Cynthia Holda
Bereavement Coordinator / Chaplain
Cortland,IL
Summary
Compassionate bereavement coordinator and chaplain with a robust background in providing emotional support and guiding individuals through the complexities of grief. Expertise in developing and implementing tailored bereavement programs that address unique needs, fostering healing and resilience. Proven skills in crisis intervention and effective communication enhance the ability to connect with individuals during challenging times. Committed to creating a supportive environment that promotes understanding and comfort throughout the grieving process.
Overview
2026
2026
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Bereavement Coordinator/Hospice Chaplain
Northern Illinois Hospice
2022 - Current
- Organized and led grief support groups, creating a safe space for participants to share experiences and heal together.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary team members, ensuring seamless care coordination during the bereavement process.
- Conducted thorough assessments of bereaved individuals, identifying their specific needs and preferences for support.
- Developed comprehensive bereavement plans of care tailored to individual needs for optimal healing and recovery.
- Performed clinical supervision to bereavement team and interns and coordinated orientation, education and development of team members and volunteers.
- Maintained accurate records of client interactions in compliance with confidentiality guidelines and organizational policies.
- Implemented creative outreach strategies aimed at raising awareness about available services among underserved populations experiencing loss or grief-related struggles.
- Created customized resources such as newsletters, informational pamphlets, and website content to educate families on coping strategies and available services.
- Evaluated program effectiveness through regular feedback from participants, implementing improvements as needed to maintain high-quality services.
- Participated in relevant professional development opportunities to stay current on best practices in grief counseling and service delivery techniques.
- Accepted different lifestyles, cultures, beliefs and values and seamlessly adapted bereavement support to accommodate individual needs.
- Coordinated special events such as remembrance ceremonies or workshops that offered support and education for grieving families.
- Managed the organization''s budget for bereavement-related expenses, ensuring responsible allocation of funds toward necessary resources and activities.
- Advocated for staff members, helping to identify and resolve conflicts.
- Served as a resource for staff members seeking guidance or support in relation to their own spiritual well-being, promoting self-care within the workplace.
- Resolved crisis and emotional issues through empathy, support, prayer and scripture.
Co-Senior Pastor
Vineyard Christian Fellowship
2003 - Current
- Currently serve as Co-pastor of the church, ministering to 100 members in spiritual matters including faith, baptism, reconciliation, weddings, marriage and divorce care, hospital visits, funerals, and grief counseling.
- Officiate special services such as weddings, funerals, baptisms, and nursing home services.
- Lead effective pastoral care for congregation members, providing spiritual guidance and support during times of crisis or need.
- Manage Children's Ministries, Worship Arts ministry, Women's Ministries, and occasional preaching.
- Lead programs such as worship, study, fellowship, and service opportunities.
- Enhance spiritual growth for church members through regular pastoral counseling sessions and personalized guidance.
- Created and maintain church website and social media sites. Facilitate administrative duties, database, training and coordination of volunteers and teachers.
- Built strong relationships with community organizations, collaborating on projects that aligned with shared values and goals.
- Manage church staff effectively, providing clear direction and support while maintaining accountability for performance outcomes.
Multi-Specialty Clinic Receptionist
Rochelle Community Hospital
01.2018 - 01.2022
- Provide excellent and caring customer service to hundreds of weekly clinic patients and medical professionals while adhering to HIPAA standards and requirements.
- Coordinate patient appointments with physicians and staff, maintain accurate patient medical records, check in patients for appointments, and collect personal data for MedTech patient database.
- Provide excellent scheduling and follow-up for patient Diabetes Education program.
- Perform general office duties, as well as stock and daily clean thirteen exam rooms and five physician offices.
- Assist Nurse Manager with special projects, including the organization, management, implementation, and maintenance of a hospital-wide policy and procedure cloud-based database to keep over eight hundred policies, addendums, and procedures organized.
- Created and implemented five training classes for corporate-level executives and department managers to use HospitalPortal to update or revise hospital policies and procedures on an annual basis, or as needed.
- Awarded Hospital Employee of the Month in March 2020
Co-Op Educator & ESL Instructor (Dada ABC)
Grace Christian Academy Homeschool
01.1998 - 01.2018
- Successfully educated and graduated four children in homeschool K-12 program.
- Worked online for one year (2017) as ESL instructor to children in China through Dada ABC, using Total Physical Response techniques in addition to classroom teaching and management skills.
- Built relationships and communicated with parents to provide best learning environment for children.
- Collaborated with colleagues to develop and revise curriculum, enhancing learning experience.
Optician / Optical Tech
Advanced Family Eye Care Center
01.2013 - 01.2017
- Obtained detailed medical and personal data for patient charts and records, maintaining HIPAA policies and procedures.
- Maintained organized records of customer prescriptions, work orders and payments in Goal database.
- Instructed patients on the proper care of eyeglasses and contact lenses, as well as educated patients on proper contact lens insertion and removal techniques.
- Calibrated seg heights, vertex, and pupillary distance and pantoscopic tilt to customize eyeglass orders and create perfect fit.
- Adjusted and repaired new and previously purchased frames to satisfy customer demands.
- Provided exceptional customer service by attentively listening to patient concerns and addressing them promptly.
- Achieved a high rate of repeat business through diligent relationship-building efforts with patients and clients alike.
- Participated in community health fairs and events to promote eye health awareness and importance of regular eye exams, expanding clinic's outreach.
Education
Master of Arts - Divinity
Crown College
Saint Bonifacius, MN05-2021
Master of Arts - Christian Leadership
Crown College
Saint Bonifacius, MN05-2018
Bachelor of Science - Christian Ministry
Crown College
Saint Bonifacius, MN05.2017
Certificate - Theology and Pastoral Ministry
Vineyard Leadership Institute
Westerville, OH01.2008
Skills
- Proficient in Microsoft Office and Google Workspace
- Leadership experience
- Experience with multiple healthcare database platforms
- Assessment skills
- Family support
- Multicultural competence
- Self-care promotion
- Grief counseling
- Group therapy
- Support group facilitation
- Willingness to learn
- Attention to detail
- Volunteer management
- Research
- Problem-solving
- Time management
- Multitasking Abilities
- Reliability
- Organizational skills
- Relationship building
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Teaching
- Pastoral counseling
- Pastoral care
- Spiritual leadership
- Preaching
- Public speaking
- Mission-oriented
- Organizational leadership
Accomplishments
- Achieved implementation of electronic policy portal for over 1000 hospital policies by introducing. HospitalPortal software in order for staff and management to locate, attest, and utilize policies for operations and training purposes.
- Collaborated and project managed two teams of clinicians and staff to create two new memorial events for hospice families, which were well attended and are now held annually.
- Repaired relationship with local community not-for-profit in order to offer bereavement support group at their location and provide support to 50+ individuals each year.
- Created and implemented a more streamlined bereavement program for hospice families through effectively revamping and organizing new plans of care and interventions for a 13-month period for each bereaved family.
- Supervise team of 4 staff members and volunteers.
Certification
- FEMA – U.S. Department of Homeland Security Emergency Management Institute Courses IS-00100 Introduction to Incident Command System, Awarded 2021-04-29
- IS-00360 Preparing for Mass Casualties Incident Guide for Schools, Higher Education & Houses of Worship Awarded 2021
- Johns Hopkins University / Coursera Psychological First Aid, Awarded 2021-05-27 (non-credit course)
Licensing & Certificates
Ministerial licensing and ordination held by Vineyard USA and Vineyard Church DeKalb - 2014
Work Type
Full TimeWork Location
RemoteHybridOn-SiteTimeline
Multi-Specialty Clinic Receptionist
Rochelle Community Hospital
01.2018 - 01.2022
Optician / Optical Tech
Advanced Family Eye Care Center
01.2013 - 01.2017
Co-Op Educator & ESL Instructor (Dada ABC)
Grace Christian Academy Homeschool
01.1998 - 01.2018
Certificate - Theology and Pastoral Ministry
Vineyard Leadership Institute
Bereavement Coordinator/Hospice Chaplain
Northern Illinois Hospice
2022 - Current
Co-Senior Pastor
Vineyard Christian Fellowship
2003 - Current
Master of Arts - Divinity
Crown College
Master of Arts - Christian Leadership
Crown College
Bachelor of Science - Christian Ministry
Crown College
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