Chaplain Services Staff at Duke University Hospital

Meet the staff serving Duke University Hospital.

John OliverRev. John P. Oliver, D. Min., Director of Chaplain Services
John grew up in Colombia, South America as the son of missionaries. Much of his energy has been dedicated to training clergy in caring for people with mental health challenges. John's doctoral work focused on providing pastoral care to those who have experienced traumatic events. John is certified as an ACPE-certified educator by the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education and endorsed by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. John and his wife, Karin, have three grown children and he finds great joy in making music.  Email John.

Theresa BaylessTheresa Bayless, M. Div., Senior Clinical Administrative Chaplain
Theresa’s connection to Duke runs deep. She has provided care for patients and loved ones at Duke University Hospital since 2017 and is passionate about holistic care and caring for the human spirit. Theresa provides administrative and clinical oversight for Duke University Hospital’s heart center, and emergency department, and handles administrative leadership for the chaplain services and education volunteer program. She’s earned degrees from Duke University and completed a residency in clinical pastoral education at Duke. A board-certified chaplain, she is a member of the Association of Professional Chaplains. Email Theresa.

Michael GrossMichael E. Gross, D. Min., Program Manager for Caring for Each Other
Michael is a board-certified chaplain, licensed clinical mental health counselor, and an ordained Baptist minister. He values providing spiritual care and counseling services founded on a love ethic that emphasizes social justice and multiculturalism, is trauma-informed, and provides an overall approach to wellness. His research interests are focused on staff well-being, clinical mental health counseling, spiritual care, and more. He is licensed by the North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors and endorsed by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship for specialized ministry. Michael manages Duke’s Caring for Each Other Program which provides 24/7 staff support for hospital and clinic employees. Email Michael.

Katherine HendersonKatherine K. Henderson, M. Div., Senior Clinical Administrative Chaplain, Duke Outpatient Clinic
Katherine provides individual and group spiritual care with a focus on bereavement support. She works closely with providers and social work colleagues to support patients and their loved ones whose challenges can be complicated by social injustice. She also writes poetry inspired by her work and service to others. An ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, she completed her Clinical Pastoral Education training at Duke University Hospital and the Durham VA Hospital. She sees patients and families at Duke University Hospital and serves as chaplain at the Duke Outpatient ClinicEmail Katherine.

Artie HendricksArtie Hendricks, M. Div., Th. M., Senior Clinical Administrative Chaplain
Artie is a former hospice chaplain, Army National Guard chaplain, and bereavement coordinator. His interests include community outreach, palliative spiritual care, grief support, spiritual care to military veterans, and project development. He currently serves as the chaplain for the Adult Palliative Care consult service and as coordinator of the Duke Hospital Bereavement Services program. Artie is an ordained minister endorsed for chaplaincy in the United Church of Christ and a board-certified chaplain through the Association of Professional Chaplains. Email Artie.

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Katherine Higgins, PhD, ACPE Certified Educator
Katherine is an ACPE Certified Educator and Presbyterian Minister.  A North Carolina native, Katherine graduated from Oberlin College and Union Theological Seminary in New York.  She has just completed her PhD in transformative learning at North Carolina State University.  Katherine has served as a CPE educator in pediatric, urban, academic and community hospital settings, and served on staff at ACPE, Inc. Email Katherine  

David HormenooDavid Hormenoo, Ph. D, Certified Educator
David an ordained Baptist pastor from Ghana, where he graduated from the Ghana Baptist Theological Seminary. He came to the U.S. to study at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and has served as a professional chaplain, multicultural minister-in-residence and the coordinator of the Visiting Clergy Partnership Program at the Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. He is certified as a ACPE certified educator by the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education, is a board-certified chaplain with the Association for Professional Chaplains, and is endorsed by Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Email David.

Omoviekovwa NakireruOmoviekovwa Nakireru, Ph. D, Catholic priest, Chaplain
Omoviekovwa is an ordained Roman Catholic priest from Nigeria. He is a board-certified chaplain and endorsed by the Catholic Diocese of Raleigh. Omoviekovwa  seeks to help patients and their loved ones who can benefit from marital crisis intervention, anger management, grief counseling, and suicide prevention. After completing education in Nigeria, he studied at San Francisco State University and Ohio University before becoming a professor at Methodist University, Fayetteville State University, and Shaw University. After serving as chaplain for Womack Army Medical Center in Fort Bragg, he also spent time with the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Marines at Cherry Point, North Carolina. Email Father Nakireru.

Zachary Hutchinson, M.Div

Zachary Hutchinson, M.Div., Senior Clinical Administrative Chaplain
Zach has served as a chaplain in a variety of clinical settings, including inpatient, outpatient, and home-based care, in the areas of surgery, trauma, behavioral health, substance use, and most recently palliative and hospice care. Zach returns to Duke having done part of his chaplaincy training here, and remains passionate about providing pastoral and spiritual care to patients, families, and staff. Zach is ordained and endorsed for chaplaincy through the United Methodist Church and a board-certified chaplain. Email Zach.

Vineetha Koshy, M.Div

Vineetha Koshy, M.Div., Senior Clinical Administrative Chaplain for Oncology
Vinee was born and brought up in India, in an ecumenical and global setting. She studied in seminaries both in India and in the US. Though her childhood background is that of the Syrian Orthodox church, she has attended and ministered in various capacities in different denominations, as director of children’s ministries, director of women’s ministries and served in outreach programs. She has had more than 30 years of experience working with women, children and families of various cultural backgrounds, and is passionate about people from diversified settings. Vinee currently serves as the senior clinical administrative chaplain for the Oncology department, both inpatient and outpatient. She truly believes in holistic care, comfort and peace of mind for the total well-being of individuals. One of her favorite things in life is to travel and meet people from different cultures. She finds joy and contentment in her relationship with God, close friends and loving family. Email Vinee.   

Eric Pugh

Eric A. Pugh, M. Div., Senior Clinical Administrative Chaplain, Surgery, Trauma and Emergency Services
Eric has over 25 years of clinical and pastoral care experience and has extensive experience in crisis intervention and in assessing patient, family, and staff spiritual and emotional needs. Before coming to Duke, his career focused on in-home treatment for families with at-risk adolescents and grief and bereavement support. An ordained Pentecostal pastor, he grew up in Augusta, Georgia. Email Eric.

Yoshiya TakahashiYoshiya Takahashi, M. Div., Senior Clinical Administrative Chaplain for Children’s and Women’s Services 
Yoshiya is an ordained elder and endorsed by the United Methodist Church. Before joining Duke, he was a staff chaplain at the University of Virginia Medical Center for six years. Before that, he served as associate and senior pastor for two churches in Illinois and served as chaplain in a Christian kindergarten in Japan. He is board-certified as a chaplain by the Association of Professional Chaplains. Email Yoshiya.

Stan YanceyStan Yancey, M.Div., Certified Educator
Stan is an ordained minister endorsed by The Alliance of Baptists. He is a North Carolina native and grew up on a small farm near Raleigh. He has a special interest in how chaplains respond to people with challenges of money, addiction, or mental health. Stan spent a decade as chaplain and administrator for a county addiction treatment facility. He completed his clinical pastoral education internship, residency, and educator training at Duke. In addition to his time at Duke University Hospital, he has a private practice where he serves as a spiritually integrated psychotherapist for individuals, couples, and adolescents. Email Stan.

Andrew Eaker, M.Div

Andrew Eaker, M.Div., ACPE Certified Educator Candidate (CEC)
Andy Eaker enters the Certified Educator Candidacy program with five years of clinical hospital experience. Andy draws on his previous work experience as a Disciples of Christ youth minister in Baltimore to enrich how he connects with patients, families, and hospital staff in meaningful conversation and reflection. Andy began his journey in chaplaincy at Vanderbilt Children's as a Masters of Divinity student at Vanderbilt University. Andy is in the ordination process through the DOC. He is a recent transplant to Chapel Hill, where he happily lives in a cabin with his wife and cat! Email Andy 

Donna Kimbrough, M.Div

Donna Kimbrough, M.Div., Administrative Assistant 
Donna made the move to Chaplain Services & Education after spending six years as the Administrative Assistant for Duke Palliative Care. A graduate of Duke Divinity School, she served as a licensed local pastor for a small United Methodist congregation before returning to Duke University as a Staff Assistant in 2006. Her administrative duties include Budget Management, ACPE / CPE administration, managing intern and staff files, orientation, sponsoring interns, and supporting the amazing CS&E team with whatever is needed at the moment.  She lives in Roxboro, NC, with her husband Conrad and their dog Lady.  Email Donna.