Yesika S. Montoya

Yesika S. Montoya, LCSW-R, is the Director of Advising at Columbia University School of Social Work (CSSW). In this role, she provides strategic leadership and oversight for all academic advising functions within the master's program, ensuring students receive comprehensive support throughout their academic journey. She supervises and develops a team of advising professionals, designs innovative advising programs, and collaborates with faculty and administrative departments to foster student success and uphold academic integrity.

Ms. Montoya is also an adjunct faculty member at CSSW, where she teaches the Professional Immersion Seminar for international students. This class is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully adapt to the U.S. social work profession and educational system, recognizing and navigating cultural differences and similarities.

Her career is grounded in extensive clinical experience as a psychotherapist in New York City. She has provided individual, family, and group therapy to diverse populations, including children, adolescents, and adults, addressing complex issues such as mental illness, cultural beliefs, socio-economic conditions, and immigration status through an anti-oppressive practice lens. Her clinical expertise includes work with unhoused individuals, those with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI), and individuals living with HIV.

A significant portion of her clinical career was dedicated to serving the 9/11 community at the Mount Sinai Medical Center’s World Trade Center Mental Health Intervention Program. There, she provided comprehensive mental health services to rescue, recovery, and clean-up workers, developing a profound expertise in trauma treatment.

Beyond her clinical and academic work, Ms. Montoya is the co-author of Accidental Brothers, a captivating book that tells the extraordinary true story of two sets of twins who were accidentally exchanged at birth. The book explores the profound impact of nature and nurture on identity, drawing from her unique collaboration with renowned twin researcher Dr. Nancy Segal. 

Ms. Montoya is a psychologist in her native Colombia, holding a degree from the Universidad Santo Tomas. She also earned a Master of Social Work (MSW) with a concentration in clinical practice from Fordham University and holds a Master of Arts in Instructional Technology and Media from Columbia University’s Teachers College. She is a recipient of the Latino Social Work Coalition Leadership Award.