Meet Our Staff

Our professional staff are licensed and experienced mental health professionals. In addition to our professional staff, clients may be seen by post-doctoral trainees, post-master's trainees and graduate students from the departments of psychology, social work and leadership and counseling while supervised by professional staff.

Oscar Alcaine, Ph.D. (He/Him)

Director

Oscar is a licensed clinical psychologist who started working at EMU in 2006. He previously worked at SUNY Purchase’s Counseling Center and completed a clinical fellowship at Columbia University. Oscar assumed the role of Interim Director of EMU CAPS in 2025 and is responsible for strategic planning and operations for the clinic. Oscar aims to create a clinic that is welcoming to all students and aims to reduce stigma around mental health issues.  

 

Sania Ahmed, MS, LLP

Mental Health Therapist

Sania is a limited license psychologist who received her master’s degree in general clinical psychology from Eastern Michigan University. She completed both her graduate internship and post-graduate fellowship at EMU CAPS. Her clinical interests include multicultural concerns, family of origin concerns, identity issues, trauma, depression, and anxiety. Sania adopts an interpersonal, strengths-based, and integrative approach to therapy, working collaboratively with her clients to foster insight and growth.

Sharon Carney, Ph.D.

Staff Psychologist and Coordinator of Practicum Training

Sharon is a licensed psychologist and a licensed professional counselor. She earned her doctorate in counseling psychology at Western Michigan University in 2007. Sharon completed her pre-doctoral internship at the University of Notre Dame in 2006 and worked as a clinician at the University of Notre Dame and Valparaiso University prior to joining EMU Counseling and Psychological Services in April 2008. Her areas of clinical interest include working with folks in the LGBTQ+ community, multicultural and feminist psychology, training and supervision, trauma, family of origin concerns, spirituality, and use of creative arts in counseling. Sharon takes an integrative approach to counseling that is grounded in interpersonal process, relational, and multicultural perspectives. Sharon serves at the coordinator of practicum training, as CAPS is a training site for graduate students in psychology, counseling, and social work. 

Ashwini Gulwadi, M.D.

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Gulwadi is a board-certified psychiatrist. She believes in coordinating clinically-appropriate treatment plans with combining evidence-based and novel psychotropic medications and psychotherapy. She works in a collaborative treatment model with the student’s current therapist, if they are already working with one. Dr. Gulwadi's work includes looking at the relationships between mental health, physical health, women’s issues, nutrition, spirituality, culture, grief, loss, childhood, development and identity. Her approach involves alleviating clinical symptoms while helping students toward living more fulfilling lives. Her areas of special interest include mood disorders, anxiety disorders and trauma-related disorders.

Diana Jasser, PsyD (She/Her)

Staff Psychologist

Diana is a staff psychologist who earned her doctoral degree from the Michigan School of Psychology. Diana’s therapeutic approach integrates humanistic, intersectional feminist, third-wave CBT, and strength-based modalities. Diana believes that you are the expert of your own life, and that she is here with you, witnessing, validating, and supporting. Diana especially values working with immigrant and first-generation populations, individuals with experiences of trauma (interpersonal, collective, and intergenerational), folks struggling with food and body concerns, and the LGBTQ+ community. In her free time, Diana loves to be in nature, dance, cook Teta’s recipes with her family, and lay down. Diana is working on deepening her relationship to pleasure and rest and supporting others in this process.

Austin Kieffer, LMSW (He/Him)

Clinical Social Worker

Austin is a licensed clinical social worker who joined the CAPS staff in November 2024. Prior to this he spent six years working in both private practice and community mental health settings with clients from a variety of diverse backgrounds. Some of Austin’s clinical interests include working with LGBTQ+ populations, first generation college students, and those working to manage anger and emotional regulation. His therapeutic approach focuses on attending to thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, but he ultimately believes that the working relationship between client and therapist is most crucial for therapeutic success.

Lourdes Mir-Orrange, LMSW

Clinical Social Worker

Lourdes is a licensed, clinical social worker who joined the EMU Counseling and Psychological Services team in 2007. Prior to coming to EMU, Lourdes worked in several outpatient mental health clinics, public health clinics and at Cornell Counseling and Psychological Services. Her experience includes working with clients with depression and anxiety, couples and marital therapy, women’s issues, domestic violence, grief/loss issues, chronic illness and identity and phase of life problems. Lourdes is especially interested in working with international students around acculturation issues and working with multicultural issues in therapy.

Audrey Scaer, Ph.D.

Staff Psychologist

Audrey Scaer is a limited license psychologist who began working at EMU Counseling and Psychological Services following graduation from Oklahoma State University's Counseling Psychology Ph.D. program in the summer of 2024. Audrey uses an eclectic approach to therapy with a focus on Relational Cultural Therapy, meaning Audrey values that our relationship and our diverse identities are central to our well-being. As an autistic psychologist, Audrey values providing neuro-affirming care to neurodivergent clients. Audrey especially enjoys working with autistic individuals (whether formally diagnosed, self-identified, or exploring if they may be autistic), LGBTQ+ individuals, and individuals with experiences of complex trauma. 

 Erin Schaffer, LMSW (She/Her)

 Clinical Social Worker

Erin Schaffer is a licensed clinical social worker who received her BSc in Psychology from Eastern Michigan University and her Master’s of Social Work from University of Michigan. She has spent much of her career working in educational systems, combating homelessness, and providing mental health services. Erin uses an eclectic approach with an emphasis on CBT, Motivational Interviewing, and Solution-Focused therapy, all through a trauma lens. Her clinical interests include issues of social justice, women’s issues, anxiety, depression, trauma, and identity formation. She considers herself an ally for LGBTQ+ populations, BIPOC, and other marginalized identities. Clients coming to see Erin can expect to be greeted with warmth, humor, and a safe space.

Melina Tumpkin, M.A., LPC (She/Her)

Mental Health Therapist

Melina is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) who received her degree from Eastern Michigan University in counseling, with a concentration on college students in 2018. She has experience treating a range of mental health concerns in clients ages 17 through 56 who are from a variety of ethnic/racial backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses, religious/spiritual backgrounds, and ability statuses. Melina has clinical training, experience, and passion working with folks in the LGBTQIAA+ community, and those presenting with grief and loss, family-of-origin concerns, identity, trauma, self-esteem/self-compassion, and chronic health concerns. She utilizes a collaborative, client-centered approach that emphasizes meeting clients where they're at and providing a safe non-judgmental space for clients to explore their concerns. 

Administrative Staff

Cristi Rodriguez-Alfaro, B.A. (She/They)

Client Services Specialist

Cristi joined the EMU CAPS team in May 2025. She earned her bachelor's degree in political science and sociology from EMU in 2024. Prior to working at CAPS, Cristi was a community health worker for Washtenaw County, a team member of various non profit organizations, and a farmer. Cristi is responsible for assisting clients with scheduling and making sure the CAPS front office is running smoothly day to day. 

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