Catherine Ray PA-C
Ridley Park
Summary
Board Certified Physician Assistant with expertise in complex symptom management, serious illness communication, and interdisciplinary care. Dedicated to improving quality of life for patients
and families through compassionate, evidence-based palliative care and continued education.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
Work History
Physician Assistant Supportive and Palliative Care
Christiana Care Health System
Newark, DE
01.2025 - Current
- Perform comprehensive physical examinations to assess, diagnose, and manage complex clinical needs
- Manage complex symptom burden in seriously ill patients, focusing on pain control, comfort, and quality of life.
- Develop and implement comprehensive care plans tailored to patients with critical or life-limiting illnesses.
- Counsel patients and families, providing ongoing education on disease trajectory, prognosis, and symptom management.
- Initiates, facilitates, and advocates for advance care planning discussions to align care with patient and family goals.
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, ensuring coordinated, goal-directed, and compassionate
care. - Partners closely with patients and families to improve outcomes, enhance experience, and maintain dignity through serious illness.
- Order, interpret, and integrate laboratory tests, imaging, and diagnostic services to guide treatment decisions.Provides education, mentorship, and preceptorship for new advanced practice providers, residents, and fellows.
students. - Conducts behavioral, social, and psychosocial health screenings to identify barriers to care and inform holistic treatment plans.
- Facilitate transitions to hospice care when appropriate, ensuring continuity, emotional support, and smooth care handoffs.
Crisis Counselor
Crisis Text Line
New York, NY
06.2020 - 01.2025
- Counsel texters in crisis and guide them to a calm understanding. Counseling subjects include abuse, relationship issues, and mental health. Guiding texters is accomplished by building rapport, exploring thoughts, feelings, and ongoing events, identifying goals, and thinking about the texters support system to create a plan of action.
Emergency Department Technician
St. Luke’s Anderson Campus
Easton, PA
02.2021 - 08.2022
- Delivered patient care and safe transportation; actively participated in planning care, data collection, and documentation. Recognized and responded to changes in patient conditions and facilitated clear communication with the healthcare team. Proficient at EKGs, blood work, vitals, splinting, and assisting in the trauma bay.
Occupational Health Technician/EMT
Pivot Innovations
Various Construction Sites, PA
04.2021 - 12.2021
- Provide treatments, assessments, and critical care to workers at various construction sites. Recognized and addressed safety hazards to prevent injuries. Maintained thorough medical documentation.
Emergency Medical Technician
Watchung Volunteer Rescue Squad
Watchung, NJ
05.2018 - 08.2019
- Provided basic life support to assess, treat, stabilize, and transport seriously ill or injured patients. Maintained knowledge through continuing education units. Conducted regular inspections of medical supplies and equipment and supervised cadet training in a leadership role as cadet corporal.
Education
Masters - Physician Assistant Studies
DeSales University
Center Valley, PA08.2024
Bachelor of Science - Medical Studies, Minor in Behavioral Neuroscience
DeSales University
Center Valley, PA05.2023
Skills
- Palliative Care
- Symptom Management
- Advanced Care Planning
- Patient and Family Education
- Serious Illness Communication
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration
- Evidence-Based Practice
- Leadership and Education
Timeline
Physician Assistant Supportive and Palliative Care
Christiana Care Health System
01.2025 - Current
Occupational Health Technician/EMT
Pivot Innovations
04.2021 - 12.2021
Emergency Department Technician
St. Luke’s Anderson Campus
02.2021 - 08.2022
Crisis Counselor
Crisis Text Line
06.2020 - 01.2025
Emergency Medical Technician
Watchung Volunteer Rescue Squad
05.2018 - 08.2019
Masters - Physician Assistant Studies
DeSales University
Bachelor of Science - Medical Studies, Minor in Behavioral Neuroscience
DeSales University
Professional Development
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certified
- Faculty Member on Christiana Care Palliative Care Fellowship Board as APC Champion
- Trained in Vital Talk Mastering Tough Conversations
- Organize Christiana Care John J. Goodill Palliative Care Ambassador Series 2026
- Provide Palliative care education to surgical and medical ICU residents
- Undergoing education for Psychedelic Assisted Therapy from Integrative Psychiatric Institute 08/2026
CLINICAL ROTATIONS
- St. Lukes Lehighton inpatient and outpatient, Lehighton, PA - Carolyn Gaffney PAC 5/28/24-6/25/24
- St. Lukes Care Now, Phillipsburg, PA - Gianna D’Avanzo PAC 4/15/24-5/15/24
- St. Lukes Riverside Obstetrics and gynecology, Easton, PA – Kari Anderson PAC 3/11/24-4/10/24
- St. Lukes Monroe Emergency Department, Stroudsburg, PA – Derek Elliot PAC 2/5/24-3/6/24
- St. Lukes Warren Hospital Internal Medicine, Phillipsburg, PA- Dr. Thomas MD 1/2/24-1/31/24
- St. Lukes Coventry Family Practice, Phillipsburg, PA – Dr. Decker MD 11/13/23-12/13/23
- Lehigh Valley Health Network Pediatric Heme/Onc, Allentown, PA - Emily Jacobson PAC 10/23/23-11/18/23
- St. Lukes Star Community Health KidsCare Easton, PA – Lauren Rowan PAC 10/9/23-10/20/23
- St. Lukes General surgery, Allentown, PA – Caitlin Young PAC 9/5/23-10/4/23