Hospital and Academic Chaplain

Zeynab is an Azerbaijani-born chaplain with a Master's degree in Human Physiology and an MA in Religious Studies. She’s worked in healthcare, mental health, university, and correctional facilities. Zeynab is currently applying for Professional Board Certification through the Association of Professional Chaplains, with the goal of becoming an ACPE certified educator. She has completed six units of CPE in three hospital settings.

M.Div., Dir. of Advocacy and Social Ministry

Marcus is the director of advocacy and parish social ministry at Catholic Family Center. He has worked with those on the margins of society in a variety of positions through the years. He has over 5 years of experience as a chaplain before moving to his current position.

M.Div., Th.M., Director for Student Support Services & Coordinator for Spiritual Care

Jackie is an ordained National Baptist Minister with a B.A. in Africana Studies from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and an M.Div. and Th.M. from Princeton Theological Seminary. She received certificates in Black Church Studies and Women, Theology & Gender, and was awarded the Bryant M. Kirkland Award for Excellence in Practical Theology in 2016. In September 2021, Jackie added a new role at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School. She specializes in engaging difficult conversations and fostering safe spaces for the disenfranchised.

Hindu Chaplain

Sanjay is a business analyst with a Bachelor's Degree in Commerce. After immigrating from India to the United States, he became the President of the Hindu Temple of Rochester, where he is currently a Board of Trustee. He’s completed 4 units of CPE in two hospital settings and an addiction facility. Sanjay is Hindu Chaplain at the University of Rochester’s Interfaith Chapel, Syracuse University’s Hendricks Chapel, and Rochester Institute of Technology’s Spirituality & Religious Life. He’s also Membership Co-Chair at the North American Hindu Chaplains Association and serves as a Board of Director at Heritage Christian Services in Upstate New York.

RN, Arnot Health, Staff Chaplain

Maureen is a nurse practitioner with a Master's Degree from Syracuse University who has primarily worked in critical care nursing and nurse education. She has spent the last 20 years full-time working in hospital settings. In 2017, she began volunteering in the Spiritual Care Department at Arnot Ogden Medical Center and participated in a local chaplaincy program. In 2019-2020, she participated in CareFirst Hospice's CPE program. Maureen has been working as a hospital chaplain for Arnot Health since 2019, serving as a preceptor for newly hired chaplains.

M. Div, BCC

Kelly is an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister and a board certified chaplain with the Spiritual Care Association. She received her M.Div from Meadville Lombard Theological School and has been serving as a chaplain in the Rochester area since 2012. She currently works at Hillside Children’s Center and serves as a per diem chaplain at Strong Memorial Hospital, and is a chaplain at the URMC NeuroPalliative Clinic. She did her chaplaincy internship and residency at Strong Memorial Hospital.

M. Div., Chaplain, Heritage Christian Services

Paddy is a chaplain with Heritage Christian Services and a priest in The Episcopal Church. He holds a Master of Divinity Degree from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School and a Diploma in Anglican Studies from Bexley-Seabury Episcopal Seminary. Paddy completed his CPE Internship and Residency at The University of Rochester Medical Center. He regularly assists Episcopal Churches in Rochester, preaching and presiding at the Eucharist. Paddy advocates for full participation of people with disabilities in faith communities and focuses on disability theology.

Executive Director, Compeer Rochester

Sara, a psychology graduate from Nazareth College, has been a dedicated leader at Compeer Rochester since 2014. She became the Director of Programs in 2014 and President in 2020, leading the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic and the social justice movement. Sara has been recognized as a member of Rochester Business Journal's "Forty under 40" in 2021. She has experience in critical incident management, Advancing Youth Development, and trauma-informed care, and is a long-time Compeer volunteer.

BCC, Pediatric Chaplain, UR Medicine Golisano Children's Hospital, Episcopal Deacon

Patti, an ordained Deacon in the Episcopal Church, is a Pediatric Chaplain at UR Medicine Golisano Children's Hospital. She completed 8 units of CPE at Strong Memorial Hospital in 2019, earned a Masters in Religious Studies from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in 2022, and was board-certified by the Association of Professional Chaplains in 2023. Patti has experience working as a per diem or part-time chaplain at Strong Memorial, Rochester General, and Highland Hospitals.

Manager of Spiritual Care and Chaplain at  UR Thompson Hospital

Janice works clinically alongside the hospital team as a chaplain and has been tasked with building a department of professional spiritual care providers. This role has been a terrific blend of the skills she learned as a registered nurse and her work in ministry for over twenty years as a pastor. Janice enjoys providing spiritual care to patients, families, and staff in settings including the emergency room, ICU, med/surg units, skilled nursing facility, and the palliative care unit. She enjoys Clinical Pastoral Education and oversees chaplain interns on their chaplaincy journey. Janice has training and certification in palliative care and serves on the ethics committee at UR Thompson Health. 

Janice is an ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene and served on the Nazarene chaplaincy task for this past year to establish a program initiative that would serve to network and provide resources to other Nazarene civilian chaplains. Currently, she serves as the district chaplain director in the Upstate NY district. She has enjoyed studies in the doctoral spiritual direction certification program at Nazarene Theological Seminary. Last, as someone who highly values lifelong learning, Janice is pursuing board certification with the Association of Professional Chaplains and will complete that journey in October 2024.

M. Div., Hopsital Chaplain

Austin is a Rochester native and serves as a Chaplain at Strong Memorial Hospital, Highland Hospital, Thompson Health, and Rochester General Hospital. He completed two CPE residencies and his CPE internship at Strong with a total of seven CPE units. He also holds his Masters of Divinity from Northeastern Seminary and his BA in Religion and Philosophy from Roberts Wesleyan University. Austin is a member and on the leadership team at Artisan Church.