May 15, 2024
By Drew Bancroft
Staff Writer
Thirty-one years ago, Class of 1993 alumna Daniela Montalto was a senior about to graduate from LHS. This month, she returned to her roots to address the top 10% of students in each class at the annual Academic Awards Dinner, which took place at The Fiesta in Wood-Ridge on May 6.
In her speech, Montalto, who is this year’s Academic Hall of Fame inductee, discussed the importance of building and maintaining relationships.
“Don’t be afraid to connect with someone you don’t know or someone you aspire to be,” Montalto said in her address. “Those connections help a lot.”
Throughout high school, Montalto was in the top 5% of her class, particularly excelling in math and science. Despite her success, she said she struggled with her identity as a child of Italian immigrants.
“I worried about fitting in, about knowing enough, about messing up all the time,” Montalto said. “However, those have been some of my best assets. I listen first and then try to fit in.”
Montalto, who was the first member of her family to complete an undergraduate program, earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Montclair State University. She went on to earn her master’s degree in developmental psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City and her doctorate in applied developmental psychology from Fordham University in New York City.
Montalto now serves as the clinical director of the Neuropsychology and Learning Service at the Child Study Center at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone, a clinical associate professor at New York University in New York City, the president of the New York State Association of Neuropsychology and a mentor for psychology and psychiatry trainees.
“Don’t be afraid to connect with someone you don’t know or someone you aspire to be.”
“I have been at NYU Medical Center working in the field of child and adolescent psychology for over 20 years, and I’ve been the clinical director of my neuropsychology team for 14 of those 20,” Montalto said. “If you asked me as a high schooler if I knew I would be a leader in this specialized field doing this work, I’d say I didn’t even know what a neuropsychologist was.”
Sophomore Nicolle Alvarez said she was happy to hear from an LHS graduate who has achieved so much.
“It was incredible to see how she [was] able to succeed and contribute to Lyndhurst,” Alvarez said. “I find it amazing that she took the time out of her busy schedule to come back to Lyndhurst and give some words of wisdom to us.”
Alvarez said she was interested in learning about Montalto’s experiences as a first generation Italian American.
“She was able to build herself from the ground up,” Alvarez said. “I can relate to her story since my sibling had to learn English but now is going to college and pursuing dentistry.”
Junior Yuri Silva said Montalto is a role model to his generation.
“[What] I took away [was] to power through and remain resilient even when things seem rough,” Silva said.
He said he admires Montalto for persevering when she encountered adversity.
“She was able to stay positive and adapt in order to overcome,” said Silva.
