Meet the Staff
2020-2021 SCS Staff
John Ward **
John is a licensed clinical psychologist and serves as the Director of the Student Counseling Service. He approaches therapy from multicultural, interpersonal process, and cognitive-behavioral perspectives. John’s clinical and professional expertise are in diversity and inclusion, psychological supervision and training, gatekeeper training, as well as establishing campus and community mental health partnerships.
Email: wardja2@miamioh.edu
Matthew Benic
Matt is a licensed professional clinical counselor and coordinates social media at SCS. He approaches therapy from a cognitive-behavioral perspective with some solution-focused therapy, mindfulness, and reality therapy perspectives. Matt’s clinical and professional interests include anxiety disorders, depression/mood disorders, relationships, sleep problems, men's issues, LGBTQI+, international students, Greek life, stress management, outreach/programming, and workshops/group counseling.
Email: benicmr@miamioh.edu
Nichole Carr
Nichole is a licensed clinical social worker and coordinates eating disorder services at SCS. Nichole approaches therapy from a multidisciplinary perspective. Her primary clinical interests include eating disorders, trauma, and crisis work.
Email: carrnj2@miamioh.edu
Maria Carrubba-Whetstine
Maria is a licensed psychologist and the Assistant Director for Training and the Coordinator of LGBTQ Services. Maria approaches therapy from a multicultural, relational, and psychodynamic perspective. Her clinical interests include issues of marginalization (especially related to sexual orientation and gender identity), relationship concerns, depression, and self-injury.
Email: carrubmd@miamioh.edu
Ritch Hall II
Ritch Hall is a licensed psychologist and the Coordinator of Substance Abuse Services. He approaches therapy from a systems, dialectical behavioral, and motivational interviewing perspective. His clinical interests include substance use concerns, marginalization (related to culture, class, and ethnicity), interpersonal issues, depression, social skills, and intercultural concerns.
Email: hallr2@miamioh.edu
Brandon Millspaugh
Brandon is a clinician who approaches therapy from a multicultural, interpersonal, and cognitive-behavioral perspective. His clinical interests include non-traditional students, older students/adult learners, and graduate students.
Email: millspbs@miamioh.edu
Kristen Reser
Kristen is a clinician who approaches therapy from a feminist, person-centered perspective, integrated with cognitive-behavioral techniques. Her clinical interests include anxiety, depression, identity development, and trauma.
Email: reserkm@miamioh.edu
Saúl Rivera
Saúl is a licensed psychologist and the Assistant Director for Clinical Services and Technology Services. Saúl approaches therapy from an integrative perspective combining cognitive-behavioral, acceptance & commitment therapy, and multicultural therapy approaches. His areas of interest include multicultural and diversity issues, social justice issues, suicide prevention, men's issues, and the integration of spirituality and religious issues in psychotherapy. Saúl also provides therapy in Spanish.
Email: riveras@miamioh.edu
Katherine Tylinski
Katherine is a clinician and the Coordinator of Clinical Services to Student-Athletes. Katherine approaches therapy from a cognitive-behavioral and feminist perspective. Her clinical interests include working with student-athletes, identity development, and mood and anxiety disorders.
Email: tylinsk@miamioh.edu
Melanie Rose Y. Uy
Melanie is a licensed psychologist and coordinates group and workshop services at SCS. Melanie approaches therapy from a cognitive-behavioral, Dialectical Behavior, interpersonal, and solution-focused perspective. Her clinical interests include anxiety, adjustment, interpersonal concerns, identity issues or exploration, skill-building, group therapy, and outreach/consultation.
Email: uymr@miamioh.edu
Bethany Valenti
Bethany is a licensed psychologist who approaches therapy from an integrative perspective, largely based in client-centered, feminist, and third-wave cognitive-behavioral perspectives. Her clinical interests include issues of identity development, trauma, anxiety, and grief.
Email: hufferb@miamioh.edu
Laura Wonsik
Laura is a licensed professional clinical counselor and the Coordinator of Referral Services. Laura utilizes cognitive-behavioral therapy as well as acceptance and commitment therapy approaches while always considering the role of culture in the formation of identity and values. She is particularly interested in working with anxiety, panic attacks, and relationship issues.
Email: wonsiklc@miamioh.edu
Jennifer Young **
Jennifer is a licensed psychologist and the Assistant Director for Outreach and Programming. Jennifer approaches therapy from a feminist, multicultural, relational, and cognitive-behavioral perspective. Her clinical interests include issues of trauma, interpersonal violence, identity concerns (i.e., ethnic, gender, LGBTQ), relationship concerns, and anxiety.
Email: youngj3@miamioh.edu
Carly Deremo
Carly is a psychology intern who approaches therapy from a feminist, interpersonal, and strengths-based perspective. Her clinical interests include working with survivors of sexual assault, those struggling with sexual issues and sexual satisfaction, and those struggling to maintain positive relationships.
Email: deremoca@miamioh.edu
Laurel Fuson-Lang
Laurel is a psychology intern who approaches therapy from a multicultural, relational/gestalt, and humanistic perspective. Her clinical interests include identity exploration, trauma processing, and relationship concerns. Laurel is able to provide therapy in Spanish.
Email: fusonllm@miamioh.edu
Keziah Lyu
Keziah is a psychology intern who approaches therapy from a multicultural, relational/interpersonal, and psychodynamic perspective. Her clinical interests include international students, Asian and Asian American populations, immigration and ethnic minority issues, trauma, grief, loss, and shame. Keziah is able to provide counseling in Mandarin Chinese.
Email: lyuk3@miamioh.edu
Rebecca Stone
Rebecca is a psychology intern who approaches therapy from an interpersonal, multicultural, and systems perspective. Her clinical interests include issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity, concerns related to trauma, and general identity concerns.
Email: hughesr8@miamioh.edu
James Colmar
James is a clinical placement student who approaches therapy from a multidisciplinary perspective. His clinical interests include anxiety, depression, and ADHD.
Email: colmarjm@miamioh.edu
Emily Cross
Emily is a clinical placement student who approaches therapy from a holistic, person-in-environment, and strengths-based perspective. Her clinical interests include working with those adjusting to life changes, non-traditional students, and grief/loss of a family member, peer, or pet.
Email: crossel@miamioh.edu
Annika Goldman
Annika is a clinical placement student who approaches therapy from a multidisciplinary and mindfulness-based perspective. Her clinical interests include working with students who struggle with OCD and other anxiety disorders, ADHD, and LGBTQ+ identities.
Email: goldmaa7@miamioh.edu
Morgan McCann
Morgan is a clinical placement student who approaches therapy from an interpersonal and feminist approach. Her clinical interests include identity concerns, anxiety and panic-related concerns, and working with survivors of interpersonal violence.
Email: mccannm7@miamioh.edu
Natalie Perkins
Natalie is a clinical placement student who approaches therapy from a cognitive-behavioral and interpersonal process perspective. Her clinical interests include working with eating and body image concerns, survivors of sexual assault and trauma, and suicide and self-injury concerns.
Email: perkinn2@miamioh.edu
Tonia Farthing
Tonia is the SCS Administrative Assistant providing administrative and clerical support to the student counseling staff. She has been with Miami since 2007.
Email: farthitl@miamioh.edu
Kellee Avery
Kellee is an SCS Program Associate providing administrative and clerical support to the student counseling staff. She has been with Miami since December of 2014.
Email: averykn@miamioh.edu
Andrea Batdorf
Andrea is an SCS Program Associate providing administrative and clerical support to the student counseling staff. She has been with Miami since 2000.
Email: batdoral@miamioh.edu
** The following individuals have been designated as specific counselors within Student Counseling Services for sexual and interpersonal violence:
- Jennifer Young, PhD, Assistant Director for Outreach & Programming
- John Ward, PhD, Director of Student Counseling Services