Advisory Board

Bettyanna Bremer is an ordained Elder in the Church of the Nazarene and has served in Chaplaincy Ministry for over twenty years. She began her chaplaincy career at Great River Medical Center in Burlington, Iowa, where she served in trauma, palliative care and hospice, and behavioral health chaplaincy. Since moving to North Carolina six years ago, she completed her supervisory education at Atrium Health, becoming a Certified Educator with ACPE. She is currently serving as Assistant Director for Spiritual Care and Education for the Behavioral Health Service Line. In this role, she is responsible for training pastors in the art of pastoral care as well as the oversight of Spiritual Care programming for Atrium’s Behavioral Health hospitals. Additionally, she serves on the Advocacy Committee for the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education, and the Board of Ministry for the North Carolina Nazarene District, which oversees the education and ordination process of licensed ministers. Bettyanna received her Bachelor of Arts in Ministry at Nazarene Bible College. She completed her Master of Divinity with Nazarene Theological Seminary and has been published in Chaplaincy journals and denominational publications. In her spare time, Bettyanna loves antiquing, tea parties, reading, and spending time with her family and grandsons, who are the absolute delight of her life.

Swindell Edwards brings to the ceremonial position of chaplaincy thirty-eight years of ministry with a rich and varied career of academic and ecclesiastical leadership, serving as the Regional Clinical Chaplain II for the Mountain and Central Regions of North Carolina Department of Public Safety. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from St. Augustine’s College, Master of Divinity degree from Duke University, a Master’s in Public Administration degree from Valdosta State University, Clinical Pastoral Certification from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and a Doctorate degree from Jefferson International in Raleigh, North Carolina. His chaplaincy tenure includes: ten years active duty in U.S. Naval Chaplain Corps and two years in the Naval Reserve as Chaplain with the U.S. Marines, Campus Chaplain at Edward Waters College of Jacksonville, Florida; Case Manager for the Department of Children and Families in Jacksonville, Florida; Senior Chaplain at the Gateway Center for the homeless, Atlanta, Georgia, Assistant Chaplain at the Jefferson Correctional Institution of Monticello, Florida, and Lanesboro Correctional Institution, Polkton, North Carolina. He has now served in the position as Clinical Chaplain for North Carolina Department of Public Safety for the past eleven years.

Vanessa Lane is a first-year student in the Master of Arts in Chaplaincy. She is a 2008 graduate of Hood Theological Seminary with a Master of Theological Studies with a concentration in Pastoral Care and Counseling Degree. Vanessa has over 22 years of work experience in the Social/Human Services field. Her work specialization has focused on providing professional mental health services to children, adolescents, and their families. Vanessa has volunteered with various governmental and nonprofit organizations. She has also served on several County boards, appointed by County Commissioners. Vanessa enjoys spending quality time with her husband of 30 years, traveling to various tropical destinations. Vanessa and her husband have three grown children and two Cane Corso dogs that she named Grace and Mercy!

Major Stewart is the Senior Pastor at Greater Mt. Sinai Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. He also serves as a Chaplain in the Atrium Health system, where he provides holistic care, assisting care-recipients to make meaning, while finding hope and transcendence during palliative care/illness, injury, birth, and death, as well as reflecting on faith and justice.

Dr. Stewart earned the Bachelor of Arts (BBA) degree in Accounting and Finance, from Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI; the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA; the Master of Arts (MACE) degree in Christian Education from the Michigan Theological Seminary, Plymouth, MI; and the Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree from United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio.He has also completed the Church Management program at Villanova University, Villanova, PA. He is married to Carla Brooks-Stewart, and they are parents of three daughters and one grandson. His favorite quote is: ”Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Emily Viverette is a minister affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Emily is a graduate of Elon University (B.S.) and Vanderbilt Divinity School (M.Div.). Prior to seminary, she taught high school math. Emily served as the Director of CPE at Alamance Regional Medical Center before joining the faculty at Wake Forest Baptist Health in 2009. She is a Certified Educator with ACPE, and Director of FaithHealth Chaplaincy and Education at WFBH. Emily is married to Michael, and they have two children, Jack and Lily.