CAPS Team

The CAPS Team consists of mental health professionals (psychologists and counselors), Resident in Counseling, and Counselors-in-Training. All are trained and experienced in dealing with issues facing university students. Counselors-in-Training provide counseling services under close supervision with licensed providers.

Each member of the CAPS team is committed to the continued development of awareness, acceptance, and appreciation of all students represented at Longwood University.

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 are connected with a provider that fits your needs.

Dr. Maureen J. Walls-McKay

Associate Vice President for Health & Well-Being
Director of CAPS
434.395.2409
CAPS@longwood.edu

I'm glad you are checking out the CAPS website and hope you find information to help yourself or a friend make a healthy next step. CAPS is the primary provider for Longwood University students’ mental health and well-being needs. I enjoy overseeing the dedicated team of clinicians who utilize a stepped care model to empower students to take the next step in their personalized well-being plan. Everyone deserves support during college and CAPS is pleased to serve in this important campus role. The CAPS team is here to help you address your well-being needs in an affirming, emotionally safe, and respectful environment.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist and serve as the Director of CAPS and the Associate Vice President for Health and Well-Being. I earned a doctorate in clinical psychology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and I completed an APA-accredited pre-doctoral internship year at the University of Pittsburgh Counseling Center. In 1995, I relocated from Pittsburgh to Farmville to join the Longwood community. Being at Longwood has been a joy.

I am a change-oriented psychologist who takes a respectful and empowering approach and focuses on helping each student become more intentional about the steps they wish to make. It is a privilege to work with students as they continue their journey to create a life they desire and deserve.

In addition to leading the Well-Being Team, I enjoy a number of additional roles at Longwood. I serve as an Academic Coach to incoming Lancers and have taught, as needed, in the Counselor Education graduate program. You will also see me being active in the Fitness Center in Pierson Hall and eating lunch in the d-hall most every day. The joys associated with my personal life include a wonderful husband, Bluegrass Billy, who is the owner of one19 Restaurant on Main Street; a silly rescue dog, Lily Bleu; and many supportive and fun friends. Bill and I enjoy hosting dinners at our home and I find joy in reselling thrifted items. I also strive to be good to our earth each day.

Dr. Brandon Creech

Licensed Clinical Psychologist
434.395.2409
CAPS@longwood.edu

I am originally from East Tennessee but moved to Kentucky to attend Cumberland College where 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 courses through the 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, social justice movements & political activism, and issues related to DEAI. One of the most rewarding aspects of my work as a psychologist is aiding students in exploring and celebrating their intersecting identities which, in turn, empowers personal growth as well as large-scale social, political, economic, and cultural evolution.

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

I graduated from 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 where I then interned at JMU’s college counseling center and graduated in 1999 with M.A. and Ed.S degrees.

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 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 SLD/ADHD assessment. In addition to clinical responsibilities, I 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, and life transitions. I enjoy working with LGBTQIA+ and first-generation college students. I approach my work with marginalized students with a multicultural and a social justice perspective.

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 comics, 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. I also like to garden with an affinity for growing a variety of sweet and hot peppers. Growing up in Massachusetts has made me a big Boston sports fan and I follow the Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics.

Jaime Huggard, LPC

Staff Clinician
434.395.2409
CAPS@longwood.edu

I am originally from the Farmville area, and, though I’ve lived in other places, I’ve always returned to the heart of Virginia. I am a graduate of Longwood University where I earned both my bachelor of science (1998) and master of science (2001) during my time as a Lancer. After graduating, I worked toward licensure in the mental health professions and obtained an LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) in 2006.

Upon graduating, I worked at a number of clinics and gained a depth and breadth of experience in counseling. I use that experience to approach students on a personal level, and I have a great deal of respect for those brave enough to seek out counseling services. As an active listener, I support, encourage, and guide my clients in healthier and happier directions. I truly enjoy getting to know each person as we are all so very unique in our needs and goals. Since connecting with people is so very important, I use a variety of therapeutic interventions dependent upon the student and their personal treatment goals.

When I’m not working at CAPS, I have a private practice, Mental Health Matters (MHM), where I continue to hone my therapeutic skills. I started this business to be able to reach more people in need of counseling services. I enjoy both my time at CAPS and my time with telehealth clients via MHM. Aside from work, I spend a great deal of time with my husband, two children, and our two dogs. We love hiking, attending comic-cons, listening to music, Broadway shows, and cooking. I enjoy researching recipes and testing them out on my family. I also have a passion for thrift shopping and can be found at our local thrift stores almost weekly.

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, earning 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, identity affirmation, multicultural competency, and evidence-based practice.

Some of my professional areas of interest include interpersonal difficulties, trauma, adult survivors of childhood abuse, and issues specific to rural practice. As a psychologist, 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 alongside students to help them discover their own solutions to life’s problems and develop skills to build their resilience. Through partnership with the Cormier Honors College, I’ve been able to teach a course that’s aligned with my goals as a therapist. Grounded in DBT and positive psychology, the HONS 295 course offers a unique opportunity for students to learn skills that build resilience and cultivate well-being while receiving academic credit.

Outside of CAPS, I spend my free time staying active. I like to hike, lift, bike, and find creative ways to exercise, like roller skating. I’m an avid quad skater, and occasionally, you may see me skating around campus. Usually though, you can find me skating with River City Roller Derby as the jammer, Sigmund Feud.

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 earn 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, practicing cultural humility 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 that everyone can work towards overcoming life's challenges. Additionally, it is my goal to create an inclusive, safe, 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