I am a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where I minored in psychology and social sciences. I continued my studies at the Reformed Episcopal Seminary where I received my Masters in Divinity and entered the Christian Ministry. After fifteen years in ministry, I changed course and obtained certification as a mobile intensive care paramedic. I have held supervisory and command positions in Emergency Medical Services, working in communities across southern New Jersey. It was while working as a paramedic that I gained an interest in critical incident and post-traumatic stress. I have since attended multiple courses from the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation with certificates in Basic, Advanced, Individual and Peer Support, Law Enforcement, Corporate Cricis Response, Suicide Prevention and Postvention, Management of School Crises, and hold a Certificate of Specialized Training in Spiritual Care in Crisis Intervention. I also comp leted both classes in Pastoral Crisis Intervention. When New Jersey began to organize regional CISM teams, I immediately joined the Mercury Cape-Atlantic Team, later serving as Assistant Director of the team. I am presently affiliated with the S.O.S. Peer Rescue CISM Team and have served as their clinical director. I am presently Executive Director of Life Resources Associates, an educational and support service for first responders and others impacted by crisis and traumatic stress.
I was able to combine my interests in spiritual support and medicine when I became Director of Pastoral Care at the Atlantic City Medical Center (now the AtlantiCare Health System). When the Medical Center opened it's Trauma Center, I became an integral member of the trauma team, providing spiritual and psychological support for family members of trauma patients. About the same time, I was appointed Chaplain of The Ocean City, NJ Fire Rescue Services where I serve 63 firefighters and 160 seasonal lifeguards. In 1996, I was introduced to the Federation of Fire Chaplains and I affiliated with them and took the Basic Chaplain Course. I received the rank of Master Chaplain a year later after completing the Advanced Chaplain Course. I presently serve as Associate Regional Director for the Mid-Atlantic States.
I earned my Doctorate in 1990 when I submitted my thesis entitled, "The Impact of a Biblical- Theistic Cosmology on the Decision Making Process in Medical and Biological Ethics." The thesis addressed many of the decision making and ethical issues I had faced as a paramedic and continued to confront on a daily basis as a hospital chaplain and consulting ethicist.
I have spoken at the annual AtlantiCare Trauma Conference, The Delaware State EMS Conference, the New Jersey Critical Care Nurses conference, the South Jersey Association of Social Workers, the Mid-Atlantic Conference of Anesthesiologists and other medical conferences. I have published several articles on critical incident and acute traumatic stress. I have participated at more than 100 debriefings and defusings, as well as numerous one-on-one peer interventions and continue to do pre-incident education for first-responders.