From pre-surgery prayer to pastoral counsel and worship services, our professional, caring ministers are always available to offer spiritual and emotional support to patients and families of all faiths.
Chaplain services
Our chaplains are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to support patients and their families. We provide:
- Spiritual, emotional, and sacramental support
- Pastoral care and counseling
- Empathic listening
- Consultations on difficult decisions
The Pastoral Services department ensures that patients of all faiths have their spiritual needs met in accordance with their faith tradition.
We offer two regular services in the Di and Dallas Krapf Interfaith Chapel:
- Catholic mass: Wednesday at noon
- Jumu'ah prayer service: Friday at 1:30 p.m.
Our ministerial staff offers attentive care and counseling to patients and their families.
Meet our Chaplains
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David Simmons, DMin, BCC
Director of Pastoral ServicesThe Rev. David B. Simmons, DMin, BCC, serves as the Director of Pastoral Services. With 25 years ministry experience, David served congregations in Texas, Virginia, and Pennsylvania before coming to Hershey Medical Center in 2011. David is a graduate of the Clinical Pastoral Education residency program at Hershey and has conducted research in emotional crisis and faith, provider-patient communication, post-traumatic growth, and the spirituality of men in crisis. He has served the Neuroscience Critical Care Unit, the Medical Intensive Care Unit, Palliative Care, and Trauma Services.
David coordinates a 30+ member team of chaplain educators, chaplain interns, chaplain residents, staff chaplains, and chaplain associates. David is an ordained Baptist minister and is endorsed for ministry through the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. David holds a Masters of Divinity Degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Doctor of Ministry degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and a Master of Health Administration degree from Penn State Harrisburg. He is board certified in chaplaincy through the Association of Professional Chaplains.
Biography -
David Carnish, MDiv
Clinical Pastoral Education ManagerThe Rev. David Carnish leads the clinical pastoral education (CPE) program at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center as manager. An ordained Baptist minister, he has served as a chaplain since 1990 in Level I Trauma hospitals, nursing homes, hospice facilities and churches. He was also as an interim pastor and associate minister at Baptist churches in Louisville, Ky., and San Francisco.
Previously, Carnish supervised clinical pastoral education programs at Erlanger Health System in Chattanooga, Tenn., and Cone Health in Greensboro, N.C. He graduated from Valdosta State College in Valdosta, Ga., with a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and received his Master of Divinity from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. In 2020, Carnish earned a Master of Arts in interdisciplinary humanities from Penn State and is currently working toward a doctorate in art history at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University.
Biography -
Darlene Miller Smalls, MDiv
Staff ChaplainThe Rev. Darlene Miller Smalls joined the full-time pastoral services staff in July 2016. Currently her clinical assignments include the Cardiac Care and Neurology departments. She brings a wealth of professional, pastoral, and life experience to the position. Before entering ministry she was an accomplished human resources specialist, Director of Equal Employment Opportunity, certified mediator and trainer with the U.S. Department of Navy and other government organizations.
She received her Bachelor of Art degree in Psychology from West Virginia State University, Institute, West Virginia and Master of Art degree in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona. She received her Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
She is an ordained Baptist minister, has served as associate pastor at Harrisburg churches, and is presently serving as an associate pastor at the Goodwin Memorial Baptist Church in Harrisburg, PA. She is a graduate of Hershey Medical Center’s Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) intern and residency programs. Since 2015 she has served the HMC Department of Pastoral Services as PRN Chaplain Associate and has led the Martin Luther King services for the past two years.
Darlene is a native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and has been blessed with traveling to many places. Most recently she traveled to Israel for a two weeks stay. Her most precious memory from this trip was the breath taking allure of the Holy land while walking through the stories she has learned since childhood.
Biography -
Daniel Minnucci, MA
Four Diamonds Pediatric Oncology ChaplainThe Rev. Daniel Minnucci is the Four Diamonds pediatric oncology chaplain. After completing a chaplain internship at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, Daniel served his residency at Wellspan York Hospital. While at York, he was the pediatric chaplain for both medical and behavioral health. He has worked with at-risk youth and played a large role in helping maintain stability for children in the behavioral health unit setting. Daniel is a priest in The North American Old Roman Catholic Church and earned a master’s degree in theology from St. Joseph’s College of Maine, Standish, Maine.
Biography -
Christian Neubaum, MDiv
Staff ChaplainStaff Chaplain, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Emergency Department, Life Lion Emergency Medical Services
The Rev. Christian Neubaum provides emotional and spiritual care to staff and patients in the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Emergency Department and with Life Lion Emergency Medical Services. A Pennsylvania native, he was a solo pastor in the Presbytery of Carlisle for five years and continues to serve the local church.
Christian is an ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA) who also is endorsed by the Presbyterian Federal Chaplaincies as a U.S. Army Reserve chaplain. He has 13 years of experience as a pastoral care provider in military and nonmilitary settings. Throughout his military career, he provided religious services, support and advice to soldiers, civilians and families.
Christian is a graduate of the Clinical Pastoral Education intern and residency programs at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. He earned dual Bachelor of Arts degrees at Virginia Military Institute while commissioning into the U.S. Army Reserves. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Hamilton, Massachusetts.
Biography -
Laura Ramsey, DMin, BCC
Senior Staff Chaplain, Penn State Health Children’s HospitalThe Rev. Laura Ramsey serves as the senior staff chaplain in Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, coordinating all spiritual care, with a focus on caring for staff. Laura completed her Clinical Pastoral Education residency program at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, where her clinical assignments were in pediatrics, women’s health and oncology. She then served as staff chaplain at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Women & Babies Hospital for several years.
Laura received her board certification in chaplaincy in 2014 and is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. She earned her Master of Arts in ministerial studies from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (now United Lutheran Seminary) and is currently working toward her Doctor of Ministry at United Lutheran Seminary.
Biography -
Matthew Schwarzentraub, MDiv, BCC
Palliative Oncology ChaplainThe Rev. Matthew Schwarzentraub serves as the chaplain for Palliative Oncology at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Board-certified, he provides spiritual care in palliative care settings and mentors and supervises chaplain residents who are specializing in palliative care and oncology. Dedicated to meeting the needs of others, he finds deep fulfillment in providing compassionate care.
Matthew earned his Master of Divinity degree from Wesley Seminary, Marion, Indiana. He served as chief resident during his chaplain residency at Beaumont Health, Royal Oak, Michigan. Before joining Penn State Health, he was chaplain for three hospitals in the Ascension health system’s Detroit area.
Matthew maintains a steadfast commitment to service, continual personal and professional development and a dedication to advancing the field of spiritual care.
Biography -
Kelly Fuddy, MA
Staff Support ChaplainKelly Fuddy is the chaplain supporting adult staff at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. She has served as chaplain to patients and staff in a variety of settings, including the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center ALS outpatient clinic; Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Women & Babies Hospital and Hospice & Community Care, both in Lancaster, Pa.; and the Elizabethtown Fire Department.
Kelly completed her chaplain residency at Lancaster General Hospital and holds a Master of Arts in religion from Lancaster Theological Seminary, Lancaster, Pa. She is a member of the Episcopal Church and also participates in other spiritual communities. Kelly believes that having a chaplain available explicitly for hospital staff is important because she has witnessed the limitations of "self-care" strategies in various health care systems and settings. She is thrilled to join Penn State Health as the health system strengthens its commitment to caring for its caregivers.
Biography
