Clinical Psychology Staff
 Fritz Kreisler, PhD, Psychologist

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


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, domestic violence, rape/sexual assault, relationship issues and the supervision and training of graduate level psychology students.  Presently, Dr. Savage is the coordinator of the Clinical Training Program at the CSUSM Counseling Center.
Carlene Smith, PhD Psychologist

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


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.

 Pre-Doctoral Psychology Interns
Aldo Baylon Aldo Baylon, M.A. is a bilingual, Spanish-speaking psychological intern at California State University San Marcos Student Health and Counseling Services. He is completing a doctorate degree in psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology.  He provides psychological services to Cal State San Marcos students as well as provide outreach to the campus community and consultation services to faculty and staff.  He also provides performance enhancement consultations to student athletes and teams at CSUSM. His clinical background includes experience providing clinical services in both English and Spanish to adults and adolescents from diverse populations within inpatient, outpatient, and residential settings. His approach to therapy is guided by relational psychodynamic theory while utilizing integrative techniques and interventions to help students grow and achieve their goals. His clinical interests include: issues related to college students, self-psychology, mindfulness based practices, psychoanalytic theory, multicultural counseling, Latino/a mental health, individuation, family concerns, anxiety, and depression. His Doctoral dissertation focuses on exploring clients’ experience of empathy in cross-cultural therapeutic relationships.
Jessica Hornbrook

Jessica Hornbrook, MA is a graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Psy.D. program at the California School of Professional Psychology in San Diego, CA. She is a Pre-Doctoral Intern in the Counseling Center at CSUSM.  Jessica provides individual, couples, and group therapy and outreach to undergraduate and graduate students. She is also the co-facilitator of the grief group for college students as well as the women’s relationships group. Other duties include sports psychology consultation and performance enhancement services to student athletes and teams at CSUSM. A variety of topics have been addressed in session including but not limited to, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, body image, grief and loss, relationship issues as well as crisis management. Jessica utilizes a cognitive behavioral approach to therapy integrated with mindfulness based techniques.  She received her clinical fieldwork training at the California State University San Marcos, Disabled Student Services, and the Center for Autism Research Evaluation and Service.
Amber Learn Amber Learn, Psy.D. received her Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology in San Diego.  Amber is a Post-Doctoral Intern in the Student Health and Counseling Center at CSUSM.  Amber’s professional clinical experience includes providing short and long-term psychotherapy to adults, adolescents, and families in community clinic and private practice settings.  She has also provided services to at-risk youth in residential group homes and non-public schools.  She completed additional training at the UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest where she provided short-term psychotherapy on the in-patient unit and completed assessments for the Clinical Trials Department.  Areas of clinical interest include anger management, anxiety management, depression, family concerns, relationship issues, psychological assessment, and life transitions. Amber’s doctoral dissertation investigated the validity and reliability of the MMPI-2-RF personality inventory.
Nicole Ridout  Nicole Ridout, M.A. is a graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Psy.D. program at the California School of Professional Psychology in San Diego, CA. She is a Pre-Doctoral Intern in the Counseling Center at CSUSM. Nicole provides individual, couples, and group therapy to undergraduate and graduate students. She has experience working with a range of concerns, including depression, anxiety, grief and loss, substance abuse, body image concerns, adjustment difficulties, relationship conflicts and personal growth. Nicole also offers sports psychology consultation to student athletes and teams at CSUSM under the supervision of Dr. Erin Bartelma. She received her clinical fieldwork training at the University of San Diego Counseling Center, Halcyon Crisis Center, and Rady Children’s Hospital. Nicole generally uses a contemporary psychodynamic/interpersonal approach to therapy infused with cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness based techniques.
Erin Rounseville

Dr. 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."
Benjamin Towns Benjamin Towns