Administrative Staff:
Mordechai Weinberger, PhD, LCSW
Executive Director
Mordechai Weinberger, PhD, LCSW, has been a dedicated professional in the mental health field for over two decades. His career began with an interest in holistic and integrative approaches, including the One Brain Method, hypnosis, and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). While these modalities provided valuable clinical insights, he recognized the importance of grounding his work in evidence-based practice. This led him to pursue a formal education in social work, earning his degree in 2005, where he was also selected as a commencement speaker at his graduation.
Committed to lifelong learning, Dr. Weinberger has completed extensive training in a wide range of therapeutic approaches, allowing him to tailor treatment to the unique needs of each individual while maintaining a strong evidence-based foundation. His advanced clinical training includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Brainspotting, Object Therapy, Sandtray Therapy, Group Therapy, Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), and numerous additional specialized trainings in trauma, attachment, and integrative psychotherapy. This broad clinical background enables him to draw from multiple evidence-based and experiential modalities to provide individualized, compassionate, and effective care.
In 2026, Dr. Weinberger received his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology. In recognition of his outstanding scholastic achievement, he was inducted into the Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology, recognizing his academic excellence and commitment to the advancement of the field of psychology.
Dr. Weinberger’s approach to therapy is characterized by deep empathy, genuine compassion, and a strong therapeutic alliance. He is known for his ability to connect personally with clients while also addressing the broader mental health needs of the community. His work emphasizes healing not only symptoms but also strengthening resilience, relationships, and long-term emotional well-being.
His media presence has been another significant aspect of his career. For nearly 15 years, he hosted a popular local mental health radio program. He is the author of three best-selling books and has been a regular contributor to the international newspaper Yated Ne’eman and the Yiddish magazine Moment. He also hosts a weekly Yiddish program on Kol Mevaser, bringing practical mental health education to diverse audiences.
In April 2022, Dr. Weinberger founded Serenity Center, a multidisciplinary mental health clinic that has grown rapidly to include over 50 clinicians and psychiatric nurse practitioners. The clinic provides comprehensive behavioral health services across the lifespan—from children through older adults—including psychiatry, individual psychotherapy, couples therapy, family therapy, and specialized group treatment programs. Serenity Center reflects his vision of making high-quality mental health care accessible by accepting all major insurance plans and serving hundreds of clients each week.
Throughout his career, Dr. Weinberger has remained committed to integrating scientific knowledge with genuine human connection. His mission is to help individuals heal emotionally, think more clearly, strengthen relationships, and build meaningful, fulfilling lives through compassionate, evidence-based care. Whether working with individuals, couples, families, groups, or organizations, he is dedicated to fostering hope, resilience, and lasting psychological growth.
Dave Back
VP of Operations
Dave is a dedicated VP of Operations at Serenity Center, with over four and a half years of experience in the mental health field. His career began as the Director of Operations for an ABA program specializing in clients diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). During this time, Dave realized the profound satisfaction that comes from positively impacting others’ lives and developed a strong appreciation for evidence-based practices like ABA. His leadership was crucial in expanding the program’s reach, enabling it to serve a significantly larger number of clients.
At Serenity Center, Dave remains committed to delivering the same level of dedication to quality service and innovative practice that defined his previous role. His primary objective is to enhance Serenity’s capacity to provide exceptional psychotherapy services and support to the community.
Outside of his professional life, Dave enjoys singing with a vocal group, playing baseball and football, and exploring his interest in sports cars. However, his favorite pastime is spending quality time with his wife and child, demonstrating his deep commitment to family life.
Moshe Kushner
Clinical Director
Moshe Aryeh Kushner is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 10 years of experience in the mental health field. As Clinical Director at Serenity Center, Moshe leads and supports our team of dedicated therapists, guiding them in providing high-quality, compassionate care.
Moshe earned his MSW from Long Island University, where he focused on clinical social work practice. He has extensive clinical experience as a psychotherapist and clinical supervisor in clinic, school, and private practice settings. Most recently, he served as Clinical Director at an OMH outpatient clinic for four years. In addition to his current role at Serenity Center, Moshe maintains a part-time private practice and teaches as an adjunct professor at Touro University’s Graduate School of Social Work.
Moshe has experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and couples presenting with a wide range of challenges, including anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma, ADHD, social skills, self-esteem, and relationship or family issues. He utilizes client-centered and psychodynamic therapy approaches, and integrates techniques and skills from multiple modalities he is trained in, including CBT, DBT, Somatic Intervention, Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS) and the Nurtured Heart Approach (parenting).
Moshe works from a holistic perspective and appreciates each person’s individuality. He views the therapeutic relationship as a foundation for growth and healing, as it provides a warm, safe space to explore experiences and emotions — while helping clients develop practical tools to thrive independently.
In clinical supervision, Moshe integrates case consultation with personal process work to enhance therapists’ clinical competence and self-awareness. This approach balances reflection, practical techniques, and best practices, fostering clinical growth and professional development.
Moshe’s approach to leadership centers on collaboration, clinical excellence, and creating an environment where both clinicians and clients can thrive. His goal is to ensure each clinician feels heard, valued, and empowered in the important work they do, promoting high-quality client care and cultivating a culture of continuous growth.
Elena Rowatti, MBA, HCM
Senior Clinical Documentation Manager
Elena has recently moved from southern New Jersey to New York to start her career after graduating in 2022 from Widener University with her Master’s in Business Administration – Healthcare Management. In 2021 Elena also received her bachelors degree from Widener University, and graduated with a major in Management and minor in Marketing. Prior to joining the amazing team here at Serenity and becoming the Therapist Success Manager for the clinic, Elena has 5 years of previous experience in the Healthcare field, working in a pharmacy. Elena mentioned she has always had a passion for helping others and that is what has driven her towards creating a career path in the healthcare field. Elena describes herself as a motivated, reliable, and devoted individual with a witty sense of humor. She loves all animals, hanging with her friends, traveling, trying new things, and making others smile.
Teena Baxter
Documentation Specialist
Teena is native to northern New Jersey. Teena attended college at Passaic County Community College. She has over 16 years of documentation experience and joined the team at Serenity Center to work as a documentation specialist. Teena has a passion for data and helping others, and that’s what has driven her towards working in the administrative side of the healthcare field. Although Teena describes herself as quiet and reserved, she has a kind soul that is devoted to helping others thrive. Teena loves being adventurous, trying new things, nature and animals.
Jessi Vecchione
Director of HR
With over 4.5 years of progressive experience in Human Resources, Jessi currently serves as the Human Resource Director at Serenity, where she lead’s with a people-first mindset and a deep commitment to fostering a healthy, engaged, and high-performing workplace culture.
Throughout her HR career, Jessi has developed a strong foundation in employee relations, talent development, compliance, and organizational strategy. Her approach blends empathy with structure—balancing the needs of both the organization and its employees to drive long-term growth and satisfaction.
Known for her approachable leadership style and ability to navigate complex workplace dynamics, Jessi takes pride in building strong, trust-based relationships across all levels of the organization. She is passionate about creating inclusive environments, supporting professional development, and ensuring that every team member feels seen, valued, and supported.
Whether guiding conflict resolution, leading change initiatives, or refining internal policies, Jessi brings clarity, consistency, and heart to everything she does. She believes that HR is more than just policies and paperwork—it’s about creating a space where people can do their best work and genuinely enjoy coming to work every day.
It starts with you. Let us help you help yourself.
