Meet Our Chaplains

Our chaplains are in-house and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We have four on-campus chapels available for patients, families, and staff.

Rev. Herman "Frank" Harris

Manager/Chaplain
harrish@musc.edu

Chaplain Harris began his work at MUSC in 2015 with the Palliative Care Program. He completed an undergraduate degree at Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia. He holds a Master of Divinity from the Interdenominational Theological Center (Seminary) in Atlanta, Georgia. Frank completed his clinical pastoral education at the VA Medical Center in Tuskegee, Alabama and Roper/St. Francis Hospital in Charleston. He is an ordained National Baptist minister and has a background in both congregational ministry and military chaplaincy as a veteran of the United States Air Force. His pastoral care interests include addressing whole person healthcare needs and he is currently working toward a Doctor of Ministry degree in Integrative Chaplaincy at Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville, Tennessee.

Rev. George M. Rossi, BCC, LPC/A

Clinical Staff Chaplain
rossig@musc.edu

Chaplain Rossi began his work at MUSC in 2001. He is a Board Certified Chaplain (BCC) through the Association of Professional Chaplains and a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate (LPC/A) in the state of South Carolina. He completed an undergraduate degree at Our Lady of the Lake University in Texas, and he holds the Master of Arts in Religious Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, TX, and the Master of Divinity from the School of Divinity, Gardner-Webb University, NC. He has done graduate counseling study at Webster University and Lindsey-Wilson College. He completed his clinical pastoral education residency at Palmetto Health Richland Hospital in Columbia, SC, and he is an ordained Baptist minister who is endorsed by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

Rev. Dr. JohnBosco O. Ikemeh, O.P.

Clinical Staff Chaplain
ikemeh@musc.edu

Chaplain Ikemeh is a Catholic priest in the Dominican Order. He joined the MUSC pastoral team in September 2006. He completed an undergraduate degree in philosophy and theology and a master's degree in clinical psychology from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He holds a graduate degree in systematic theology from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, Calif., and was conferred a Doctor of Sacred Theology (Systematic Theology) at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley. Bosco, as he is fondly called, began his clinical pastoral education at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco and completed it at Roper-St. Francis Hospital in Charleston. His pastoral care interest is in the area of Oncology and the suffering God.

Rev. Christopher Brown, BCC

Clinical Staff Chaplain
brownchd@musc.edu

Christopher Brown is a Board Certified Chaplain (BCC) through the Association of Professional Chaplains and began his work at MUSC in 2007. He received a bachelor's degree from Erskine College in Due West, S.C., and a Master of Divinity from Reformed Theological Seminary. Chris served as a hospice chaplain before coming to MUSC, and he completed his clinical pastoral education residency at Bon Secours-St. Francis Hospital in Charleston. Chris is ordained by the Presbyterian Church in America.

Rev. Stacy Lawton

Clinical Staff Chaplain
sergents@musc.edu

Chaplain Lawton came to MUSC in 2008. She holds a bachelor's degree from Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky., and a Master of Divinity from Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, N.C. After a two-year term as a missionary in France, she did her initial unit of clinical pastoral education at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C., and completed her residency at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center. She is an ordained Baptist minister endorsed by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Her areas of interest include ministry to neonatal and pediatric patients and families, grief and loss, and pastoral care of women.

Rev. Fred E. Thompson, Jr.

Clinical Staff Chaplain
thompsfe@musc.edu

Chaplain Thompson began his work at MUSC as a part-time chaplain in 2005 and then as a full-time chaplain in 2019. He completed his undergraduate degree from Newberry College in Newberry, South Carolina and his graduate degree from the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia. Fred completed his clinical pastoral education with the South Carolina Department of Mental Health (G. Weber Bryan Hospital and the William S. Hall Institute). He is an ordained Episcopal priest with an earned Master of Divinity from the Diocese of South Carolina. Fred serves as the chaplain to the Hollings Cancer Center.

Rev. Thulisiwe (Thulie) Beresford

Clinical Staff Chaplain
beresfor@musc.edu

Chaplain Beresford began her work at MUSC in 2011. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Swaziland, Swaziland, Africa. She holds a master’s degree in biology from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio and a Master of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. Thulie completed her clinical pastoral education at Mt. Carmel West Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. She is an ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Currently, Thulie is pursuing her doctoral degree with United Lutheran Seminary in Philadelphia. Thulie’s pastoral care interests are in areas of spiritual/pastoral care for patients, families and staff, and also supporting patients who are walking the last mile of the way with their loved ones.

Chaplain William "Bill" Jewel

Clinical Staff Chaplain
jewellw@musc.edu

Chaplain Jewell began his work here at MUSC in 2020. He completed his undergraduate degree at Purdue University, a certificate in Youth Ministry and Theology at Princeton Seminary and a Masters of Religion from Louisville Presbyterian Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. William (Bill) completed 5 units of Clinical Pastoral Education at the Robley Rex VA Medical Center in Louisville, KY. Prior to arriving at MUSC/SJCH, he served for 25 years in professional youth ministry, 15 years in juvenile justice ministries and as director of family services and outreach. Pastoral care interests include pediatric palliative care, ministry with the families and siblings of patients at SJCH and being engaged in the wider community of Charleston.

Rev. David W. Penick

Clinical Staff Chaplain
penick@musc.edu

Chaplain Penick began his work at MUSC in 2009 as a part-time chaplain and then as a Staff Chaplain in 2014. He completed an undergraduate degree at Toccoa Falls College in Georgia. He holds a master's degree in English Bible from Columbia International University in Columbia, SC. David completed his clinical pastoral education at Bon Secours-St. Francis Hospital in Charleston. He is an ordained Baptist minister and is endorsed by the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. His interests are in the areas of pastoral care to families, end-of-life-care and oncology.