Meet the Staff

Professional Staff

Rene Monteagudo, Ph.D.

Rene Monteagudo, Ph.D.

Executive Director, Counseling Center

(305) 284-5511
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Dr. Rene Monteagudo is the Executive Director of the University of Miami Counseling Center, where he provides leadership in clinical services, training, outreach, and campus-wide wellness initiatives. Originally from Miami, Dr. Monteagudo earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and specialist degrees from the University of Florida,...
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Kirt Patrick McClellan, M.S.W., LCSW

Kirt Patrick McClellan, M.S.W., LCSW

Director, Counseling Center Clinical Services

(305) 284-5511
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Kirt McClellan, LCSW, is a seasoned psychotherapist with over 30 years of experience in the mental health field. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Wyoming and a Master’s in Clinical Social Work from New York University. During his graduate training, he provided in-home therapy to homebound...
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Patricia Lobo Arena

Patricia Lobo Arena, Ph.D.

Psychologist

(305) 284-5511
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Dr. Arena completed both her undergraduate and graduate training at the University of Miami with a focus on Adult Clinical and Health Psychology and Neuropsychology. Prior to returning to UM, Dr. Arena worked for Cherokee Health Systems, a community health center in Tennessee providing integrated care.  Her areas of clinical interest...
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Elvin O. Blanco

Elvin O. Blanco

Therapist, Licensed

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Mr. Blanco comes to the University of Miami’s Counseling Center with a diverse background working with Adults in various Clinical settings, which include but are not limited to Community Mental Health, Residential Treatment, Substance Use outpatient Treatment, Criminal Justice and Private Practice. Through a Person Centered, strength...
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Audrey A Cleary

Audrey A Cleary

Psychologist

(305) 284-5511
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Dr. Cleary earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Arizona, and completed both her pre-doctoral clinical internship and post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Miami Counseling Center. She is Board certified in Clinical Psychology through the American Board of Professional Psychology. Dr. Cleary's clinical...
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Emily Connell

Emily Connell

Case Manager (A)

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Emily Connell is a dedicated Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern working toward full licensure in the state of Florida. A proud Double ’Cane, she earned both her Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling and her Bachelor’s degree in Community and Applied Psychological Studies from the University of Miami....
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Caroline Gomez

Caroline Gomez

Psychologist

(305) 284-5511
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Dr. Gomez earned her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University. She is a proud Miami Hurricane, having completed her undergraduate education at the University of Miami. She completed her internship and post-doctoral fellowship at Jackson Memorial Hospital in affiliation with the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller...
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Addys Bertina Karunaratne

Addys Bertina Karunaratne, Ph.D.

Asst. Director, Counseling Center

(305) 284-5511
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Dr. Karunaratne earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia and has over 25 years’ experience working with children, adolescents, and adults.  She is a Licensed Psychologist in the states of Florida, District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Dr. Karunaratne has provided individual and...
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Martin Lopez

Martin Lopez

Therapist, Licensed

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Mr. Lopez received a BA in philosophy and MSW in clinical social work from Florida International University. Mr. Lopez has worked in diverse clinical settings such as substance use intensive outpatient, mental health outpatient, and community mental health. He also has a passion for social justice and worked as a Mitigation Specialist for the...
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Kimberly Brooke Martin

Kimberly Brooke Martin

Assoc. Director, Counseling Center

(305) 284-5511
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Ms. Martin joined the University of Miami Counseling Center in 2010. She has extensive experience treating children and adolescents who have been both victims and perpetrators of sexual trauma. Her clinical interests include helping individuals cope with trauma experienced through physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. She completed her Master of...
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Edward Rappaport

Edward Rappaport

Assoc. Director, Counseling Center

(305) 284-5511
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Dr. Rappaport is the founding Training Director for our Predoctoral Internship Program in Professional Psychology. He is an Associate Professor and a Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Psychology who has served as President of the Dade County Psychological Association. His professional interests include individual psychotherapy, treatment of...
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Benjamin H Stocking

Benjamin H Stocking

Psychologist

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Dr. Stocking earned his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Tennessee and completed his pre-doctoral internship at the University of Miami Counseling Center. Prior to joining the University of Miami Counseling Center, he worked with adolescents and adults struggling with eating disorders and addiction. He views therapy as a...
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Chelsie Warman

Chelsie Warman

Psychologist

(305) 284-5511
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Dr. Warman earned her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Chicago, IL and is a licensed clinical psychologist. She completed her APA accredited pre-doctoral internship at Nova Southeastern University’s Trauma Resolution and Integration Program (TRIP) where she gained specialized training...
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Shirnelle Wilks

Shirnelle Wilks

Psychologist

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Dr. Wilks earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Auburn University. Prior to completing her doctorate, she earned a Masters in School and Mental Health Counseling from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Wilks is a proud Miami Hurricane, having completed her undergraduate education and her Doctoral Internship at the University of Miami....
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Psychiatric Providers

Edwin E Ramirez

Edwin E Ramirez

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse

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Mr. Ramirez earned his Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in psychiatric mental health from the University of Pennsylvania.  He is board-certified as a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner through the American Nurses Credentialing Center.  Mr. Ramirez trained in several top-ranked hospitals during his...
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Jenevieve Treiser

Psychiatrist

jxt2294@miami.edu

(305) 284-5511
Counseling Center
1307 Stanford Dr.
Dr. Treiser completed her undergraduate degree at Columbia University in New York and her medical degree at Rutgers Medical School - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey. She completed both a General Psychiatry residency and a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, MA. She is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology as well as in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Prior to joining University of Miami, she worked in community mental health centers in Maryland and New York in addition to working in a private practice. She provides psychiatric assessments and medication management for children, adolescents and adults.

Part Time Staff


Haana Ali

Psychology Resident

Dr. Ali (she/her) has been at the Counseling Center in past years and is joining the team once again for the academic year. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology from Nova Southeastern University. Previous work experience includes university counseling centers, private practice settings, and an eating disorder treatment center. Her areas of clinical interest include eating disorders, depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship concerns, and family of origin dynamics. She is Health at Every Size (HAES) aligned, LGBTQ+ affirming, and she practices from a relational and multicultural framework. Dr. Ali provides a warm, safe, and compassionate space for her clients to embark on their journeys of meaningful growth.

Billie Bivins

Therapist, Licensed

Billie Bivins, MPS, LMHC, ATR-BC, is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Board Certified Art Therapist with over 25 years of experience in the mental health field. She earned her master’s degree in Art Therapy and Counseling from Pratt Institute in New York and has worked in community mental health, substance use treatment, and private practice. Billie’s clinical interests include anxiety, depression, family-of-origin concerns, trauma, and relationship issues. Her therapeutic approach incorporates depth psychology and art therapy, using both verbal and non-verbal techniques to help clients gain insight and create meaningful change. She values building collaborative and supportive relationships with clients from diverse backgrounds and identities. Billie has been involved with the University of Miami mental health community since 2016, providing seminars and training for the Counseling Center, COPE, and the Mental Health Counseling Program. Her work with non-verbal therapeutic techniques also informed her book, Talk Therapy Without Words.

Yvonne Rodriguez

Therapist, Licensed

Prior to joining the University of Miami Counseling Center, Ms. Rodriguez worked as the senior counselor for the University of Tampa. She has over 29 years of experience working with individuals, couples and families in a variety of outpatient mental health settings. She is also a board certified clinical supervisor for the State of Florida. Ms. Rodriguez’s areas of professional interest include: mood and anxiety disorders, childhood trauma, family of origin issues, intimate partner violence, personality disorders, adjustment disorders, first generation college students, women’s issues, multicultural counseling and clinical supervision.. Her passion is helping students discover and build upon their strengths to more effectively navigate life’s challenges. Ms. Rodriguez earned her MSW from the University of South Florida in 1990 and her BA in Psychology from Loyola University in 1987. She is also fluent in Spanish.

Interns


Raymond La

Doctoral Intern

Raymond (he/him) is a doctoral intern at the University of Miami Counseling Center. He is also a doctoral candidate at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Clinical-Community Psychology Ph.D. Program. He has experience providing psychological assessment and therapy with children, adolescents, and college students and enjoys working with clients as they navigate significant transitions and developmental periods in their lives. He adopts a person-centered approach and uses various therapy modalities, such as acceptance and commitment therapy, mindfulness-based therapies, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and interpersonal psychotherapy. Some of his clinic interests include anxiety/mood disorders, trauma, interpersonal difficulties, racial-ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ mental health, and neurodevelopmental concerns (e.g., ADHD, ASD, learning disorders).

Skylar Schaumberg

Doctoral Intern

Skylar Schaumberg (she/her) is a doctoral intern at the University of Miami Counseling Center and a Psy.D. candidate in Clinical Psychology at the George Washington University (GWU) in Washington, DC. She received her master’s degree in clinical psychology at GWU and completed her undergrad in psychology and political science at Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. Skylar is passionate about university counseling center work and has previously completed practicums at the GWU Counseling Center and the GW Hillel Counseling Center. In these roles she has had the privilege of supporting clients through life transitions, interpersonal challenges, academic and everyday stressors, trauma, grief, and substance use. Skylar’s therapeutic approach is grounded in a psychodynamic lens with integrative frameworks woven in. She pulls from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and Multicultural approaches to tailor interventions to each client’s needs. She views therapy as a collaborative experience where clients can feel supported and empowered. Her clinical interests include mood / anxiety disorders, community outreach, identity development, trauma, relational stress, and substance use disorders.

Angelos Tsalafos

Doctoral Intern

Angelos is currently a doctoral intern at the University of Miami Counselling Center, and a PhD candidate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Angelos received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from UNLV. He has clinical experience in community mental health, private practice, university counseling, and in athletics. Angelos helps individuals find clarity, balance, and fulfillment through a personalized, culturally sensitive approach to therapy. Angelos believes that therapy is not a one-sized fits all approach and tailors evidence-based strategies to each person's unique needs, promoting strong, trusting relationships throughout the therapeutic journey.

Graduate Assistant


Zoe MacKenzie

Graduate Assistant

Practicum Students




Nicole Fridling-Cook

Practicum Student

 



Lisa Hu

Practicum Student

 


Michelle Sanabria

Practicum Student

 


Shivani Upadhyay

Practicum Student

 

Support Staff

Cecilia M Salomon

Cecilia M Salomon

Office Assistant

(305) 284-5511
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Edricka Denishia Grant

Edricka Denishia Grant

Secretary

(305) 284-5511
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