Chaplain and Staff Support Program Manager
Children’s Health℠, Dallas, Texas
Ryan Campbell, D.Min., serves as Chaplain and Staff Support Program Manager at Children’s Health in Dallas, Texas. In this role, he leads the pastoral care and staff support services for one of the nation’s leading pediatric health systems, providing spiritual and emotional care to patients, families, and healthcare professionals. His work focuses on fostering resilience, meaning, and hope amid the challenges of pediatric medicine.
Dr. Campbell is recognized for his compassionate leadership and innovative use of story and narrative in spiritual care. He integrates methods such as Godly Play® to help children and staff process experiences of illness, uncertainty, and grief in developmentally and spiritually sensitive ways. His approach emphasizes presence, connection, and the sacredness of each person’s story.
A graduate of the Pacific School of Religion, Dr. Campbell earned his Doctor of Ministry with research focused on spiritual interventions in pediatric settings and the role of narrative in healing. His scholarly work includes “The Parable of the Sower: A Case Study Examining the Use of the Godly Play® Method as a Spiritual Intervention on a Psychiatric Unit of a Major Children’s Hospital.” He has also contributed to research on bereavement care practices and the ethics of spiritual support in children’s hospitals.
Dr. Campbell has served as President of the Pediatric Chaplains Network (PCN), where he helped advance professional standards and education in pediatric spiritual care. At Children’s Health, he continues to advocate for holistic, nonbillable care services—ensuring that emotional and spiritual well-being remain core to the hospital’s mission.
Guided by the belief that “stories heal,” Ryan describes himself as a collector of stories—helping children, families, and colleagues find meaning and hope even in the most difficult moments. His leadership has helped shape a culture of compassion and spiritual resilience across the Children’s Health system.
