Ivan Omaña, D. Min., BCC
President
Dr. Ivan Omaña serves as the Director/Endorser of Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries and President of Adventist Chaplaincy Institute at the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. He assumed his duties in June 2022.
Born in Venezuela, Omaña’s family history is tied closely to the growth of Adventism in that country. His great-grandfather, Julio, became a Seventh-day Adventist in 1922 and at the 1935 General Conference Session in San Francisco, he became the first Venezuelan Pastor to ordained to the gospel ministry.
Other Omaña family members have also served the church. His father and one of his uncles are retired Adventist ministers, an aunt served as under-treasurer for the Inter-American Division, his mother was the Children’s Ministries Director and Shepherdess coordinator for the Inter-American Division his father served as Ministerial Secretary.
At age 18, Omaña came to the United States to complete his undergraduate degree in theology at Columbia Union College (now Washington Adventist University). Following graduation, he returned to pastor in Venezuela for the next ten years.
During a family trip to Florida, Omaña learned more about chaplaincy in a conversation with a chaplain at Florida Hospital. Before he returned to Venezuela, a chaplaincy position opened and Omaña applied, and was hired.
Omaña began his chaplaincy at the Adventist Care Centers in the Greater Orlando area.
In 2002, Ivan transitioned to Florida Hospital Kissimmee as the full-time chaplain. In 2015 Omaña assumed the duties as an Assistant Director of Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries for the North American Division. He served as Associate Director of Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries—GC prior to being elected Director.
Omaña holds a Master of Divinity degree from Florida Center for Theological Studies and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Denver Theological Seminary and is an ordained Seventh-day Adventist pastor. He is a Board Certified Pastoral Counselor by the American Association of Christian Counselors, a Board Certified Chaplain by the Association of Professional Chaplains, as well as the College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy and an Associate Clinical Pastoral Education Supervisor with College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy.
He is also certified in Acute Stress, Grief, and Trauma Intervention by the American Association of Christian Counselors. He is a member of the Association of Professional Chaplains, the American Association of Christian Counselors, the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education, and is endorsed by Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries. He chairs the Adventist Chaplaincy Institute Board of Certification and is endorsed as a chaplain by Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries—North American Division.
Andrew R. Harewood
Vice President
Chaplain (Brigadier General) Retired Andrew R. Harewood honorably served as the Deputy Chief of Chaplains for the U.S. Army Reserve and as the Director of Strategy, Plans, Policy, Resources, and Soldier/Family Spiritual Readiness (SPPRS) at the Office of the Chief of Chaplains (OCCH), The Pentagon. In these dual-hatted roles, he directed critical staff functions including policy, law, and doctrine; government affairs; religious accommodation and diversity; force management; strategic plans and studies; and mobilization and contingency operations. He worked closely with Army Commands (ACOMs), Army Service Component Commands (ASCCs), and Direct Reporting Units (DRUs) to unify religious support efforts and strengthen Army spiritual readiness.
As a senior leader and advisor, Chaplain Harewood represented the Chief of Chaplains to HQDA senior leadership on matters concerning religious support and the free exercise of religion. He also served as a key advisor to the Chief of the Army Reserve and the Commanding General, overseeing policy and training for more than 700 U.S. Army Reserve Chaplains who serve approximately 190,000 Reserve Soldiers, while contributing to programs supporting over 1,600 Active Duty Chaplains and 1.3 million Soldiers, Family members, and Army Civilians.
As Pastor, he served 28 combined years in a number of congregations in the Allegheny East Conference and the Northeastern Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, including churches in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and New York City. Throughout his years of faithful service, he has inspired countless individuals through his dynamic preaching, compassionate leadership, and unwavering dedication to sharing the love of Christ.
Pastor Harewood’s ministry has been marked by a passion for evangelism, discipleship, and community engagement, and by thousands of baptisms. His commitment to nurturing the global spiritual growth of God’s people continues to have a lasting impact on every congregation and community he serves.
Chaplain Brigadier General Harewood began his military career in 1990 as a chaplain assistant. Following five years of enlisted service, he pursued and completed both Master’s and Doctoral degrees at Howard University, where he received the prestigious Henry G. Maynard Scholastic Award in 1995.
His distinguished career included assignments with the 310th TAACOM, 323rd MI, 109th Chaplain Detachment, 656th ASG, 453rd FG, 413th AG, the Pentagon, U.S. Army Reserve Command, 80th Training Command (TASS), and FORSCOM HQ at Fort Bragg. He deployed in support of operations in Central America (1994), Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003), and Combined Forces Command Afghanistan (2006).
Chaplain Harewood is a graduate of numerous military leadership and professional development programs, including the Primary Leadership Development Course, Captain Career Course, Force Management Staff College, Command and General Staff College, and the Harvard Kennedy School’s Strategic Framework for Non-Profit and Non-Governmental Organizations program. He also holds certifications in theology, clinical pastoral education, trauma counseling, crisis management, mental health counseling, and various leadership and interpersonal development tools.
General Harewood’s exceptional service has been recognized through numerous military decorations, including the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, NATO Medal, and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal. His contributions have also been honored by the White House, the Pennsylvania Senate, and numerous civic, military, and denominational organizations.
Following his retirement from military service, General Harewood was appointed Assistant Director of Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries at the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. In this global leadership role, he contributes to the endorsement, development, training, and professional advancement of Seventh-day Adventist chaplains serving in military, healthcare, campus, community, corrections, law enforcement, and institutional ministries worldwide.
He is married to Dr. Karen Annette Harewood, a physician, and together they are the proud parents of four sons: Andrew, Jason, Aaren, and Jalon. General Harewood enjoys reading, distance running, scuba diving, billiards, and mentoring the next generation of military, ministry, and organizational leaders.
General Harewood is widely recognized for his commitment to servant leadership, strategic innovation, and the development of leaders of character. His leadership philosophy, “Direction Is More Important Than Speed,” has guided both his military and ministry careers, while his personal motto, “Don’t tell me, show me!”, reflects his unwavering belief that authentic leadership is demonstrated through action.
Yetunde Abosede Odeyemi
Registrar, Adventist Chaplaincy Institute (ACI)
Yetunde Odeyemi is a geography graduate with doctoral research studies in human dimensions to Climate Change and its impact on different aspects of human security. She has observed with keen interest the phases of changes in the subject of geography and how it has revolutionized databases through geo-technologies, in maps, mapping, map use and reading, cartography, remote sensing, and virtually all other fields of studies and learning. This is showcased in today’s use of GIS/ArcGIS in virtually every aspect of human studies and career that requires visualization, and information gathering and sharing at real-time levels. Yetunde strongly believes that the study of geography as a subject broadens the human mind and enables a scholar to fit into many aspects of studies and careers.
Apart from geography, she has specialization in gender studies, Monitoring and Evaluation, and in the use of ArcGIS as a tool in spatialization of the humanitarian and development stories. After teaching at the high school level, Yetunde transitioned into the sphere of research at a University Center for Gender and Social Policy Studies. She then moved into lecturing and mentoring of students at different levels of Tertiary Institutions (Church-owned and government-owned).
Yetunde was baptized into the Adventist faith in 1988 after her husband and brother joined the church that same year. With her family called to serve in the church’s mission field, she has worked in different capacities in church departments and boards. She enjoyed her days as a humanitarian and development worker and facilitator of capacity-building sessions.
Yetunde is grateful for the ability to hear, listen, and enjoy testimonies of Jesus’ “unshortened hand and active responses” of intervention in the issues of humanity. She has an eye for details in sight and sounds. She is passionate about education and educating (especially through Bible study, Sabbath School, and Prophecies Seminars), treating people with respect, with avid interest for compassion and kindness. She likes helping because it is a God-given principle to mankind and a philosophy that God never ignores the open hand. He desires to have it filled.
During a family trip to Florida, Omaña learned more about chaplaincy in a conversation with a chaplain at Florida Hospital. Before he returned to Venezuela, a chaplaincy position opened and Omaña applied, and was hired.
Yetunde likes to bake, sew, and crochet (for the elderly and children in prison), collect colored stones, and record the sound of flowing water bodies. She also seeks to understand historic levels of communication in African societies, African hair, and skincare. She loves reading and gathering information to compare information from different sources in order to have a robust view.
Deena Bartel-Wagner
Communications Manager
Email: [email protected]
Deena Bartel-Wagner is the owner of Verbal Oxygen Creative Services. She has worked as a freelance writer, editor, and journalist for 35 years. She has authored hundreds of articles that have appeared in Adventist and other Christian publications as well as secular publications. Among Adventist publications, Deena has written for the GraceLink Sabbath School Lessons, the Adventist Review, Collegiate Quarterly, Adult Bible Study Guide, Winner, Guide Magazine, and Adventist Mission. Not limiting her writing to print publications, she is also the scriptwriter for Mission Sonlight. She has recently accepted as a book reviewer for Thomas Nelson Publishing and will be blogging her thoughts about book topics ranging from politics to biographies and theological essays.
Deena currently is the publications editor for the General Conference Department of Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries and oversees the production of two quarterly journals, The Adventist Chaplain and For God and Country.
Deena simultaneously earned a bachelor of arts degree in journalism from Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska and an associate of science degree in radio broadcasting from Barton County Community College.
Experiencing other cultures is one of the opportunities that Deena values in developing her writing voice. She has lived and worked in Thailand, the Marshall Islands, the Chuuk Islands and the Republic of Congo. While in the Congo, her editorial skills were put to the test as she edited publications for the World Health Organization in both English and French.
Deena is married to Gary, a retired pastor, and the Southeast Asia Regional Director for Gospel Outreach. Their family includes their three children, Justin, Ashley and Jordan, their daughter-in-law Ashley, and three granddaughters.
When she isn’t writing, you will find Deena following her other passions of backpacking, breadmaking, reading anything historical, foraging plants to wildcraft tinctures and salves, and tracking down the perfect bar of chocolate.
