CIL colleague receives Howell Award

Allison Kestenbaum, MA, MPA, BCC-PCHAC, is the supervisor of Spiritual Care and Clinical Pastoral Education at UC San Diego Health. She holds advanced certification as a hospice and palliative care chaplain and works with the Doris A. Howell Palliative Care Service at UCSDH. Allison conducts research about spiritual palliative care education and was the first chaplain to receive a Cambia Health Foundation Sojourns Scholars Palliative Care Leadership Award (2018). She earned her MA in Judaic Studies and MPA in Non-Profit Management and Public Policy from New York University. Allison is a Board Certified Chaplain (NAJC and APC) and a Certified Pastoral Educator (ACPE).

According to her nomination, Allison has “brought her prodigious palliative care skills not only to the bedside but as importantly has used these and her organizational and teamwork skills to enhance the understanding . . . of not only palliative care but also of the importance of spiritual care.”

“Chaplains occupy a special place in the palliative care clinical team, often providing as much moral and spiritual support to their team members as to patients and families,” said Jennifer Moore Ballentine, executive director of the Institute “The role is often underutilized and underfunded even on robust hospital or community-based palliative care teams. We’re delighted to highlight the importance of spiritual care and chaplains in honoring Ms. Kestenbaum.