CURRENT STUDENTS
Meet Our Staff
Ashley Owen
PhD, Director of Counseling Services
Ashley Owen is a National Board Certified Counselor, Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor, and a QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Instructor. In 2009, Owen received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Louisiana Tech University. She returned to Louisiana Tech University to receive a Master of Counseling and Guidance in 2013, and completed her PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy at the University of Louisiana Monroe in 2021. Owen’s clinical interests include anxiety disorders, suicidal ideation, self-harm, disordered eating, and personal growth and development. Her research interest are issues in suicidal bereavement specific to existential regret, sense-making, meaning-making, relational aspects, and the impact of physical exercise on mental health. In her free time, Owen can often be found cheering on the Bulldogs and Lady Techsters, spending time with family, and volunteering.
Dontisha Davis
MS, LPC, Associate Director of Clinical Operations and Student Advancement
Dontisha Davis, originally from El Dorado, Arkansas, is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Sociology in 2015 and Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Henderson State University in 2018. Davis’ clinical interest include anxiety disorders, multicultural concerns, relational issues, and personal growth concerns. On campus, she is involved with many student-led organizations such as the Black Student Union and Peer Leadership Council. When Davis is not providing clinical services, Dontisha enjoys photography, reading, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
Antoinette Nieves
MA, PLPC, Assistant Director of Strategic Initiatives
Antoinette Nieves, originally from Keansburg, New Jersey, is a Provisionally Licensed Professional Counselor working towards licensure. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2014 and Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in 2021 from Louisiana Tech University. Nieves’ clinical interests include anxiety, depression, trauma and personality disorders. In her free time, Antoinette enjoys binge-watching crime shows, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Lynsey Mercer
MA, PLPC, Assistant Director of Student Health and Wellness
Lynsey Mercer, originally from Mangham, Louisiana, is a Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor. Lynsey obtained her BA in Psychology with a minor in Family & Child Studies at Louisiana Tech University in 2020. She graduated with a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Louisiana Tech University in 2022. Her clinical interests include anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, personality disorders, complex trauma, relational issues, LGBTQ+-specific issues, self-esteem improvement, and interpersonal effectiveness. Although integrative, Mercer primarily provides psychotherapy from a cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic perspective. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors, traveling with family and friends, attending concerts, being a plant-mom, and going on walks with her dog, Muffin.
Helena Kemp
MA, PLPC, Counselor / Coordinator of Alcohol and Other Drug Education
Helena Kemp, originally from the New Orleans area, is a Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor and a Provisional Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist working towards licensure. She received her BA in Psychology in 2016 and her MA in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2023 at the University of Louisiana Monroe. Helena’s clinical interests include addiction, anxiety, relational issues, and overall growth and development. In her free time, she can be found watching horror movies, playing video games, listening to Taylor Swift, and spending time with family, friends, and her 3 pets.
Charli Perry
Counselor / Coordinator of Student Relations and Special Projects
Charli Perry will complete her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in May 2024. She completed her Bachelors of English at the University of Louisiana Monroe in 2020. She served in the Army National Guard for six years as a Transportation Specialist, where she earned her title of Sergeant. Perry’s clinical interests include trauma- and stressor-related disorders, disruptive and conduct disorders, substance-use disorders, and adjustment disorder. In her free time, she enjoys reading, having coffee with friend’s at PJ’s Coffee, and spending time with family.
Myles Simien
MA, PLPC, Counselor / Coordinator of Strategic Initiatives
Myles Simien is a Provisionally Licensed Professional Counselor from Lake Charles, Louisiana, and is currently working towards full licensure. Myles has successfully completed his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2021 and his Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2023 at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. His clinical interests include anxiety, depression, PTSD, grief, relational issues, adjustment disorders, trauma, and troubles with self-worth and identity. Myles’s therapeutic style is Systemic in nature, and the primary interventions utilized include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy. In his free time, he enjoys being out in nature, traveling, cooking new foods, and discovering new music.
Tony Young
PhD, MP
Dr. Tony Young is a medical psychologist. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Louisiana Tech, prior to earning graduate degrees in Theology and Clinical Psychology from Fuller Seminary, and clinical psychopharmacology from Alliant International University. He is licensed as both a clinical and medical psychologist. Young worked in various settings, including academia, private practice, inpatient psychiatric, addiction treatment, group home facility, and medication management settings. Most of his work in medication management has been in an outpatient setting, where he continues to treat children, adolescents, and young adults. Young enjoys his family, his work, and gardening.
Kiara Scott
BA, BA, Doctoral Intern
Kiara Scott is a Counseling Psychology doctoral student at Louisiana Tech University and was born and raised in Houma. She earned bachelor’s degrees in Interdisciplinary Studies (with concentrations in Biology, Psychology, and Health and Exercise Science) and Psychology at UA-Little Rock. While there, she also played Division I women’s basketball. Her clinical interests include student-athlete mental health, depression, anxiety, mental health stigma, trauma, and coping. Scott’s theoretical orientation is integrative and utilizes cognitive-behavioral and person-centered approaches. Through the doctoral program’s training, she has also gained experience providing psychological assessments to clarify mental health diagnoses and guide treatment for various concerns. During her free time, Scott enjoys listening to hip hop, R&B, and soul music, exercising, watching sporting events and documentaries, and spending time with family and friends.
Sarah Anthoney
MS, Doctoral Intern
Sarah Anthoney is an international student who embarked on her academic journey at Louisiana Tech University in 2021, supported by a prestigious Fulbright scholarship. Hailing from Pakistan, Sarah’s passion for the field of Counseling Psychology drives her as she pursues her doctoral degree. Her educational foundation includes a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Forman Christian College, FCC-Pakistan, achieved in 2013. Building upon this, she further honed her expertise by completing her MS in Clinical Psychology at the University of Management and Technology, UMT-Pakistan in 2015. In addition to her academic achievements, Sarah served as a campus counselor at FCC from 2015 to 2021, where she provided invaluable counseling services to college students, staff, and faculty, Sarah’s clinical interests encompass a wide range of mental health issues, including addressing exam stress, depression, anxiety disorders, and fostering personal growth and development. Throughout the course of her doctoral program, she acquired comprehensive training in psychological assessments, mental health diagnoses, and the development of tailored treatment plans for various concerns. Sarah’s therapeutic approach is rooted in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT), providing her clients with evidence-based techniques and a solution-oriented mindset. In her spare time, Sarah unwinds by indulging in her culinary skills, preparing delectable dishes for her family. She also cherishes the moments spent with her family, finding joy in connecting with loved ones. Additionally, she remains dedicated to her field, continually expanding her knowledge by immersing herself in podcasts on mental health and enjoying the humor of comedy shows to relax.
Eddie Craig
MA, Doctoral Intern
Eddie Craig is a third-year Counseling Psychology doctoral student at Louisiana Tech University, coming to the program from Indiana. Originally from Florida, Eddie earned his bachelors in Psychology with a minor in business at Earlham College in Indiana as well as his masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Ball State University, also in Indiana. His clinical interests include anxiety, depression, social issues, and career/future stress management. Eddie primarily practices Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy with a focus in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, but also uses tenants of Existential Therapy and Health Psychology. Eddie’s research interests are in Nutritional Psychology, an offshoot of Health Psychology that focuses on how what we eat affects how we feel, and vice-versa. In his free time Eddie enjoys riding his bike, reading fantasy novels, and playing video games.
David Rusk,
BA, Doctoral Intern
David Rusk is a Counseling Psychology doctoral student at Louisiana Tech University and is a Louisiana native from Olla. They earned their bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Louisiana Tech University in 2021. During their undergraduate studies, Rusk was involved in Residential Life, Peer Leadership Council, and PRISM. Their clinic interest includes working with the Queer Community, stress, imposter syndrome, and well-being. While their theoretical orientation is still developing, Rusk leans more towards a process and emotional approach with some cognitive-behavioral techniques sprinkled in. During their free time, Rusk enjoys hanging out with friends, working out, playing video games, and playing with his dog, Shirt (yes, that is his name).
Linda Smith
Administrative Coordinator III
Linda Smith is a native of Choudrant, where she has resided with her husband, Charles, for the past 39 years. She has been employed with Louisiana Tech University in the Counseling Services Department for the past 13 years. In her spare time, Smith enjoys camping, fishing, traveling, and spending time with her husband and family.
