Student Affairs
Cynthia Gibney, BScN, MScN, RN (she/her) - Executive Director
Cynthia oversees a broad range of health, wellness and accessibility-related programs and services. She has extensive experience in the post-secondary and health care sectors and is committed to student well-being. Cynthia continues to develop positive relationships and collaborations with students, staff, faculty and sector-wide networks to enhance services and support students.
Christina Misener - Referral Clerk/Psychiatry Secretary
Fatima Couto (she/her) - Clinic Manager
Jennifer Feenstra-Shaw - Administrative Clerk
Jeannette Foley - Administrative Clerk
Logan Reid - Senior Administrative Clerk
Michelle Berry - Administrative Clerk
Rose Barton - Records Clerk
Susie Daggitt - Senior Administrative Clerk
Dr. Jamey Adirim - Psychiatrist
Dr. Suzanne Billing - Family Physician
Dr. Carolyn Borins - Family Physician
Dr. Joe Burley - Psychiatrist
Dr. Tori Candy - Family Physician
Dr. Rachel Erskine - Family Physician
Dr. Anne Duffy - Psychiatrist
Heather Geddes - Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Allison Gemmill - Family Physician
Dr. Michael McDonnell - Medical Lead
Dr. Stephen McNevin - Psychiatrist
Dr. Eileen Nicolle - Family Physician
Dr. Nick Nishikawa - Family Physician
Dr. Linda O'Connor - Family Physician
Roger Pilon - Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Yang Wang - Gynecologist
Dr. Ed Weiss - Family Physician
Aelea Syed, MA, RP
(she/her)
BIPoC Therapist
Aelea is a registered psychotherapist who works with her clients to create a warm, gentle and collaborative relationship to foster healing processes. Aelea is a trauma informed therapist and provides inclusive space for individuals to help them feel seen and heard. She uses a client centered approach and integrate compassion-based therapies that foster a sense of safety and empowerment in her client’s healing journeys.
Amber McCart, BA, LLB, MA, RP
(she/her)
Clinical Manager
Amber is a registered psychotherapist who serves as both clinical manager and psychotherapist at Student Wellness Services. She is keen to help people discover and respond to what might be standing between them and how they want their lives to unfold. Kindness, curiosity, experience, and commitment guide her approach.
Amy Fisher, M.A. Counselling Psychology, RP
(she/her)
Mental Health Therapist for Commerce
Amy is a registered psychotherapist who works with Commerce Students at the Smith School of Business. Amy’s goal as a therapist is to show care and sensitivity when meeting with students, hoping to understand their experiences better and work collaboratively to develop ideas that might help them feel less stuck. Amy uses a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach and often works with clients around better understanding and developing emotion regulation skills, qualities of healthy relationships, and stress management tools. Amy prefers spending time outdoors, loves to laugh, hike with friends, adventure with her family, and according to her teens, has far too many plants.
Anna Paolucci, RP
(she/her)
Mental Health Therapist for School of Medicine
Anna works exclusively with medical doctors in training with Queen’s School of Medicine. She deeply appreciates the opportunity to work with future physicians enrolled in the MD Program, the Lakeridge MD Program and Medical Residents practicing in hospitals and clinics.
Arunima Khanna, PhD., C. Psych.
Psychologist, Cross-Cultural and Diversity Affairs
Arunima is a psychologist who provides counselling/therapy mostly to racialized and international students, and training and workshops on multicultural competencies and cultural humility, equity and anti-racism, and the needs of students from diverse cultural, racial, and ethnic backgrounds. Her services are grounded in an intersectional multicultural framework in that clients’ issues are informed by the social and cultural contexts within which they live. To this end, she focuses on both individual and structural issues, taking a strengths-based, social justice, and culturally informed approach using evidence-based therapy.
Brooke McLatchie, MA Counselling Psychology, RP
Mental Health Therapist
Brooke is a registered psychotherapist who does her best to create a space that is empowering but always leaves a bit of room for laughter. Her approach has been described as warm but direct, focusing often on learning and understanding oneself while exploring areas of change that may be pursued. Brooke works with people presenting with a wide variety of challenges but has always been partial to doing relationship work. She works with people through some trial-and-error to find what skills best suit their needs and helps students apply them in real life. Brooke will rarely pass up the opportunity to discuss animals, delicious recipes, or horribly cheesy metaphors that you will suddenly be using yourself in day-to-day life.
Chelsea Stelmach, BAH, MACP, RP
(she/her)
Mental Health Therapist
Chelsea likes turtles, romance novels, and backcountry camping, not always in that order. Chelsea is passionate about finding collaborative solutions to students' wellness goals and needs. Chelsea works from a trauma-informed, client-centered, feminist framework, and specializes in dealing with anxiety and relationships.
Emily Blacker, MA, MIR, CCC, RP
(she/her)
Mental Health Therapist for Faculty of Arts & Science
Emily is a therapist with Student Wellness Services whose role is embedded in the Faculty of Arts and Science. Emily provides counselling services in accordance with Student Wellness Services’ mandate, which is to support the personal, academic, and social health development of students at Queen’s University by providing a range of programs and services. Emily also works with faculty and staff within the Faculty of Arts and Science on matters pertaining to student mental health and wellness.
Jo-ann Ferreira, BSW, RSW, M.Ed. Counselling Psychology
(she/her)
Clinical Manager
Jo-ann works collaboratively with embedded therapists and their faculties. She also oversees therapy groups, facilitates Navigating University with Autism and has an interest in making the way easier for Neuro spicy students. Jo-ann is from Trinidad; Soca Queen and Latin dance lover.
Lisa Doxtator, BSW, MSW, RSW
Cultural Counsellor, Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre
Lisa provides individual and group counselling and offer wellness and cultural programming to Indigenous students. She values an integrative care approach that includes both Indigenous and Western approaches and acknowledges and validates Indigenous students' experiences and histories. She often uses a peer-led approach and enjoys seeing the benefit of peer-led sharing circles where students can share their struggles and feel connected. Her services and our cultural programming at Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre (4D) are open to any student who self-identifies as Indigenous, regardless of status or past connections to their culture. We aim to make 4D a safe place where all our Indigenous students at Queen's can come to participate, learn and feel supported.
Maggie Munoz, BA, SSW, MSW, RSW
(she/her)
Mental Health Therapist for Smith Engineering
Maggie is a registered social worker who provides clinical counseling and support to students of Smith Engineering. Maggie practices a trauma informed, empathic, client-centered and solution focused approach and, understands the unique demands placed on students in this busy and competitive program. Special attention to issues of human rights, minorities in engineering, perfectionism and anxiety disorders, onset of major mental illnesses, and navigating stressful aspects of post-secondary education. Interventions utilize various therapeutic modalities, empathetic support, problem solving, referrals and advocacy to best support students in maintaining their mental health and meeting their academic requirements.
Marissa Holway, MA Counselling Psychology, RP
(she/her)
Mental Health Therapist for Commerce
Marissa is a registered psychotherapist that works exclusively with students within Commerce at Smith School of Business. Marissa understands the unique demands placed on students in this competitive program and appreciates the opportunity to work with and support them with their mental health.
Nadia Sawaya Fehr, M.A. Counselling Psychology, RP
(she/her)
Mental Health Therapist for Residence
Nadia is a registered psychotherapist who works to create a safe and inclusive space for all her clients. Trauma-informed and highly empathic, Nadia uses both person-centered and emotion focused therapies as a basis to her approach. Nadia loves seeing the strength and vulnerability in each student as she walks with them on their journey.
Pamela Hall, M.C., Counseling Psychology, RP, CCC
(she/her)
Mental Health Therapist for Faculty of Arts & Science
Pamela is a registered psychotherapist who provides psychotherapy to students within the Faculty of Arts & Science. Working from a trauma informed and client centred approach, Pamela seeks to support students in fostering an understanding of their current experiences and how they can create a meaningful path forward. Pamela believes in being a human first, and approaches each session with curiosity, compassion, and empathy.
Peter Kerby, BSW, M.Sc, RSW, Reg’d Couple & Family Therapist
(he/him)
Mental Health Therapist
Peter has over 30 years' experience working with people to overcome mental health and relationship challenges. He approaches his work with the intention of creating a space that is both safe and accepting where together, with him, people find healing and helpful ways to address the distressing issues they are struggling with. Peter with his partner have two adult (neuro diverse) children - with everyone in the family being or becoming mental health professionals.
Roger Davidson, MA, MACP
Mental Health Therapist
Roger is a registered psychotherapist with a background working with children, youth, and adults as a counsellor and crisis responder. He works from an integrative, person-centered approach and strives to strike for each individual client an optimal balance between ‘soft skills’ and ‘hard skills’ - that is, between providing a validating, exploratory, healing relationship and delivering effective interventions that foster concrete, lasting change. In his spare time, he enjoys watching low budget movies with his cats, reading pulp Sci-Fi, making curry, and reliving the halcyon days of the Nineties through alt rock classics.
Saranya Navaratnam, M.A Counselling Psychology, RP
(she/her)
BIPOC Therapist for Smith Engineering
Saranya approaches therapy with a foundation of cultural humility, recognizing the diverse backgrounds and experiences of each individual she works with. Through an intersectional lens, Saranya strives to understand how various aspects of identity intersect and influence one's mental health. Her practice is deeply rooted in an empathic person-centered approach, where the student’s unique needs, values, and perspectives guide the therapeutic process. Utilizing an integrative clinical model of care, Saranya draws from various therapeutic modalities to tailor care to each student’s specific needs and goals.
Sevda Akilli, PhD, RP
(she/her)
Mental Health Therapist for School of Graduate Studies and Sexual Violence Counsellor
Sevda is a Turkish-born registered psychotherapist with a strong background in human development and complex trauma. Her commitment to social justice and anti-oppression is one reason she chose psychotherapy as a profession. She truly believes the following quote from Janina Fisher “since you had the resources within you to survive, you have all the resources within you to heal”. She feels privileged to do the work she loves here at Queen’s. Sevda loves trees, dogs, and boxing, and never says no to a good gelato!
Shannon Bovey, M.Ed., RP
(she/her)
Clinical Manager, Internship Program
Shannon is a trauma-informed registered psychotherapist and clinical manager, working from a therapeutic posture of respect, transparency, and collaboration. She believes that when students feel seen and heard there is enormous potential for desired acceptance and change.
Shannon Gendron, MA Counselling Psychology RP
(they/them)
2SLGBTQ+ Psychotherapist
Shannon draws upon their degree in Gender Studies and lived experience to anchor their eclectic trauma-informed care within a holistic, intersectional, anti-oppressive, and transpersonal framework. With deep reverence for gender, sexual, relational, and neuro diversity, Shannon is devoted to creating a therapeutic space and community for self-exploration, expansion, Queer Joy, and gender sovereignty. They work closely with the Yellow House and are the co-founder of the gender diverse support groups.
Shasha Wang, M.Ed., RP
(she/her)
Mental Health Therapist for School of Nursing
Shasha is a twice-immigrant who was born in China, grew up in Japan, and has been living in Canada from coast-to-coast for the last 20 years. She understands the courage it takes for a student to reach out for support and is intentional about creating a space for students to experience themselves fully and feel less alone in their struggles. Shasha believes that when we make space and really get to know what’s inside, we can access the inner wisdom that’s within us. She feels honored to be a co-journeyer of students’ journey at Queen’s.
Solita Sipkens, BSW, MSW, RSW
(she/her)
Mental Health Therapist for Faculty of Education
Solita is a registered social worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. She provides counselling services at Student Wellness Services as well as within the Faculty of Education. She views health and well-being from a holistic perspective and believes that one's physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being are all interconnected.
Susannah Ireland, MSW, RSW
(she/her)
Mental Health Therapist for School of Graduate Studies and Sexual Violence Counsellor
Susannah is a registered social worker who recognizes that individuals are the experts of their own lives but may need some support along the way. Trauma-informed and specifically sensitive to the difficulty of opening up, she integrates a range a range of approaches to support the processing of trauma, working towards increasing the capacity to remember without having to re-live traumatic experiences.
Terra Sweigard, M.Ed., Counselling Psychology, RP
(she/her)
Mental Health Therapist for Residence
Terra is a registered psychotherapist, an avid tv watcher and cat lover who is able to create a safe and inclusive space to explore mental health difficulties and challenges. Terra is trauma informed and works from a person-centered lens using a variety of therapeutic interventions depending on each individual. Terra loves working with students to discover their strengths and develop new skills to move through life.
Vanessa Mensah, RSW, MBA
BIPOC Therapist
Vanessa is a registered social worker drawn to helping people through an intersectional lens. Her services are grounded in an integrated approach enabling clients to unpack the complexities of their stories and the layers of oppression experienced or experiencing.
Wendy Morrison, RP, MEd
(she/her)
Mental Health Therapist
Wendy is a registered psychotherapist whose primary role is at the mental health walk in clinic. She has many years of experience working in the mental health field. Wendy has loved learning from the students what they need when they take that step to reach out. She works to ensure each student is seen and that their unique story is understood. Together they work on resolving their challenges and deciding what each student may need as a next step. When not surrounded by students, Wendy loves to be surrounded by animals – whether that be her many pets or those in nature.
Caitlin Bruce (she/her), BAA (Behavioural Psychology)
As a person who is partially sighted, and a former post-secondary student with a disability, I am passionate about accessibility and inclusion for everyone. My goal is to work collaboratively with students to understand and implement accommodations that will ensure them equal access and full participation in their studies at Queen’s.
Cristina Cardelus (she/her), BA, M.Ed
I aim to remove barriers and help you achieve your full potential. My background is in Psychology and Education, and I approach my work with compassion and understanding. I look forward to connecting with you!
Meg Hall (she/her), BA, CCRC, CVRP, RRP
I am passionate about helping students focus on their strengths and abilities, rather than on their "disabilities." I aim to build trust with students through empathy and compassion. I believe that all people with disabilities have the same right to equal opportunities.
Caroline Teske (she/her), MWS, RSW
I am a Registered Social Worker. I hold a Master of Social Work from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Arts Honours with a Major in Psychology, and a Minor in Sociology from Queen’s University. In my current role, I develop, implement, and support academic accommodation planning for students with disabilities. I strive to create an equitable and inclusive approach to education and services.
Angel Varrette (she/her), BAA (Behavioural Psychology)
My goal is to understand students’ individual set of circumstances that, without accommodation supports, would interfere with their participation in post-secondary education. I enjoy working collaboratively with students to develop a comprehensive accommodation plan that addresses their academic accessibility needs at Queen’s.
Mary Buynak (she/her), B.Ed, M.Ed
I value a respectful, kind, and compassionate approach to providing accessible services to learning. I strive to actively listen in order to understand each student’s experience and apply my background in education to create a well-rounded view of the academic needs of university students.
Jon Oosterman (he/him), BAA (Behavioural Psychology)
I aim to be a positive first point of contact for students who are looking to register for academic accommodations at Queen’s, connecting students with advisors and other resources to help them be successful at university. I believe in the equitable access to university education and all its supports.
Alan Jeans (he/him), B.Ed, M.Ed
I value education and learning. As a former teacher, I have witnessed many students develop and grow their confidence, their sense of empowerment, and their self-assurance through engaging with the education and learning process. I believe that the ability to develop confidence, feel empowered, and become self-assured should be equally available and accessible to all. This is what motivates me to do the work that I do.
Monique Dubé (she/her), B.Ed, M.Ed
I am a passionate educator who strongly believes in equity and inclusion for students with disabilities. I provide support to students with disabilities by assessing their individual disability related needs, addressing their concerns, and recommending accommodations that remove barriers present in academic settings. I enjoy working collaboratively with students to help them reach their learning potential and experience equal access to learning environments.
Deb Bruce (she/her), BA, B.Ed
I aim to provide a welcoming and non-judgmental space for students to share their disability-related needs, experiences, ideas, and concerns. My goal is to provide individualized support that not only removes existing barriers to learning, but also elevates the overall experience of students with disabilities at Queen’s. I work closely with the Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre, and recognize the impacts of race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, and gender identity on a student’s experience of their disability.
Toni Thornton (they/she), BA, B.Ed, MA, M.Ed
I recognize people's intersectional identities and believe in disability justice. Having co-developing many courses at Queen’s, I bring a unique perspective on the opportunities and challenges that exist for both students and instructors at the university. And as both an educator and a parent, I have seen what is possible when students have equitable access to learning. My goal is to work with the QSAS team to make those possibilities a reality for all students.
Ellen Babb (she/her), BA (Psych)
As an Advisor, I help students build an accommodation plan to meet their individual needs, as well as understand and implement their accommodations. My background is in Developmental Psychology, and I have always been passionate about increasing equity and inclusivity in educational settings.
Melissa O'Meara (she/her), BAA (Behavioural Psychology)
My aim is to assist students to equalize learning and educational experiences. My goal is to help promote confidence and inclusion for students with disabilities. Connecting students with an advisor and other resources empowers their independence by creating individualized accommodations to their specific needs. With compassion, empathy, and trust, I continue to work collaboratively to advocate and educate others and decrease gaps and barriers.
Hilary Marshall (she/her), BA, M.Ed
My goal is to help make education a more inclusive space for all those who want to learn. I believe that everyone deserves equal access to learning opportunities. Throughout the intake process, I aim to provide students accessing QSAS with the resources they need to meet their goals.
Taylor Liggett (she/her), BBPH
My goal is to provide a safe and warm environment for students to share their educational experiences in. Through a compassionate, trauma-informed lens I work to provide accommodations to remove barriers so that all students can access their education. My background is in Behavioural Psychology, and I am dedicated to lifelong learning to continually improve my practices. I look forward to working with you!
Kate Humphrys, MA, BPHE/BSC, BEd - Manager, Health Promotion
(she/her)
Kate has been in her role at Queen’s for over 10 years and has been privileged to be part of the growing awareness of the importance of well-being on post-secondary campuses. Prior to working at Queen’s, her career included work at KFL&A Public Health, the Ontario Lung Association, Outward Bound Canada, and with several international health education NGOs. She has also taught K-12 in both the public and private school systems. Kate is passionate about working upstream to address the social determinants of health and in empowering all people to be active participants in their own health.
Erin Burns, BAH Health Studies, DIPA Certificate - Peer Health Outreach Coordinator
(she/her)
As a graduate of Health Studies and Physical Activity and Disability Studies from Queen's University, Erin is a passionate advocate for public health, upstream health solutions, and health equity. With years of experience in various roles within Health Promotion, she has honed her skills in project and program management, volunteer coordination, and marketing and communications. These skills allows her to help students pursue their goals and be well at Queen's.
Beth Blackett, BKin, MA - Health Promotion Project Specialist
(she/her)
Beth has always been passionate about taking an upstream approach and looking at how our physical and social environments impact well-being. When it comes to supporting someone who wants to make a health behaviour change, she takes a strengths-based approach to meet students where they are at in that particular moment. She is particularly interested in mental and physical health promotion and the intersectionality between all domains of wellness.
Anne Danby - Registered Nurse
Marianne Evans - Registered Practical Nurse
Valerie Greenly - Registered Nurse
Maggie Hoover, RN BScN - Clinical Practice Lead
Mahsa Hemmatian - Registered Nurse
Sunday Kayaras, MSW - Triage Consultant
Lori Epp - Occupational Therapist
Jenna McManus - Registered Practical Nurse
Kelly Mannen - Mental Health Registered Nurse/Triage Consultant
Marilyn Stokes - Registered Nurse
Maria Sarris - Registered Practical Nurse