Francesca Ciancimino Howell, PhD

Dr. Francesca Howell is an international educator, workshop leader, public speaker, and performer. She is also an interfaith chaplain, whose spiritual care experience spans decades in hospitals, shelters, hospice, memory care, and private homes. As an educator and teacher, Francesca has a long history of teaching in the university system and schools of all ages and levels of training from elementary schools to doctoral candidates or business people.

Having lived outside the United States for more than fifteen years, including Britain, Italy, Chile and Canada, cross-cultural work, international understanding, diversity, and multi-cultural or multi-faith explorations are passions for her. Languages are a passion of hers as well: her work often has involved using Spanish on a daily basis, in teaching, activism, or in spiritual care counseling; she is fluent in Italian, as well as conversant in French. Her background also includes international environmental campaigning, academic advising, student development, and nonprofit organizations.

Francesca holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Religious Studies from The Open University, where both her doctoral and postdoctoral research drew from environmental philosophy, anthropology, feminist studies, theology/thealogy and related fields. She is a member of The Association of Professional Chaplains, The Spiritual Care Association, The American Academy of Religion, and The Parliament of World Religions; she is also a Life member of Clare Hall at the University of Cambridge. (As an actor Francesca has been a member of Actors Equity Association, as well as other unions.) A published author in the non-fiction field, Francesca is currently finishing a novel in the genre of women’s fiction. On the lighter side of her work, she has been a performer of stage and screen, across the world. For more information, on publications, spiritual care counseling, as well as more personal background, please visit: www.francescachowell.info.