Meet Our Team
Dedicated professionals bringing the healing power of music to those who need it most
Leadership
Executive Team
Dr. Concetta M. Tomaino, DA, LCAT, MT-BC
Executive Director & Co-Founder
A pioneer in the field of music therapy, Dr. Concetta Tomaino is both the Executive Director and co-founder of the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (IMNF) and formerly Senior Vice President for Music Therapy at CenterLight Health System. Internationally known for her research in the clinical applications of music and neurologic rehabilitation, Dr. Tomaino has lectured on music therapy throughout the United States and in Argentina, Australia, South Africa, Italy, England, and Canada.
A past president of the American Association for Music Therapy, Dr. Tomaino was honored at the United Nations with the Music Therapists for Peace Award of Accomplishment. Her work has been featured on national programs including 48 Hours and 60 Minutes, and in books including An Anthropologist on Mars by Oliver Sacks, M.D.—whose book Musicophilia is dedicated to her.
Justin Russo
Chief Operating Officer
Justin Russo serves as Chief Operating Officer at the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (IMNF), where he oversees organizational strategy, program development, and operational leadership across clinical training, education, and community initiatives. He works closely with the Executive Director and Board of Directors to advance IMNF’s mission through strategic planning, partnerships, and sustainable program growth.
Justin leads the development and implementation of IMNF’s training programs, including Best Practices from Music Therapy for Using Music in Senior Wellness and Healthcare, and oversees the MUSIC & MEMORY® Certification Program, which empowers caregivers to use personalized music as a therapeutic tool. Since 2015, he has played a key role in expanding support to more than 5,800 certified organizations across the United States and internationally, helping integrate music-based interventions into healthcare and community settings.
Joan Brown
Project Writer & Grantwriter
Joan Winer Brown is a project writer, grantwriter, and music therapy advocate who has been associated with the IMNF for more than twenty years. Over the years she has worked closely with Dr. Tomaino to secure major research and program grants for the IMNF. Brown is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University, and holds a Certificate in Bioethics and Medical Humanities from Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Clinical Team
Music Therapists
Sarah Fogler, M.S., MT-BC, LCAT-LP
Sarah Fogler is a Board-Certified Music Therapist and Licensed Creative Arts Therapist at the IMNF. She holds a Master of Science in Music Therapy from SUNY New Paltz and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Nazareth University. Sarah brings clinical experience from a variety of settings, including working with older adults in rehabilitation and long-term care.
Gabrielle Bouissou, LCAT, MS, MT-BC, CASAC-T
Gabrielle Bouissou is a New York State Licensed Creative Arts Therapist and Board-Certified Music Therapist. She specializes in psychiatric work, providing clinical services to adults across the spectrum of psychopathology. Outside of hospital settings, Gabrielle provides music psychotherapy for adults living with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Xiyu Zhang, MA, LCAT, MT-BC
Xiyu Zhang is a board-certified music therapist and licensed creative arts therapist specializing in neurologic music therapy and dementia care. She currently serves as a staff-facing therapist at the Wellness Center at NYC Health + Hospitals | Elmhurst.
Volunteers & Interns
Volunteers
Jeremy Deliotte · Felicity Howlett · David Jarvis
Music Therapy Interns
Sam Banister
