Request Information
Ready to find out what MSU Denver can do for you? We’ve got you covered.
Have Questions? We have answers.
Contact Us
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 fear, 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.
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-create 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. 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.
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:
Bri W. Brannigan (she/her) has over seven years of administrative experience in museums, healthcare, and higher education. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Spanish from the University of Denver in 2015.
From first-hand experience, Bri understands the importance of mental health and wellbeing while pursuing a degree. She is passionate about connecting MSU Denver students with mental health resources to help them reach their academic and personal goals.
Bri is always eager to learn something new, so feel free to share a fun fact with her at the front desk!
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: Alekx (they/them/theirs) is a 3rd year PhD student in the Counseling Psychology program at the University of Northern Colorado. They received their M.A. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and has experience providing clinical services for survivors of intimate partner violence and interpersonal trauma.
Alekx is a first-generation student, member of the LGBTQ+ community, and comes from a multi-ethnic blended family. As such, they love to work with clients who are navigating academia, interpersonal and sociocultural distress, and identity exploration. They use Relational Cultural Therapy (RCT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in counseling. Above all, Alekx believes a supportive relationship is an important foundation to healing. Alekx likes to conduct research, paint portraits, hike, and read non-fiction for fun.
Advanced Doctoral Practicum Student
Position Role:
Part-Time Advanced Practicum Trainee
Office Location:
Tivoli 651
Bio: Dominique is a third-year doctoral student in the Clinical PsyD program at the University of Denver, with previous practicum experience at STRIDE Community Health Center and Karis Community residential facility. As a Latina doctoral clinician, Dominique believes people are shaped by the experiences that have led them to this moment, and that how we interpret daily events is influenced by our unique perspectives. In therapy, she works relationally and collaboratively, meeting clients where they are while also challenging them to step beyond their comfort zones. She sees true change occurring at the edge of that comfort zone, when clients feel supported, understood, and empowered to take risks.
Dominique holds autonomy, community, and belonging as core values, and advocates for these principles within the therapeutic space. Her work draws primarily from psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral approaches, while maintaining a generalist lens that adapts to the individual needs of each client. She believes the therapeutic relationship itself is the foundation for meaningful growth and healing and strives to create a space that is both nonjudgmental and transformative.
Dominique’s goal with clients is to foster confidence, curiosity, and genuine connection. She encourages clients to explore their experiences openly, to engage with challenge as an opportunity for growth, and to discover their own capacity for resilience and change.
Advanced Doctoral Practicum Student
Position Role:
Part-Time Advanced Practicum Trainee
Office Location:
Tivoli 651
Bio: Karalee (she/her/hers) is a practicum student currently in her fourth year at the Clinical Health Psychology PhD program at CU Denver. She obtained a master’s in spirituality and psychology from the Spirituality Mind Body Institute at Teachers College, Columbia University in 2022, and a master’s in psychology from CU Denver in 2025. Her research interests include near death states and experiences, such as terminal lucidity, heart-based awareness, and understanding human potential.
Karalee’s therapeutic approach is grounded in Buddhist psychology and awareness practices that allow a client to have more spaciousness and insight of their inner processes while at the same time, cultivating an attitude of self-compassionate curiosity towards inner states. She works to integrate mind, body, and spirit with relaxation techniques, embodiment practices, and existential insights. She is passionate about helping clients grow their agency towards being able to both accept and understand discomfort while at the same time nurture positive qualities, such as joy, equanimity, gratitude, and compassion.
In her free time, Karalee enjoys hiking, skiing, running, and spending time with her cats.
Advanced Doctoral Practicum Student
Position Role:
Part-Time Advanced Practicum Trainee
Office Location:
Tivoli 651
Bio: Srujana (she/her/hers) is a second year Ph.D. student in the Counseling Psychology program at the University of Denver. She received her Master’s in Sport and Performance Psychology from the University of Denver. Srujana holds prior experience in providing individual, group and family therapy to individuals between 8 to 63 years of age. Srujana also has significant experience providing psychological skills training to sport, performing arts and high-risk populations, and is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC) through the Association of Applied Sport Psychology.
Srujana’s approach to clinical work in primarily grounded in Humanistic therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), while utilizing a trauma-informed lens. She believes in empowering her clients to identify and embrace their strengths and values to enhance their well-being and lead more fulfilling lives. By considering clients’ cultural influences, Srujana strives to develop inclusive interventions that are sensitive to their needs. Srujana is devoted to collaborating with her clients to find meaning in their day-to-day lives and providing a safe space for them.
In her free time, Srujana enjoys reading, dancing, watching/playing sports, and walks in the park.