Who's Who at the NJGHS
The NJGHS is comprised of 910 members nationally & internationally. Paranormal Investigative professionals all dedicated to the research and documentation of paranormal events and hauntings.
Investigations conducted by the NJGHS are FREE of charge. If you suspect your home or office to be haunted and would like an investigation, please contact L'Aura or one of the Team Leaders listed below.
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| L'Aura in Center, Dina on Left and Melissa on Right |
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L'Aura Hladik Hoffman - Founder and Director
L’Aura is the author of "Ghosthunting: New Jersey" (2008) and “Ghosthunting: New York City” (2010), both published by Clerisy Press. Her third book, "Ghosts of the Poconos" by Schiffer Publishing, released March 2017. She has been officially ghost hunting since 1993 and founded the NJ Ghost Hunters Society in 1998, which to date is the largest paranormal investigating organization in New Jersey.
As a paranormal investigator, L’Aura has stayed at the famously haunted Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville, LA. Other ghost hunting explorations have taken her to Chicago, Savannah, and New Orleans. Internationally, she’s investigated several Irish haunted castles, most notably Leap Castle (County Offaly, Ireland).
L’Aura has appeared on the nationally syndicated television show "Montel Williams" (UPN Network) for the Sylvia Browne Halloween special on October 31, 2006, and “The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet” (Fox Network) in September, 2008. In addition to local cable TV program appearances, L’Aura and the NJGHS were the focus of the Treasure HD Dish Network TV show, “Magnificent Obsessions” in March 2007. She also was interviewed via phone by the BBC (UK network) in July 2007 regarding the "Ghost World" conference she helped organize. She has been a guest on countless AM, FM and Internet radio shows, and local newspapers and E-Zines. L’Aura has worked with paranormal “heavy hitters” Jeff Belanger, John Zaffis, Rosemary Ellen Guiley, and Troy Taylor in the production of various ghost conferences both in New Jersey and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. In fact, Belanger decided to do a series of articles for his monthly Ghost Village.com e-newsletter entitled “Women in the Paranormal.” He included L’Aura along with Lorraine Warren, of the ghost hunting duo Ed & Lorraine Warren from Monroe, CT and Donna LaCroix, of the original cast of “Ghost Hunters” on SciFi (now SyFy).
Television Show Appearances:
“Family Talk” on CN8 (Comcast Network) <-this episode won an EMMY!
“Montel Williams” (UPN 9)
CNN (at Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, PA)
"Paranormal Challenge" - Travel Channel, 2011
“The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet” (FOX network)
“Neighborhood Journal” (Cablevision show)
“Magnificent Obsessions” (Treasure HD Network)
News 12 NJ (Cable news channel)
FOX 29 News (Philadelphia, PA news show)
“It’s Your Call with Lynn Doyle” (Comcast Network show)
“Digithead” (cable techno-info-tainment show)
Telemundo (Latin American news show)
Radio Station Appearances:
WNNJ 103.7 FM
WKXW 101.5 FM
WMGQ 98.3 FM
WRNJ 1510 AM
WMTR 1150 AM
Newspapers:
The Star Ledger (NJ paper)
The Daily Record (Morris County paper)
Home News Tribune (Somerset/Middlesex county paper)
The Courier (Central Jersey paper)
The Herald (Bergen County newspaper)
Asbury Park Press
Magazines:
Ghost!
40-74
Cell: 908-235-2632 - Verizon
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"L'Aura ParaNora" written & sung by Paul Viggiano of The Publick House in Chester, NJ | I was never so honored as I was the night I investigated the Publick House in Chester, NJ -
May 29, 2005.
Paul Viggiano, chef and partner in the revamping of the Publick House, had captured photographic anomalies and had seen "things" out of the corner of his eye. He contacted the NJGHS to come in and investigate before the restaurant re-opened.
His tribute song, "L'Aura Paranora" is a classic, well at least for me any way! thanks Paul!
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| Wendy Watkins, Team Leader North Jersey Division |
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| Wendy Watkins - Team Leader - North Jersey Division
WendyW@NJGHS.net
Wendy grew up next to a cemetery and could sense things but being young she could not explain them. She has experienced various paranormal things such as premonitions, energies and ghosts. While it terrified her as a child, it proved fascinating to her as an adult.
Given her Master's degree in Clinical Counseling, Wendy brings a scientific eye to the field of paranormal research. Her approach is psychology-based and how it relates to the paranormal (Jungian psychology) and how it plays into all human behavior. Wendy is able to discern and debunk on paranormal investigations.
Wendy's day job is Financial Aid Advisor at a local college. She organized Halloween festivities there as well.
When not busy with students and ghosts, Wendy enjoys gardening, dance, art, genealogy/historical research and reading. (In fact she serves on the Warren County Historical Society.)
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| Brian Sandt - Tech Guru NJGHS |
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Brian Sandt, CPI - Para-Tech Guru and Certification Trainer
Brian has been a member since 2004. In fact, he clocked in as Member # 100! He is the Technical Advisor (read: Guru) for the NJGHS and Producer of "The Deadline" podcast which first uploaded in September 2005.
Brian has always been interested in the paranormal since childhood, but he never really got involved with it untill he contacted the NJGHS regarding an investigation needed where he worked.
Brian appeared on the Fox 29 News segment in the fall of 2005 as well as "Magnificent Obsessions" in March of 2007.
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Dina Chirico, CPI - Team Leader
Dina has been fascinated with ghosts ever since her early teens when she had numerous experiences and encounters in her childhood home in Clark, NJ. In 1998 she sought out the NJGHS due to her interest and experiences before eventually becoming a member and has been hooked on this field ever since.
She has been published in the book anthologies, "Ghostly Tales from America's Jails" by Atriad Press and "Ghosthunting USA" by Clerisy Press. Dina had made appearances on local television networks and newspapers.
When not busy with ghosts, she's busy raising her two children and continues to offer her energy healing services. She also performs house clearings and cleansings and is active in The American Society of Dowsers and the Holistic Moms Network. Her passions include horseback riding, movies, border collies, traveling, forensic psychology and the soul's wisdom.
Email: Dina
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| Dina Chirico, Team Leader - North Jersey Division |
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| Andrew Knapp, CPI; Team Leader & Trainer |
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Andrew Knapp, CPI
Team Leader, Trainer
Andrew became a member of NJGHS in 2006. He has been interested in the paranormal since he first viewed the television series In Search Of... Andrew began collecting paranormal literature ever since and now has 445 volume paranormal library.
He appeared on season 2 episode 6 of Ghost Adventures where he shared his experience from the NJGHS Eastern State Penitentiary investigation and was a consultant on season 6 episode 5 of Finding Bigfoot, which was filmed in Sussex County.
Andrew is an energy worker and shares his house with seven cats.
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Melissa D'Agastino, CPI
Team Leader
Melissa has been with the NJGHS for 10+ years. She is a Certified Paranormal Investigator via the NJGHS.
Currently, she resides in the Bucks County area of PA, and conducts meetings and investigations in the Bucks County (PA) and Lambertville (NJ) areas as time permits. In addition, she is pursuing her college degree and a career in radio. Needless to say, she's a busy gal!
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