Oregon Chaplains Academy (OCA) is proud to partner with some of the best instructors not only in Oregon, but the world. The following are some of our instructors who have taught or currently teach at OCA. See the class schedule for the upcoming semester for specifics class information. From time to time other speakers will also present on subject matters with which they are uniquely qualified to address.
Dr. Stephanie Conn – a former police officer, as well as the daughter and wife of police officers, and is a Licensed Psychologist at her practice, First Responder Psychology, in Portland, Oregon, specializing in police stress, trauma, work-life balance, coping, and resilience. She supports first responder agencies with CISM, peer support, and mental health training. She began as a dispatcher/call-taker before becoming an officer and then earning her doctorate in Counseling Psychology. She has presented widely to emergency responders, sharing wisdom gained from her police experience, her research, and her therapy practice. She is the author of Increasing Resilience in Police and Emergency Personnel.
Nadine Dody – Nadine Dody MA, MFT, LPC has her practice, Cline Falls Counseling, in Redmond, Oregon. She has been working with and helping first responders for over fifteen years. She is part of the Oregon State Police Crisis Intervention Response Team (CIRT), and volunteers for the West Coast Post Trauma Retreat (WCPR). She has taught several classes for the Portland Police Bureau Peer Support Team, the Navigators First Responder Ministry, and spoken about marriage, along with her husband, for Responder Life and the Northwest Peer Support Conference. She is married to a retired Portland Police Sergeant. They have been married for over 35 years and have two daughters ages 32, and 21.
Trey Doty – Trey is President & CEO of Responder Life, a nonprofit serving first responders and equipping them to thrive. He also serves as Chaplain for the FBI-Portland Division as well as the Oregon State Police Critical Incident Response Team. He is a Leadership Coach for Portland Seminary at George Fox University and volunteers as a Chaplain for West Coast Post Trauma Retreat. Trey received a Bachelor of Science in Sociology/Social Work from George Fox University and his Master of Divinity from Portland Seminary. His post-graduate studies include a Certificate of Nonprofit Development from Portland State University, a Certificate of Leader Development, National Security Seminar from the US Army War College, and a 12-month post-graduate residency in Clinical Pastoral Education with Legacy Emanuel Hospital and Medical Center, a level-one trauma center in Portland, Oregon. He is a recorded (ordained) minister in the Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends Churches.
Kenton Johnson – Kenton Johnson – Clackamas Fire Chaplain since 2013, Kenton helps first responders and trauma survivors find God given strength in their darkest moments. Deployed to multiple wildfires, Line of Duty Death responsibilities, active shooter events and natural disasters, he also serves as a chaplain to Mt Wave Search & Rescue, Oregon Fire District Directors Association and SBC Disaster Relief. He also served as a 911 dispatch chaplain for 7 years. With over 100 hours of CISM training from ICISF, Kenton is a Master Chaplain and Level III Instructor with the Federation of Fire Chaplains. Among his proudest moments are being asked to serve as Chaplain, being asked to serve as an officer with the Clackamas Volunteer Firefighter Association and his Support Volunteer of the Year awards, but above them all was marrying Rachel in 1987.
Dr. Kenneth Logan, Psy.D.– Kenneth works specifically in the fields of interpersonal Neurobiology, Attachment Theory and Practical Therapy. A professor of clinical psychology at George Fox University’s Graduate School of Clinical Psychology since 2019, he previously was a professor of counseling at Western Seminary in Portland where he also served as the Executive Director for the seminary’s clinical training site.
Dr. Logan specializes in treating anxiety, stress, and trauma, with a clinical emphasis in working with first responders, military personnel, and ministry leaders.
Rev. Paul Lyda, MDiv – Chaplain Lyda serves as the Senior Chaplain for the Washington County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO). Paul is an ordained Lutheran minister, rostered in good standing with the Oregon Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Chaplain Lyda enjoys collaborating with other public safety agencies, faith-based communities, businesses, and government/NGO groups to support and expand culturally competent, trauma-informed care for anyone experiencing traumatic stress, loss, and grief. Paul offers pastoral care to all agency employees and their families, while also supervising staff and volunteer chaplains providing religious services for adults in custody (AIC) at the Washington County Jail or assisting patrol deputies with critical incidents involving the public. During his time with the WCSO, Paul has participated with trainings in the areas of Mental Health First Aid, Officer Wellness, Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM), and Mindfulness-Based Resiliency Training (MBRT). Paul has a passion for learning and is committed to supporting any skillful practice for effective traumatic incident response and grief recovery/resiliency.
Jim McGuire – Growing up in Tigard, Oregon, Chaplain McGuire pursued a career in medicine until he felt called into ministry. He began serving in Student Ministry at Village Baptist Church in 1979. In 1992 he became their Executive Pastor where he was ordained in 2007, and oversaw their staff and ministry plan until 2012. Jim holds a bachelor’s degree from Portland State University in psychology, and has studied theology at Western Seminary, and counseling at Lewis and Clark. Jim has always been engaged in his community. He has been a spiritual mentor of police officers for years, and began pursuing the chaplaincy in 2009. In 2012, he felt God’s clear call to devote all of his ministry efforts to working with the Beaverton Police Department. Jim has been married to Susan since 1984. They have 3 adult children. In his free time, Jim enjoys hunting, fishing, spending time with good friends, and most of all – “Grampa Jim” enjoys spending time with his family.
Joel Peterson – Chaplain Peterson has been serving Cornelius Fire Department and Gaston Rural Fire District for over a decade, and also has been serving as a community chaplain with Washington County Sheriff’s Office since 2014. He has attained Master Fire Chaplain status with the Federation of Fire Chaplains, whom he represents as the NW Regional Director. Joel has a B.A. from Northwest Christian University in Pastoral Ministries. He also attended Boise Bible College and the National Fire Academy where he studied Interpersonal Dynamics in the Fire Service.
Wilson Parrish – Chaplain Parrish started his chaplaincy career in December of 2010 at Sherwood Police Department. He now also serves King City Police, WCCCA (Washington County 911) and Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue (TVF&R) as a full-time chaplain. Married since 1994 to Kristen, a school teacher, their daughter Mary-Adele teaches Dual Language 2nd Grade and their son Bradley is studying at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. Wilson hold the Masters in Ministry from Seaver College of Pepperdine University and is master-certified by the International Conference of Police Chaplains.
Tracy Sandor– MA MFT, LPC, a counselor in private practice in SW Portland, specializes in serving trauma survivors and first responders. Tracy teaches as adjunct faculty for the Graduate School of Counseling at George Fox University and for their Trauma Response Institute. She is a volunteer clinician for the First Responder Support Network, serving at their West Coast Post-Trauma Retreats in Oregon and California. FRSN’s mission is to provide educational treatment programs to promote recovery from stress and critical incidents experienced by first responders and their families. An avid learner and voracious reader, Tracy pursues ongoing training, education, and life experiences that enrich and support her ability to help others heal, returning to the lives they led prior to their traumatic experiences.
Richard S. Shaw, DMFT, LMFT, LMHC – Licensed Therapist, Professor, Author, Speaker. Healing, forgiveness, freedom, empowerment and hope await us on the other side of Shame. a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Washington State and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Oregon, he has been providing Professional Counseling Services for more than 25 years. In that same timeframe, he also has been serving as an Associate Professor for over 25 years in the Graduate School of Counseling at George Fox University.
Kevin Smith – Chaplain Smith is a trusted member of the Gladstone Police Department providing spiritual encouragement and counsel as requested. He assists with death notifications, domestic violence situations, injury or fatality accidents, suicide, welfare checks and other potentially stressful incidents. Additionally, Kevin is a vital member of the police department’s peer support program. He also served for twelve years as a chaplain for the Gladstone Fire Department until July 2022. Kevin serves full time as the Associate pastor at Calvary Chapel Southeast in Milwaukie, Oregon..
Mike Vermace – A full time Chaplain for Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Chaplain Vermace also serves as a chaplain for Oregon City Police Department, Lake Oswego Police Department, and Clackamas Fire. He has made an impact on many first responders even outside of his agency as he has worked with them at accidents, fires and other tragedies, and by simply by serving the community in a wide variety of public service and training events. Because his experience and expertise has been so recognized in Clackamas County, he also serves on the board of directors for the Clackamas County Peace Officer’s Benevolent Foundation which provides aid to so many with deep needs in the community he serves. Mike is in love with his wife Tricia and is a great dad to their sons.
Chris Wade – Chris has over 20 years of public safety experience working in both fire and law enforcement as a firefighter/EMT, police officer, and as a chaplain. In 2015 he graduated from Multnomah Seminary in Portland, Oregon with his M.Div in Chaplaincy with a focus on public safety chaplaincy. He is also an instructor and Master Fire Chaplain with the Federation of Fire Chaplains, and served in a leadership position with the South Carolina Public Safety Chaplains Association from 2017 to 2021. Currently Chris serves as Crisis Intervention Officer/Chaplain for the City of Hillsboro Fire & Rescue and Hillsboro Police, with a heart to see public safety chaplains equipped to serve and to see first responders find healing when times are tough.
Cary Wacker – Chaplain Wacker is Chaplain, fire Captain and EMT for Columbia River Fire & Rescue. He serves as Chaplain for Columbia County Sheriff Department as well. An MDiv from Multnomah and studies in pastoral ministry in the DMin program from Western Seminary. Currently Cary is completing his studies in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) and will complete his national board certification in October. He is also certified in CISM and as a Mental Health Resource officer with NAEMT. All this shows that he is a dedicated life-long student, and he keeps his skills sharp as a chaplain as well as lead pastor at his church in Warren where he has been on staff since 2001.
