Honor NACC Members, Professional Colleagues and Groups!
Do you know someone who has inspired you in the work and profession of chaplaincy? We want to know. Now is your chance to express your gratitude and nominate this person. Two awards, Distinguished Service Award and Emergent Leader Award, recognize NACC members for outstanding dedication and service to NACC or to the field of chaplaincy. One award, Outstanding Colleague Award, is presented to a non-NACC member individual or group whose work has proven complementary to, supportive of, or otherwise has contributed to the advancement of the profession of chaplaincy.
Please consider nominating.
Annual Award Nomination Forms
Distinguished Service Award – criteria and nominating form
Outstanding Colleague Award – criteria and nominating form
Emergent Leader Award – criteria and nominating form
2023 Annual Awards Presentation
The presentation of the 2023 Annual Awards took place in at the 2023 Retreat in Mundelein, Illinois.
2023 Award Recipients
Rabbi Maurice S. Kaprow EdD, BCC ~ Outstanding Colleague Award
Mr. Preston A. Becker BCC ~ Emergent Leader Award
Sr. Pamela J. Nosbusch OSF, BCC ~ Distinguished Service Award
2023 Outstanding Colleague
Rabbi Moe Kaprow
Rabbi Dr. Moe Kaprow began his career in chaplaincy after spending 18 years in public education. He worked closely with Jewish Family Services of Greater Orlando to establish the community’s first community chaplain program. He joined the staff of Orlando Regional Medical Center, a level 1 trauma center, as a staff chaplain where he worked from mid 1985 through the end of 1989. At the same time, he served the entire Orlando Jewish community in all the local hospitals and facilities.
From January 1, 1990, through his retirement on February 1, 2010, Rabbi Kaprow served on active duty in US Navy Chaplain Corps attaining the rank of Commander and receiving numerous awards and medals. He served aboard many ships and competed several major deployments. He was involved in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm under combat conditions while aboard USS SARATOGA (CV 60). After serving at Naval Training Center Great Lakes with recruits and with Marines at 1st Service Support Group, Camp Pendleton, Rabbi Kaprow became an instructor at the Naval Chaplain School where was awarded the designation of Master Training Specialist. Later, as Deputy Command Chaplain for US Sixth Fleet, he was involved in planning chaplain utilization during the second Gulf War. His last sea command was as Command Chaplain of the pre-commissioned USS GEORGE H W BUSH (CVN 77). His final duty station was Center for Information Dominance where he was the Command Chaplain.
Following the Navy, he was a staff chaplain for VITAS Healthcare, a large hospice corporation where he worked throughout the Orlando metropolitan area until his retirement in 2021. He joined NAJC at its founding in 1990, served two terms as Treasurer and one term as President. In July 2019 he assumed the role of Executive Director of NAJC. Rabbi Kaprow lives in Winter Springs, FL. His beloved wife Sheila passed away in 2015. He has two grown children and five grandchildren.
Nominated by Carolanne B. Hauck BCC and others
2023 Distinguished Service
Sr. Pamela J. Nosbusch OSF, BCC
Sr. Pam is a member of the Sisters of St Francis, Sylvania Ohio, and celebrated 25 years as a Franciscan in 2020. She is a native of Kentucky and originally planned to teach music. After God led Sr. Pam to join the Franciscans, she ministered in a children’s live performance program and in Catholic parishes. Sr. Pam was led to Chaplaincy through a Sister in her Religious Community. She has ministered as a Chaplain in long term care and hospital ministries, and since 2013, as a Chaplain with Gentiva Hospice in Nashville, Tennessee.
Sr. Pam holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Middle Tennessee State University. She also holds a Master of Music Education and Specialist in Community Teaching from Arkansas State University as well as a Master of Pastoral Ministry from Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit, Michigan.
A member since 2007, Sr. Pam has served NACC as a Certification Interviewer and also served on a committee of Interview Team Educators who updated the online educational videos for Certification Interviewers She currently serves as an Interview Team Educator as well as serving on the Competency Commission and Certified Associate Chaplain Ad Hoc Committee.
Sr. Pam is the fourth of five children. She has nine nieces and nephews, many grandnieces and nephews, and one great grandniece. She enjoys being able to visit her family on a regular basis as she lives about an hour from them.
Nominated by multiple NACC members
2023 Emergent Leader
Mr. Preston Becker BCC
Preston Becker is originally from the plains of Western Kansas. He went to the University of St. Mary in Leavenworth, KS (USM) to explore his call to ministry. This is where he was first introduced the possibility of hospital chaplaincy as a vocation – he was drawn by the challenge and beauty of chaplains being compassionately present to people in tragic and horrific situations. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Pastoral Ministry from USM in 2012. After working in campus ministry for two years at Indiana State University, Preston went on to receive a Master of Divinity from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, IN.
He completed one unit of CPE at Ascension St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis and four units of CPE at St. Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco, CA. He then served as a Chaplain at the Center for Elders’ Independence in Oakland, CA for two years meeting the spiritual needs of PACE participants throughout the SF East Bay.
Preston currently serves as the Spiritual Care Specialist at Ascension Genesys Hospital (Grand Blanc, MI), where he provides direct care as a clinical chaplain and also oversees the day to day operations of the Spiritual Care Department. He is also pursuing a Doctorate in Healthcare Mission Leadership at Loyola University.
The NACC became Preston’s home in 2020 and he was board certified in 2021. He also serves on the Marketing Panel, Nominations Panel, and was an interviewer for Board Certification in 2022. Preston feels particularly passionate about helping first-career Catholic Chaplains discover and sustain their call to this sacred work.
Preston is married to Mary Kate Becker, who is also a lay Catholic Minister and serves as a High School Campus Minister. They share a wonderful life together in Michigan along with their daughter, Bella (2 years old), and their son, Luke, who they recently welcomed into the world in March 2023.
Nominated by Rev. Lawrence X. Chellaian BCC and others
2021 Annual Awards
The presentation of the 2021 Annual Awards took place at the NACC Conference on Saturday, August 20, 2022, during the NACC Luncheon and Business Meeting. During this time we also acknowledged the 2020 Award Recipients.
2021 Award Recipients
Mrs. Allison S. DeLaney BCC-PCHAC ~ Emergent Leader Award
Ms. Moira C. Reilly ~ Emergent Leader Award
Rev. John T. Crabb SJ, BCC-E ~ Distinguished Service Award
Dr. Wendy Cadge ~ Outstanding Colleague Award
2020 Award Recipients
Dr. Ruth Jandeska EdD, BCC ~ Emergent Leader Award
Denice S. Foose MBA, MAPS, BCC ~ Distinguished Service Award
Dr. Katherine M. Piderman PhD, BCC ~ Distinguished Service Award
2021 Emergent Leader
Mrs. Allison S. DeLaney BCC-PCHAC
Allison DeLaney is a Native Floridian and daughter of Chinese Jamaican immigrants. She always knew she wanted to work in healthcare like her mother, an RN, and began as a physical therapist, but fell and stayed in love with chaplaincy. Allison joined NACC in 2005, was granted certification in 2006 and advanced certification in Palliative Care/Hospice in 2020.
After serving as Chaplain and Bereavement Coordinator at Hospice House and Support Care of Williamsburg for 8 years, Allison is now a chaplain for the Pediatric, Neonatal and Women’s Health units in the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Medical Center and an Instructor in the Department of Patient Counseling of the College of Health Professions.
She holds a B.S. from the University of Florida, a M.A. from Catholic Theological Union (CTU), and a Master’s in Public Health from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). She completed her Chaplaincy Residency training at Loyola Hospital in Maywood, Illinois 2004-2005. She served the NACC as a certification and PCHAC interviewer and continues to serve on the NACC Research Advisory Panel, and the Certification Appeals Panel for PCHAC.
In her 15-year career as a chaplain, Allison has proven herself to be an exemplary ministerial leader. As an innovator and in her passion for excellence, she has combined her academic interests with clinical expertise conducting interdisciplinary research on clinical outcomes in spiritual care. She was in the first cohort of Transforming Chaplaincy research grantees.
Her home is with her husband (Steve), three boys, and a puppy (Peach) on a “farmette” in Williamsburg, Virginia. She enjoys being outdoors, especially when gardening, hiking with her family, and discovering new parks.
Presently, Allison is working on her first grant funded project: “Space for Wholeness at Work: Nourishing and Sustaining Resilience in Medical Language Interpreters” funded by the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab/ LUCE foundation aimed to promote resiliency in frontline workers during COVID-19. She also serves on the newly formed Pediatric Palliative Task force supported by the National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care.
Nominated by Ms. Bridget Deegan-Krause MDiv, BCC
2021 Emergent Leader
Ms. Moira C. Reilly BCC
Moira is a relative newcomer to NACC, becoming a member in 2017 and achieving board certification in 2019. Moira serves as the Children’s Hospital chaplain at WVU Medicine, providing care to patients, families, and staff. She brings a passion for equipping staff members for resilience in the face of unprecedented challenges. Moira serves as the NACC state liaison for West Virginia and as a certification interviewer. She was also selected to be a workshop presenter at last spring’s 20/20 Vision: The Future of Spiritual Care Joint Conference in Cleveland.
A lifelong Catholic, Moira Reilly served in parishes, campus ministry, and faith-based nonprofits in Chicago, IL, Jamaica, West Indies, and throughout West Virginia prior to discerning a call to chaplaincy. Having earned her MAPM from Duquesne University, she is a commissioned Lay Ecclesial Minister in the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. Moira pursued Clinical Pastoral Education at West Virginia University Hospitals in 2016, following her mother’s diagnosis with Alzheimer’s, believing that her own grief would inform her ministry to the grieving as a hospital chaplain. She specialized in maternal and infant care, neonatal palliative care; and did an extended internship in adult palliative care.
Moira and her husband Steve married in September of 2020 and are enjoying a forever honeymoon.
Nominated by Mr. Edward Horvat BCC
2021 Distinguished Service
Rev. John T. Crabb SJ, BCC-E
Fr. John (Jack) Crabb, SJ has served the mission, vision, and values of NACC for the past 24 years with skill, dedication, and great heart: Region I Certification Committee; Certification Interview Teams; Vision and Action Committee; Certification Commission for six years with last three years as chair of Certification Commission; Board of Directors 2009-2015 where he chaired the Governance Committee along with the Annual Awards Panel. He was the Board’s representative for four successive annual conferences as he chaired the Liturgy (twice), Plenary Speakers, and Workshop committees. Fr Jack, who is sensitive to the persons on the margins and ensures inclusion as a value, initiated the first gathering of the international priests at one of the annual conferences. Fostering new leadership, he was also behind the beginning of the NACC Emergent Leader Award. He has continued serving NACC as Fr. Jack currently is the State Liaison for New York.
Fr. Jack grew up in Maine and after graduation from Boston College he entered the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) of the New England Province, He has been a Jesuit for 52 years and a priest for 42 years. He taught at Jesuit high schools for many years. He was also the first Academic Assistant Principal at Houston Texas at Strake Jesuit College Prep. Prior to beginning his current ministry in healthcare he was the Director of Admissions at Fairfield (CT) Prep. Fr. Jack became the resident chaplain at Holy Family Hospital where he began his journey to CPE supervisor/educator. He has had assignments from the Jesuits as Administrator, assistant director, of the Jesuit retreat house Eastern Point Retreat House in Gloucester MA. At Mercy Hospital in Portland Maine he initiated their first CPE program. For seven years at University of Vermont Medical Center he was Manager of Spiritual Care and Director of Clinical Pastoral Education Fr. Jack now serves as Clinical Pastoral Educator, as the system’s Certified CPE Educator, at Catholic Health (formerly Catholic Health Services of Long Island) in Rockville Centre NY. He is a dually certified NACC and ACPE Certified Educator.
Nominated by Dr. Caterina Mako ThM, DMin, BCC
2021 Outstanding Colleague
Dr. Wendy Cadge
Barbara Mandel Professor of Humanistic Social Sciences and Professor of Sociology, and recently appointed Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Brandeis University, Waltham, MA
Wendy Cadge founded and co-directed the Transforming Chaplaincy Project from 2015 to 2019. Transforming Chaplaincy is “a think tank with a mission to promote research literacy in chaplaincy to improve patient outcomes.” Its website provides resources for chaplains, educators, researchers, and other professionals to build a much-needed and timely research competency. In 2018, Wendy launched the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab which studies shifts in American spiritual and religious life and builds up the profession of spiritual care.
Wendy is an expert in contemporary American religion, especially related to religion in public institutions, religious diversity, religious and moral aspects of healthcare, and religion and immigration.
In a recent blog posting addressing racism in this country, Wendy writes, “Over the last 15 years I have been thinking about how chaplains are often called to bear witness. They hear and see people when it seems no one else does.” She knows the strengths and competencies chaplains bring to their ministry. In the same article, Wendy points to social movement chaplaincy as a vehicle for sustainable change. Not only does Wendy know our profession, but she also challenges us to remain relevant and to build new skill sets in response to community needs.
Wendy teaches and writes about religion in the contemporary United States, especially as related to health care, immigration, and sexuality. An award-winning educator, she has published more than seventy-five articles and raised more than $6.5 million in support of her own research and teaching and that of colleagues.
Nominated by Mr. James P. Letourneau BCC
2020 AWARDS
2020 Distinguished Service Award
Denice S. Foose, MBA, MAPS, BCC
“Perhaps her most significant contribution was the design and implementation of this major Archdiocesan initiative, enhancing ministry by Priests and Catholic laity to Catholic persons in hospitals and related healthcare facilities. Denice designed substantial educational programs to equip Catholic laity for caring ministry.” (Nannette Coons, NACC Student Member and Lay Coordinator of Pastoral Care)
“Denice is gifted and passionate about pastoral care ministry in all its dimensions. She demonstrated effective patient care, implemented innovative patient programs (e. g. No One Dies Alone), and developed substantial lay ministry initiatives and educational programs for their training.” (Deacon David Garvis, Ph.D., BCC, Regional Clinical Ethicist, CHI St Luke’s Health System)
“Denice brilliantly animates the NACC vision and mission to continue the healing ministry of Jesus Christ through her magnificent role as the Director of Catholic Chaplain Corps (CCC) in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. She tirelessly cultivates the ministry of chaplaincy and transforming spiritual care locally and nationally. She integrates all the values of NACC by launching her innovative CCC Model in the Texas Medical Center (TMC) which benefits not only the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston but also serves as a pioneer for other Dioceses for consideration and implementation.” (Eugenia Lai, BCC, NACC Member)
Denice participated in NACC’s foundational Partners in Pastoral Care planning meetings which were funded by a grant from the Raskob Foundation to look at all areas where pastoral care was needed, the competencies required for those ministries, and the formation required to prepare people for that ministry. She was instrumental in the creation of the Pastoral Care Competencies which she applied to her training programs in the CCC at the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. While preparing people for foundational pastoral care ministry, she strongly advocates for and encourages others to consider board certified chaplaincy.
Denice Foose has been a strategic planner, master recruiter, and an inspirational catalyst for others to strive for excellence – embodying distinguished service.
2020 Distinguished Service Award
Dr. Katherine M. Piderman, PhD BCC
Born and raised in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, Kate has lived most of her adult life in the Midwestern United States. She has advanced degrees in counseling, pastoral ministry and scripture, and a PhD in psychology. In her service she cares for patients and their loved ones in several clinical areas, including psychiatry, physical rehabilitation, and hospice.
“As a chaplain, as a teacher of chaplains and healthcare colleagues, and as a leading chaplain-researcher, Kate Piderman has made exceptional contributions to professional chaplaincy.” (Karen Pugliese MA, BCC-PCHAC, NACC member)
“If you ever have had or will have the opportunity to sit in on any presentation by Chaplain Piderman… you would immediately know that Kate is a woman with a head and a heart for chaplain ministry.” (Rev. Dean V. Marek, retired BCC, Former Director, Dept. of Chaplain Services, Mayo Clinic, Rochester)
Kate has led several research projects related to spirituality and health, including a large survey project assessing hospitalized patients’ expectations of chaplains and a pilot study on developing spiritual legacies with those with neurological illnesses and other advanced diseases. With over thirty-five peer-reviewed publications she has spoken widely within the United States and Canada, as well as, Ireland, the UK, the Netherlands, and Israel. As her 2017 article in Vision states, this commitment to the research profession also yields personal, spiritual growth. This is a testimony to her spirituality that grounds her profession.
Kate is appreciated for her ability to make research intelligible and applicable to the care of patients, and for her kind and gentle manner. At this time, Kate continues to be active in spiritual research at Mayo Clinic and is participating in a spiritual direction training program through the Ignatius Jesuit Centre in Guelph, Ontario. She loves the outdoors and beauty of nature. She may be found swimming, hiking, biking, kayaking, cross-country skiing or snowshoeing, as she embraces in the varied seasons that come her way.
Dr. Kate Piderman is a compassionate chaplain, competent teacher of chaplains and healthcare colleagues, and leading chaplain-researcher. She is deserving of her nomination for the NACC Distinguished Service Award.
2020 Emergent Leader Award
Dr. Ruth Jandeska EdD BCC
Ruth received a Master of Arts degree from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and a Doctor of Education in Interdisciplinary Leadership from Creighton University in Omaha. Ruth completed her CPE training at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. She has been an NACC member since 2010 and certified in 2011.
As a passionate advocate for chaplaincy, Ruth’s leadership approach is that of empowering others so they can achieve their fullest potential. Currently, she serves as a Director of Pastoral Care at Providence Health in Columbia, SC. Ruth has served in NACC as interviewer, ITE and Competencies Commission member.
“Ruth embraced the role of Director of Spiritual Care (at Bon Secours Mercy Health) with passion and humility. Ruth began her ministry by seeking to understand each chaplain and inviting them to deepen their self-awareness. She modeled by sharing openly and honestly from her experience the importance of knowing our growing edges and leading with our strengths… Ruth’s passion for the profession of chaplaincy and for promoting and developing the NACC competencies were evident in her expectations of us chaplains… Ruth’s commitment to the NACC competencies was evident during each staff meeting, where each item on the agenda was associated with a competency… The manner and method with which Ruth conducted each meeting promoted our learning and development as chaplains.” (Deirdre Manning, BCC, Outpatient Oncology Chaplain Bon Secours Mercy Health)
When not at work, Ruth enjoys spending time with her husband (Adam), children (Fátima, Santiago and Andres), and 1½ year-old black lab puppy, Benny.
Dr. Ruth Jandeska is fully committed to promoting and improving the ministry of chaplaincy and the mission of the NACC. She is worthy of the Emergent Leader Award.
2019 AWARDS
2019 Distinguished Service Award
Sr. Emily Demuth CSC, BCC
The NACC is proud to present the 2019 Distinguished Service Award to Sr. Emily Demuth CSC, BCC. Certified in 1978, Sr. Emily has over 70 years of service in Catholic health care, serving 40 of those years as a chaplain. She is distinguished by the longevity of her service and her enthusiastic participation in NACC.
Working more than seven decades in Catholic healthcare, first as a nurse and a pioneer implementing one of the first respiratory therapy services, then as a board certified chaplain, she sees the face of Jesus in patients, families, staff, and physicians. One administrator in the 1990s said, “I hope if I am sick or my family member is sick, Sr. Emily will be there for us. She is the best chaplain.” As chaplain for people living with AIDS and for gang members, she offers a nonjudgmental stance, serving the outcasts of society, bringing God’s love to each person, supporting the healing of spirit with her listening, spiritual guidance, and unconditional love.
Sr. Emily has worked selflessly over many decades, serving those who come for care, staff and physicians, as well as supporting the efforts of the NACC.
Throughout her 40 years as a certified chaplain, she has worked in regional leadership in NACC and currently serves on the NACC’s Palliative Task Force. Her service includes dozens of certification and renewal of certification committees, and mentoring countless chaplains along the way. She has been a constant joyful presence at National Conferences and continues to enthusiastically participate in NACC networking calls. Sr Emily offers a wonderful model of ‘Distinguished Service’ for our Association. Now more than ever, she is a model of longevity. Her long-haul faithfulness to a collective membership body is a sacred witness. Sr. Emily’s service is distinguished, no doubt.
2019 Emergent Leader Award
Sean Doll O’Mahoney MDiv, BCC
Early in his career while he was a Jesuit volunteer, Sean worked at Providence Hospice of Seattle. This sparked an interest in chaplaincy when he saw interfaith collaboration among colleagues and dedication to accompanying a diverse population of patients. He attended Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge MA, earning his Masters of Divinity. This was a transformative experience: meeting his spouse Rachel, serving in jail ministry, working in religious education in a parish, and taking his first unit of CPE!
Sean returned to the Pacific Northwest after seminary to serve as a chaplain resident at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. This year of residency blossomed into a second year of residency focused on care for those living with mental illness. Sean says that “accompanying persons exploring spiritual pain as well as meaning in the context of depression, addiction and other mental health concerns continues to be a passion and inspiration for me.” He also says that after his children were born they allowed more play, creativity, and spontaneity into his life and he brings this to his supervision. His passion for adult education inspired his pursuit of supervisory education.
Sean became a fully certified as an ACPE Supervisor (now Educator) in 2014. His primary supervisor in training was Rev. Julie Hanada, a Pureland Buddhist priest. Her mentoring informed and enhanced Sean’s interest in interfaith spiritual care and cultural humility. He is now at St. Vincent Indianapolis as ACPE Educator and Manager of Clinical Pastoral Education.
A key hobby and passion in his life involves dough, making bread and especially pizza. He also plays guitar and enjoys listening to jazz music, watching baseball, local food and culture of all kinds.
2019 Outstanding Colleague Award
Harry J. Dudley DMin
The NACC is proud to present the 2019 Outstanding Colleague Award to Harry J. Dudley DMin, recently retired Assistant Director of the USCCB Subcommittee on Certification for Ecclesial Ministry and Service. We are grateful for his support of and contribution to advancing the profession of spiritual and pastoral care. His position of advocacy for the ministry of pastoral care as a certified profession and his partnership in and endorsement of the Partners in Planning for Pastoral Care were significant for its positioning the need for national direction and support of pastoral care among the bishops. He has a gift for building and fostering relationships among diverse Catholic Ministry organizations.
Dr. Harry J. Dudley was the first to hold the role of Assistant Director for Certification of Ecclesial Ministry for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in the Secretariat for Catholic Education. In addition, he was staff to the Bishops’ Committee on Catholic Education. During his tenure at the Bishops’ conference, Harry was responsible for transitioning this new office from an independent commission to becoming integral to the work of the Bishops’ Conference. This was accomplished by seamlessly continuing to assist dioceses and national organizations to successfully prepare for the review and approval of their standards and procedures for certification by the bishops.
Upon retiring, he and his wife, Patricia, inspired by Pope Francis’ call of all Catholics to ”accompaniment”, created Ambulans Vobiscum Consulting to focus on helping non-profits and churches develop curriculum, leaders and formation for service.
Award Recipients – 2011-2018
2018 Distinguished Service Award
The NACC is proud to present the 2018 Distinguished Service Award to Mary Lou O’Gorman, BCC. Mary Lou was certified with NACC in 1985 and has served the NACC and the profession generously and selflessly over all those years. 
Mary Lou is dedicated and collaborative; a visionary, a mentor, and a steadfast presence. She brings a prophetic voice of reason and balance to the committees where she serves, advocating for integrating spirituality within the interdisciplinary team as a paradigm for whole person care within all medical teams.
Mary Lou spent her adult life advancing the profession of chaplaincy on both local and national levels. For many years she served, first as chaplain, then as Director of Spiritual Care for Ascension Health St. Thomas‐Nashville. As a director, she brought chaplains to a new understanding of how they were to function as integral members of the interdisciplinary team. She promoted the advancement of chaplaincy by overseeing a Clinical Pastoral Education Program designed to promote sustainability within the profession. She’s worked tirelessly to educate the local leadership to understand chaplaincy, advancing the profession as integral to a healing patient experience.
She has deep wisdom about the profession of chaplaincy and has advanced this wisdom across many forums including The Joint Commission, APC, and the NACC. She is perceived across Ascension Health as a dedicated and knowledgeable leader. Her dedication and knowledge have been used to raise the bar of excellence across every aspect of Ascension Health spiritual care practice and departments.
Mary Lou was an early member of the NACC and has promoted board certification as a gold standard for those providing chaplaincy in healthcare. As a member of the NACC, she served on the Board of Directors at a critical time when strategy needed to be developed and revised to meet emerging needs of the organization. She was a very capable and visionary chair of the NACC Board of Directors. Her leadership helped the board move forward on many pressing issues including sustainability of the organization.
NACC and its members thank you Mary Lou O’Gorman. We are proud to present the Distinguished Service Award to you for the generosity of your gifts and talents which you so graciously have shared in the ministry of Chaplaincy, in your role as Director of Spiritual Care, and your leadership within the NACC.
2018 Outstanding Colleague Award
The NACC is proud to present the 2018 Outstanding Colleague Award to Beverley H. Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care (IPFCC) in Bethesda, MD. Her nominating statement attests that Beverley has been a strong supporter of chaplaincy services as integral to patient- and family-centered care. 
Beverley Johnson has championed Patient-Family Centered Care (PFCC) initiatives throughout the country and has created effective partnerships with patients and families in over 300 hospitals. She wrote an article for NACC Vision (Feb. 2017) on the importance of having chaplains involved on PFCC committees and recognizing the value of the role chaplaincy in patient- and family-centered care.
Beverley served on the inaugural Advisory Board for the American College of Physicians’ Center for Patient Partnership in Healthcare. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors for the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative (PCPCC) and has recently been appointed to the Board of Directors for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
Beverley has authored and co-authored many publications on patient- and family-centered practice and the related partnerships with patients and families. She served as Project Director for a multi-year initiative to develop resource materials for senior leaders in hospital, ambulatory, and long-term care settings on how to partner with patients, residents, and families to enhance the quality, safety, and the experience of care. She co-authored Privileged Presence: Personal Stories of Connections in Health Care, recognized as the 2015 American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year Award for Public Interest and Creative Works.
Beverley has been the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions. These include the 2017 Edward R. Loveland Memorial Award when she was recognized by the American College of Physicians for distinguished contributions in the health field; the 2011 Dorland Health People Award for leadership in the area of patient- and family-centered care; and the 2007 Changemaker Award by the Board for the Center for Health Care Design. She has also been published widely on patient and family-centered issues and strategies.
Her vision of PFCC is allied with our own NACC Vision of forming life‐giving relationships with individuals, families, colleagues, and organizations. She recognizes the value of chaplains and urges chaplains to be active members of leadership teams.
The NACC and its membership thank you, Beverley, for your dedicated work. It enhances spiritual and medical care and supports the profession of chaplaincy.
2018 Emergent Leader Award
The NACC is proud to present the Emergent Leader Award to Teresa Sullivan, BCC. Teresa has been Board Certified with NACC since 2005 and has served within the NACC as a Certification Interviewer and Interview Team Educator for the Certification Commission, serving the profession in diverse ways. Teresa is an outstanding chaplain and represents the best values of NACC. She passionately advocates for young professionals in spiritual care.
Teresa’s sense of hospitality, inclusivity, and respect for the dignity of each patient are the hallmark of a ministry modeled on the ministry of Jesus. Teresa’s practice is also grounded in compassionate care for staff, gaining her the trust of nurses, social workers, and other clinicians who operate in the high-intensity environment of health care.
Teresa is a full-time staff chaplain at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital. She covers cardiology geriatrics at SLUH which is an inner city Level I Trauma Center where she represents the NACC in an outstanding way, particularly as a young spiritual care professional.
She is a graduate of Saint Mary’s College of Notre Dame and received her Master’s Degree in Pastoral Ministry from Boston College. Theresa did her CPE residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. She later served as the Coordinator of Catholic Ministry at South Shore Hospital while being a PRN chaplain at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Teresa and her husband Dan now live in St Louis with their three sons A.J., Gabriel, and Lucas.
Teresa has a strong desire and vision for the future of Catholic chaplaincy, particularly in recruiting younger professionals. Her leadership style is one that takes advantage of available small steps while keeping a wider vision in mind.
Teresa shows a high level of integrity in her personal and professional roles as minister and chaplain. The NACC is proud to present the Emergent Leader Award to Teresa Sullivan. Thank you for your dedicated service.
2017 Outstanding Colleague and Distinguished Service Awards
Outstanding Colleague Award ~ Cecille Allman Asekoff
Outstanding Colleague Award ~ George Fitchett, DMin, PhD
Distinguished Service Award ~ Nancy K. Cook, MDiv, MSW, BCC
2016 Outstanding Colleague, Distinguished Service, and Emergent Leader Awards
Here are the 2016 awardees:
Distinguished Service Award: Sr. Mary R. Skopal, SSJ, BCC
Emergent Leader Award: Ms. Kay I. Gorka BCC
Outstanding Colleague: Supportive Care Coalition
2015 Annual Awards
Rev. Joseph Driscoll, Caterina Mako.
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CATHOLIC CHAPLAINS
gratefully presents
THE OUTSTANDING COLLEAGUE AWARD
to
Rev. Joseph Driscoll
In recognition of
his most avid advocacy of the mission of the NACC,
his being a passionate, effective champion
for the profession of Chaplaincy and Clinical Pastoral Education,
his significant roles in advocacy collaboration among the cognate associations,
and his leadership in transforming organizationally
NACC’s governance, membership, and national office structures,
that contributed to the advancement of the profession of chaplaincy
in a significant and lasting way.
Presented this 7th day of March, 2015
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CATHOLIC CHAPLAINS
gratefully presents
THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
To
Sr. Barbara Brumleve, SSND
In recognition of
her selfless and generous service
to the members of the NACC and the profession of spiritual care
through her visionary leadership in the governance of the NACC and ACPE,
her excellence in Clinical Pastoral Education as a supervisor and a mentor to countless chaplains,
and her strong voice for and commitment to collaboration
among the professional chaplaincy associations.
These gifts, along with her wisdom, compassion, and passion for the ministry,
all contribute to the profession and the mission of the NACC in a significant and lasting way.
Presented this 7th day of March, 2015
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CATHOLIC CHAPLAINS
gratefully presents
THE EMERGENT LEADER AWARD
to
Caterina Mako
In recognition of
the ways she has shown leadership in her dedication and service
to the chaplaincy profession and the NACC
by her early contributions to the field of professional research on spiritual pain
and the value of pastoral care in treating the whole person, as well as
service to the NACC as a certification interviewer and state liaison —
thus showing her commitment to being a leader in professional chaplaincy and the NACC.
Presented this 7th day of March, 2015
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CATHOLIC CHAPLAINS
gratefully presents
THE EMERGENT LEADER AWARD
To
Augustine (Austine) Duru
In recognition of
the ways he has shown leadership in his dedication and service to the NACC
by his early involvement in the NACC certification process
as an interviewer, interview team educator, and now Certification Commissioner,
by his exceptional research contributions to VISION through the Editorial Advisory Panel and by his willingness to offer workshops at the NACC national conferences —
thus showing his commitment to being a leader in professional chaplaincy and the NACC.
Presented this 7th day of March, 2015
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CATHOLIC CHAPLAINS
gratefully presents
to
Susan Walker
NACC Finance and Office Director
this recognition in deep gratitude for her twenty years
of generous and highest quality service to the NACC and its members.
Her dedication and commitment to stewarding the financial operations of the NACC
have provided the NACC years of stability and reliability.
Her respect and care for each member of the staff and of the association
embody the values of human dignity and compassion that our ministry upholds.
Presented this 7th day of March, 2015
2015 Outstanding Colleague, Distinguished Service, and Emergent Leader Award Recipients Named
The NACC Board of Directors is pleased to announce recipients of the NACC Awards that will be presented at the NACC 2015 National Conference.
Outstanding Colleague Award
Fr. Joe Driscoll, who was President and CEO of the NACC from 1991-2002, is being recognized for his outstanding and inspirational leadership of NACC during a pivotal time (1990-2002) in NACC history. Father Driscoll championed collaboration among numerous chaplaincy and spiritual care associations and the development of chaplaincy as a profession, as well as the growth of the ministry among lay men and women. Fr. Joe will also be the first plenary speaker of the 2015 Conference.
Distinguished Service Award
Sr. Barbara Brumleve, SSND, is being recognized for her commitment to excellence and spirited collaboration as an educator and minister. She has distinguished herself as one of the most highly respected CPE Supervisors and as a mentor to chaplains and supervisory peers who brought out the best in them. Sr. Barbara generously served in NACC governance and ACPE leadership, always advocating for excellence in these organizations, fostering a strategic approach to planning for NACC’s future.
Emergent Leader Award
Our first Emergent Leaders Awards will be given to Catarina Mako and Austine Duru. Caterina Mako currently serves as director of chaplaincy and Priest Personnel placement for the Diocese of Rockville Centre and Catholic Health Services of Long Island, NY. She is competent, energetic, and creative in her approach to pastoral care, education and research. In her CPE residency she showed leadership by working with her peers to do a study on “Spiritual Pain in End of Life Care” – a study that has been published in The Journal of Palliative Medicine and is frequently referred to as a seminal research on the topic of spiritual pain. Since her certification by NACC, Catarina has been involved in many certification interview committees, has served as NACC regional liaison for New York State, and is involved in the on-going conference calls with association members interested in promoting and pursuing research opportunities. She is currently enrolled in a Doctor of Ministry program at Fordham University and plans to continue the research work on promoting and substantiating through research the value of pastoral care in the care of the whole person.
Austine Duru currently serves as Mission Director for CHI Nebraska. Since joining NACC in 2008 and becoming board certified, Austine immediately offered to serve on the Editorial Advisory Panel to find and submit articles and resources to the Research section of Vision, which is one of the most demanding responsibilities for Vision, and has consistently contributed high quality, helpful content to this section that aligned with the theme of each issue, as well as contributing to the NACC Research Task Force. Also, he has contributed to the NACC as a certification interviewer, beginning in 2011, the year after he was certified, then assumed Interview Team Educator (ITE) responsibilities in 2013. Finally, Austine has also contributed to the NACC through offering Conference Workshops that were creative, engaging, and very well received. They were: 2013 Massage to the Soul: The Healing Power in the Heartbeat of the Drum, and 2014 Sankofa – Reclaiming Our Traditions to Renew Our Spirits.
2014 Annual Awards
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CATHOLIC CHAPLAINS
gratefully presents
THE OUTSTANDING COLLEAGUE AWARD
to
THE FRANCISCAN SISTERS OF CHICAGO
In recognition of
the advocacy for and support of chaplaincy and pastoral services by the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago Service Corporation (FSCSC), as exemplified in the firm, passionate leadership of Sister Francis Clare Radke, chair of the FSCSC Board of Directors, who viewed spiritual care as essential to quality care, educated and advocated with corporate leaders about its value, and was instrumental in driving quality measures and benchmarks for spiritual care, in the strong, inspiring direction of Jeanette Lindish, Vice President of Mission and Pastoral Care, and in the dedicated, compassionate service of the entire pastoral care staff that contribute to the advancement of the profession of chaplaincy in a significant and lasting way.
Presented this 18th day of May, 2014
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CATHOLIC CHAPLAINS
gratefully presents
THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
To
JOSEPH G. BOZZELLI, D.Min., BCC
In recognition of
his distinguished service to the members of NACC and the profession of spiritual care through a steadfast, generous commitment to the many, diverse volunteer leadership roles within NACC, his embodying and modeling for our members the spiritual, personal, and professional growth each is called to undertake for the sake of those we serve, his generous and extensive service beyond the NACC, as exemplified in the American Red Cross Spiritual Response team, and his overall humble, unassuming manner that beautifully balances humor and hard work, that all contribute to the profession and to the mission of NACC in a significant and lasting way.
Presented this 18th day of May, 2014
2014 Outstanding Colleague and Distinguished Service Award Recipients Named
The NACC Board of Directors is pleased to announce recipients of the NACC Awards that will be presented at the NACC 2014 National Conference.
Outstanding Colleague Award
The NACC will be presenting the Outstanding Colleague Award to the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago for the support of chaplaincy and pastoral services by the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago Service Corporation (FSCSC). FSCSC is the parent company of Franciscan Communities, which currently operates and manages senior living communities in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Wisconsin and Illinois. Franciscan Communities also provides home and community-based health services in Indiana, a shelter for women and their children who are survivors of domestic violence in Indiana, affordable senior housing communities in Illinois and Kentucky, and a program that increases access to Catholic High Schools for young urban women on Chicago’s north side who are experiencing economic difficulties. The Outstanding Colleague Award is presented to “an individual or to a group whose work has proven complementary to, supportive of, or otherwise has contributed to the advancement of the profession of chaplaincy in a significant and lasting way.” The decision to grant the Award to FSCSC was based on the strong support of chaplaincy and spiritual care throughout the system. This support begins with the outstanding leadership of the chair of the Board of Directors of FSCSC, Sister Francis Clare Radke, who has provided consistent and passionate support for pastoral care and chaplaincy services since 1983. Her leadership is complemented by the strong and inspiring leadership of Jeanette Lindish, Vice President of Mission and Pastoral Care; and is lived out in the entire pastoral care staff whom Jeanette describes as, “such amazing people and I am truly blessed to minister with them.”
(Continued inside the 2014 Conference Registration Booklet)
Distinguished Service Award
Joseph G. Bozzelli, D.Min, BCC, has been a member of and board certified with the NACC for more than twenty years. Like many NACC members, he answered a call to ministry that led him to healthcare chaplaincy, and along the way he pursued further academic and clinical education to enhance his service to the People of God. Joe would never think himself as worthy of a nomination for the Distinguished Service Award, and in fact, upon notification of his selection, Joe said there were others more worthy. He even wanted to know if he could refuse the recognition. That’s the humble Joe we all know. Joe’s service within NACC is extensive. He has served on chaplain certification interview teams for 10 years, was a member of the 2006Vision and Action Committee, co-chaired the 2008 National Conference, served on the NACC Nominations Panel for 4 years, and currently serves on the NACC Certification Commission as vice-chair. Along with his steadfast commitment and involvement in diverse services within NACC, what further distinguishes Joe is his ongoing pursuit of self-discovery, and his willingness to learn and extend learning to those whom he supervises. He pursued further education with a Doctor in Ministry which several of our members have done. However, we probably won’t find many NACC members or Directors of Spiritual/Pastoral Care voluntarily undertaking another unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) to refresh self-knowledge and pastoral skills. This is what Joe did four years ago. This speaks to Joe’s humility and his desire to know himself through candid interaction with pastoral peers for the benefit of improving his ministry. Joe’s spirituality is evident in his devotion to and integration of the Catholic prayers and traditions that provide a firm base from which he reaches out to others. Joe is especially grateful for his family, the love and faith he received from his parents, Nicholas and Frances, as well as his 8 sisters and brothers, 59 nieces and nephews, and counting. They have enriched his life and have been a model of service and love.
(Continued inside the 2014 Conference Registration Booklet)
2013 Outstanding Colleague and Distinguished Service Award Recipients Named
The NACC Board of Directors is pleased to announce recipients of the NACC Awards that will be presented at the NACC 2013 National Conference.
Bishop Dale J. Melczek, bishop of the diocese of Gary, Indiana, who served as the USCCB Episcopal Liaison for the NACC from 2001 to 2007 during very important years for NACC, will be the recipient of the 2013 Outstanding Colleague Award.
Karen Pugliese, MA, BCC, who has provided leadership to the NACC and the chaplaincy profession in numerous ways will be receiving the NACC Distinguished Service Award.
We congratulate both of them, thank them for their service to NACC, and look forward to honoring them at our 2013 National Conference in Pittsburgh, April 13-16, 2013.
2012 Award Recipients
Chaplain Timothy G. Serban, M.A., BBC: recipient of NACC’s 2012 Distinguished Service Award
Chaplain Timothy G. Serban, M.A., BBC, has been named the Distinguished Service Award recipient. Tim has been our NACC liaison to the Red Cross for many years, advanced the profession both on his local level and national, and has supported our NACC work for many years. Thank you, Tim!
Rev. Gerard T. Broccolo, STD: recipient of NACC’s 2012 Outstanding Colleague Award
Rev. Gerard T. Broccolo, STD, a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago for more than 45 years. During the first half of his career, he quickly rose to national prominence in the areas of spirituality, ministry formation and liturgy. Since 1991, he has worked extensively in Catholic health care, particularly with Catholic Health Initiatives from which he retired in 2006, earning a national reputation for expertise in the integration of spirituality into the workplace and into the delivery of person-centered care.
2011 Award Recipients
Sr. Colette Hanlon: recipient of NACC’s 2011 Distinguished Service Award
Sr. Colette Hanlon, SC, M.E.D., M.A., BCC, is currently serving as a part-time chaplain at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. As a Board Certified Chaplain Advanced, Sr. Colette has offered nearly 30 years of service to the NACC and to the certification and professional growth of its members as an interviewer, an Interview Team Educator (ITE), and a mentor as well as being a regular contributor to Vision. She has demonstrated leadership, creativity, and compassion in her ministry on local, regional, and national levels. With the Distinguished Service Award, the NACC recognizes outstanding dedication and service to advancing the mission of NACC and the ministry of chaplaincy in a significant and lasting way. She embodies the best of what Catholic chaplains are about.
Among her many local contributions to the advancement of a variety of professional education and growth opportunities, Sr. Colette created a clinical pastoral ministry program for Catholic laity and area clergy in Wisconsin and chaired the National Association of Religious Leaders in Tennessee. As Director of Pastoral Care at the Hospital of St. Raphael in Connecticut, Sr. Colette developed models for diagnosis, intervention, and patient-outcomes that facilitated growth and respect for chaplains as part of the multidisciplinary team. She also started a speakers’ bureau of her staff, regardless of faith background, to go to local churches to speak on topics of prayer, spirituality, aging gracefully, moving through grief, and many other subjects.
Regionally and nationally, Sr. Colette has contributed to the chaplaincy profession through training videos, pilot studies, research grants, and national presentations. She has been a prolific writer contributing to the Sacred Journey, an online and printed journal, as well as national newspapers including the National Catholic Reporter.
Her ministry has been committed to establishing and nurturing life-giving relationships, ranging from representing the NACC at a national ‘think tank’ on the future of pastoral care to traveling 100 miles to share the Eucharist and talk over end-of-life concerns with a life-long friend. Those who nominated her remarked about her qualities of discipleship, integrity, compassion, stewardship, professionalism, dynamism, humor, and the ability to bring lightness and joy into often tense and sorrowful situations.
Sr. Colette ministers with confidence acquired through years of experience combined with her innate gifts and wisdom. Her humble heart is rooted in Christ and through that place of faith she treats all with the love and respect due to them as a child of God. As one nominator noted, Sr. Colette is a true daughter of Mother Elizabeth Seton following the motto “The Charity of Christ Urges Us.” She is a gift to the NACC and the profession of chaplaincy.
Christina Puchalski: recipient of NACC’s 2011 Outstanding Colleague Award
Christina Puchalski, M.S., M.D., is the Executive Director of the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health, Washington, DC, and a Professor of Medicine and Health Sciences at the George Washington University School of Medicine. As one of our plenary speakers for our 2011 annual conference, Dr. Puchalski honors us two-fold, speaking from her professional wisdom and scholarship in the field of integrating spiritual care across health disciplines, as well as sharing her leadership and advocacy for the role of spirituality in healthcare and the end of life. With the Outstanding Colleague Award, the NACC recognizes an individual or a group whose work has proven complementary to, supportive of, or otherwise has contributed to the advancement of the profession of chaplaincy in a significant and lasting way.
The NACC particularly recognizes Dr. Puchalski for her pioneering research and education in spirituality and medicine. Her spirituality curriculum at the George Washington University was one of the first in the country. She is noted for her commitment to the pastoral application of her research and insights. Most professionals in the field of spiritual care, and many healthcare providers across disciplines, from physicians to nurses, have for more than a decade been introduced to and utilized her FICA model of spiritual assessment: faith or beliefs, importance and influence, community, and address or application. While she promotes the importance and benefits of every clinician being able to learn this spiritual history, she also recognizes and advocates for the referral to the expertise of the board certified chaplain whom she views as a critical player on the multidisciplinary care team.
We are grateful for Dr. Puchalski’s many writings and publications in the field. Of particular importance is her most recent publication, Making Healthcare Whole: Integrating Spirituality into Patient Care, which built on the Consensus Conference document, “Improving the Quality of Spiritual Care as a Dimension of Palliative Care,” published in the Journal of Palliative Medicine, October 2009 and sponsored by the Archstone Foundation. One of the most promising elements of the Consensus Conference was the process of bringing all the healthcare clinicians, including board certified chaplains, to the table to create consensus on palliative care and the distinctive and complementary roles of those who care for patients at the end of life.
It is with great honor that we award Dr. Christina Puchalski the NACC Outstanding Colleague Award as evidenced by her support of the profession of chaplaincy and her advocacy for the expertise of the board certified chaplain on the multidisciplinary care team.
