Pathways to Chaplaincy for the Religiously Unaffiliated
This webinar is an exploration, through one leading chaplain’s experience, of existing pathways to chaplaincy for those who are religiously unaffiliated. We discuss the terminology and labeling for those who do not claim a religious or spiritual tradition, the educational and professional development opportunities for nonreligious chaplains, and the general experience of such chaplains within a historically “capital R” religious profession.
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Learning Outcomes
We have indexed this webinar to the following learning outcomes. Our proposal of these outcomes should not be construed as endorsement of this event by ACPE, APC/BCCI, or any other professional association.
ACPE: The Standard for Spiritual Care and Education Outcomes
Level IA — IA.1 — Identify formative and transformative experiences in one’s narrative history and their significance to one’s spiritual journey
Level IB — IB.3 — Articulate how one’s social identity informs one’s approach to spiritual care
Level IA — IA.8 — Demonstrate respect for the orienting system of others arising out of a sense of common humanity
APC / BCCI Competencies
PIC2 — Articulate ways in which one’s feelings, values, assumptions, culture, and social location affect professional practice.
PIC4 — Respect the physical, emotional, cultural, and spiritual boundaries of others.
This webinar is sponsored by the Fetzer Institute. You can learn more at fetzer.org.
Dr. Vanessa Gomez Brake is the Senior Associate Dean of Religious Life at the University of Southern California.
She is the first humanist chaplain to serve in this capacity at any American university. She also serves as an advisor to the USC Interfaith Council and the Secular Student Fellowship. Previously, Vanessa worked at Stanford University’s Office for Religious Life.
Vanessa received dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Religious Studies and Psychology from Arizona State University. She received her Master of Science degree from the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University, with an emphasis on religion and peacemaking. She also earned a Master of Divinity degree at the Chicago Theological Seminary. Vanessa also holds a Certificate in Humanist Studies & Leadership from the Humanist Institute and is endorsed as a humanist chaplain by the Humanist Society. Her doctorate of education was earned at USC’s Rossier School of Education, where her research focused on Christian hegemony in higher education, and centered the voices of Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and other non-Christian university chaplains.
In 2025, Vanessa was honored with the Chaplain of the Year Award from the Association for Chaplaincy & Spiritual Life in Higher Education. That same year, Chicago Theological Seminary awarded her the Distinguished Alumni Award. Vanessa received the 2023 Outstanding Professional Award from NASPA’s Spirituality & Religion in Higher Education Knowledge Community. In 2019, she was the recipient of the Unitarian Universalist Humanist Association – Person of the Year Award. In 2018, Chicago Theological Seminary awarded Vanessa the Rabbi Herman E. Schaalman Interreligious Leadership Award.
She holds a variety of board positions with the Association for Chaplaincy & Spiritual Life in Higher Education, Meadville Lombard Theological School, the American Humanist Association (AHA), and Parangal.
