Peter R. Teahen is a Funeral Director, author and a mental health professional. In 2011 he received the designation of Diplomate from the National Center for Crisis Management and the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. He is president of Teahen Funeral Home, and founder of the International Mass Fatalities Center and AmericaReady. Peter is an Adjunct Faculty member at the University of Iowa.
He has years of professional, community, and volunteer experience ranging from pioneering community projects, lecturing, developing mental health crisis management intervention programs, and lending his skills to both the development of disaster operation protocols, as well as, extensive volunteerism in disaster services.
EDUCATION:
- Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA. Human Services Management. Postgraduate studies
- Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa B.A. Business Administration/Religion. 1985
- Worsham College of Mortuary Science. Chicago, Illinois, Associate of Science. 1974
- International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF): Studies in Basic and Advanced Critical Incident Stress Management; Peer Counseling; Trauma and Stress; School Crisis Response; Psychotraumatology for Clinicians. Certificate of Recognition
HIGHLIGHTS OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Diplomate: National Center for Crisis Management and American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. 2011
The Diplomate distinction is a prestigious credential awarded to individuals in recognition of their experience in crisis management and/or working with survivors of traumatic events, knowledge, training and level of education
Author: Mass Fatalities: Managing a Community Response. CRC Press: 2011
This book examines multiple complex issues while providing practical guidance to communities and responders as they plan for, respond to, and recover from a mass fatalities incident.
President/Founder: AmericaReady. Since 2005
AmericaReady is a non-profit corporation that provides consultation services and training that integrates desktop drills and assessments in the field of emergency management, public health, and hospital preparedness.
President/Founder: International Mass Fatalities Center (IMFC). Since 2000
The IMFC is a non-profit corporation that assists governments, communities, first
responders, community response agencies and non-governmental organizations in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters. The program incorporates active learning through lecture, participatory group exercises, case studies, role-play, and focused discussion.
National Spokesperson: American Red Cross. Since 1999
Conducts media interviews representing the American Red Cross during domestic disasters to national and international television, radio, print and Web-based news organizations. Interviews have included Larry King Live, Good Morning America, The Weather Channel, The Oprah Winfrey Show, the British Broadcasting Company and the Aljazeera Broadcasting Company.
President and Funeral Director: Teahen Funeral Home, Inc. Since 1972
Teahen Funeral Home, established in 1936, provides a full range of funeral and cremation services.
Adjunct Lecturer: School of Public Health, University of Minnesota. Since 2007
Peter has served as subject matter expert on three Web-based courses including, "Overview of a Mass Fatalities Response", "Dirty Bomb After the Blast-Online Simulation", and, "Crisis Intervention During Disaster". Peter teaches a credited on-campus course in mass fatalities.
Adjunct Faculty & Program Advisor: University of Iowa, College of Education, Rehabilitation and Mental Health Education Program. Since 2006
Peter is an Adjunct Faculty member and advisor for a program that offers both an M.A. and Ph.D. degree in Rehabilitation Counseling Education and Mental Health. Peter serves as subject matter expert in the development of college accredited courses in disaster response.
SPECIAL PROJECTS:
Consultant: Project Haiti. Medical Response Haiti Earthquake, 2010
Assisted in the implementation and delivery of medical services in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Consultant: Psychological Trauma Management Training Program:
Humanitarian Aid Workers. Sudan-Darfur 2008
Designed and implemented a comprehensive three-day psychological trauma management-training program for international and national humanitarian aid workers serving in areas of humanitarian conflict. Funding was from RedR of London and the European Commission (ECHO) of Sudan.
Program Manager: Psychological Trauma Management Training Program:
Humanitarian Aid Workers. Sudan-Darfur 2007
Designed and implemented a pilot psychological trauma management-training program for international humanitarian aid workers serving in areas of conflict. Peter delivered the pilot program in Khartoum, Nyala/South Darfur, and El Geneina/West Darfur. Funding was from RedR of London and the Department for International Development of United Kingdom.
Consultant in Sri Lanka: Southeast Asia Tsunami 2004
Developed a long-term comprehensive psycho-social recovery plan for the Consortium of Humanitarian Aid Agency and the government of Sri Lanka.
Green Cross Program Manager: Multi-national mental health team response to Sri Lanka. South Asia Tsunami 2004
Implemented a master plan to provide crisis intervention services to 600,000 individuals who survived the tsunami and were residing in 300 displaced person camps. Peter's mental health team members were from the United States, Great Britain, Turkey, Canada, and Mexico.
Founder: Iowa National Guard Operation Enduring Families. Since 2003
Spearheaded the conception and delivery of a comprehensive multi-phase program providing emotional support to soldiers and their families during pre-deployment, deployment and post deployment operations of the Iowa National Guard. Enduring Families has served more than 7,000 soldiers in addition to their spouses, dependents, and parents. The program:
- Trains soldiers as crisis responders
- Provides crisis management briefings to families of an affected unit following the death or injury of a soldier
- Includes a one-day workshop for soldiers and their families to help them cope with the psychological and everyday challenges of family reunification.
Memorial Coordinator: One-year anniversary, Alaska Air Flight 261.
Ventura County, CA. 2001
Conceptualized and conducted an extraordinary four-day event that raised the standard for aviation memorial services. Receiving media coverage across the nation, the program was created for 750 family members from eight countries in commemoration of the 88 lives lost in the Alaska Air Flight 261 crash off the California Coast on January 31, 2000. At long last, the memorial services brought a sense of closure. Responsibilities included:
- Burial of unidentified remains
- A memorial concert by the Los Angeles Mormon Choir
- The Wall of Remembrance
- The largest memorial motorcade managed by the California Highway Patrol
- Developing memorial videos, books and keepsakes
- Identifying family members to attend the service, arranging travel, lodging, and meals
- Event coordination including: security, staffing, media coverage, budget, local, and coordination at the county, state, federal, and international levels.