Staff

Cheryl Benitez (she/her/hers)

Coordinator of Insurance and Billing

Cheryl Benitez began working in UHS in 2007. She supervises all insurance and billing functions. She is responsible for overseeing the SHIP program for the university’s graduate, undergraduate, and international students as well as the insurance waiver process for new and returning students.

Elizabeth Eduvigen (she/her/hers)

Office Clerk II

Elizabeth Eduvigen began working at Retriever Integrated Health in 2021 as an Office Clerk II. She helps students schedule appointments and process mandatory health forms, as well as checking in patients and performing other general front desk duties.

Dotty Fefel (she/her/hers)

Administrative Assistant II

Dotty Fefel began working at the Counseling Center in 2017. She provides general office support to Retriever Integrated Health staff along with greeting and scheduling students for appointments.

Svetlana ‘Lana” Ferdman (she/her/hers)

Account Clerk III

Lana assists with student and graduate assistant insurance and billing questions.

Tammi Rupp (she/her/hers)

Business Service Specialist/Building Manager

Tammi Rupp joined UMBC in 2018 and began working in Retriever Integrated Health in 2021. She orders vaccines, medical supplies, and other important products to keep UMBC students healthy as well as handling the payroll process, and completes new hire paperwork. Upon the opening of the Center for Well-Being, Tammi took on the role of managing the new building.

Marta Seres, M.B.A., M.S. (she/her/hers)

Assistant Director, Administration

Marta has been working at UMBC, in various capacities, for over a decade. She earned her MBA from Johns Hopkins University and her MS in Human-Centered Computing from UMBC. She oversees daily operations and ensures compliance with regulations.

Candida “Candy” Williams (she/her/hers)

Front Desk Lead

Candy Williams began working at Retriever Integrated Health in 2020 as an Office Clerk II. While working closely with health providers throughout the pandemic, Candy accepted a new position as the Front Desk Lead and has trained Office Clerks. She is certified as a medical administrative assistant. She helps students schedule appointments and process mandatory health forms, as well as checking in patients and performing other general front desk duties.

Katie Bowen, LCSW-C (she/her/hers)

Counselor/Referral Coordinator

Katie Bowen is a clinical social worker with a B.A. in Psychology from James Madison University and a Master’s of Social Work from University of Maryland, Baltimore. Katie has worked with children, adolescents, and young adults in settings including inpatient programs and non-public schools. Katie believes that all individuals have the inherent resources to heal and thrive but may need help in bringing those resources out. She draws on the unique characteristics of each individual to help them gain a greater sense of awareness and enhance their strengths. While her overarching approach is person-centered and strengths-based, she draws from modalities including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT), tailoring to the specific needs of each individual.

Shavern Browne, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)

Staff Psychologist

Marie Celano, LCPC (she/her/hers)

Counselor

Marie Celano is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with an Undergraduate degree in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Loyola College of Maryland. Marie got her start in school-based mental health but has primarily worked in private practice. She is a certified trauma therapist with a desire to connect with students by validating their experiences and giving them a safe place to explore their concerns, Marie especially likes to help people with anxiety disorders, low self-esteem, grief/loss, eating challenges, and relationship concerns. Personally, Marie is a proud mother of 4 and grandmother of 4; she loves to spend time with her miniature Goldendoodle Lucy.

Jay Coughlin, Psy.D (he/him/his)

Staff Psychologist

Jay earned a BA degree in psychology from the University of Maryland at College Park. He received a MA degree in counseling psychology from Ball State University in Muncie, IN. He obtained his doctorate in psychology (Psy.D) from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA. Jay has over 18 years of experience working in college counseling centers. Previous places he has worked include Purchase College (NY), Frostburg State University, George Washington University and Howard Community College. Jay specializes in the areas of relationships, grief, depression, anxiety, and suicide prevention. His conceptualization stems from Family Systems orientation believing that we are all products of what we first learn from one’s family of origin. He sees people as operating in a variety of systems like school, work, friendships and culture. He explores how these systems interact and how they are related to the presenting issue. On a more personal note, Jay enjoys anything related to Star Wars (“May the force be with you”) as well as comic book art (both collecting and drawing)

Noemi Girón, LCSW-C (she/her/hers)

Counselor

Summer Hecht, LCSW-C (she/her/hers)

Associate Director, Counseling

Summer Hecht is a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical who received her Bachelor’s in Psychology from Case Western Reserve University and her Master’s of Science in Social Administration from the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. Since graduating, she has worked with adults, adolescents, and children in a variety of settings, including inpatient programs, non-profits, community mental health centers, nonpublic schools, and private practice. Summer believes in the inherent powerfulness of all people and finds value in partnering with clients to explore strengths, build resilience, and develop and act on plans for moving forward. Her areas of expertise and interest include anxiety and depression, phase-of-life concerns, and working with LGBTQIA+ students. In her free time, Summer enjoys reading, baking, watching bad television (especially disaster movies), intensely investing in short-lived, elaborate hobbies, and spending time with her husband, four children, and her somewhat crotchety cat, Ghost.

Brianna Ladd, B.A. (she/her)

Doctoral Extern

Brianna Ladd is a Ph.D. student in Counseling Psychology at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD). She earned a B.A. in Psychology at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Brianna has gained experience at UMD’s Counseling Center addressing socio-emotional, interpersonal, academic, and career concerns with undergraduate and graduate students. Brianna is passionate about promoting psychological well-being among emerging adults, particularly among students with multiple marginalized identities (i.e., BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and women of color). As a therapist-in-training, Brianna is interested in integrating feminist, Relational-Cultural Therapy (RCT), psychodynamic, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) approaches in her clinical work.

Patrice Marshall, LCSW-C (she/her/hers)

Counselor

Patrice Marshall is a clinical social worker who graduated from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Arts in English and received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Patrice has worked in various settings, including schools, hospitals, home-based services, and community outreach centers. She enjoys talking to people and feels privileged to hear their stories and earn their trust. As a social worker, she focuses on meeting people where they are and working collaboratively to help them accomplish their goals. Patrice’s clinical areas of interest include trauma, anxiety and depression, students of color, immigrant/international students, grief/loss, adjustment issues, and medical trauma. On a personal note, she is a first-generation Jamaican Chinese immigrant, who enjoys long walks, cooking, and hanging out with her husband, two sons, and their mini Goldendoodle named Justice.

Lauren Mirzakhalili, M.S.S., LCSW-C (she/her/hers)

Counselor/Groups Coordinator

Lauren Mirzakhalili is a clinical social worker with a B.A. in Psychology & Educational Studies from Swarthmore College and a Master’s in Social Services from Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work & Social Research. Lauren has primarily trained at university counseling centers (University of Colorado Boulder and University of the Arts) but has also worked in residential life, school settings, and at a case management and outreach center for adults experiencing homelessness. As a therapist, she draws on training in psychodynamic therapy, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and above all, relational approaches.

Shruti Shastri, Psy.D. (she/her/hers)

Staff Psychologist

Shruti Shastri has her doctorate in Psychology from Spalding University, Kentucky. She completed her internship at University of Missouri, Columbia. She has primarily worked in Counseling Center settings and has some experience with inpatient care. Her clinical interests include working with anxiety, mood dysregulation, adjustment concerns, international students, and grief/loss. Shruti’s theoretical orientation tends towards behavioral approaches with an emphasis on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). She utilizes a strength-based approach while working collaboratively with her clients to engage with challenges. On a personal note, she enjoys spending time with her cat and hiking with her partner.

Karoline Trovato, M.S. (she/her/hers)

Doctoral Extern

Karoline is a third-year doctoral student in the counseling psychology program at the University of Maryland (UMD), where she graduated with her bachelor’s of science degree in 2022. Karoline has received supervised clinical experience at UMD’s Counseling Center, where she provided individual therapy to undergraduate and graduate students over the last two years. Karoline’s goal in her work is to create a safe space for clients to explore their distress by actively listening to their concerns, offering compassion, and providing empathic understanding. Her clinical interests include family of origin concerns, trauma, grief and loss, multicultural identity development, women’s health, and anxiety and stress management. She endeavors to integrate a multicultural feminist approach to examine clients’ environmental context, explore intersecting identities, and understand how interlocking systems of oppression impact their presenting concerns. Karoline also strives to incorporate solution-focused and strength-based approaches in her work.

Aminah Wells, LCSW-C (she/her/hers)

Assistant Director – Health & Counseling for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Aminah Wells is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Loyola University, Maryland and a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Maryland School of Social Work. She has worked with adults, children, and adolescents in a variety of settings including private and non-public schools, private practice, and hospice care. She is also an experienced mental health trainer and consultant for community programs in Baltimore. As a therapist, Aminah believes her role is to honor a client’s lived experiences and to guide them into a place of healing by processing their pain and finding ways to overcome their worries and fears. She does this by being a compassionate listener and working from a strengths-based perspective. Aminah has helped individuals dealing with complex trauma, depression, anxiety, and difficult life transitions, and she specializes in issues related to chronic illness and grief and loss. She practices self-care by spending time outdoors and working in her garden, cooking, reading, and taking the occasional creative writing class. She also loves music, dancing, and challenging herself to learn and try new things.

Janay White, LCSW-C (she/her/hers)

Janay White is a clinical social worker who received her Bachelor’s in Psychology from Morgan State University and a Master’s degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Social Work. Janay has worked in a variety of public service sectors to include school-based mental health counseling, juvenile rehabilitation, and mobile crisis response. Janay is passionate about collaborating with clients to better understand how their values uniquely shape their lives and decision-making. Janay enjoys partnering with her clients to discover those “A-HA” moments by pulling from modalities such as CBT, strength-based therapy, relational approaches, and family systems theory. Janay has a special interest in working with people of color, around faith-based and relationship issues, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and adjustment concerns. Outside of work, Janay loves roller-skating, exploring and shopping at small local businesses, and traveling.

Stephanie Will, LCPC (she/her/hers)

Assistant Director of Outreach and Mental Health Promotion

Stephanie Will is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who received her Bachelor’s in Psychology from Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, VA and her Masters in Mental Health Counseling from Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. She has worked with adults and adolescents in a variety of settings including in-patient and out-patient substance use, juvenile detention, and college wellness. Stephanie believes strongly in mental health education and has spent much of her career training people on building resilience, healthy practices, and breaking down stigma around mental health. She is also focused on holistic wellness and incorporates a variety of skills such as mindfulness, breathing and movement, and creative expression in counseling. Stephanie’s clinical areas of interest include substance use, anxiety and depression, life transitions, body image/health at every size (HAES). In her free time, Stephanie enjoys writing, attending book club, watching Netflix, and loves spending time with her cat Henry and her three nieces.

Chelsea Harris, MSN, FNP-C (she/her/hers)

Nurse Practitioner

Chelsea Harris is certified as a family nurse practitioner by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and has been in practice since 2018. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at East Carolina University in 2012 and her Master of Science in Nursing at Johns Hopkins University in 2017. She has prior experience in primary care as a nurse practitioner. She has a passion to provide comprehensive, patient-centered care, and has been doing so at Retriever Integrated Health since June 2020.

Crystal Knight, MA (she/her/hers)

Clinic Coordinator

Crystal Knight joined UMBC and Retriever Integrated Health in the Fall of 2021. She is a native of New Jersey and has resided in Maryland for 6 years. Crystal obtained her Certified Clinical Medical Assisting Certification from the National Healthcare Association in 2011. Prior Experience includes pain management and most recently internal medicine in a primary care setting. Crystal is aspiring to become an RN and will continue her education at UMBC sometime in the near future.

Natalie Lang, MSN, FNP-C (she/her/hers)

Nurse Practitioner

Natalie is a certified family nurse practitioner and joined UMBC and Retriever Integrated Health in the fall of 2022. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Auburn University in 2018 and her Master of Science in Nursing at Thomas Jefferson University in 2022. Her previous nursing experience includes pediatric emergency care as well as post anesthesia care. She is excited to provide students and patients with compassionate patient-centered care here at UMBC.

Danielle Lee, LPN (she/her/hers)

Danielle joined UMBC in May of 2023. She became a CMA in 1992 when she graduated from Medix. Went back to college after 30 years. After completing all the prerequisites at CCBC for nursing she applied to nursing school and was accepted. During the pandemic, she was in nursing school and graduated with honors, and passed the NCLEX in Feb of 2020. Danielle has experience in OB/GYN, urgent care, allergy, and ears, nose, and throat. She has a passion for dirt bikes and loves the outdoors.

Melissa Lundberg, RN, MSN, CRNP (she/her/hers)

Nurse Practitioner

Melissa Lundberg is a Baltimore native and has worked at UMBC since 2016. She received her undergraduate degree in biology at Dickinson College. She is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University’s undergraduate and graduate nursing programs and is a certified family nurse practitioner. Prior to UMBC, she worked in the emergency department at Children’s National and in clinical research at Johns Hopkins Allergy and Immunology Center.

Vic Madrid, M.D. (he/him/his)

Medical Director/Associate Director

Dr. Vic Madrid joined the UMBC UHS team in August 2018 after practicing comprehensive outpatient primary care for 20 years. He also performed medical reviews for the Maryland Board of Physicians, and served on the board of directors for a large local medical group for 10 years. He received his B.S. degree in 1991 and his MD degree in 1995, both from the Ohio State University. He completed his residency training in 1998 at the Fairview Family Medicine Residency Program in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Madrid is board certified in family medicine and lives in Catonsville with his wife and three children, and can often be found in nearby Patapsco state park on his mountain bike, riding for personal fitness, and also coaching a local youth interscholastic mountain biking team. He is thankful for the opportunity to care for, and promote healthy habits to, our UMBC students.

Susan Riley, MSN, CRNP, FNP-BC (she/her/hers)

Nurse Practitioner

Susan Riley is a certified Family Nurse Practitioner and joined Retriever Integrated Health in June 2023. She received her Bachelor of Science in Public and Community Health from the University of Maryland College Park, and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Georgetown University. In 2018 she received her Master of Science in Nursing from Georgetown University. Her previous nursing experience includes intermediate care, trauma intensive care, and inpatient hospice. She has been practicing primary care family medicine since 2018, and has had a special interest in gender-affirming care, including prescribing hormone replacement therapy (HRT), since 2021. She is excited to join the UMBC RIH team and serve this wonderful student population!

Adam Sachs (he/him/his)

Campus Dietitian

Adam Sachs is a Registered Dietitian with experience in general nutrition counseling, weight management, food allergies, and sports nutrition. Adam has helped a wide range of clients with different backgrounds and lifestyles with their nutritional needs. He attended culinary school at Johnson & Wales University and then went on to complete his Dietetic Internship at the University of Maryland, College Park. Adam works with Dining Services to assist with menu development, allergen management, and nutritional content. He also conducts individual nutrition counseling appointments in the Center for Wellbeing. Meeting topics include but are not limited to general nutrition, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Digestive/GI disorders, weight management, autoimmune disease, and dietary restrictions. Schedule an appointment with Adam online or reach him via email to set up an appointment at umbcrd@umbc.edu. Currently, Adam is hosting in-person appointments, but virtual appointments are available upon request.

Ashley Vickery, CRNP-PMH (she/her/hers)

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Ashley is a psychiatric nurse practitioner who joined the Retriever Integrated Health team in March of 2023. She graduated with her Master of Science in Nursing from Walden University in 2021. She joined the team after an extensive career in nursing and working in a private practice as a psychiatric nurse practitioner. She is excited to provider psychiatric services to the students at UMBC.

Kyra Baker, LMT (she/her/hers)

Massage Therapist

Kyra Baker graduated from Baltimore School of Massage in March of 2000 and has performed many different types of massage therapy using Swedish, deep tissue, chair, and lymphatic techniques. She later obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Management, and is certified in fitness and group exercise instruction. Kyra previously served as the Fitness Director at another university and also established a private practice specializing in athletes and fitness enthusiasts of all levels from high school to professional. Her treatments help to increase mobility, reduce muscle soreness, and shorten recovery time from injury for athletic performance. She is also the proud parent of two, including a special needs child. Along with her husband, Kyra works with different groups and organizations to ensure inclusion and fairness for him and other kids and adults on the spectrum.

Kristine Shaw Southern, LAc., MTCM (she/her/hers)

Acupuncturist

Kristine received her Master of Science degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture with an emphasis in integrative sports medicine from Five Branches University in Santa Cruz, California in 2013. She offers a multidisciplinary approach to promoting wellness and symptom relief. Drawing upon her years of clinical experience and her passion for restorative medicine, Kristine brings both intuition and skill into developing individualized and effective courses of treatment for her patients. She combines multiple modalities into her Acupuncture sessions including Tui Na Medical Massage, Trigger Point and Electroacupuncture, Cupping, Herbal Medicine, Nutrition and Essential Oil Therapy.

Kristine successfully treats a variety of conditions, including: musculoskeletal disorders, myofascial and trigger point pain, neurological and degenerative conditions, autoimmune conditions, digestive issues, mental health and stress-related conditions such as: anxiety, depression, insomnia, and women’s health including menopausal and fertility issues. Kristine is a Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist in the State of California and a Licensed Acupuncturist in the State of Maryland. She is also a Nationally Board-Certified Acupuncturist.