Anya Gordon oversees the Faith and Health Partnerships department Advocate Health in Wisconsin. In partnership, Anya and her team provide faith leaders and communities with the necessary tools to help individuals and families in need. Anya believes an essential approach to improving healthcare is building community relationships. She aims to offer a ministry of presence to support those in difficult situations. She believes that the connection between faith and health is crucial and strives to make the Faith and Health Companionship series accessible to all, drawing on her own experiences and training qualifications.

With more than 2 decades of mental health experience, Felicia Houston is a sought-after Speaker/Trainer. Her passion lies in inspiring people to make Self-Care a priority. One of her favorite quotes is “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, it is an act of political warfare." Felicia is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) who enjoys serving as the Faith & Mental Health Specialist with Advocate Aurora Health.

Suzanne is Coordinator for Congregational Outreach for the Office for Government and Community Relations for Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, Condell, and Sherman Hospital. Suzanne supports the area churches with Health and Wellness education seminars, for physical, mental, and social well-being. In collaboration with the churches, Suzanne develops and initiates new programs and activities which strengthen partnerships between Advocate Health Care and congregations, all the while supporting health and wellness of body, mind and spirit, a “holistic” approach to caring for the whole person.

Lashondria Purnell, affectionately known as Shonie, is a community referral source and Faith Community Nurse with Advocate Health Care. In her role, Purnell focuses on community members’ overall health and well-being, emotional wellness, while also providing spiritual care. Along with her nursing degree, Shonie also has a Master’s of Art in Psychology and has completed training courses in trauma recovery, inner healing, emotional integration, mental health first aid and social and emotional intelligence. Purnell relishes her role as a faith community nurse, a vocation she describes as a “a holistic approach to nursing.”