Claire Hill, Psy.D., LCP
Interim Director of the Talley Center
Melissa Palguta, Psy.D.
Staff Counselor
Education: Psy.D. & MA from University of Indianapolis; BS from University of Wisconsin – Madison.
Melissa is delighted to be part of the University of Mary Washington community and to continue her experience working with college students. She completed her internship at George Mason University Counseling & Psychological Services Center. She enjoys working in a variety of functions and with a wide range of issues, but she has a particular interest in working with trauma survivors, as well as with diversity and social justice-related issues. She is a strong ally of the LGBTQ+ community and she enjoys exploring the strengths and concerns of this group through her work. She primarily works from a cognitive-behavioral perspective, providing students with concrete skills and support to aid them in overcoming personal difficulties and in improving their quality of life. She takes a collaborative approach to treatment, working with her clients to establish a treatment dynamic and therapy goals that work best for them.
Melissa’s Top Games:
- The Sims 4
- The 7th Guest
- The Sims Medieval
- Lunar: Silver Star
- Legends of Zelda
Amira Niori, Psy.D.
Mental Health Coordinator/Staff Counselor
Education: Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology and MA in Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, and MA in Counseling with a concentration in community and agency and BA Psychology from Hampton University
Amira is thrilled to be a part of the Talley Center team again. She enjoyed being an extern and working with UMW students so much that she returned to the Talley Center team as a staff psychologist. Amira completed her internship at the University of Nevada, Reno Counseling Service Center. She also has experience in other settings and forms of treatment, such as; inpatient, private practice, in-home therapy, and case management. Amira enjoys working with the college population and supporting students in such an important developmental time. She has experience with trauma, depression, anxiety, other mood disorders, autism spectrum disorder, personality disorders, and psychotic disorders. Amira tends to be collaborative when working with students as her approach to therapy is to meet the student where they’re at. Consequently, Amira is integrative in the type of therapy interventions that she uses. Amira is also trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Amira is a new mommy and enjoys spending time with her son when she is away from the office.
Amira’s Top Games:
- Call of Duty
- Grand Theft Auto
- Sims
- Mortal Kombat
- Halo
- Alien Shooter
- Def Jam Series
- Mario Kart
Krysta Thomas, LPC
Staff Counselor
Education: Dual MS in clinical and counseling psychology from Capella University. BS in Behavioral Science from New York Institute of Technology
Krysta is delighted to be returning the University of Mary Washington community. She has a dual MS in clinical and counseling psychology from Capella University and is a licensed professional counselor. She grew up as a military child and has lived in Germany and Saudi Arabia, as well as multiple states in the US. She has experiencing with neurodivergence, crisis, trauma, grief, depression, anxiety, existential crisis, and substance abuse and has worked with a variety of populations. She primarily works an integrative approach, primarily from a person centered or solution focused perspective, however utilizes cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and other techniques help clients develop the skills necessary for success. She prefers to spend her free-time with her daughter and partner and enjoys cooking, crochet, yoga, and travel.
Krysta’s Top Games:
- Fable 2
- Homescapes
- Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man
- Escape Room
Demi Thompson, LPC-R
Staff Counselor
Education: Dual Masters in Human Service Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University
Demi is thrilled to be a part of the Talley Center Team – again! As a graduate student, she completed all of her intern work here at UMW. Having experienced working with the student, she jumped at the opportunity to join the team as a staff counselor. Demi completed her degree work Liberty University and hold dual Masters – Human Service Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Additionally, she holds a certification in resiliency training. Demi has advocated for victims of domestic abuse and violence and sexual assault. She has experience in supporting clients dealing with grief, depression, anxiety, trauma, crisis, and other mood disorders. Demi utilizes an integrative approach to counseling but primarily works from a cognitive behavioral perspective, helping clients to reach their therapy goal and improve their quality of life. She and her family are a proud military family, recently retired but still serving the community. Demi spends her free time writing, reading, and exploring new places.
Demi’s Top Games:
- Taboo
- 5 Seconds
- Uno
- Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man
Jimmy Nguyen, M.Ed., LPC-R
Staff Counselor
Education: Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the College of William & Mary
Jimmy is excited and honored to be back at the Talley Center! After completing his internship here during his graduate studies, he is now back as a full-time staff counselor. His specialties include international & multicultural populations, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) issues, and the LGBTQ+ community. Jimmy strongly believes in the core principles of self-acceptance and being true to who you are, even when it feels like the world is against you, and he strives to help clients find their inner peace through being authentically themselves. He enjoys helping students work through self-discovery, identity issues, relationship conflict, depression, anxiety, life transitions, trauma, distress tolerance, lack of motivation, meaning and purpose, and pressures from family and society. Jimmy mainly works from a humanistic, strengths-based, and existential orientation but utilizes a collaborative and integrative approach, incorporating concepts from cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), mindfulness, self-compassion, and motivational interviewing. During his free time, Jimmy likes to play video games, work out, learn languages, take photographs, indulge in his sweet tooth, and watch YouTube.
Jimmy’s Top Games:
- Yakuza 0
- Final Fantasy X
- Pokémon Red/Blue
- Honkai Star Rail
- Final Fantasy VII Remake
Debbie Huff
Office Manager
Debbie is excited to be a part of the team at the Talley Center at the University of Mary Washington as the Office Manager. During the academic year, she will be working in the Lee Hall location and assisting the UMW community as well as providing support to the staff. Debbie is a lifelong resident of VA, and in her free time, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family.
Debbie’s Top Games:
- Ms. Pac Man
- Galaga
- Frogger
Nicole Hicks
Administrative Assistant
Nicole is excited to join the team at the Talley Center. She spent the last 6 years working in the elementary school system and it was a rewarding and wonderful experience. She is very excited about following her passion and serving the college community in her new position. Nicole is from New York but is a country girl at heart. In her spare time, she loves to take walks, trips to the mountains, reading, listening to music, and spending quality time with her husband, family, and friends.
Nicole’s Top Games
- Pac-Man
- Super Mario Bros.
- Wii Bowling
Trainees
Madison Casner
Education: Working towards MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northwestern University, B.S. from Northeastern University in Psychology
Madison is thrilled to be working at Mary Washington University for her practicum year. Madison is currently pursuing her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Northwestern University, working towards her Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) licensure. She is passionate about supporting individuals, particularly those with anxiety spectrum disorders (including selective mutism) and behavioral disorders such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD).
Her work is rooted in evidence-based modalities including Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), PCIT for Selective Mutism (PCIT-SM), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and is excited to become fully certified in all three.
Her clinical philosophy is: “Let’s get to the root of the issue and avoid getting lost in the leaves.” This reflects her focus on addressing core challenges while fostering emotional resilience.
Outside of her professional endeavors, she finds joy in spending quality time with her friends and family, including her beloved pets. She enjoys staying active through hiking, running, and weightlifting, she enjoys reading fiction and nonfiction, and she cherishes opportunities to travel both domestically and internationally to broaden her perspectives.