DEAN AITHWAITE,
Founder/Executive chaplain
Born into a service orientated family, I enlisted into the British Armed Forces, completing service aged 23. Having met an American girl in my last year of service, I emigrated to the US where we got married and I became a Volunteer Firefighter, while working in Commercial and Residential Property Management.
In 2012 I heard my calling to Chaplaincy, and immediately began to prepare and gain credentialling for the mission field of Chaplaincy. I began service here in the mid-Willamette Valley in 2015, and seeing the need for a dedicated team of professional First Responder Chaplains serving First Responders First, assembled WVFRC in 2018.
Before I am a Chaplain, I am a Christ-follower and servant to the King of Kings, husband to my wife of 22 years, and father to our three children.
Professional affiliations
Oregon State Police Critical Incident Response Team member
Albany Police Department Trust Team member
Linn County Sheriff’s Office Peer Support Team Member
Corvallis Police Department Peer Support Team member
Benton County Sheriff's Office Peer Support Team member
Benton County Crisis Response Team member
International Conference of Police Chaplains Associate Member
International Critical Incident Stress Foundation - Instructor
Crisis Intervention Training - Instructor
MITCH WARREN
ASSISTANT CHAPLAIN
Oregon has been home for me for all but about seven years of my life. Growing up in Roseburg, OR, I learned that the outdoors is my favorite place to go on new adventures. The outdoors is also a high priority place for me today to go relax and re-center when it’s time to shut down for a while. The highlight of my outdoors experiences came when I was hired as a jetboat captain and operations manager for the whitewater rafting industry in the Grand Canyon.
My wife and I have experienced over 32 years of life together and we are looking forward to many more years to come. We have two adult boys, both of whom still enjoy stopping by for a visit throughout the week. Even though we’re empty nesters, we have “Tiger” our Plott Hound and Catahoula Leopard Dog mix that keeps us on our toes. Tiger and I serve as a First Responder Therapy Dog team, for both first responders and the community. It is an honor to be called to serve in this capacity and to work with such a great team of men and women here in the Willamette Valley.
Certifications:
Assisting Individuals in Crisis and Group Crisis Intervention (ICISF)
Advanced Group Crisis Intervention (ICISF)
First Responder Therapy Dog team
HANNAH KEISTER
OFFICE MANAGER
I was born and raised in Albany, Oregon. After graduating from West Albany High School in 2013, I attended George Fox University in Newberg. During my second year, I worked as legislative assistant to a State Representative, while also chairing the American Enterprise Institute’s Executive Counsel at George Fox. In my third year of university, I had the opportunity to study abroad for a semester in Dijon, France. I graduated in 2016 with a BA in International Studies and French.
Upon completion of my degree, I worked as an appraisal secretary until I joined the WVFRC team. In early 2018, I was able to take time off to volunteer as an English teacher in Amman, Jordan while also working at a local nonprofit that helped Iraqi and Syrian refugees. Since 2013, I have also enjoyed volunteering with Hope Teams International with fundraising events and joining work teams in Honduras. I always pictured myself working for a cause rather than a company.
In October 2018, I married my husband, Brenden. Together we have two dogs, Dottie and Hank, as well as two cats – Chuck and Minuit. In my spare time, I enjoy gardening, baking, DIY projects, nature walks and hosting friends for movie nights.
Nick Droback
Staff chaplain
The Willamette Valley has been home for our family since January 2008. My wife, Erika, and I have seven amazing children and are celebrating 20 years of marriage in 2024. I’ve always felt a call to serve others, starting with various church ministries over the years and then moving into the fire service where I have served locally as a firefighter/EMR and chaplain for the past seven years. While in the fire service, I found myself gravitating towards the physical and emotional needs of individuals and first responders on-scene and began to see where God was calling me. In the spring of 2022, we decided as a family to pursue full-time ministry in first responder chaplaincy.
Certifications:
Assisting Individuals in Crisis (ICISF)
Group Crisis Intervention (ICISF)
Advanced Group Crisis Intervention (ICIFS)
Introduction to Incident Command System (ICS-100)
Firefighter 1 (NFPA)
Advanced Firefighting s-131 (NWCG)
Oregon Licensed EMR (OHA)
KALI HIGGINS
VOLUNTEER CHAPLAIN-IN-TRAINING
I was born and raised in the Willamette Valley to a very active first responder family, spanning from volunteer fire to law enforcement. Being raised in this environment shaped my outlook of service and duty. Early in my college years I studied forensic psychology and planned on following that specialty in my career, however, God had other plans. Through a series of events, I felt called to serve those who had spent their lives serving others. In the fall of 2021, I began volunteering with WVFRC and completed my undergraduate practicum with this wonderful group.
In the Spring of 2022, I graduated from Western Oregon University with a BS in Psychology and a minor in Forensic Psychology. In the fall, I began my graduate program in counseling at Corban University and plan on graduating in 2024, before obtaining my certification in trauma response counseling. My heart is with first responders and I have a desire to serve them and I am passionate about helping the helpers.
As far as my personal life goes, I am lucky to live near my family and spend a lot of time with them. I grew up in a rural area and am passionate about the outdoors and farm life, even though I now live in a tiny apartment. I have two cats named Tango and Taz. In my free time, I enjoy fishing (I have a weakness for steelhead season), kayaking, hiking, lifting weights, baking and organizing! I also enjoy watching REAL football… Ya know, the one with the helmets and pads and touchdowns (;
SHERRI SPERLING
TEAM CHAPLAIN
Chaplaincy is my current privilege and passion, a culmination of a circuitous journey. Married to my “best bud,” Neal, since my senior year of high school in 1971, we have traveled many roads. My focus during the early years was raising our family and nurturing approximately 30 foster children. Then during our family’s high school years, hosting foreign exchange students. During this stage we even owned our own grocery/deli/vet supply store near Scio.
My own childhood traumas necessitated counsel and a wondrous healing journey that inspired a passion for the healing process of others. During the 1990s, I led a healing/lay counseling ministry. Multiple short-term mission trips with our church introduced me to the need for spiritual and emotional care for those on the front-line of worldwide missions.
Neal and I have six children: three biological and three adopted. Our adopted children are biological siblings who escaped communist oppression in Laos via a refugee camp in Thailand.
Our youngest son went home to heaven after twenty years of heart issues, including a transplant. Our five children and their children all live within an hour of us. We now rejoice in our 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren (soon to be five!). Our holiday gatherings are AWESOME!
When not serving or working real estate as a principal broker, Neal and I love to travel. Cooking, baking, gathering for meals and games with our kids family and friends or camping and hiking are our major activities and pretty much fill our calendars!
JIM CROWLEY
CHAPLAIN EMERITUS / SENIOR INSTRUCTOR
Chaplain Jim Crowley is recently retired Executive Chaplain for Central Oregon Public Safety Chaplaincy having served them full time since the Fall of 2003. He has been a chaplain for over 30 years and has earned the International Conference of Police Chaplaincy (ICPC) Diplomat Chaplain Credential, and has earned the Master of Ministry Degree from Northwest Nazarene University. Chaplain Crowley is an Approved Instructor with the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) and the International Conference of Police Chaplains (ICPC). Chaplain Crowley is a member of the Central Oregon Critical Incident Stress Management (COCISM) team and has served on the Oregon State Police (OSP) Critical Incident and Response Team (CIRT), and the Oregon State Fire Marshalls Chaplain Response Team (OCRT). Chaplain Crowley joined WVFRC in April 2021 as the Senior Instructor, where he continues to inspire chaplains and first responders.
FINNEGAN “FINNY” FURCHILL
Therapy Cat
Born on the mean streets of Douglas County, my kittenhood wasn’t easy. I had to sling catnip just to provide for myself. In April 2023, I was adopted by WVFRC from Saving Grace Shelter in Roseburg, Oregon. Since coming to WVFRC, I have adapted quickly to the indoor cat life. I take my role as official greeter quite seriously and I do my best to welcome everyone to the office.
I love playing with my Lambchop stuffie, taking naps by the space heater, climbing furniture/fake plants/Christmas decorations and my guilty pleasure is snacking on dairy products – don’t leave your yogurt unattended around me! I hope that you stop by the office sometime and pay me a visit!