Counseling Center Staff
Professional Staff |
 Ernesto R. Escoto, Ph.D., DirectorNew Mexico State University Prior to joining the University of Miami Counseling Center, Dr. Escoto served as the Associate Director - Director of Clinical Services at The Ohio State University's Counseling and Consultation Service. His areas of professional interests include working contextually with multiple identities, trauma, mood disorders, bilingual therapy (English-Spanish), and issues concerning underserved populations. As part of his theoretical orientation, Dr. Escoto integrates time-limited dynamic psychotherapy, interpersonal and cognitive-behavioral frameworks. Dr. Escoto earned his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from New Mexico State University and completed his pre-doctoral internship at the University of California, Berkeley. |
 Kirt McClellan, M.S.W., LCSW, Associate DirectorLicensed Clinical Social Worker New York University Since obtaining his professional license in 1998 Mr. McClellan has worked in a variety of clinical settings including an acute care psychiatric hospital, an adolescent residential treatment center, a substance abuse treatment center and private practice. Mr. McClellan oversees various clinical operations of the Counseling Center. His clinical interests include individual and group therapy, with extensive experience working with trauma, sexual abuse, sexual orientation and substance abuse. He is passionate about assisting students to achieve their full potential by helping them develop greater self-awareness. |
 Audrey Cleary, Ph.D.Licensed Clinical Psychologist University of Arizona 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. Prior to joining the UM Counseling Center, she worked with undergraduate and graduate students at Counseling and Psychological Services at the University of Arizona. Dr. Cleary's clinical interests include interpersonal and romantic relationship issues, mood management, family of origin concerns, and identity development. She has served as a staff coordinator for Lifeguards, the Counseling Center's suicide prevention outreach program, and is a co-advisor for the Counseling Center's Sexual Assault Response Team. |
 Carolyn A. Eberhardt, Ph.D.Licensed Clinical Psychologist Southern Illinois University Dr. Eberhardt has worked in several clinical settings including an adolescent residential treatment center and a forensic psychological testing facility. She has been a staff psychologist at the Counseling Center since 1994. Some of her clinical interests are relationship issues, multi-cultural counseling and counseling sexual assault survivors. Dr. Eberhardt is the coordinator of the Sexual Assault Response Team and S.A.R.T.'s prevention and education programs. |
 Jayanta Hegde, Ph.D.Licensed Clinical Psychologist University of Arizona Dr. Hegde joined the Counseling Center in September 2011. He has worked in a variety of clinical settings, including teaching hospitals, a veterans affairs hospital, psychiatric hospitals, university-based clinics, and a maximum-security prison. His clinical interests include depth and insight-oriented psychotherapy, meditation, and severe psychopathology. In working with university students, he is particularly interested in the existential and religious questioning that can emerge in the context of clinical depression and anxiety. Dr. Hegde has conducted research on the neural correlates of depression and is a past Fellow of the American Psychoanalytic Association and past Research Fellow of the Mind and Life Institute. |
 Kimberly Martin, M.S.W., LCSWLicensed Clinical Social Worker Indiana University Ms. Martin joined the counseling center in 2010. Her clinical experience has been with various foster care and family service agencies in Indiana and South Florida. She has provided individual, group and family therapeutic services to children and adolescents in the dependency system. Ms. Martin also 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. Additional areas of clinical interest include coping with grief and loss, healthy relationship development, and transitional life issues. Ms. Martin's goal with counseling University of Miami students is to assist them in realizing their full potential within each realm of their lives. She provides a supportive environment for students to self assess feelings, process thoughts, and create individualized and attainable life plans. Ms. Martin is also the coordinator for COPE, UM's counseling outreach peer education program. |
 Edward Rappaport, Ph.D., ABPPTraining Director and Licensed Clinical Psychologist Florida State University 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 anxiety and depression, anger management, relationship issues and sociocultural influences on mental health. |
 Patricia Rodriguez Gilmore, M.S.ed, LMHCLicensed Mental Health Counselor University of Miami Ms. Gilmore became licensed in the field of Mental Health Counseling in 2006. She has worked at various treatment settings in both Miami and New York City, including a substance abuse treatment center, a psychoanalytic institute and within the juvenile detention system. The goal of her work is to help individuals articulate thoughts and feelings more authentically, neutralize disturbing emotions, and clear up irrational perspectives that are self-defeating. Her clinical interests include substance abuse issues, GLBT concerns, relationship issues, and depression prevention. She also coordinates Lifeguards, UM's suicide prevention outreach programs. |
 Tammy Sifre, Ph.D.Licensed Clinical Psychologist University of Miami Dr. Sifre joined the Counseling Center in November 2008. Before then she worked in private practice and spent 14 years involved in public health and psychological research including stress management interventions for people diagnosed with HIV and breast cancer. Her clinical interests include stress management, integrative medicine, and mindfulness-based approaches to well-being. Dr. Sifre is responsible for the coordination of Body Acceptance Resources and Education (BARE) outreach programs. |
Psychiatrists |
 Lynn Hernandez, M.D.
Consulting Psychiatrist Universidad Technologica de Santiago School of Medicine Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Dr. Hernandez earned her undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of Miami. After completing residences in psychology at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia and Kings County Hospital (State University of New York) in Brooklyn, she returned to Miami where she was a Fellow in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital. Dr. Hernandez is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She has consulted at a number of child, adolescent and adult mental health agencies in South Florida including the Renfrew Center. Dr. Hernandez also has a part-time psychiatric private practice in Broward County. |
Interns |
 Alison Aylward, M.A.
Alison Aylward is completing her Ph.D. within the Adult Clinical Psychology program at the University of Miami. Additionally, Alison has a Master of Arts in Social Psychology from the University of Hawaii. Her interest in psychology began at the University of Colorado at Boulder where she graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Her approach to therapy includes the integration of cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, and relational approaches for the treatment of a wide array of psychological distress. Ms. Aylward has a clinical interest in the treatment of anxiety issues (obsessive-compulsive concerns, excessive worry, and social anxiety), eating-related issues, and relationship distress. |
 Carolyn Cleveland, M.S.
Carolyn Cleveland expects to graduate with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Wyoming in 2012. She has worked in a variety of treatment settings including a university outpatient clinic, a school district, a primary care clinic, and an autism spectrum disorders specialty clinic. Her primary areas of interest include substance use among college students, assessment, disruptive behavior disorders, and integrated behavioral health. She is also involved with outreach programming for the BARE program. |
 Cody Hobza, M.A.
Cody Hobza plans to graduate in 2013 with a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. He received his M.A. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Nebraska where he worked primarily with adolescents and adults in residential treatment and outpatient counseling centers. Throughout his Ph.D. program, he has continued to conduct therapy with diverse adolescent and adult populations in residential treatment centers, community mental health centers, and corrections centers. He enjoys assisting with relationship difficulties, life adjustment/transition, substance abuse, anxiety, depression, trauma, and many other concerns. His therapeutic approach is primarily relational and psychodynamic, relying upon an initial foundation of trust, mutual respect, and understanding. Cody was the recipient of the annual Outstanding Student Award presented by Division 51 (Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity) of the American Psychological Association. |
Contract Staff |
 Francis J. Flynn, Psy.D.,CAP
Francis J. Flynn, Psy.D., CAP graduated from the University of Miami in 1967; a decade later, after completing a Master of Divinity degree in Systematic Theology, he returned to the University of Miami to begin graduate studies in Psychology, He completed his doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Nova Southeastern University and is a Certified Addictions Professional. Dr. Flynn served for eleven years as a supervising chaplain in the Florida prison system and has served as an adjunct professor in the UM Department of Religious Studies. |
Support Staff |
Alice Bailey, Office Assistant |
Janet Lerner, Secretary |