CAPS Team

The CAPS Team consists of mental health professionals, including psychologists, Counselors-in-Training, and a contracted Psychiatrist. All are trained and experienced in dealing with issues facing university students. Counselors-in-Training provide counseling services under close supervision.

We invite you to take some time and browse the biographies below and to ask about your counselor's background and training. It is important that you have confidence in your counselor and her/his ability to help you.

If you would like to set up an appointment, you may stop by our office, call (434) 395-2409 or email CAPS@longwood.edu.

Dr. Maureen J. Walls-McKay

Dean of Well-Being, Licensed Clinical Psychologist
434.395.2409
CAPS@longwood.edu

I'm glad you are checking out the CAPS website and hope you find the information you are looking for to help you or your friend make a healthy next step. I am a licensed clinical psychologist and serve as the Director of CAPS. I earned my doctorate in clinical psychology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and I spent my internship year at the University of Pittsburgh Counseling Center. In 1995, I relocated from Pittsburgh to Farmville to join the Longwood community.

Although I am a generalist, areas of professional interest include solution-focused treatment of depression, anxiety, grief & loss, family issues, adjusting to change / life transitions, relationship concerns, and resiliency following trauma. My approach is respectful and empowering, and focuses on helping each student become more intentional about the changes they wish to make. It is a privilege to work with students as they continue their journey and create the life they desire and deserve.

In addition to providing individual sessions to students, I enjoy a number of additional roles at Longwood. I am happy to present to a club/organization/classroom/residence hall to speak about wellness and mental health. I also serve as an Academic Coach to incoming students and teach a number of classes in the Counselor Education graduate program. I am proud to be the faculty advisor to an amazing group of Citizen Leaders who plan the annual Relay For Life event on campus. You will also see me working out in the Health & Fitness Center and eating in the d-hall most every day at noon.

The joys associated with my personal life include a wonderful husband (Bluegrass Billy, who is the owner of one19 Restaurant on Main Street), a cat (Summer June Bug), many fabulous friends, and family. Bill and I enjoy hosting dinner parties at our home and I enjoy scouting out the next antique to carry home (especially wooden boxes/crates), the newest paperweight to add to the collection, and a fun Curious George item to join the growing homage to the mischievous monkey. I also strive to be more and more sustainable with each day (which is why my favorite 16 year-old sometimes calls me "Green Maureen" or “Green GiGi”) and one reason I walk or ride a bike to work.

Dr. Brandon Creech

Staff Clinician
434.395.2409
CAPS@longwood.edu

I am originally from East Tennessee but moved to Kentucky to attend Cumberland College; while there, I majored in European History and Political Science. Upon graduation, I returned to my hometown and taught high school history and government courses for several years. Eventually, I decided to return to college, attending Eastern Kentucky University and obtaining my B.S., M.S., and PsyD. in Clinical Psychology. Before completing my doctoral degree, I completed a pre-doctoral APA-accredited internship in the university counseling center at Stony Brook University located on Long Island. Near the end of my internship, I applied for a staff clinician position at Longwood University CAPS and was thrilled upon being offered an opportunity to work with students in our community. As a CAPS clinician, I provide individual and group counseling as well as crisis intervention to students, serve as a supervisor to our counselors-in-training (CITs), facilitate the weekly AFFIRM group for LGBTQIA+ students, engage in outreach to various student organizations, and conduct SLD and ADHD assessments. In addition to my clinical duties, I also teach a section of Life-Span Development through the LU Department of Psychology. Although my initial training was heavily focused upon a cognitive behavioral perspective, I often approach therapy from an existential/humanistic, interpersonal, and/or psychodynamic lens. My clinical interests include issues of importance to the LGBTQIA+ community, identity development, and social justice movements.

Outside of CAPS, I enjoy spending time reading (nonfiction, especially history and politics), watching documentaries, cooking, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Dr. David Davino, LPC

Assistant Director of Training & Supervision, Licensed Clinical Psychologist
434.395.2409
CAPS@longwood.edu

Although I was born and raised in Massachusetts, virtually all my higher education has been out of state. In 1994, I graduated from the College of Wooster with a major in political science and a minor in psychology. My career path in psychology shortly followed graduation where I worked as a residential counselor for a non-profit organization assisting people with serious mental illness to adapt to independent living. I was later accepted into the James Madison University's community counseling program and graduated with a M.A. and an Ed.S. During my time at JMU, I was fortunate to intern at the university's counseling center.

From 2000-2005, I worked for Valley Community Services Board as an Access/Crisis Clinician. My job responsibilities included counseling, screening for social detox, prescreening for involuntary psychiatric hospitalization, and crisis intervention. In 2003, I became a licensed professional counselor (LPC) for the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 2005, I was accepted in West Virginia University's counseling psychology doctoral program. My practicum experiences at WVU included working two years at the university's college counseling center and a one year practicum at Allegheny General Hospital in neuropsychology. I completed a pre-doctoral APA-accredited internship in the university counseling center at The University of Memphis.

I was offered a job as a counselor at the Longwood University CAPS which I happily accepted. Since my arrival at CAPS, I graduated from West Virginia University in 2013 with a Ph.D. in counseling psychology and later became a licensed clinical psychologist in 2016. At CAPS, I provide individual and group counseling as well as outreach, crisis intervention, consultation, and LD/ADHD assessment.  Besides by clinical responsibilities, I also serve as Assistant Director of Training & Supervision where I organize training and supervision for both undergraduate and graduate internships as well as for practicum.  I consider myself a generalist who takes a transtheoretical approach that draws heavily on humanistic/existential, solution-focused, interpersonal, and cognitive-behavioral models. My clinical interests include stress/anxiety management, career concerns, depression, interpersonal relationship issues, grief/loss, life transitions and I enjoy working with LGBTQ+ students.

In my spare time, I enjoy movies of all kind and consider myself a “movie buff.”  I am also eclectic in my reading interests which range from literature, popular fiction, philosophy, political science, and of course, psychology. I find cooking to be a "Zen-like" experience and have collected many Italian recipes from my father. Growing up in Massachusetts has made me a big Boston sports fan and I follow the Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics.

Dr. Jenny Retallick

Trauma Specialist, Licensed Clinical Psychologist
434.395.2409
CAPS@longwood.edu

I am a proud triple alum of Radford University, earning a Bachelors in psychology, Master’s in clinical psychology, and lastly obtaining a Doctor of Psychology degree in 2015 from their APA-accredited program in counseling psychology. During my doctoral training, I completed practicum placements in a variety of settings, including the Free Clinic of the New River Valley, Southwestern Virginia Mental Health Institute, Virginia Tech’s Cook Counseling Center, and Radford University’s Center for Assessment and Psychological Services. My clinical training concluded with an APA-accredited pre-doctoral internship at the Iowa City Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center in Iowa City, Iowa.

My coursework at RU and training at ICVAMC were pivotal in shaping my identity as a psychologist and those experiences influence my work today, including a continued focus on social justice, cultural diversity, and evidence-based practice. Some of my professional areas of interest include interpersonal difficulties, trauma, challenges that arise from abusive upbringings, issues specific to rural practice, and the relationship between physical activity/nutrition and mental health. When providing therapy, I consider myself to be a generalist and my theoretical orientation is heavily psychodynamic. In treatment, I utilize an eclectic approach, and often use Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), interpersonal processing, and solution-focused techniques, among others. My goal is to work collaboratively with students, helping them discover their own solutions to life’s problems and develop healthier ways of coping.

Outside of CAPS, I work hard to keep my life balanced. Exercise and healthy eating are vital to my daily routine. I’m always trying to learn more about wellness, so you can often find me reading books about nutrition, the food industry, or fitness. I also love to lift, hike, bike, and find creative ways to stay active, like yard work. I really enjoy spending time outside, so you might catch me at nearby Twin Lakes or High Bridge, two of my favorite places to enjoy the great outdoors.

Tianna Jordan, M.S.

Resident in Counseling
434.395.2409
CAPS@longwood.edu

I am originally from Charlottesville and moved to the Hampton Roads area to obtain my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Old Dominion University. I have recently earned my Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Longwood University, which is a CACREP accredited program. I have had the opportunity to work with children, adolescents, and adults in a variety of clinical settings including college counseling centers, community mental health, local jails, and in-home counseling.

As the Resident in Counseling, I provide individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, and outreach to Longwood students. I am passionate about supporting diverse and underserved communities, destigmatizing mental health concerns in the BIPOC community, and working with young adults who are experiencing mental health concerns. My approach to counseling is to provide clients with warmth and compassion, and to work collaboratively towards their goals. I approach therapy from the perspective that healing is possible, and everyone can work towards overcoming life's challenges. Additionally, it is my goal to create a safe space and welcoming environment for clients to become the best version of themselves.

I draw from person-centered, psychodynamic, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), interpersonal processing, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and utilize other theoretical interventions that best fit the client's needs to meet their therapeutic goals. My clinical interests are diversity and inclusion, stress and anxiety management, depression, adjustment, identity, and relationship difficulties.

Outside of CAPS, I enjoy listening to podcasts about mental health and recaps of my favorite television shows, listening to a variety of music from many genres, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

Andy Esposito

Administrative Office Specialist III
434.395.2409
CAPS@longwood.edu