Our Chaplains

Elizabeth Martin, Director & CPE Program Manager

The Reverend Elizabeth Watson Martin is Director of Pastoral Services at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. She is a dually ordained Baptist and United Methodist minister who has supervised Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) programs for 18 years. Previously she supervised CPE programs at Lancaster General Hospital in Lancaster, PA, Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth, TX, and Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, TX. In addition to the ministry of pastoral supervision, Elizabeth's professional experience includes nine years of acute-care hospital chaplaincy, two years of hospice chaplaincy, and three years of congregational ministry. She is a certified counselor with Resolve through Sharing, a grief support program for parents who have lost children through miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death. Elizabeth holds the Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas Tech University and the Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Theological Seminary. She completed Methodist study courses at Brite Divinity School. Prior to entering seminary Elizabeth was a television news reporter in Lubbock, Texas, and Director of News Services at Dallas Baptist University, Dallas, Texas. A daughter of missionaries to South America, Elizabeth speaks fluent Spanish. She was born in Uruguay and lived in Peru from ages 6 to 15.

David Carnish, CPE Supervisor

David Carnish is the Associate Manager of Clinical Pastoral Education in our department.  Prior to coming to Penn State Hershey Medical Center, he has supervised clinical pastoral education programs at Erlanger Health System in Chattanooga, TN and Cone Health in Greensboro, NC.  He is a native of Milledgeville, GA.  David is an ordained Baptist minister endorsed by The Alliance of Baptists.  He graduated from Valdosta State College with a B.A. in Philosophy and a Minor in Sociology.  He received his Masters of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, KY.  He has worked as a chaplain since 1990, serving in nursing home, community, hospice, religious and Level I Trauma hospital contexts.  He has also served as an interim pastor and associate minister with congregations.  He became a Board Certified Chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains in 1999.  He has training in critical incident stress debriefing with the International Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Foundation.  He became an ACPE supervisor in 2005, receiving his training in Columbia, SC and San Francisco, CA. 

Linda Goodwin, Pediatric Chaplain

Linda is an ordained Church of the Brethren minister and served the Western PA District for fifteen years prior to coming to Hershey Medical Center in May 2007. She completed five units of Clinical Pastoral Education in August 2008.

Linda's primary focus is to provide spiritual care for the pediatric patients, their families and the staff of the Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital. She works closely with the patient's care team in order to integrate relational as well as intentional spiritual care. She also works with the Hummingbird Program in connecting and building relationships with congregations to assist in supporting children and their families.

Linda has two adult daughters and her interests include hiking, reading and power walking.

Greg Larsh, Staff Chaplain

Greg's primary focus at the medical center is the Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute's Mechanical Circulatory Support and Palliative Medicine. His research interests include the post-hospitalization spiritual care of patients implanted with a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), trait gratitude in LVAD patient and transplant patient caregivers and resiliency of nursing and allied health professionals.

Greg is married to Esterina Francesca Giorgio. They are the parents of three daughters. He is passionate about life-long learning, his granddaughter, and the NY Yankees and Duke basketball.

David Simmons, Staff Chaplain

David serves as the chaplain for Palliative Care and Trauma Services.  As part of the Palliative Care team, he comes alongside patients and families facing critical illness and end-of-life issues.  David's work with trauma services includes coordinating the work of the pastoral care department to provide 24/7 pastoral care to victims of trauma.

David is ordained as a Baptist minister and is currently credentialed through a regional Anabaptist association.  A graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he holds a Masters of Divinity degree and is at the dissertation stage of his Doctor of Ministry degree through Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary.  David comes to Hershey Medical Center with 20 years pastoral ministry experience, having served congregations in Texas, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

David is a graduate of the Clinical Pastoral Education residency program at Hershey and conducted research in the area of emotional crisis and spirituality as well as pastoral care work to men in crisis.  David is married with three school age children and is an avid photographer and life-long Dallas Cowboys fan.

2012/2013 Chaplain Residents