Educators and Administration | Chaplaincy Services and Education | UC Davis Health

Rev. Samuel C.M. Brown-Dawson is a chaplain, CPE educator, and the Department of Chaplaincy Services and Education manager. He has trained CPE students in Lubbock (Covenant Health Systems and Dallas (Methodists Hospitals of Dallas), including Sutter Health (Sacramento) and St. Mary's in San Francisco.

Born and raised in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, West Africa, The Rev. Brown-Dawson came to the United States in 1980. Called to be a pastor-teacher, he studied for the Ministry in Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Texas, earning several undergraduate and graduate degrees, including his master's in divinity. In 1988, he entered CPE at Methodist Medical Center in Dallas for practical training as a bridge to a doctoral program. He remains a chaplain, pastor, and teacher in healthcare. Through his chaplaincy profession, Rev. Brown-Dawson has served as hospital staff a chaplain, hospice spiritual care coordinator, providing pastoral/spiritual care for diverse patients and families.

Raised in the Methodist tradition, Rev. Brown-Dawson's religious formation and training occurred in the Assemblies of God tradition before his ordination in The Church of God in Christ (USA). He is part of Center of Praise Ministries, where he has held several pastoral roles since 2005.

In caring for patients and their families, Rev. Brown-Dawson collaborates as a member of the interdisciplinary teams to provide holistic care for persons of all faiths. Hospitalization, waiting for diagnosis or treatment, facing end-of-life decisions, and the death and dying processes can create spiritual distress and diverse emotions. As a chaplain, Rev. Brown-Dawson knows what it means to be on the receiving side of medical care for himself or for his first wife, who died from breast cancer. He recently experienced the death of his parents and the medical challenges of other loved ones. He serves others with compassion, drawing from his knowledge and personal and professional experiences.

Rev. Brown-Dawson enjoys time with his family, relatives, friends, and members of various religious and social groups, especially the diasporan communities such as the Sierra Leone community. He enjoys traveling for fun and missions.

Kris Sullivan is a board-certified full time Spiritual Care Specialist and Volunteer Chaplain Coordinator in the Chaplaincy Services and Education Department. She is also a Certified Educator Candidate training to be a Certified Educator. Sullivan started her residency as a chaplain at UC Davis Health in 2015.

Sullivan was born in Germany and raised in Oregon and has lived in Northern California since 2003. She has her B.A. in Humanities and Cultural Studies from Dominican University in San Rafael, CA and her Master of Divinity from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA.

Sullivan is a Licensed Unity Teacher endorsed by Unity Worldwide Ministries. She has served Unity ministries in Novato and Sacramento as an educator and prayer chaplain.

Sullivan is married with a blended family of four children and three grandchildren.

Chaplain Kai joins the UC Davis Health team with more than 10 years of experience as a pastoral leader. Adding to a career in pastoral ministry, Chaplain Kai holds an M.B.A. in Human Resources Management from Goldey-Beacom College (Wilmington, DE) achieved in 2012 and a Master of Divinity from Drew Theological School (Madison, NJ) achieved in 2016. 

Chaplain Kai was ordained in 2020 and is endorsed by the Coalition of Spirit Filled Churches, INC. 

Chaplain Kai, an APC Board Certified Chaplain, was commissioned as a United States Army Chaplain in 2021 and is currently stationed at NAS JRB in Belle Chase, LA. 

Chaplain Kai joins the UC Davis Health team from the East Coast (USA) by way of New Orleans. Chaplain Kai enjoys regular exercise, travel, and spending time doing small projects around the house. .

Chaplain Ricky Chao has been a local pastoral leader in the Sacramento area for over 7 years and serves as a Co-Director for the Common Table Food Pantry. He holds a rounded background earning a B.A. in Exercise Science & Kinesiology from Azusa Pacific University and a Master of Divinity from North Park Theological Seminary. Ricky Chao is endorsed by the Evangelical Covenant Church.

Chaplain Ricky is a Sacramento native, he speaks 3 different languages (English, Mienh, Lao). He enjoys fishing, traveling, and serving his community. His love language is food. 

Felicisima Horcabas is a full-time UC Davis Health employee and appointed to serve as the AAII for Chaplaincy Services and Education. Her duties include coordinating the department's office, corresponding with prospective and current students as a guided by the Manager of Chaplaincy Services and Education and the ACPE Educators. She serves as the note taker for the CPE Professional Advisory Group (PAG).