About Us

Rene P. Laje, Director

Rene P. Laje has a Ph.D. in Social Work from Fordham University and is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in Washington, DC. Prior to developing the Center for Caregivers, Dr. Laje worked as both the Director of Social Work and as a Research Associate at the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington (Charles E. Smith Life Communities) with a focus on older adults and their caregivers. She has written and co-authored several presentations and articles on the needs of seniors and their caregivers. In addition, Dr. Laje worked at the New York State Psychiatric Institute / Columbia University in the Smoking Cessation Clinic and wrote and co-authored articles on smoking cessation and relapse prevention. Dr. Laje also received training in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) at the Behavior Therapy Center of Greater Washington. Dr. Laje is married and has 3 children and lives in Potomac, MD.

Lisa Lederman, Associate

Lisa Lederman has a Masters in Social Work from The Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University in New York City and is a LCSW-C in the State of Maryland. In addition to working at the Center for Caregivers, Ms. Lederman works part-time as a Geriatric Care Manager for Care Management Associates (CMA). She has worked at the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington (Charles E. Smith Life Communities) on the rehabilitation and long term care units. Ms. Lederman also has a background and understanding in the area of fertility. Ms. Lederman is married with 2 children and lives in Silver Spring, MD.