Meet the Staff


Marcie C. Wiseman, Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Executive Director for Counseling and Mental Wellness

Marcie graduated from the Counseling Psychology doctoral program at the University of Florida in 2009. Prior to joining the staff at the College of Charleston, she held appointments as the Director of Counseling and Psychological Services at Aurora University, and as a Staff Psychologist at both the University of Central Florida and Valdosta State University. Her professional interests include working with survivors of interpersonal trauma, supervision of clinical trainees, group therapy, and working with first-generation college students. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, oil painting, spending time outdoors, and DIY home renovation/interior design.

 

Katie Drees, M.A., LPC/S
Clinical Director
Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor

Katie earned a Master's degree in Counseling from Southwestern Seminary and is an alum of the University of South Carolina.  After 13 years of clinical work with children, adolescents, and families in various settings across Texas, she ventured back to her home state of South Carolina to work with college students.  Katie uses a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Solution-Focused approach to provide clients with evidence -based, practical strategies for anxiety, depression, stress management, and more.  She has a passion for working with people on the Autism Spectrum and the special needs community.  In her free time, she enjoys all things outdoors, eating good food, relaxing with a good book or TV series, and exploring new places with her rescue hound mix, Humphrey. 

 

Andrew R. Alkis, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Medical University of South Carolina
Lead Psychiatrist, College of Charleston

Andrew Alkis, MD graduated from Clemson University in 2007, completing a bachelor's degree in psychology. During his time at Clemson, he became a member of the Psi Chi honor society in psychology as well as the Phi Beta Kappa national honor society. He earned his medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina, where he is now a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences as well as assistant psychiatry clerkship director for third year medical students. He completed residency at the University of Virginia Health System, where he also served as chief resident. He is board-certified in Psychiatry and Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, having completed his C-L training at George Washington University/Inova Fairfax Hospital. His dedication to compassionate patient care has been recognized by peers through selection to the Gold Humanism Honor Society and being honored as a Humanitarianism Award recipient by the University of Virginia Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences. His teaching accolades include two MUSC Psychiatry Golden Apple Awards for outstanding medical student didactic teaching by a faculty member. He has also been recognized by the Clemson University Department of Psychology as a Distinguished Early Career Achievement award recipient. Dr. Alkis has extensive direct clinical experience working with patients with on-going serious medical illness. His career interests also include collaborative care in medicine, telepsychiatry, and student mental health.

 

 

Anna Shirley, BA
Office Manager/Student Support Specialist
Phone: 843.953.5640
Email: counseling@cofc.edu

Anna is a proud College of Charleston alum who earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies. Her love and connection to the College led her back to campus, this time in a professional role supporting the student experience. Anna is passionate about higher education and is committed to making a positive impact on student success and the broader campus community. Her dedication to mental health advocacy inspired her to join the Counseling Center, where she is excited to contribute to student well-being. A Charleston native who has never run away, Anna loves spending time with her family and enjoying Charleston’s beautiful outdoor spaces with her chihuahua, Coco.

 

 

Constance Nelson-Gilbert
Administrative Assistant
Phone: 843.953.5640
Email: counseling@cofc.edu

Constance serves as the Administrative Assistant for the Counseling Center. She has worked in the Counseling Center for 3 years, and has worked at the College for 18 years. For fun, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren on the weekends.

 

 

Anne Gutshall, PhD, LPC
Faculty Fellow

Anne Gutshall is a school psychologist and licensed professional counselor-associate (LPC-A). A professor in the School of Education, Anne has been faculty member for 17 years at the College of Charleston teaching both undergraduate and graduate level psychology courses. Currently, Anne is the Mental Health Faculty Fellow to the Counseling Center where in addition to providing counseling services to students she also provides outreach and support to faculty who have questions about how best to support students' mental health and wellbeing. In her free time, Anne enjoys walking her two poodles, Rodney and Perla, at the beach, reading nerdy books and cooking food for friends and family.

 

Elise Hussey, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor
Outreach Coordinator

Elise is an alumna of the college, and recently graduated from The Citadel, obtaining her Master's in Clinical Counseling. During her time in the CofC counseling center as a practicum student, Elise fell in love with working with college students, finding it a unique and impactful time for young adults to benefit from therapy. Elise primarily uses Acceptance and Commitment therapy (ACT) in her practice, and focuses on values identification, self-worth, and energy management. In her spare time, Elise loves to bake, travel, read, and explore with her two daughters.

 

Erin Benson, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor
Intensive Services Specialist

Erin Benson holds a Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling and Communication Studies. She is passionate about empowering young people and, since 2014, has worked closely with thousands of students as a counselor, an adjunct professor, and a mentor to youth advocates for a nonprofit organization she founded to advance treatment for pediatric cancer. She believes self-awareness and self-compassion are the key to mental wellness and feels honored to help individuals navigate challenging experiences. On the weekends, Erin spends time reading fantasy series, writing personal essays and memoir, and spending time with her twin daughters and husband.

 

lynnsmith

Lynn Smith, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor
Triage Coordinator

Lynn Smith holds an MA in Psychology from The Citadel and is a Licensed Professional Counselor whose experience includes PTSD assessment and treatment at The Medical University of SC, inpatient substance use disorder counseling, and coordinating research in Pediatric Epidemiology. Lynn is a Certified Grief Educator and has been volunteering as a community health worker for over 12 years. Before entering healthcare, she was a high school English teacher who discovered that she preferred being in a helping/listening role for students much more than teaching grammar. In her practice, Lynn uses an integrative approach that depends on the needs of each client and may include Mindfulness, meditation, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She works with clients experiencing anxiety, grief & loss, and trauma. Lynn’s personal time is spent reading, writing fiction, hanging out with Thomas the bunny, and traveling with her family.

 

Maggie Saunders


Randall Geddings, LISW-CP
Licensed Independent Social Worker/Counselor

Randall Geddings is a clinical social worker and alum of the College of Charleston. Their journey into counseling began as a peer counselor with Students 4 Support where they fostered their passion for helping others. Graduating from the University of South Carolina's School of Social Work in 2021, Randall has worked in the field of private practice before returning to their roots at the College. Randall's area of interest encompasses anxiety, neurodiversity, religious trauma, and LGBTQ+ issues. Outside of his professional role, Randall is a sci-fi/fantasy enthusiast who enjoys creative writing projects, collecting gemstones, and rocking out to symphonic metal.


Sarah K. Finley, MS, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor
Training Coordinator

Sarah earned her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Arkansas, where she began her career and fell in love with working with college students. She recently moved to Charleston to join the CofC Counseling Center and feels grateful to be able to continue to encourage students during their college experience. Her professional interests include trauma, suicidality, grief, diversity, group counseling, and training of interns. In her free time, Sarah enjoys coffee shops, the beach, true crime podcasts, yoga, and thrifting. 

 

jessie

Jessie Luttrell, LPCA
Licensed Professional Counselor Associate
Triage Counselor

Jessie Luttrell is currently pursuing her Master of Arts in Counseling at Wake Forest University. Despite being born and raised in the North, Jessie often refers to herself as a "misplaced southerner at heart," after falling in love with the city of Charleston. She is passionate about empowering and supporting college students in this complex chapter of life. Her areas of interest in counseling include depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, family conflict, and relationship issues. For fun, Jessie likes to try out new recipes, binge Netflix series, get lost in a good book on the beach, and volunteer at her local church.

 

Jennifer Mills, MSW, LISW-CP
Triage Counselor

Jennifer (Jen) has been a licensed clinical therapist in a variety of settings. She is a CofC Alum and earned her MSW from the University of South Carolina.  She has advanced training cognitive behavioral and skills based therapies.  She enjoys working with the unique needs of college students and specializes in those struggling with stress, anxiety, and adjustment difficulties. In her spare time she enjoys the beach, hiking in WNC, spending time with her family and you may catch her at a CofC volleyball and basketball game. Go Cougs!

 

susannasartain

Susanna Sartain, LPCA
Licensed Professional Counselor Associate
Triage Counselor

Originally from Georgia, Susanna attended the College of Charleston before completing her master's degree program at Wake Forest University in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Passionate about helping young adults navigate life challenges, she's thrilled to be able to be back on campus in such a meaningful way. Outside of work, you can find her trying new restaurants or curled up on the couch with her dog, Jasper, and a cheesy thriller novel. Go Cougs!

 


T'Mya Brown, Ed.S, LPCA 
Licensed Professional Counselor Associate
Triage Counselor

T’Mya holds a Clinical Mental Health Counseling Ed. S. degree with a play therapy certificate from the University of South Carolina. She aims to help others on their journey to becoming their authentic selves, meeting everyone with unconditional positive regard. A strong value she holds is that everyone deserves to be seen, heard, and validated. Her past experiences are with adolescents, teens, and young adults who are experiencing depression, anxiety, trauma, emotion regulation, and behavioral concerns. As a native of South Carolina, she never passes up an opportunity to soak up some sun and feel the ocean breeze in her free time. 

 

Christine Mermer
Intern

Christine Mermer is an alumna of The College of Charleston and is currently pursuing her Masters of Arts in Counseling at Wake Forest University. Christine is excited to have gone full circle from a CofC student to helping CofC students. Christine is passionate about her clients growing their coping skills, setting boundaries and exploring future goals and plans related to interests and future careers. 
Christine has experience working with clients individually and in groups who have experienced substance abuse, addiction, grief, anxiety and depression. In her free time, Christine enjoys time with her 19 and 17 year olds, Springer Spaniel , friends, working out and reading. 

 

Graice Wasser
Intern 

Gracie is a graduate Clinical Mental Health Counseling student at Wake Forest University. She is passionate about helping individuals find their meaning while providing support. She values inclusivity and giving everyone the opportunity to be advocated for. Aside from counseling, Gracie enjoys spending time with her family and dogs, doing yoga, and reading psychological thrillers.

 

Margaret Simon
Intern

Margaret Simon is currently completing her Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Wake Forest University. Prior to this, she obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Public Health from the University of South Carolina. Margaret is interested in being person-centered while integrating CBT and DBT concepts. In her free time, Margaret enjoys cooking, fishing, playing Fortnite, spending time with her son, and being with her friends and family. 


 
Maddie Delp 
Intern

 

Maddie is a graduate counseling student at Messiah University who is passionate about helping people feel seen and heard. Some of her particular interests related to mental health include intersectionality, narrative therapy, neurodiversity, and expressive arts. She has loved exploring Charleston since moving here two years ago from southeastern Pennsylvania. Much of her time outside of work is spent walking her feisty cairn terrier or snuggling her baby niece.