Career Opportunities

Tanya King, Program Manager, HHCM, joined CN Guidance and Counseling Services in 2018 as a substance abuse counselor on the ACT team. This was her first job in New York after relocating from New Jersey, where she had worked in the substance use field for seven years. Tanya quickly found herself experiencing burnout. However, during her time on the ACT team, she learned a great deal about herself and realized that she needed a change. While she had always known she wanted to work in the mental health field, particularly with individuals struggling with substance use, Tanya wasn’t sure exactly what that would look like for her.

In March 2020, Tanya transitioned to the Health Home Care Management (HHCM) team as a Community Engagement Specialist, where her main focus was enrolling clients into services during the COVID-19 pandemic. As hospitals discharged patients quickly to free up beds for COVID-19 patients, Tanya was able to reach out to clients directly after their discharge, hear about their struggles, and help them connect with community resources. Tanya thrived in this role, traveling across Nassau County to share HHCM services with local hospitals, homeless shelters, social services, Nassau County Correctional Facilities, and other facilities, ensuring that clients were linked to care before discharge.

In 2022, Tanya was promoted to Program Supervisor on the Health Home Care Management team, where she supervised the Outreach team and trained all new hires. Tanya built a strong team, which she continues to oversee, and has remained committed to connecting clients with the necessary resources in the community. She has also presented on HHCM services multiple times at the Care Management Agency conference in 2022, 2023, and 2024, with plans to present again in 2025.

In 2024, Tanya took on a leadership role in the Connections to Care grant, funded by OASAS, where she and her team focused on engaging individuals aged 55 and older with substance use issues. As of 2025, Tanya has been promoted to Program Manager, and she continues to take on new responsibilities and expand her expertise. Tanya’s goal is to continue growing within the management team at CN Guidance and Counseling Services, earn her New York State social work license (shout out to IRETA), and continue thriving in this field. Her ultimate mission is to make a meaningful impact on every person in Nassau and Suffolk County who needs assistance, helping ease their struggles in accessing services.

For these reasons, Tanya is our next Rising Star!

After many years of staying home to raise three children and care for an ailing mother, Marion Gray returned to work fulltime and joined CN Guidance and Counseling Services in October 2016 as a Centralized Scheduler. During three years as a Centralized Scheduler for Clinic Services, Marion observed the valuable service the agency provided to clients and the community. Given that the position was relatively new, Marion had the opportunity to formulate many of the department’s workflows, ensuring efficient operations to support clients on their recovery journey. For these efforts, Marion received the Customer Service Champion award.

Before joining CN Guidance and Counseling Services, Marion earned a B.B.A. in Business Computer Information Systems and Quantitative Methods. After obtaining the degree, Marion worked in the Quality Assurance department for a major software developer. Leveraging this background, Marion decided in 2019 to transition from the Centralized Scheduling department to the HIT department as an EHR Support Assistant. Soon after, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Marion and a colleague assisted the agency’s IT staff in enabling remote work for their colleagues.

In 2021, Marion was promoted to HIT Implementation Analyst, and in 2022, Marion received the “Behind the Scenes Wonder” award. Marion credits Madison Benish, HIT Project Manager for believing in the potential for success in this role. Shifting from support to implementation has allowed Marion to take a more creative approach to planning and executing system implementations.

Marion believes that successful implementation involves effective communication both within and outside the system. Integrating system components effectively depends not only on technology but also on interactions with people, processes, and organizational culture. Marion is a strong proponent of early resolution of potential integration issues to mitigate future client safety risks.

As an Implementation Analyst, Marion has set up numerous programs in the EHR, created various forms and documents, established a virtual platform, configured communication software, updated the ticketing system, and mapped processes to streamline workflows. However, Marion finds the most satisfaction in supporting the staff on the front lines who are making a difference in the lives of their clients.

For these reasons, Marion is our next Rising Star!

Gabriela Giron began her career at CN Guidance and Counseling Services in October 2019 as a Health Home Care Coordinator, marking her first role post-graduation with a Master’s in Social Work from Long Island University in May 2019.

After gaining six months of experience as a care coordinator, Gabriela transitioned to a position within the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic. Here, Gabriela offered individual and group therapeutic services to clients of all age groups, aiding them in overcoming mental health and substance use disorders.

Seeking new opportunities, Gabriela briefly departed CN Guidance to work in an inpatient acute care hospital. However, Gabriela later returned to CN Guidance with enthusiasm, assuming the role of Team Leader for the newly established Youth Assertive Community Treatment Team (Y-ACT). Gabriela played a pivotal role in launching this team, working closely with her mentor, Victoria Guercio, the Office of Mental Health, and the Youth Technical Assistance Center (YTAC) to fill crucial gaps in children’s mental health services in the community.

During her tenure, Gabriela demonstrated continuous growth, enhancing her supervisory skills through participation in the Middle Management Academy. Gabriela attributes much of her success to the mentorship and support she received from key figures throughout Gabriela’s career at CN Guidance and Counseling Services, including Marla Furst, Program Manager, Kayla Miata, Program Director, LeeAnn Diedrick, Program Director, and Jaclyn McCarthy, Vice President of Program Excellence. Particularly noteworthy is the guidance provided by Victoria Guercio, Director of F(Y)ACT and MIT services, whom Gabriela acknowledges for her invaluable support.

Gabriela Giron is deeply committed to her work, eagerly anticipating opportunities to provide support, encouragement, advocacy, and empowerment to those in need. For her outstanding contributions and dedication, Gabriela Giron is rightfully recognized as our next Rising Star at CN Guidance and Counseling Services.