Faculty Office Hours & Academic Advising

Dr. Tricia Hudson is an Assistant Professor and Department Chair of the Human Services Department at Metropolitan State University of Denver. She has a bachelor’s degree in Human Services with a concentration in High Risk Youth from MSU Denver, a master’s degree in Community Counseling with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Northern Colorado and a Doctorate in Counseling Education and Supervision from Argosy University.

She is a certified play therapist and her current clinical work in private practice focuses on children aged five years+. She also works with substance abuse individuals and couples, assisting them in their relational journey. Her scholarly interests include ethics between therapist and clients, mental health and addictions.

Dr. Hudson-Matthew is thrilled to be “living my life’s dream by assisting others in the process of transforming their lives.”  She joined MSU Denver in 2010 and loves to help students in their transformation process, as they pursue their life dreams. You’ll find her passionately teaching courses in the core requirements, concentrations and electives in the Human Service curriculum.

Dr. Jane Flournoy is the Clinical Director of the Human Services and Counseling Department at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Dr. Flournoy’s professional background includes clinical roles in children’s residential treatment settings, adolescent residential treatment settings, community corrections, child welfare, and a county public health addictions treatment program.

She worked in state government for 17 years in various roles, which included five years as a treatment unit supervisor, therapist, and clinical diagnostician in the Division of Youth Services prior to shifting to behavioral health regulatory oversight, program development, and a longstanding role as the Senior State Authority of Culturally Informed and Inclusive Behavioral Health. She supervised part of the Behavioral Health Administration’s Children, Youth, and Family Behavioral Health unit before shifting to a management role overseeing community-based behavioral health services and the development of the Behavioral Health Entity license.

Dr. Flournoy has continuously taught in several Bachelor’s and Master’s level university programs since 2009 and she maintains a small private practice. Her scholarly interests include behavioral health equity, adolescent and family issues, and quality improvement. Dr. Flournoy possesses a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology from Colorado State University, a Master’s of Arts in Community Counseling: Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Northern Colorado, and a Doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from Adams State University. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a Licensed Professional Counselor, and a Licensed Addictions Counselor.

Professor Griswold is an experienced behavioral health clinician, administrator, and educator. In addition to being a Licensed Addiction Counselor, he is a Registered Nurse (RN) with a specialty in mental health nursing.

Professor Griswold is the former director of North Charles, a Harvard Medical School affiliated substance abuse treatment program in Cambridge MA. He has provided trainings and supervision for Harvard Medical School residents and is currently a faculty member at Metropolitan State University of Denver, Department of Human Services and Counseling in the undergraduate and graduate programs. He is also a Clinical Instructor in the MSU- Denver Nursing Department. He is actively focused on addressing students’ emotional learning and has presented at national and international conferences on affective learning and developing student emotional intelligence.

Professionally, Tracy Lynn Hutchinson has earned a master’s degree in Community Counseling and holds a license as a professional counselor (LPC), a license as an addictions Counselor (LAC) and she is nationally certified as a Master Addictions Counselor (MAC) She has provided service within behavioral health for over 45 years.

As a Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) approved trainer for certified addictions counselors (CAC) training she has been helping teach and train students to be workforce ready and state certified for addictions treatment since 2008. She is also a Reiki Master and spiritual seeker. She has traveled the globe, seeking and providing information and wisdom with cultural humility, to incorporate in all that she does.

As Interim Director of the FERA Program and instructor, Dr. Mike Williams brings 26 years of expertise in the field. His distinguished careers spans roles from firefighter to strategic leader, where he actively shapes the next generation of emergency response professionals.

Dr. Williams’ research on servant leadership and employee engagement in the fire services has introduced innovative metrics for assessing leadership effectiveness. He has presented nationally on the correlation between academic studies of leadership, wellness, and employee engagement, further solidifying his role as a thoughtful leader in the field.

His approach to education, as a cornerstone of personal and societal advancement, holds a profound significance that resonates deeply with the words of George Washington Carver, “Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom.

Dr. Tara Hammar is an Associate Professor in the Human Services and Counseling Department at Metropolitan State University of Denver. She earned an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education and a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from East Carolina University. She completed her doctorate in Human Development from the University of Connecticut.

Dr. Hammar is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Colorado and an Approved Supervisor through the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. She teaches a variety of coursework in the Department including Internship, Introduction to Trauma-Informed Care, and Advanced Trauma Counseling Skills.

Dr. Hammar’s career path continues to inform her teaching on the MSU Denver campus; she started her career as a Title One Preschool Teacher in Wilmington, NC, lead a court-mandated Parent Education Program for divorcing parents in Storrs, CT, and directed a day treatment program in Denver for children with a significant trauma history. Her research interests include program evaluation and the trauma history of college students working towards a degree in the helping professions. She is committed to supporting MSU Denver students as they prepare for the challenges of working in the field of Human Services and enjoys mentoring students whose interests include mental health, trauma, and recovery.

Cyrus Smith is the Academic Coordinator for the Department of Human Services and Counseling at Metropolitan State University of Denver. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a bachelor’s degree in multimedia journalism, with a minor in English, and a Women’s Studies Certificate. He has a Master’s in Fine Arts from Regis University.

Cyrus has worked in various media sectors. For Vox Media he served as a Managing Editor and leading sports journalist. He is a published author and a screenwriter.

Cyrus has worked in academia for 10 years with stops including Nova Southeastern University and Regis University.