.jpg "Nick Vleisides photo")
Nick Vleisides, MDIV, First Responder Chaplain
Lead Chaplain and Peer Support Team Member: San Ramon Police Department, San Ramon Fire Protection District
Chaplain, Contra Costa County Sheriff
Contra Costa County Public Safety Support Services Team Member
East Bay Region San Francisco
Nick has served as a first responder chaplain for nearly 25 years responding to support community members and first responders related to all kinds of deaths. Nick recently published a book titled, "Used to Go to Church: Rethinking God on the Frontline of Life's Tragedies" based on his experience in the field dealing with tragedy, loss and grief as it relates to the challenges of faith. For 25 years he always asks victims and grievers if they have a faith and the common response is "we used to go to church" but Nick discovered that most people still have a faith and a belief in God. His book is a book of hope in the face of heartache, suffering, loss, grief and tragedy.