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Meet our Counseling Center Staff
Executive Director & Staff Psychologist
Position Role:
Full-Time Staff
Office Location:
Tivoli 651
Bio: Dr. Boldt is the Director and a Licensed Psychologist in the state of Colorado with 30 years of experience in both community mental health and college counseling. He has also taught for 10 years as an adjunct professor of a psychology doctoral program. His professional interests include feminism and Relational Cultural Theory, the creative arts in transformation, men’s issues and responsibilities in society, healing responses for trauma, interpersonal process and systemic approaches to change, leadership models, and the training of future professionals. Dr. Boldt likes to paint with acrylics on canvas for fun and finds parallels between the creative process and the counseling process. “Despite our fears, the act of committing paint to an empty canvas is like going for our dreams in life. This may be both scary and liberating, as we become artists of our own futures and once again can find hope.”
Associate Director & Staff Psychologist
Position Role:
Full-Time Staff
Office Location:
Tivoli 651
Bio: Dr. Burkhart is an Associate Director and Staff Psychologist and has been a part of the staff at the Counseling Center since 2016. She received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology in 1995 from Kent State University, and she is a licensed psychologist in the state of Colorado.
Dr. Burkhart has worked at several university Counseling Centers, including Minnesota State University-Mankato (formerly Mankato State University), Baldwin-Wallace College, and Iowa State University. She was the director of a LGBTQI+ Center in Minnesota. She was in private practice for twelve years, and her agency primarily served a diverse, low-income population. Throughout her career she has sought out opportunities to work on issues of diversity, inclusion and equity.
Dr. Burkhart works with clients from multiple perspectives including cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal process, and psychodynamic. She is a generalist therapist who works with most issues, including depression and anxiety. Specialization areas include LGBTQI+ issues, supervision, diversity issues, women’s issues and interpersonal violence/trauma.
Staff Psychologist
Position Role:
Full-Time Staff
Office Location:
Tivoli 651
Bio: Dr. Malmon (he/him/his) is a Licensed Psychologist in the state of Colorado and joined the MSU Denver Counseling Center in 2012. He earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles, in 1990, and has spent his entire post-license career in college and university mental health work. Prior to coming to MSU, he worked as Assistant Director of Counseling at Occidental College in Los Angeles, and as Coordinator of Counseling at the College of Wooster in Ohio. He also has served as advisor and chair for psychologist continuing education for the American College Health Association since 2004.
Dr. Malmon works from a relational, strength-based, approach to therapy, which includes aspects of psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and positive psychologies. He is a generalist therapist who is comfortable working with all issues relevant to the university community, but has particular areas of interest/specialization that include depression, anxiety, group therapy, dream interpretation, and ethical non-monogamy. He is known as the extravert on the staff, and very much enjoys getting out on campus to do all manner of outreach programming.
Associate Director & Staff Psychologist
Position Role:
Full-Time Staff
Office Location:
Tivoli 651
Bio: Dr. Sia (he/him/his) is a Licensed Psychologist in the state of Colorado and joined the Counseling Center in 2023. He earned his Ph.D. in Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology from the University of California Santa Barbara in 2010 and has worked in several university Counseling Centers, including those at UCSB, Northwestern University, and most recently, the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he served as a Staff Psychologist and Assistant Director of Paraprofessional Training.
Dr. Sia works from a collaborative, strength-based, and integrative approach to therapy, which is grounded in existential and humanistic tenets, and informed by a lens of multiculturalism and social justice. He aims to co-construct a warm, non-judgmental, authentic, and affirming space to empower clients’ efforts to grow and seek support. He is a generalist therapist who works with a variety of issues relevant to the university community and specializes in career and vocational development, family and relationship concerns, APIDA mental health, men’s issues, addiction treatment, and supervision.
Staff Psychologist
Position Role:
Full-Time Staff
Office Location:
Tivoli 651
Bio: Dr. Boyum received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 1994 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is a Licensed Psychologist in the state of Colorado. She has worked part-time with the MSU Denver Counseling Center since 2020, and full-time since January 2023.
Dr. Boyum was a pediatric staff psychologist at National Jewish Health, and instructor and assistant professor at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, from 1992 – 2003. She was an adjunct instructor at the University of Denver from 2015– 2019, teaching graduate courses in Lifespan Development. She had a full-time private practice from 2003-2023.
Dr. Boyum has worked with children, adolescents and adults with a variety of clinical needs including mood disorders (depression, bipolar), anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic, OCD, phobias), PTSD, acute and chronic medical conditions, Asperger’s Disorder, grief and loss, developmental disabilities and young- adult transitions. She is also interested in the areas of artistic performance and expression, developing and maintaining adult friendships, spirituality, family influences, stress management and self-compassion.
Dr. Boyum follows a relationship-based approach to psychotherapy, with interventions built on evidence-supported techniques. Her approach is supported by foundational work in lifespan developmental psychology.
Staff Psychologist
Position Role:
Full-Time Staff
Office Location:
Tivoli 651
Bio:
Dr. Kavanaugh (she/they) is a Licensed Psychologist in the state of Colorado and received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Oklahoma State University in 2021. Dr. Kavanaugh completed their pre-doctoral internship at Colorado State University in Fort Collins and served the roles of Post-Doctoral Fellow and Primary Therapist at an eating disorder treatment center.
Dr. Kavanaugh’s therapeutic approach is person-centered, integrative, and empowerment-oriented. She often works with clients who may struggle with managing expectations from others while working to discover their authentic selves. Dr. Kavanaugh is passionate about providing LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent-affirming therapy and encourages curiosity, creativity, and self-compassion in sessions. They consider themselves to be a “professional nerd” and often utilizes narratives and themes from media, popular culture, and fandom in therapy. Areas of specialization include anxiety, LGBTQIA+ mental health, body image, disordered eating, ADHD and ASD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder, respectively), and trauma.
Office Manager
Position Role:
Full-Time Staff
Office Location:
Tivoli 651
Bio: Coming soon
Staff Psychologist
Position Role:
Full-Time Staff
Office Location:
Tivoli 651
Bio: Dr. Gornell is a Licensed Psychologist in the state of Colorado and is also Board Certified in Clinical Psychology. He has been at the MSU Denver Counseling Center since 2012. Dr. Gornell has worked with children, adolescents and adults who present with a variety of concerns. His professional experience includes working in community mental health and at a hospital-based counseling center. He has also taught as an adjunct instructor for doctoral programs in Illinois and Colorado. His areas of interest include mindfulness-based approaches to therapy, depression, anxiety, trauma and spirituality and therapy.
Staff Psychotherapist
Position Role:
Full-Time Staff
Office Location:
Tivoli 651
Bio: Dr. Tuakoi earned her Psychological Doctorate (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology from the University of the Rockies (UoR) in Colorado Springs. UoR was formerly known as the Colorado School of Professional Psychology. She completed her internship at the Sol Vista Youth Correctional Facility and worked at the Colorado State Penitentiary and Denver Women’s Correctional Facility shortly thereafter. Dr. Tuakoi worked with the mentally ill incarcerated population at aforementioned facilities. She then worked with the mentally ill population at the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo; she worked primarily with the population found Incompetent to Proceed per criminal charges incurred. More recently, she worked with the Intellectually and Developmentally Delayed population at the Pueblo Regional Center. She is being supervised by Dr. Jeanne Burkhart, Staff Psychologist.
Outreach Coordinator & Bilingual Staff Psychologist
Position Role:
Full-Time Staff
Office Location:
Tivoli 651
Bio: Dr. Gonzalez (she/her/ella) earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Indiana University Bloomington. She completed her doctoral psychology internship at Colorado State University and her post-doctoral residency at the University of Denver Health & Counseling Center. She also served as Assistant Director of the Center of Human Growth at Indiana University Bloomington, where she supervised counselors-in-training and supported students experiencing crises. Throughout the course of her training, Dr. Gonzalez was a part of a Spanish-speaking team of counselors who provided community workshops, outreach, and individual services to Latinx/e/@-identified students and community members. As a member of this team, she especially valued her role in working with undocumented Spanish-speaking adults with alcohol use concerns.
As a bilingual Latina Psychologist and child of immigrants, Dr. Gonzalez views counseling and daily life through an intersectional feminist and multicultural lens. She also integrates other perspectives into her counseling approach, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and an Interpersonal Processing Approach. She enjoys working with folx on concerns related to identity exploration, alcohol use, intergenerational trauma, oppression and resistance, and adjustment difficulties. She especially loves working with BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) students, Spanish/Spanglish-speakers, undocumented and DACA students, international students, first-generation students, children of immigrants, members of the LGBTQIA community, and members of fandom communities (e.g. Harry Potter, anime, K-pop, book series, etc.). She values getting to know her clients’ salient identities, passions, hobbies, and background to be able to integrate them into their counseling experience.
Advanced Doctoral Practicum Student
Position Role:
Part-Time Advanced Practicum Trainee
Office Location:
Tivoli 651
Bio: Marissa (she/her) is a first-generation student and alumna of MSU Denver, where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Human Services and Counseling with a Concentration in Addiction Studies and is now a Certified Addiction Specialist. She then went on to receive her Master’s degree in clinical Mental Health Counseling from Regis University. She is currently working on her Doctorate degree in counseling psychology at the University of Denver.
Marissa has experience working at all levels of care for substance use treatment, including individual, outpatient, IOP, PHP, Residential, and Detox. Additionally, she has primarily served marginalized, BIPOC, and low-income clients in the mental health setting and maintains her passion for staying connected to and giving back to her community. Marissa utilizes Liberation Psychology and Feminist Theory as her framework when addressing client issues. While she enjoys working with all client concerns, she has particular interest in substance use, attachment/relational/couples work, generational trauma, and processing oppression-based stress and trauma. As a Chicana and first-generation student who comes from a low-income background, she is passionate about unpacking how systems of oppression impact the day to day lives and mental health of historically and presently marginalized communities. She is passionate about decolonizing therapy and utilizing the therapy space as a way to process the generational trauma that has come from colonialism, build resistance to oppression and oppression-based stress/trauma, and move forward with advocacy/activism as a form of healing the individual, as well as generations before, and after.
Advanced Doctoral Practicum Student
Position Role:
Part-Time Advanced Practicum Trainee
Office Location:
Tivoli 651
Bio: Rafe (he/him/his) is from New York City and received his Bachelor’s degree from Skidmore College in 2014. Before coming to the field of psychology, Rafe was a filmmaker for 10 years and traveled the world telling the stories of people he met. In 2021, he began the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program at the Graduate School of Professional Psychology at the University of Denver and anticipates graduating in 2026. Over the past three years, Rafe has worked with a diverse population using CBT and ACT-based modalities but finds it more important to get to know the person rather than focusing on a specific type of treatment. He aims to create a non-judgmental, safe environment for people to feel comfortable expressing their emotions.
Advanced Doctoral Practicum Student
Position Role:
Part-Time Advanced Practicum Trainee
Office Location:
Tivoli 651
Bio: Devon (she/her) is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Denver. She previously earned her M.A. in Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University, and her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Vermont. Devon has worked in various mental health settings, including private practice, community mental health, non-profit organizations, and research institutions. She also holds a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Certification and an additional 80-hour certification in Restorative Yoga.
Devon’s current areas of interest include trauma, anxiety, depression, LGBTQ+ issues, relationship concerns, sex and intimacy, and somatic work. She approaches therapy from a relationally focused perspective, which emphasizes the therapeutic relationship and considers both individual and systemic factors that influence well-being. Additionally, Devon’s work is informed by the mind-body connection, incorporating the nervous system and physical experience. She strives to create a trusting, supportive, curious, and collaborative space where clients feel welcome to show up exactly as they are.
Advanced Doctoral Practicum Student
Position Role:
Part-Time Advanced Practicum Trainee
Office Location:
Tivoli 651
Bio: Chloe (she/her) is a second-year doctoral student in Counseling Psychology at the University of Denver, with experience working in college counseling and private practice settings. She specializes in a range of issues, including anxiety, depression, interpersonal conflicts, identity development, body image concerns, and academic challenges. Chloe is dedicated to creating a therapeutic environment where clients feel safe, seen, and heard. Chloe employs a relationally focused approach grounded in Relational-Cultural Theory (RCT). She also integrates techniques from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients adopt practical tools to manage emotions, enhance interpersonal relationships, and foster self-acceptance. Chloe is passionate about acknowledging and validating clients’ intersectional identities and is deeply committed to social justice and advocacy in her work.