Administrative Staff and Educators
Rev. Samuel C.M. Brown-Dawson, ACPE Certified Educator
Samuel manages the Department of Chaplaincy Services & Education and is the CPE center’s Certified Educator. He has trained CPE students in Lubbock (Covenant Health Systems and Dallas (Methodists Hospitals of Dallas) in Texas. He also served as CE at Sutter Health (Sacramento) and St. Mary’s in San Francisco.
Born and raised in Freetown the capital of Sierra Leone, West Africa, The Rev. Samuel C.M. Brown-Dawson came to the United States in 1980. Called to be a pastor teacher, he studied for the Ministry in Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Texas where he earned several undergraduate and graduate degrees including his master’s in divinity. In 1988, Pastor Samuel entered CPE at Methodist Medical center in Dallas for practical training as a bridge to a doctoral program and chose to remain in healthcare as a chaplain, pastor, and teacher.
Brought up in the Methodist tradition, Rev. Brown-Dawson's religious formation and training took place in the Assemblies of God tradition and he was later ordained in The Church of God in Christ (USA). Currently he is part of Center of Praise Ministries where he held several pastoral roles since 2005 including campus pastor at Center of Praise East.
Through his chaplaincy profession Rev. Brown-Dawson has served as hospital staff chaplain, hospice spiritual care coordinator providing pastoral/spiritual care for diverse patients and families. Before relocating to Sacramento in 2004, he served as certified educator (CE) for Covenant Health in Lubbock, CE with Methodist Hospitals of Dallas, and Manager of Chaplaincy Service at Methodist Charlton Medical Center also in Dallas, Texas.
In caring for patients and their families, Samuel works to collaborate as a member of the interdisciplinary teams to provide holistic care for persons of all faith receiving and providing spiritual care.
Hospitalization, waiting for diagnosis or treatment, facing end-of life decisions, and the death and dying processes can create spiritual distress and diverse emotions. As a chaplain, Rev. Brown-Dawson knows what it means to be on the receiving side of medical care for himself or for his first wife who died after a bout with breast cancer. He recently experienced the death of his parents and medical challenges of other loved ones. He serves others with a compassionate touch drawing from his knowledge and personal and professional experiences.
Rev Brown-Dawson is married with three adult and one minor children.
Kristin L. Sullivan (Kris), Spiritual Care Specialist
Kris Sullivan is a board-certified full time Spiritual Care Specialist and Volunteer Chaplain Coordinator in the Chaplaincy Services & Education department. She is also a Certified Educator Candidate training to be a Certified Educator. Kris started her residency as a chaplain at UC Davis Health in 2015.
Kris was born in Germany and raised in Oregon and has lived in Northern California since 2003. She has her BA in Humanities and Cultural Studies from Dominican University in San Rafael, CA and her Master of Divinity from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA.
Kris is a Licensed Unity Teacher endorsed by Unity Worldwide Ministries. She has served Unity ministries in Novato and Sacramento as an educator and prayer chaplain.
Kris is married with a blended family of four children and three grandchildren.
Fr. Nnaemeka Paschal Ajuka (Fr. Emeka), PhD., BCC
Fr. Nnaemeka Paschal Ajuka (Fr. Emeka), PhD., BCC; is a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Umuahia, Nigeria and one-time adjunct lecturer at Seat of Wisdom Major Seminary, Umuahia and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria respectively.
He is a Board-Certified Chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) and National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC) after four units of CPE with the department of Chaplaincy Services and Education UC Davis Medical Health in 2017 and currently an ACPE Certified Educator Candidate training to be a Certified Educator.
He is a care provider who meets human needs without discrimination. He has been actively involved in the pastoral ministry in parishes in Nigeria and in the US respectively. Fr. Emeka has ministered as a Catholic priest staff chaplain at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage and Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota.
He is a retreat preacher who loves his faith. As a sociologist, he cherishes and operates from the vertical and horizontal relationships with God and neighbor. He takes Saint Francis of Assisi's prayer for peace "Lord make me an Instrument of Peace," as his ministry mission statement.
Felicisima Horcabas (Emma) Administrative Assistant (AA)
Felicisima Horcabas is a full time UC Davis Health employee and appointed to serve as the AAII for Chaplaincy Services & Education. Her duties include coordinating the department’s office, corresponding with prospective and current students as a guided by the Manager of Chaplaincy Services and Education and the ACPE Educators. She serves as the note taker for the CPE Professional Advisory Group (PAG).
