Qualified Staff

Leah Fowlkes-Miller, MA, LPC-S, LMFT, RPT-S

Stephen W. Johnson, PhD, LPC-S, LMFT - is currently a member of the Counselor Education faculty in the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Services at the University of Texas at El Paso.  He is a Licensed Professional Counselor (Texas) and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (Texas).  Prior to coming to UTEP, Dr. Johnson worked in both non-profit and outpatient settings. Dr. Johnson has been in private practice for more than 20 years. 

Scott Pelking, MFA, MA, LPC-S - uses a variety of modalities including EMDR, play therapy, and music therapy. He is Reality Therapy Certified, and is a clinical counselor supervisor and counselor educator. He has been a mental health professional for more than 19 years, and has worked in acute psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment settings, and in private practice.

Allison Davis MA, LPC - works with children, adolescents, adults, and families utilizing Play Therapy, CBT, and mindfulness-based approaches. Allison received her BA from the University of Texas at Austin and her MA in clinical psychology from UTEP.

Loreli Leos, MA, LPC -works with adolescents, adults, and families to address a variety of mental health issues. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Texas at El Paso and a Master of Arts in Counseling at Webster University . Loreli has experience working in non-profit, outpatient, and residential settings as well as program development and supervision with various agencies. Her specialty training is in Cognitive Behavior Therapy.

Solanja Perez-Rede, MA., -is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Texas at El Paso, and a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from the University of Texas at El Paso. She is Bilingual in Spanish and English, and has worked in various settings such as non-profit organizations, skills training at home, and nursing homes. She has experience providing counseling and psychotherapy to children, adolescents, adults, older adults, couples, and families who experience disorders such as depression, anxiety, behavior problems, or relational issues. She has received formal training and supervision in CBT and is especially interested in Play Therapy. Solanja is a member of the American Counseling Association.

Diane Wolf Tatem, MA, MS, LPC-S - has extensive experience as a Licensed Professional Counselor, and uses a family systems approach to work with individuals, couples, and families. She has worked with children with developmental disabilities and their families to address cognitive, behavioral, parenting, and attachment issues. Focus is on the strengths a client brings to relationships. A clinical member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy and a member of the Association for Play Therapy, Diane has professional graduate degrees from both the University of Texas at Austin and New Mexico State University.

Jessica York-Franco, MA, LPC - acquired a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from New Mexico State University and obtained a Master of Arts degree in Counseling at Webster University. She is certified as an anger resolution therapist and her area of expertise is in pain management and Cognitive Behavior Therapy. As a counselor she has worked in a variety of settings to include non-profit organizations, outpatient, and private practice. She has diverse experience providing treatment to children, adolescents, adults, older adults, couples, and families.

We are grieved by the death of Sandra Troyer Kern.

She was a loving and vivacious mother and wife,

A gifted and versatile clinician,

A tenacious advocate,

A generous and faithful friend,

And an intelligent and supportive colleague.

She is already sorely missed by her family, her friends, her clients, and her professional associates.

We wish her peace.