Gregory Eells, the executive director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), died September 9 in Philadelphia from suicide. He was 52.

Dr. Eells earned a PhD in counseling psychology from Oklahoma State University, an MA in psychology from Eastern Illinois University and a BA in psychology and biology from Greenville College. Before coming to Penn, he had served five years as director of the University Counseling Center at the University of Southern Mississippi and was director of counseling and psychological services at Cornell University 2003-2019. He was elected president of the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors in 2007, serving two years in that position, as well as chair of the Mental Health Section of the American College Health Association in 2014, among numerous other honors.

He published dozens of scholarly articles, winning the AUCCCD’s Award for Excellence in Counseling Center Scholarship in 2016 and he has taught both graduate and undergraduate students in courses on counseling, social psychology and developmental psychology.

He is survived by his wife, Michelle; mother, Jeanette Eells-Rich; and three children, Kayla, Cole and Cade.