Chaplain Fellow
Kristen Roberts Ward is a Chaplain Fellow serving the Duke Perinatal Clinic and Fetal Diagnostic Center, where she is honored to accompany women and families through all stages of perinatal care. She completed her Clinical Pastoral Education training at Duke University Hospital, supporting patients, families, and staff in settings including oncology, cardiology, palliative care, pediatrics, level I trauma, and maternal-fetal medicine.
Kristen brings an interdisciplinary perspective to spiritual care, shaped by undergraduate studies in anthropology at UNC–Chapel Hill, experience in post-9/11 disaster mortuary response, organizational development, and more than two decades of study and practice across multiple spiritual traditions. Ordained in Yoga Vedanta and as an interfaith minister, she approaches care through presence, deep listening, and respect for the diverse ways people seek meaning during illness, grief, trauma, and transition.
Her work is grounded in a holistic understanding of the human experience and a commitment to compassionate, inclusive care that honors the emotional, relational, and existential dimensions of being. Kristen’s interests include trauma-informed care, provider resilience, family systems dynamics, contemplative approaches to healing, and the integration of emotional and spiritual wellbeing within healthcare environments.