Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital welcomes new Spiritual Care Coordinator

Tara A. Deonauth, M.Div., recently joined Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital as Spiritual Care Coordinator. In this role, she will support the spiritual care needs of patients, their loved ones and our staff.

Deonauth studied Economics and Mathematics at Williams College and began a career in data analytics at a small non-profit focusing on education. During her several years as Director of Analytics there, she contemplated a career change. “I looked around for the people I most wanted to be like. And those people were my college chaplains,” she says. “During my time at Williams College, I found their mentorship, guidance and support for others to be tremendous. I wanted to live into the world the way they do.”

In 2018 she made the decision to enroll in the master’s program at Harvard Divinity School. During her studies, Deonauth discovered her calling in hospital chaplaincy through a series of clinical rotations at UNC Health Care, Beverly Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Boston Medical Center. Since graduating, she has served as an Interim Chaplain at Deaconess Abundant Life Communities.

Of her decision to take on her new role at BWFH, Deonauth says she is thrilled to have found an institution that is both a community hospital and a teaching hospital. She has also been impressed by how welcomed she has felt in her first few days at work. She says, “I’m still getting my feet under me, but I already feel like I am part of the team.”

Outside of work, Deonauth enjoys cooking and hosting dinner parties, practicing yoga and playing the ukulele. She also enjoys being active, biking an hour to and from work each day. “I love my clunky old bike!” she says.

Having studied the Spanish language since the age of 10, she also finds time to volunteer as a translator helping community members who are navigating the United States immigration process.