Background

A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, Hope G.Gray, MTS, RBC is a PhD student in Administration – Health Services with a concentration in Health Informatics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Hope received a Master of Theological Studies from Beeson Divinity School, Samford University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Stillman College. Her first career was as a Systems Engineer. Then, Hope completed Clinical Pastoral Education at both Presbyterian Hospital (Albuquerque, NM) and Princeton Baptist Medical Center (Birmingham, AL). She is a licensed, ordained minister who is a Board Certified Chaplain and has served as a hospital, hospice and corporate chaplain. She is endorsed by the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Hope worked as a Staff Chaplain then as a Systems Analyst at Children’s of Alabama (pediatric hospital). She has been a Graduate Research Assistant to Dr. Wayne Liang and Dr. Ferhat Zengul. Her academic advisor is Dr. Sue Feldman. Hope enjoys providing compassionate pastoral care to people of all ages. However, while pursing the PhD, she is doing research at the intersection of health information technology and spiritual care by utilizing health informatics. Hope is among the 2021-2022 PreDoctoral Trainee Cohort of the Center for Clinical Translational Science.

Job experience

• July 2021 - present
  PreDoctoral Trainee
  University of Alabama at Birmingham
  

  Birmingham, AL, USA
• August 2018 - April 2021
  Graduate Research Assistant
  University of Alabama at Birmingham
  

  Birmingham, AL, USA
• September 2014 - August 2018
  Systems Analyst/Healthcare Chaplain
  Children’s of Alabama
  

  Birmingham, AL, USA
• October 2012 - September 2014
  Spiritual Care Coordinator
  Gentiva
  

  Birmingham, AL, USA

Education

• University of Alabama at Birmingham
  PhD Health Services Administration
  

  2018 - 2024

  Health Informatics Track
  Research Interests- Electronic Health Record, Spiritual Care, Health Information Technology, COVID-19 and Health Disparities
• Samford University, Beeson Divinity School
  Master of Theological Studies
  

  - 2011
• Stillman College
  B.S. Computer Science
  

  - 1995

  Minor: English

• Retired Board Certified Chaplain
  Association of Professional Chaplains
  

  May 2016 - present

  Retired status while full-time doctoral student and not serving patients at bedside.