Natasha Huang is the firstborn daughter of immigrant parents from Taiwan. A graduate of the Practical Theology Ph.D. program at Claremont School of Theology, her dissertation focused on the experiences of chaplains undergoing training at a community hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Natasha also has degrees in music and East Asian studies from the University of Southern California, along with professional experience and certification as a music therapist. She has worked as an educator in both the school and hospital setting and also served as a resident service coordinator for low-income seniors. Natasha is ordained as a chaplain by her spiritual community, Blue Ocean Faith, and currently serves as a chaplain for a community-based Palliative Care Team. She will also be a part of the inaugural Compassion Based Spiritual Direction training program at the Center for Engaged Compassion this coming school year. Book chapter contributions include: “Narrative Pedagogies and Internal Family Systems in Clinical Pastoral Education” in The Pulse of Life: Exploring the Power of Compassion in Transforming the World (2023) and “Bringing Compassion to Research” in The Routledge Handbook of Research Methods in Spirituality and Contemplative Studies (2024). She enjoys hiking, swimming, social dancing, teaching violin lessons, and cultivating a wide range of friendships in her life outside of work. Some of Natasha’s happiest memories are from her time at YDS; she is delighted to remain connected and to join the Dean’s Advisory Council as a recent graduate.
