The Grant Team | Plymouth State University Counselor Education & School Psychology

Faculty

Dr. Gary Goodnough

Gary Goodnough is a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and licensed clinical mental health counselor (LCMHC) in New Hampshire. Goodnough teaches courses in ethics, career counseling, school counseling, and clinical mental health. Prior to becoming Professor of Counseling Education, he worked in public schools as an elementary school teacher in Maryland and as a school counselor and director of guidance in Virginia.

Gary Goodnough is the author of over 30 articles and book chapters and is the co-editor of a book entitled Leadership, Advocacy, and Direct Service Strategies for Professional School Counselors. His work has been published in several counseling journals including Professional School Counseling, Counselor Education and Supervision, The Career Development Quarterly, and Journal for Specialists in Group Work.

Dr. Mike Mariska

Mike Mariska is the director of Counselor Education, School Psychology, and Human Services Leadership and the program coordinator for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. His is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) in the state of New Hampshire, and a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC). He has been a faculty member at Plymouth since 2014, having previously worked as an Assistant Professor at Long Island University in Brookville, NY. He teaches core coursework in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling, School Counseling, Couples and Family Therapy, and School Psychology programs. He is the Clinical Experiences Coordinator for students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, working to coordinate placements at a variety of clinical sites for Practicum and Internship experiences.

Mike Mariska served as the president of the North Atlantic Region Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (NARACES) for the 2017-2018 academic year, and held multiple positions on the NARACES board. He also serves as an accreditation site team member for the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), visiting and reviewing programs seeking accreditation or reaccreditation under CACREP standards. In addition to his duties as a faculty member, Dr. Mariska works one day a week as a staff counselor in the Baird Health and Counseling Center at Colby-Sawyer College, assisting students with a variety of mental health concerns. His clinical experiences also include work in other college counseling centers, career counseling, and community counseling with a variety of populations in multiple areas of the country. Prior to entering the counseling field, he worked in student affairs and as a program coordinator for a number of nonprofit organizations.

Dr. Chris Stoddard

Dr. Christopher Stoddard is coordinator of the school psychology training program at PSU, where he is also an Assistant Professor of School Psychology. He is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist, a NH licensed school psychologist, a NH licensed psychologist, and a Licensed Educational Psychologist in MA. Prior to his work at PSU, Dr. Stoddard was a school psychologist in several school districts throughout both MA and NH. In addition to his work in schools, he completed his doctoral internship and post-doctoral fellowship at the Triumph Center for Child, Adolescent, and Young Adult Counseling in Reading, MA. Dr. Stoddard’s research interests focus on evidence-informed progress monitoring, social and emotional intervention and support for school-aged boys, and effective group counseling. Dr. Stoddard is currently Co-PI on the HRSA BHWET grant.

Dr. Kate Murphy

Kate R. Murphy, PsyD, LCMHC (she/they)

Psy.D., Rivier University (Combined Doctorate in Counseling and School Psychology)
M.A., Johnson State College (Mental Health Counseling)
B.A., University of Southern Maine (Media Studies)

Dr. Kate Murphy received her Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling in 2008 from Johnson State College (now Vermont State University) and subsequently has worked as a Master’s Level clinician since 2008 with adults, adolescents, children, and couples. In 2012, Dr. Murphy was accepted to Rivier University’s Doctorate of Education Program in Leadership and Learning before changing to the Combined Doctoral in Counseling and School Psychology in 2013. As part of her training, she completed her pre-doctoral internship at the Counseling Center at Keene State College working with transitional-aged youth.

Dr. Murphy’s dissertation research focused on the relationship between mindfulness, cravings, and the severity of mental health symptoms due to her interest in and experience working with individuals with substance abuse and severe and persistent mental illness. She also has additional research interests in disabilities, social justice, and school-based interventions for students with emotional difficulties.

Dr. Murphy is passionate about teaching and the connections that are made in the classroom. She often utilizes her previous professional experiences to highlight concepts being discussed and deepen discussions. She maintains an active academic agenda and has a small telehealth private practice.

When not engaged in teaching or other academic interests, she may be found hiking, camping, or spending time with her dogs.

Grant Support Specialist

Sara Donahue

Sara Donahue joined Plymouth State in 2017 as the Grant Support Specialist for Counselor Education, School Psychology, and Human Services Leadership. She works alongside USNH Sponsored Programs, PSU Student Financial Services, and USNH Finance to manage the federal grants our programs receive through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) program. Sara’s work history includes 30-plus years of management and clerical experience, including work as an administrative assistant for a federally-qualified health center offering integrative care and a medical biller for a nationally recognized critical access hospital. In addition to these skills, Sara also has experience working within public schools as a paraprofessional, as a 1:1 support specialist for children with an educational, emotional, and behavioral disabilities/disorders.

Sara served as the Public Health Advisory Council Coordinator (PHACC) as part of the Central New Hampshire Health Partnership (CNHHP). This position required Sara to work with medical and behavioral health organizations to meet the health needs of rural areas of New Hampshire. She is currently enrolled at Plymouth State University as a non-traditional undergraduate student.

Current Grant Assistants

Celeste Dornfeld

Celeste is a current graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Plymouth State University. They made the move from Minnesota to New Hampshire for PSU’s Eating Disorder Institute and plan to work with this population as they move through their career. Celeste graduated from Portland State University in Oregon in 2017 with a BA in Psychology and Gender, Sexuality, & Queer Studies. Their passion for working with people and challenging oppressive systems maintains strong in their graduate pursuits. Celeste is a tried-and-true animal lover and enjoys taking their family dog, Franklin, out on walks by Lake Superior.

Alexandra Bidoli

Alex is a current graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Plymouth State University. In 2021, she graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a BA in Psychology and a certificate in Applied Mental Health Services. In her free time, Alex likes to ice skate, read, and play with her cat, Claude.