Spotlight on New ACPE Anti-Bias Working Group Members: Leaders Committed to Diversity and Inclusion

Written by The ACPE Anti-Bias Working Group

The ACPE Anti-Bias Working Group recently welcomed three new members who each bring passion, creativity and commitment to our vision of championing the anti-bias orientation and practices that are essential to cultivating spiritual health and wellbeing. 

Amanda Alexander 

Amanda Alexander is an ACPE-CE and is currently serving as the CPE Program Manager Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Amanda is a native of Atlanta, Georgia, and was raised as a military child in the southern states of Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina, and graduated from high school in Keflavik, Iceland.  Amanda earned a B.S. in Psychology from Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia in December 2010 and a MDiv with an emphasis in pastoral care and counseling from McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University in May 2014.  

Amanda accepted the invitation to join the anti-bias workgroup to be a co-creator in cultivating a culture and learning environment in ACPE that respects human differences, acknowledges the impact of implicit and systematic biases, and embraces diversity to advance the practice of spiritual care and education.  Amanda's experience as a CPE student, chaplain, and educator fuels her passion and motivation to eliminate barriers to learning and spiritual care. 

 

Ben Iten 

Ben Iten is an ACPE–CE currently serving at OhioHealth and is also ACPE National Faculty.  As a Humanist Chaplain working in a Methodist Hospital, Ben is sensitive to the ways that Christian normativity influences our work and environment. Ben seeks to create awareness and normalize other minority traditions in the hospital space, and within ACPE.  Ben is also committed to challenging heteronormativity and gender norms in his curriculum and Center. He has led efforts to reimagine OhioHealth’s CPE Day to focus on Gender Affirming Care and LGBTQIA+ Spiritual Care. The day serves to challenge students’ assumptions on gender/sex, sexuality, and religion. As the Chair-elect for the ACPE Curriculum Committee, Ben finds creative ways to challenge and educate ACPE colleagues in anti-bias work. 

 

Leslie Nambo

Leslie Nambo is an ACPE-CE in North Carolina. Leslie earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and a Master of Divinity degree and is currently pursuing an Ed.D. in higher education leadership and policy.  

Over the past ten years, Leslie has had the pleasure of serving as a co-convener for the anti-racism task force, a member of the professional wellbeing committee, and a CE volunteer for national site team accreditation visits. 

Leslie is grateful for the opportunity to join the ABWG in its excellent work of helping ACPE become a more just and hospitable organization for all.

 

Additionally, as many of us are preparing to gather in Pittsburgh this week for the ACPE Annual Conference, the Anti-Bias Working Group would like to share three conference events that will deepen our understanding of ACPE’s anti-bias efforts. We hope that you will join us for one or all these events.

  • Sunday, May 19 at 4:30pm. Pre-Conference Event: Anti-Bias Workshop for CECs and CEs.

    Presented by Alvernia Disnew, ABWG Co-Chair

  •  Monday, May 20 at 8:30am. Pre-Conference Event: “Anti-Bias Journeying - Conversations with ACPE Leadership"
    Presented by Tammerie Day, AWBG Co-Chair & Jasmine Okafor, Foundation Director & Chief DEI Officer
  • Wednesday, May 22 at 8:30am.  Plenary: “Is it Supervision or is it Bias?”
    Presented by Patricia Williams & Alvernia Disnew, ABWG Members

To learn more about the Anti-Bias Working Group, or express interest in joining one of the ABWG Task Forces, please email Jasmine Okafor.