Tahara Akmal, M.A., a CPE supervisory candidate, is of the Islamic faith.  She completed in 2011 a second year residency as a Family Advocate at Johns Hopkins after serving as a first year resident at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center (2009-2010).  Previous to her chaplaincy ministry she served as a bereavement coordinator for Odyssey Hospice in Los Angeles.  Tahara earned the bachelor of arts degree in psychology, with a minor in religion, from Vanguard University of Southern California, in Costa Mesa, and the master of arts in pastoral care and Islamic studies from Claremont School of Theology, also in southern California. 

The Rev. Tyra L. Curley, MDiv., a first year resident, is an ordained minister with The City Temple of Baltimore (Baptist) Church where she serves as a pulpit associate.  She earned the bachelor of fine arts degree from Pratt Institute in New York in merchandising and fashion management, and a bachelor of arts degree in Biblical studies (BABS) in pastoral ministry from Maple Springs Baptist Bible College & Seminary in Capitol Heights, Maryland. Tyra earned the master of divinity degree from The Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology of Virginia Union University University in Richmond.  She completed her first unit of CPE as a chaplain intern at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Susan Dunham, M.Div., who serves as a Family Advocate in the specialized CPE chaplain residency program, is endorsed and eligible for ordination as a Unitarian Universalist minister.  She graduated from Swarthmore College with a double major in biology and economics, and received a master of arts degree in dance from American University.  Susan earned the master of divinity degree from Starr King School for the Ministry, which is part of the Graduate Theological Union (Berkeley, California).  She is from Lutherville, Maryland, and lived most recently in the San Francisco area where she was a dancer, choreographer and director of a modern dance company.  Susan completed a CPE residency at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center.

The Rev. Lisa D. Fisher, M.Ed., a first year resident, is an ordained minister from Mountain Christian Church, in Joppa, Maryland.  She earned the bachelor of science degree in psychology at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.  She also holds the master of education degree from Coppin State University in Baltimore.  Prior to beginning chaplaincy training, she served as a case manager working with individuals with disabilities.  At present she is enrolled in theological studies at Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University in Richmond, from which the master of divinity degree will be awarded in May, 2013.  Her previous units of CPE were completed at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, where she was in the inaugural class of community-based CPE.

The Rev. Jeffrey Raphael T. Garcia, M.A., a first year resident, is an ordained priest in the Antiochian Orthodox Church (Western Rite).  He currently serves as attached clergy to St. Gregory Orthodox Church in Washington D.C.  Jeffrey earned the bachelor's degree in sacred theology from University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, and the master of arts degree in education, with major in guidance and counseling from Ateneo de Manila University.   His previous units of CPE were taken at the Washington Hospital Center in D.C. and the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

 

The Rev. Thomas (Tommy) S. Rogers III, M.Div., a CPE supervisory candidate, is the Episcopal Chaplain for the hospital.   After receiving the bachelor of arts degree from Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth, Tommy earned the master of divinity degree from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.   He most recently served for five years as the Associate Rector of All Saints' Episcopal Church in Frederick, Maryland.  He completed a chaplain residency in 2005 at Methodist Dallas Medical Center. 

 The Rev. Donna Seay, M.Div. serves as a Family Advocate in the specialized CPE chaplain residency program and is an ordained minister in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.  Donna earned a bachelor of science degree in recreation from Carson Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee, a bachelor of science degree in education from Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina, and a master of divinity with a concentration in  pastoral care and counseling from M. Christopher White School of Divinity, Gardner-Webb University, in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. She completed a CPE residency at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina.   Before pursuing a career in chaplaincy, Donna was a physical education teacher and coach for 22 years, and spent three seasons as a park ranger with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The Rev. James Pfeiffer, M.Div., Th.M., supervisor of the 2012-2013 residency chaplains, is Senior Staff Chaplain and Associate ACPE Supervisor at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.  Ordained in the Presbyterian Church in America, Jim has been a pastor in the Midwest and worked in ministry in Africa for 12 years, living in Namibia and Zimbabwe.  Jim did his first unit of CPE at Philhaven Behavioral Health in Mt. Gretna, Pennsylvania, and his CPE residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.  He studied supervisory CPE at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center and received his certification as an Associate Supervisor in November 2011.  Jim is a graduate of Cairn University, Biblical Theological Seminary and Westminster Theological Seminary.