Inspiration Award

Rev. Dr. Betty A. White, BCC

The ACPE Inspiration Award honors mid-career professionals who exemplify leadership, innovation, and commitment in their service to ACPE.

We are proud to recognize Rev. Dr. Betty A. White as this year’s recipient. Through her initiative, service, and unwavering support of ACPE’s mission and values, she inspires those around her and strengthens our community.

Chaplain White began her Clinical Pastoral Educational training in 2009 at Overlook Hospital, Summit, NJ. After being employed as an Executive for twenty-four years by a major retailer, she decided to make a transition that would allow her to work toward the call and passion of Specialized Ministry (Chaplaincy).

She trained as a Chaplain Resident for two years at New York Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn, NY. Reverend White was ordained in May 2011 to go forth and provide emotional and spiritual support to humanity. At the completion of her Residency, she was accepted into a three-year Supervisory Education Fellowship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in 2013. She trained to become an ACPE Certified Educator under the leadership of Rev. Ralph Ciampa in November 2016.

Betty joined the Department of Pastoral Care in January 2017 as the Coordinator of Clinical Pastoral Education for the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She is an Association of Clinical Pastoral Education Certified Educator and Board Certified Chaplain through the Association of Professional Chaplains. She provides supervision for Chaplain Residents, the Certified Educator Candidate and Chaplain Externs. She became Manager of Clinical pastoral Education at the University Hospital in 2023. Throughout her clinical and supervisory training, Chaplain White has been a servant leader offering workshops on Death and Dying, End of Life Decision-making and Multiculturalism and Spirituality to name a few for Penn’s School of Nursing. She is currently the Manager of Clinical Pastoral Education.

Betty has served on the Professional Ethics Committee and the Accreditation Commission for the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education. She currently serves on the Certification Commission. Betty served as an inaugural member of the Community Advisory Board of HUP Cedar from 2021 to 2024. She is a passionate servant leader, sharing her gifts and talents wherever she is called to. During the last five years, Betty has served at Penn Cobalt as a Coping First Aid Coach and, recently, as the lead facilitator for Spaces of Color. Spaces has been established as an ongoing initiative specifically designed for Penn Medicine staff, faculty, and trainees who have personally encountered discrimination and bias incidents. The aim is to provide a safe space for these individuals to share their experiences and garner support from others at Penn. In 2024, Betty received her certification as a Mental Health Facilitator.

Outside of Penn, Betty served on the Board of Interfaith Philadelphia in 2018. She then was asked to serve on the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Task Force of Interfaith Philadelphia in 2021 and now serves on the Executive Committee of Interfaith Philadelphia. Betty has a BA in Biological Science from Rutgers University, where she attended Douglass College, and a Masters of Divinity from New York Theological Seminary. In 2024, Betty received her Doctor of Ministry at Ecumenical. Theological Seminary. I’m passionate about education, caring for others, preaching, and service. She is a mother of two adult children and a nephew who she calls her own, a sister of seven siblings, and enjoys spending time with her family.

Chaplain White’s leadership and impact embody the spirit of the Inspiration Award, and we are honored to celebrate her contributions. Betty will accept this honor on Wednesday, May 21st, at the ACPE Annual Chair’s Banquet in Minneapolis, MN.