Biographies





Steve Brown

Steve is a career professional in banking with over 40 years of experience with risk management as a primary focus. While at US Bank he met Barbara Cabot and developed a lasting friendship and ultimately become interested in supporting SacredFlight. Since an earlier board experience with Habitat for Humanity in Modesto, CA, he has looked for another opportunity to serve a meaningful organization. SacredFlight is that organization as it continues to offer the peace and solace of music for those at the end of life.

Barbara Cabot, CM-Th

Barbara holds a bachelor’s degree in History and English from Russell Sage College in Troy, New York. Prior to becoming a music-thanatologist, she worked in banking as an internal operations and IT auditor. Barbara has been a choral singer since grade school, most recently with Aurora Chorus in Portland. She also studied piano and theory as a child. In 1996, Barbara learned about music-thanatology on ABC Nightline, and moved to Montana to attend the Chalice of Repose Project’s School of Music-Thanatology. Barbara is a co-founder and Executive Director of SacredFlight, a member of and former Treasurer for the professional association, Music-Thanatology Association International, and is actively involved in developing a new music-thanatology training program.

The Rev. Christine (Chris) Dungan

Chris was born and raised in Portland. She has a bachelor’s degree in Latin American history from the University of South Carolina-Aiken, a master of divinity from Columbia Theological Seminary and a master of arts in religion from Vanderbilt University. She is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Before attending seminary, Chris worked in public relations for the maritime and food industries. She served churches in Tennessee and Oregon before moving to upstate New York in 2020. A long-time dog fancier, she is a member of the Collie Club of America. Chris was introduced to the work of music-thanatologists during the final illness of her father, and she is delighted to support and promote SacredFlight.

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Scott Duyck

Scott is a life-long Oregonian with a degree in Business Administration from Oregon State University. While born and raised on a blueberry farm, he has worked for 20+ years in healthcare sales in products ranging from heart monitors, to respiratory care products, to newborn care products. Scott first became familiar with SacredFlight when they provided a harp vigil for his mother several years ago. It made a strong, positive impact on the end of life experience for Scott and his siblings, so much so that he decided to become more involved with SacredFlight to help more people in the community benefit from their spiritually uplifting mission.

Judith (Judi) Julien, M-Th, PsyD

Judi holds a BA in Music from the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, and a PsyD in Clinical Psychology from Pacific University. She worked for many years as a neuropsychologist before recently retiring. Judi has been a musician from birth, growing up in a musical family. She has worked in the field of liturgical music, has taught voice and directed musical groups most of her life. She is also an energy healer and meditative retreat facilitator. Her passions include music, meditation, spiritual/emotional health of all and embracing life to the fullest at all levels. Judi graduated from the Lane Community College Music-Thanatology Training Program in 2015 and is delighted to be associated with SacredFlight in its healing mission. She is deeply grateful that her professional association with SacredFlight embodies all of her passions and is honored to be a part of this life-giving work.

Jackie King, RN

Jackie was born and raised in Ohio and received her Bachelors of Nursing Degree at Ohio State. While raising two children, she worked in various nursing jobs at Planned Parenthood, as a staff nurse for a rheumatologist, and 15 years as a boarded oncology nurse dispensing chemotherapy for three oncologists. In 1995 she moved to Portland and worked at Our House of Portland for 3 years and spent the last 20 years of her career as a hospice boarded nurse at Hopewell House. She is currently on the Board of Friends of Hopewell House and is participating in the education of staff and volunteers. During her time working at Hopewell House she came to appreciate the profound impact SacredFlight made on the patients and families she cared for. It is an honor to be charged with continuing the work of the music-thanatologists of SacredFlight.

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Jean Madden, CM-Th, RN, BSN

Jean graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the College of St. Teresa, Winona, MN. Career highlights include specialty areas such as intensive care and cardiac medicine in Colorado, Alaska, and Oregon. Her love for the outdoors paired well with these locations, lending time for biking, hiking, and skiing. Having first learned of music-thanatology through Providence Medical Center, Jean was determined to follow this path. As a child she studied music theory, learning piano and organ; however, Jean had no previous experience playing the harp. She enrolled in Lane Community College and graduated in 2015, receiving a certificate of completion for the Music-Thanatology program. The following year she became a certified member of the Music-Thanatology Association International (MTAI). Jean retired from nursing in 2021, after 39 years, to pursue her vocation in music-thanatology. As a professional in this field, Jean feels fortunate to be employed with SacredFlight and the legacy it holds today. In addition, Jean is a member of a newly formed group called Harps of Comfort, remotely serving COVID-19 patients with live harp and voice music.

Christine McCullough, CM-Th, RN, BSN

Christine graduated from University of Michigan School of Nursing. She has a life-long love of music, studying piano for ten years as a child and jazz piano as an adult. Early in her nursing career, Chris became interested in holistic nursing and is a member of the American Holistic Nurses Association. Chris first encountered music-thanatology while working as a nurse at Legacy Hopewell House Hospice where she saw the transformative effect of vigils delivered by SacredFlight on patients and families. Chris graduated from the music-thanatology training program at Lane Community College in 2011 and became certified by the Music-Thanatology Association International in 2012. She is serving as a music-thanatologist with SacredFlight and also feels honored to be a member of SacredFlight’s Board of Directors.

Joshua Ward, CM-Th

Growing up in Ohio, Joshua started playing music at an early age and began to study classical harp in the fourth grade. Joshua was the principal harpist for the Toledo Youth Orchestra for 2 years. He became active in several different folk/americana bands, forging deeper in the world of performance music, inspired by collaborations and improvisation. After producing several albums and embarking on regional and cross country tours, Joshua relocated to Portland in 2012. Once he discovered the Lane Community College Music-Thanatology Training Program, he was enthusiastic to be able to utilize his skills as a harpist in the practical application of music and silence to comfort patients and families. Joshua graduated in 2015 and was certified in 2016. In addition to contracting with SacredFlight, he is also a music-thanatologist at Providence Milwaukie Hospital. Outside of music-thanatology, Joshua enjoys having several creative collaborations with local musicians and filmmakers.

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