New York, NY – October 16, 2023 — The United States Chaplain Corps [USCC],[ https://uschaplains.us/] a national organization committed to fostering interfaith inclusivity and embracing a variety of spiritual beliefs, announced today the appointment of Claudio Pannunzio to its Board of Directors.
Pannunzio, a certified USCC chaplain, brings a diversity of skills, background, and expertise that are fully aligned with USCC’s values, principles and priorities and that will be instrumental in furthering the organization’s mission and vision.
In his role as Director of the First Responder Division, Pannunzio will focus on creating initiatives in collaboration with disaster relief agencies at both the state and federal levels. These initiatives will involve deploying a dedicated team of chaplains trained in Psychological First Aid to support communities across the United States during times of need.
The USCC consists of over six hundred Chaplains representing a wide spectrum of faith backgrounds, spanning across 32 states, and with key hubs in New York, California and Florida. Its chaplains are equipped with five core skills: Psychological First Aid [PFA], Social Intelligence [SQ] Social Communication [SC], Emotional Intelligence [EQ] and Emotional Regulation [ER]. They are trained with the integrated wisdom, understanding, and knowledge of all faiths and beliefs, which is at the core of USCC’s mission.
“With the full support of our existing board members, I am delighted to welcome Chaplain Claudio Pannunzio to USCC. He joins our organization at a crucial time of expansion in the US and beyond. He brings a wealth of experience, skills, certifications and the ministry of presence required to foster healing, ease pain and defuse tension in situations of crisis,” said Chaplain Mendy Coën, Director-General, USCC.
“Our mission is to assist anyone in need without discrimination, by providing support, respect, and kindness. Courage, passion and resilience is what drives our chaplains as a force of renewal that illuminates the path through the darkness of adversity. Chaplains from our First Responder Division — the only chaplain force in the US trained in Psychological First Aid — are already actively engaged in providing support to anyone in the US who has been directly or indirectly impacted by the recent tragic events,” Coën added.
Pannunzio currently serves as Managing Director of Adler Branding and Marketing and is actively involved with nonprofit organizations and in doing volunteer work. He serves on a number of boards, including TRIFORM and The Patient Is U Foundation. He volunteers for The Cancer Hope Network and Yale Health-Greenwich Hospital providing emotional support to cancer patients. He is the recipient of the 2023 CHN Michael Kzirian’s Flame of Courage Award for his exceptional courage, spirit and determination in facing cancer two times in his life, and for making a meaningful impact on the lives of cancer patients, their families and their caregivers.
“It is an honor and a privilege to join USCC and its board of directors, which is comprised of a number of highly-accomplished and committed community leaders,” said Pannunzio. “I’m looking forward to leading USCC First Responder Division, building on the impressive strengths and achievements of USCC and playing an instrumental role in providing ministry of presence and support to individuals and communities impacted by disasters. I am excited to start the next phase of my life journey in service to the community through USCC.”
The USCC operates ten separate divisions and its chaplains swiftly respond to emergency and disasters across the nation. In 2022, the USCC completed 21,678 missions, impacting 61,382 lives.
In June 2021, USCC was one of the first responders to offer Psychological First Aid (PFA) assistance to the victims of the tragic Miami Surfside condominium disaster, which sadly claimed the lives of 98 individuals. The USCC collaborated with the team of Col. Golan Vach, head of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) famed National Rescue Unit. The latter was the first foreign team in history to manage a rescue mission on US soil.
About United States Chaplain Corps
The United States Chaplain Corps [USCC], is a national interfaith organization that values and respects religious diversity by actively engaging and collaborating with individuals from all religious and spiritual backgrounds. Its Chaplain Force–comprised of more than 600 chaplains spanning 32 states– is the only one in the US offering a specialized training in Psychological First Aid [PFA], Social Intelligence [SQ] Social Communication [SC], Emotional Intelligence [EQ] and Emotional Regulation [ER]. USCC operates ten divisions and is committed to the following core values:
RESPECT: USCC chaplains are committed to communicating with respect to all individuals, while ensuring that all interactions are characterized by fairness and honesty.
INTEGRITY: Effective communication and rapport-building require an authentic approach that is comprised of honesty, integrity, and genuineness. USCC chaplains are committed to wholehearted adherence to authentic living.
COMPASSION: Compassion is a quality that lies at the heart of everything we do. USCC chaplains are driven by genuine empathy and caring, which draws us closer to people of all walks of life and enables us to promote their wellbeing.
HUMANITY: All humans are created equal. This central belief forms the foundation of the American way, shaping and guiding the USCC chaplains’ commitment to supporting the spirit of all human lives.
USCC’s mission is to assist anyone in need without discrimination, by providing support, respect, and kindness.
For additional information visit https://uschaplains.us/
A 501(c)3 Public Charity
EIN: 81-4604897
