Confident. Focused. Determined. Driven. These are just a few words that describe Ciara Simonson who answered the Call to Christian Ministry in 2004, leaving her hometown in New York City to pursue God’s purpose for her life.

Rev. Simonson’s life is a living testimony of God’s word at work. She is committed to helping people find their voice to own their truth, declaring, an authentic voice is not silent. Rev. Simonson is the author of The Life of Grace, a memoir that reads like an epic adventure revealing her journey of faith, overcoming fears after the trauma of a mental health breakdown, and taking courage to pursue her dreams (book to be released in 2014). On a path toward wholeness and holistic living Rev. Simonson identifies herself as the wounded healer who shares her passion for healing by educating, encouraging, and empowering others to honor their life’s story and be their best self.

Rev. Simonson is a preacher of the gospel and a dynamic motivational speaker, who uses biblical principles for life application, healing and self-actualization. Rev. Simonson received her Master of Divinity Degree in 2009 from Howard University School of Divinity in Washington, D.C.. Simonson served as a Chaplain at George Washington University Hospital. She has completed four units of Clinical Pastoral Education at Georgetown University Hospital including one unit of mental health care at St. Elizabeths. Rev. Simonson was ordained to Christian Ministry by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and serves with the ministerial team at Michigan Park Christian Church under the leadership of Rev. Marvin J. Owens.

Prior to service in ministry full-time, Rev. Simonson’s former professional experience in marketing communications spans over seven years working with brands such as; Burger King, Astra Zeneca Pulmicort Respules, Lincoln, Glaxo Smith Kline’s Avandia, Pepsi, and the United States Postal Service. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Marketing Communications at Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY in 2005 and studied in London, England as an apprentice for perspectives in International Marketing.

Rev. Simonson is currently enrolled in a Master of Science degree program in Pastoral Counseling at Loyola University of Maryland. She is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and establishing Holding the Heart of An Angel, a non-profit organization that provides healing and support for families and professionals that experience early pregnancy and infant loss.

As a mother of an angel and and a toddler daughter, Rev. Simonson’s greatest joy is sharing the honor of parenting and the fullness of life with her loving husband, Victor Simonson.

Rev. Simonson shoulders the responsibility to turn circumstances into opportunities that will lay the foundation for a promising future for the generations that follows her. She’s a trailblazer who is setting a standard and determined to make a difference in our world.