Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Paul Yoon
Paul Yoon, MDiv, MA, BCC, is Manager of Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital. A Board-Certified Chaplain through the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC), he is also a Certified Affiliate of the American Philosophical Practitioners Association (APPA) and an Episcopal priest, canonically resident in the Diocese of Newark. He studied mathematics at New Jersey Institute of Technology and the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University before pursuing religious studies at Princeton Theological Seminary.
Fr. Antonio Almonte
Fr. Antonio Almonte is a priest ordained for the Archdiocese of New York in 1997. He was born and raised in the Washington Heights area. In May 1991 he received a Bachelor of Arts from Manhattan College, in May 1993 an Associate degree in Philosophy from St. John’s University, and in May 1997, a Bachelor of Arts in Sacred Theology and a Master in Divinity from St. Joseph Seminary. “At present, I have been a priest for 25 years and am trying to become a certified Catholic chaplain. I completed 4 units of CPE at Northwell/Lenox Hill Hospital, January 2020–June 2021. I have been a pastor at St. Peter’s Church (91 Ludlow St.; Yonkers, New York) 2003–2007 and at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs (91 Arden St.; New York, New York) 2007–2018. I was in an assistant administrative role at Incarnation Parish 1997–2002 and St. Luke’s parish 2002–2003 in the Bronx. At present, I am one of the Roman Catholic Priests at NYP/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Before coming to NYP, I was at Northwell/Lenox Hill Hospital as a chaplain, November 2019–April 2022. While there, I performed the duties of a Catholic priest in the entire building and participated extensively in the care of Covid patients and staff from March 2020 to May of 2022”.
Ali Carr
Ali Carr is a per diem chaplain at NYP/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. She received her bachelor's degree in psychology from Barnard college with a focus on evolutionary psychology and gender and sexuality studies in 2011. She is interested in serving patients who might draw from nontraditional sources of spiritual strength that can be difficult to access in a hospital environment.
Soren Glassing
Soren Glassing is a Staff Chaplain at NewYork Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center and a Buddhist monk in the Rinzai Zen tradition. He has practiced Zen and Vajrayana Buddhism since 1985 in both Japan and the United States, and previously served as head monk and co director of the Zen Studies Society in New York City
Before joining NYP, Soren worked for several years in hospice care. He now serves as the lead chaplain on the Palliative Care team, specializing in end of life support. He facilitates ongoing meditation and spirituality groups on the psychiatric unit and leads a weekly virtual meditation group. Soren also teaches spirituality in the healthcare context to incoming medical students, mentors residents and fellows, and offers clinicians practical skills for reducing stress and burnout.
Soren has presented nationally on topics ranging from Buddhist perspectives on suffering, to working with the dying, to integrating contemplative and visual arts into clinical care. His artwork created during the COVID 19 pandemic has been featured by the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare and Intima: A Journal of Narrative Medicine.
In addition to his chaplaincy work, Soren is an artist and painter whose work has been shown in several galleries. He is particularly interested in art therapy and the spiritual dimensions of creative expression.
Chaplain Jasmine Gómez
Certified by the National Association of Catholic Chaplains, Chaplain Gómez is an alumna of Fordham’s Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education, where she earned a Master’s in Pastoral Care and Mental Health Counseling. Influenced by Catholic Social Teaching, Ignatian Spirituality, and Person-Centered Therapy, her approach to chaplaincy is deeply rooted in empathy, active listening, and honoring the dignity of all individuals.
Though she regularly works with cardiac patients, their families, and staff, Chaplain Gómez also serves those with Catholic-specific and/or Spanish language needs. She leads a variety of groups, workshops, and spiritual gatherings, including "The Waiting Room Project," the "Divine Mercy Chaplet," and the "Cardiac Staff Spirituality Group."
Chaplain Gómez considers her role as a Chaplain a great honor, and she strives to fulfill her duties ad majorem Dei gloriam (for the greater glory of God).
Father Arlen Harris
Father Arlen Harris, O.F.M., Cap., is a Roman Catholic priest and a perpetually professed religious of the Order of Friars Minor, Capuchin, a Franciscan religious order in the Roman Catholic Church. Father Arlen is a board-certified chaplain and member of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC).
Bishop James Jean
Bishop James Jean is an ordained bishop with the Church of God and a board-certified chaplain (APC/BCC), recognized for his profound dedication to spiritual and mental health. With a Master of Divinity alongside a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the Pentecostal Theological Seminary, he exemplifies the commitment to harmonize faith with psychological well-being. He is ambitiously pursuing a Ph.D. in Practical Theology and a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision, underscoring his relentless drive for professional growth and academic excellence.
Bishop James is a passionate advocate for the vital role of chaplaincy in merging spirituality with counseling practices. He believes this integration is essential and transformative, enabling a comprehensive, (w)holistic, and person-centered approach to care. His fervor for promoting the well-being of others fuels his mission as he strives to empower individuals through thoughtful spiritual guidance and robust mental health support.
Rabbi Ralph Kreger
Rabbi Kreger has been a hospital chaplain for the past 25 years. He studied chaplaincy at Beth Israel Medical Center,NY back in May 1996-97. His first chaplaincy position was at Lenox Hill Hospital and the Hospital for Special Surgery. After 15 years he joined NYP/ Columbia and has been in this position since July 2012.
Rabbi Kreger ministers to patients, family and staff of all faiths. He of course has a special interest and ministry for Jewish patients. Rabbi Kreger has a special connection with hospital staff and gives presentations on how to care and be sensitive to the religious and cultural needs of Orthodox/Hassidic Jewish patients in the hospital setting. He has lectured on this topic nationally and at the Columbia School of Medicine and Nursing.
Rabbi Kreger studied post high school in Israel for 6 1/2 years and came back to America where he continued his Rabbinic studies. He received smicha (Rabbinic ordination) back in July 1990 from the Mirrer Yeshiva Rabbinic Institute Brooklyn NY.
Rabbanit Alissa Thomas-Newborn
Rabbanit Alissa Thomas-Newborn, BCC is a Board Certified Chaplain at NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York. Rabbanit Alissa is also the Director of Spiritual Care Studies at Gratz College.
The immediate past president of Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains, Rabbanit Alissa has over 14 years of clinical and congregational experience providing and teaching pastoral care, with specialties in Palliative Care, Critical Care, Pediatric Care, and Emergency Psychiatric Care. Previously, she has had the privilege of serving as a chaplain at Cedars-Sinai, Bellevue Hospital, and Grateful Palliative Care and Hospice.
Rabbanit Alissa is the rabbanit at Netivot Shalom in Teaneck, NJ. She is the author of the halachic and pastoral book, "Shabbat Guidebook for Parents: Halacha of Caring for Infants, Toddlers, and Young Children on Shabbat and Yom Tov”. A writer and speaker, she is a graduate of Yeshivat Maharat and Brandeis University. She and her husband, Akiva, live in Teaneck with their children, Ella and Liam, and their bichon frise, Judy.
Sister Monica Okon
Sister Monica Okon is a per diem chaplain at NYP/Columbia University Irving Medical Center and has been part of NYP since 2017. Sister Monica completed 5 units of CPE from NYP Queens, NYP/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and NYP Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. She is a Board-Certified Chaplain (BCC) with the National Catholic Chaplains (NACC), since 2020. Sister Monica is happy to serve wherever there is need for spiritual support to patients, families, and staff.
JyākuEn Sherrilynn Posey
Jyākuen Sherrilynn Posey lives in New York City and has worked as a watchmaker in the luxury timepiece field since 1996. After 2 years of study at One Spirit Interfaith Seminary she was ordained an Interfaith Minister in 2008 and started meditating at Insight. From 2010 to 2015 she studied Buddhist Chaplaincy/Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care and Interfaith Chaplaincy/CPE from 2015 – 2016 at New York Presbyterian Columbia University Medical Center where she has also worked as a Per Diem Buddhist Chaplain since 2012. Jyākuen is a formal student of Roshi Enkyo O’Hara (now Abbess Emerita of Village Zendo) and is currently a senior student of Village Zendo – True Expression Temple in NYC under Abbot Shinryu Thomson. As a member of Village Zendo she received Jukai (a ceremony of taking refuge and received the name JyāKuEn, meaning PERFECT STILLNESS) in 2016 and was ordained as a Buddhist Chaplain, by Roshi O’Hara, (in the Soto Zen tradition) in 2021.
Sarah Emine Unal
Sarah Emine Unal is a Staff Chaplain at NYP/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Before this role, she was a chaplain resident at Penn Medicine Princeton Health. She finished her undergraduate degree in Sakarya University Faculty of Theology in Turkey. She got her MDiv Degree in Hartford International University (Hartford Seminary) in Connecticut. She is a Board-Certified Chaplain by the Association of Professional Chaplains. Sarah has a special interest in mental health and the connection between mental health and spirituality. Also, she has had a special interest in music and singing for years and she sings amateurly on special occasions.