Meet The Staff

Taryn (they/them) is a visual artist, currently studying for their Master’s in Mental Health Counseling at Alfred University. Taryn received their BFA in Painting from Herron School of Art and Design (2013) and their MFA in 3D Design from Cranbrook Academy of Art (2018). They like spending time in their art studio, primarily working in paint, assemblage, and installation.

Ginny grew up in Wellsville, NY, and graduated from Alfred State College in 1985. She worked for four years as a staff nurse at Jones Memorial Hospital and thirty years at the Visiting Nurses Association of WNY.

Ginny currently lives in Wellsville, NY with her husband John. She has one daughter and two grandchildren. Ginny enjoys gardening, reading, walking, and spending time with her family.

Jonathan Hilsher joined ASC in 2012 as director of Civic Engagement. Today, he provides support to Health & Wellness Services, International Student Services, Wellsville Student Affairs, the Center for Civic Leadership, and is co-chair of Leadership Allegany.

He holds an MS in human resource management from Stony Brook University, a non-profit management MS from Eastern University, and a political science BA from Messiah University. He loves helping students be successful and meaningfully engage in the community. Jonathan enjoys his family, mountain biking, running, and the outdoors.

Nichole is a mental health counselor originally from Addison, NY. She has a master’s degree in mental health counseling and a bachelor’s degree in clinical psychology from Alfred University.

Her favorite part of the job is interacting with the students and getting to hear their stories. In her free time, Nichole enjoys spending time with her friends and family and trying new things.

Erika is a John Hopkins-certified COVID-19 Contact Tracer originally from Rexville, NY. She earned a Bachelor of Science in psychology with a minor in health care management from Cazenovia College. Her favorite part of the job is being able to interact with students and be a part of a great team.

She hopes that any student who is experiencing difficulties feels a little more at ease knowing that Health and Wellness is here for them. In her free time, Erika enjoys spending time with her family, husband, and friends.

Lynda graduated from Alfred State over 30 years ago and has worked at Health and Wellness Services for the past six years. She enjoys interacting with students and being able to treat and reassure them when they are ill.

Lynda was born in Kansas and has lived in Hornell since she was a teenager. You’ll find her spending her free time at Keuka Lake with family, riding motorcycles with her husband, and enjoying time with her children and two grandchildren.

Ashley is a licensed mental health counselor originally from Buffalo. She earned a BA in psychology at Nazareth College and an MS Ed, CAS in mental health counseling at Alfred University. Her specialties include trauma-informed practice, obsessive-compulsive disorder, dialectical behavioral therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and mindfulness. Ashley is also a certified QPR trainer for suicide prevention intervention.

She is committed to personal growth and sharing skills with students. In her free time, Ashley enjoys her family, reading, photography, and chasing her energetic toddler.

Clarissa grew up in Whitesville, NY, and graduated from Alfred State College with a bachelor’s in business administration in December of 2020. During her time at Alfred as a student, she worked as a work-study in the Health & Wellness Services office.

She spends her free time reading, spending time with family and friends, and enjoying the outdoors with her spouse and dog, Callie.

Amya is a Mental Health Counseling student at Alfred University and is originally from Almond, NY. She graduated from SUNY Brockport with a BS in Psychology and a focus on Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counseling. Her favorite part about counseling is being able to work with a diverse group of clients who each have a unique story to tell. Amya enjoys spending her free time learning new songs on guitar and reading.

Teri is an Alfred State 1995 alumna from the registered professional nursing program where she earned an AAS. Today, Teri is the RN for Health and Wellness Services in Wellsville.

Teri is also an ER nurse, staying continuously certified in Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Basic Life Support (BLS), and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for the past 20+ years, and a certified COVID-19 contact tracer. She loves spontaneous travel, the outdoors, kayaking, yard work, photography, and spending time with her granddaughter and three dogs.

Libby is a licensed mental health counselor who earned a BA in psychology and an MS Ed, CAS in mental health counseling at Alfred University. Libby also has additional training in dialectical behavioral therapy, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety management, and mindfulness.

Libby takes a holistic approach and enjoys helping students meet their personal, academic, and professional goals. She enjoys friends, family, reading, and traveling. Some of her favorite spots are Great Britain, Ireland, and Holland. Libby is committed to life-long learning and is currently pursuing a BA in art history.

Richard grew up in Allegany County, NY for most of his life, but spent 12 years living in Massachusetts. He graduated from Alfred State College with an AAS and went on to pursue his BSN at Daemen College.

Richard has a background in emergency nursing, critical care nursing, and nursing management. Richard currently lives in Scio, NY with his spouse. He has two children and five grandchildren that he enjoys spending time with.

Emma is a licensed mental health counselor originally from Allegany County. She graduated from Alfred University in 2016 with an MS Ed, CAS in mental health counseling. Her professional specialties and theoretical interests include trauma-informed practice, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Mindfulness.

Emma is also certified in RTM (Reconsolidation of Traumatic Memories), a trauma-focused brief therapy. She is also a certified trainer of QPR, a leading suicide prevention intervention. Emma loves helping students meet their ongoing therapeutic goals.

Dan earned his Family Nurse Practitioner certificate from Community General Hospital in Syracuse, NY, and holds an associate degree from Alfred State College. He enjoys taking care of people of all ages and appreciates the opportunity to treat and share evidence-based health information with college students.

Dan was born in San Antonio, TX but has lived most of his life in Belmont, NY. In his free time, Dan makes maple syrup and apple cider, tends 13 beehives, and spends as much time as possible with his family including his five grandchildren.