Dr. Fritz Kreisler received his B.S. and Ph.D. in Psychology from UC Davis after transferring from Napa Community College as a re-entry student. He has been working in university counseling centers for 18 years, the first seven of which were at Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania (where he was also Associate Dean of Students). Dr. Kreisler has been at Cal State San Marcos since 1992. Professional interests include anxiety and stress management, and recovery from trauma.

Dr. Tamara Savage graduated with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1993. She worked primarily in the Washington State area before moving to San Diego.  Dr. Savages' s varied experience includes working at the University of Tennessee's Student Counseling Center, Jewish Family Services, and Western State Hospital. Her interests include young adult populations, women's issues, sports psychology, anxiety and stress management, couple's issues, and supervision and training of graduate psychology students.  Presently, Dr. Savage is the coordinator of the pre-doctoral internship program at CSUSM counseling center.

Dr. Carlene Smith is a clinical psychologist who graduated from Cornell University (B.A.), Roosevelt University (M.A.) and City University of New York (Ph.D.).  Dr. Smith interned at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York.  She started her professional career in a hospital-based mental health center specializing in learning disabilities, child and adult psychiatry.  Dr. Smith worked in the San Diego area for many years in private practice before working at CSUSM.  Her professional interests include depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD, learning styles, cross-cultural considerations in psychotherapy, gender issues, and process organizational consultation.  Dr. Smith has taught undergraduate and graduate level psychology courses at a number of institutions including City University of New York, CSUSM, National University, San Diego State University and Livingstone College.

Dr. Kara Kornher, Psychologist and Learning Disabilities (LD) Specialist with Disabled Student Services, serves as CAPS' primary testing supervisor in addition to providing clinical supervision for interns. Dr. Kornher received her B.A. in Psychology from the College of William and Mary in Virginia, and her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from the School of Professional Psychology at Wright State University in Ohio. She moved to California to complete a pre-doctoral internship at UCSD's Psychological & Counseling Services. Her diverse professional experience prior to coming to Cal State San Marcos in 1996 includes working in a correctional facility, university counseling center, community mental health clinic, crisis center, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, and Scripps Hospital. Areas of professional interest in addition to psychological assessment include women's issues and humanistic psychology.

Dr. Toni Ann Cafaro is a licensed clinical psychologist and a graduate of the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University. Dr. Cafaro completed her graduate training with an emphasis in Organizational Development. Her clinical internships and post doctoral  work were completed here at CSUSM and at Right Management Consultants. Dr. Cafaro is the Chairperson for the San Diego Psychological Association’s Arts Committee and performed with the SDPA bands “Loose  Associations” and “Folie a Deux.” She is also an actress, who's performances have included shows at Palomar College.  With interests in both health psychology and theatre, Dr. Cafaro’s dissertation studied the physiological effects of anger in actors performing angry scenes.

 Pre-Doctoral Psychology Interns

Katie Erreca received her Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology.  Katie is a Pre-Doctoral Intern in the Counseling Center as well as Disabled Student Services at CSUSM.  Katie’s professional clinical experiences include working with children and adolescents in a substance abuse recovery center, academic counseling at the University of San Diego, and crisis counseling at Jary Barreto Crisis Center.  Katie also has experience in substance abuse research, cognitive assessments, projective testing, academic coaching, learning disabilities, group therapy, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, relationship difficulties, and individual short-term and long-term therapy.  Areas of clinical interests include eating disorders, testing, and transitional age issues (i.e. working with college students).  Katie is currently working on her doctoral dissertation researching personality characteristics among young women with disordered eating behavior.

Erin Rounseville, who has her Masters in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology, is a pre-doctoral intern at the CSUSM Counseling Center and provides sports psychology and performance enhancement services under the supervision of Dr. Savage. Erin is an avid runner and has researched the field of sports psychology extensively while working on her doctoral thesis entitled, "The Cognitive Experience of Exercise."

Natalie Santos received her M.A. in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology.  She is a pre-doctoral intern for the CSUSM counseling center and is being supervised by Dr. Fritz Kreisler.  Natalie’s professional clinical experience includes short-term and long-term individual therapy, group therapy, and psychological assessments.   She has worked with a wide range of individuals including those with substance abuse, depression, anxiety, and adjustment difficulties.  Her areas of professional interest include eating disorders, anxiety and stress management, relationship difficulties, domestic violence, and testing.