Benek Altayli, PsyD

Dr. Z. Benek Altayli came to the United States from Turkey in 2001 for her graduate studies in clinical psychology. When she completed her internship year in 2005, she was hired in a training psychology clinic in University of Colorado Colorado Springs, as the interim Coordinator of the clinic’s flagship program, and was offered a job as an instructor at the Psychology Department.

In 2008 she became the Director of Mental Health Services at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. This is when she became one of the core CARE team members on campus, which is a role she carries to this day. As a psychologist, she has a special interest in assessment and treatment of psychological trauma, behavioral emergencies, and health psychology. In 2016 she was one of the founding partners of the Wellness Center as an integrated care clinic. She served in the Emergency Operations Team during the COVID-19 global pandemic on campus, assisting in the steering of the campus response to behavioral emergencies of the entire campus community.

In 2022 she became the Executive Director of the Wellness Center, overseeing the Health Services, Mental Health Services, Clinical Training Program, and the general operations of the Wellness Center. In August 2024 she accepted the responsibilities of being the Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor for Health and Wellness, adding Campus Recreation Center and Disability Services and University Testing to the departments she oversees.

In addition to her role at the Wellness Center, Dr. Altayli currently serves at the Board of Directors of Pikes Peak Suicide Prevention Partnership, as a member of El Paso Country Suicide Prevention Collaborative, and at the Colorado State Suicide Prevention Commission as a Higher Education Commissioner.