She also oversees the Deliberate Reduction of Opioid Prescribing (DROP) program, focused on the intersection between chronic and acute pain and substance use disorder. The DROP program is responsible for launching the health system’s Pain Collaborative to develop and standardized best practices.Gina earned a Master’s degree from Rutgers University and graduated in the first cohort of the Addiction Counselor in Training program. She has extensive experience in program development, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and group facilitation.
Alexis M. LaPietra, DO, FACEP, Medical Director
Dr. Alexis LaPietra is an emergency medicine, pain management, and addiction medicine physician at RWJBarnabas Health, where she serves as the System Director of Addiction Medicine for the Emergency Medicine and Hospitalist Service Line as well as the Medical Director for the Institute for Prevention and Recovery. She completed her Emergency Medicine residency at St Joseph’s Health in 2014 and, from there, went on to complete a pain management fellowship. She founded the St Joseph’s Health Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) Program in 2016, and her work has been highlighted in the NY Times, CNN, Fox News, NPR, and MSNBC. The ALTO program serves as a national model for emergency medicine pain management reform and, in 2018, led to the creation of the ED-ALT Act, part of the Support for Patients and Communities HR 6 bill signed into law by President Trump.
In 2020, Dr. LaPietra became board-certified in Addiction Medicine. Her current work is focused on reducing the stigma and barriers to providing comprehensive addiction care within all healthcare settings. She is also integrating harm reduction into medical practice, enabling health engagement for all patients throughout every phase of use and recovery.
Susan McGuire, Director, Finance
Susan joined RWJBarnabas Health in 1996 at Community Medical Center as a staff accountant. In 2012, Susan relocated to Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus as a senior analyst before moving into the Director of Finance and Chief Financial Officer role. In December 2020, Susan transferred to the Institute for Prevention and Recovery as its Director of Finance, bringing over 24 years of experience in a not-for-profit hospital-based system. Susan is responsible for the fiscal management and budgets of over 24 grants, including federal, state, and county grants. Susan earned a bachelor's degree in Accounting from Georgian Court College.
Jennifer Luyster, Assistant Director, Clinical Services
Jennifer Luyster is the Assistant Director of Clinical Services at the Institute for Prevention and Recovery. In this capacity, she supervises the team of patient navigators, case managers and community recovery specialists within the Peer Recovery Program. Additionally, Jennifer manages a group of clinical support supervisors who ensure adherence to core competencies and ethical standards for nationally certified peer support workers (NCPRSS from NAADAC). Patient Navigators screen individuals seeking treatment and recovery services, facilitating their connection to the appropriate resources. Case managers and community recovery specialists provide ongoing support to individuals in the community, addressing their social determinants of health throughout their wellness journey. Jennifer brings over two decades of experience in the substance use field, having worked in non-profit and for-profit organizations, private practice and a statewide youth helpline. Previously, she held roles as the Director of the Monmouth County Intoxicated Driver Resource Center and Coordinator for the Substance Use Program for Women and 2ND FLOOR Youth Helpline at 180 Turning Lives Around, the domestic violence agency for Monmouth County. Jennifer earned a master's degree in Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Most recently, she received her master's degree in Human Resource Management from the University of Arizona Global Campus. She is also a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC), Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) and Disaster Response Crisis Counselor for Monmouth County.
Paris J Branda, MSW, LCADC, Assistant Director, Recovery Support Services
Paris Branda currently holds the position of assistant director of recovery support services at RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery. Overseeing the hospital-based recovery specialist throughout all of the RWJBarnabas Health affiliated hospitals. Paris has years of experience in the substance use field, with 13 years of direct practice along with lived experience. Paris is an alumnus of Seton Hall and Rutgers State University and is also an adjunct professor at Seton Hall University’s graduate psychology program. Paris is a licensed clinical addiction counselor in NJ and has the balance between recovery supports and clinical services.
Monica Hanna, MPH, CHES, NCTTP, Assistant Director, Nicotine and Tobacco Recovery Program and Emergency Department Alternatives to Opioids Program
Monica Hanna, MPH, CHES, NCTTP is the Assistant Director for the RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery, overseeing the operations, partnerships, and strategic planning for the Nicotine and Tobacco Recovery Program and Emergency Department- Alternative to Opioids Program (ED-ALT). She has a combined experience of 12 years managing transition-of-care programs and leading hospital-based tobacco cessation programs, which includes leading the largest state-funded tobacco quit center in New Jersey. Monica holds a Master in Public Health with a concentration in Community Health from Montclair State University. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. She also holds a National Certification in Tobacco Treatment Practice through the National Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC). Monica enjoys hiking, traveling, and road trips in her free time.
Brittany Simon, MA, Assistant Director, Research, Development, and Project Management
Brittany Simon, MA, is the Assistant Director of Research, Development, and Project Management for the RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery. She received her MA in Anthropology from Monmouth University and a graduate certificate in Population Health from Rutgers School of Public Health. In her role, she oversees all grants' identification, writing, and submission. Through her leadership, IFPR’s project managers develop workflows, streamline processes, and manage the launch of new grants and programs. Additionally, she leads research at IFPR; current topics include pain management, naloxone, and buprenorphine. And her role in the RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery – Rutgers Collaboration with Rutgers Addiction Research Center (RARC) brings together best-in-class researchers, clinicians, and community members dedicated to tackling addiction and all social care-related issues.
Roberta Rapisardi, M.S.Ed, CPS, Assistant Director, Prevention and Training Institute
Roberta Rapisardi, M.S.Ed, CPS, is the Assistant Director of the Prevention team and Training Institute for the RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery. Roberta manages all prevention grants at IFPR, including the Ocean County DART Prevention Coalition, the Southern Ocean County Interfaith Advocacy and Leadership (SOCIAL) Network, and Communities That Care (CTC), and provides direct oversight of all prevention programming, including for LGBTQ+ youth, mental health awareness training, and human trafficking prevention. She is also responsible for coordinating, developing, implementing, and evaluating education and trainings for IFPR’s Training Institute.
Roberta brings over 12 years of experience in the prevention field, delivering direct service prevention programs, providing training to school staff and community members, and leading coalitions. She is passionate about fostering strong, collaborative partnerships with community organizations and actively engages with local stakeholders to create positive change. Roberta currently sits on the Ocean County Local Advisory Committee on Drugs and Alcohol Abuse (LACADA), a position appointed by the Ocean County Commissioners, and the Little Egg Harbor Opioid Awareness Committee. Roberta has presented at the Society for Prevention Research’s Annual Conference and the National Network of Public Health Institute’s Annual Conference.
Roberta holds a bachelor’s degree in Family and Child Studies specializing in Elementary Education and a master’s degree in Special Education K-12. She is also a Certified Prevention Specialist. Roberta is an avid volunteer and values giving back to her community. She sits on the Little Egg Harbor (LEH) Environmental Commission, LEH, Tuckerton, and Eagleswood Municipal Alliance Committee and serves as the president of her local football and cheer league.