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.

Lisa Lauterbach, Ph.D.
Clinic Director
Lisa is a licensed clinical psychologist who began working at EMU in 2002 as a staff psychologist. She became director of CAPS in 2007. Lisa returned to college mental health after working for nine years in veterans hospitals and community mental health agencies. Her interests include working with students with sexual trauma, depression, anxiety and dissociation.

Oscar Alcaine, Ph.D.
Staff Psychologist, Senior Clinical Staff
Oscar is a licensed clinical psychologist who started working at EMU in 2006 after moving from New York where he worked at SUNY Purchase’s Counseling Center and previous to that, completed a clinical fellowship at Columbia University Counseling and Psychological Services. His interests include working with students who present with anxiety and depression, multicultural issues in therapy, interpersonal processes in treatment, and the integration of eclectic perspectives in psychotherapy.

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. 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 women’s issues; multicultural and feminist psychology; trauma and abuse recovery; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues; spirituality; and use of creative arts in counseling. Sharon is the graduate training director.

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.

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.

Alexandra McCammon, PHD

Erin Schaffer, LMSW
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.

Ali Siewert, Psy.D.
Ali Siewert, Psy.D.
Staff Psychologist and Outreach Coordinator
Ali is a clinical psychologist and the outreach coordinator at CAPS. She completed her bachelor’s degree in psychology at Grand Valley State University and received her doctorate in clinical psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Prior to coming to CAPS, Ali completed her pre-doctoral internship at the University of South Carolina’s Counseling and Psychiatry Center and has trained in community mental health, private practice and university counseling settings. Ali utilizes a collaborative approach with a focus on empowerment and personal growth. Her clinical interests include women’s issues, relationship concerns, identity development, family of origin concerns and sexual trauma.

Erin Smith, Ph.D.
Staff Psychologist and Group Therapy Coordinator
Erin is a licensed psychologist who joined the EMU CAPS team in August 2019. She earned her doctoral degree from Wayne State University. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Florida State University Counseling Center and post-doctoral fellowship at University of Michigan CAPS. Erin's clinical interests include sexual orientation and gender identity, life transitions and personal identity development, anxiety and depression, stress management and group therapy. Her approach to therapy is integrative, with an emphasis on cognitive-behavioral therapy. She hopes to create a non-judgmental environment in which students feel welcome, accepted and free to discuss both their difficulties and their strengths.

Melina Tumpkin, M.A., LPC, NCC
Administrative Staff

Tami Clairday, MS
Tami Clairday, MS
Client Services Specialist
Tami joined the EMU CAPS team in the Spring of 2015. She earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees in accounting from EMU in 2008. Prior to working at CAPS, Tami was the office manager for a private mental health agency in Adrian, Mich. for 10 years. Tami is responsible for assisting clients with scheduling or any concerns they may have. She also makes sure the front office at CAPS is running smoothly day-to-day.