VIRGINIA BEACH, VA, May 17, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Emily Harkins Filer, CVA, LHD, has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
With more than 60 years of industry experience, Dr. Filer has worked as a secretary with the Lee Harkins Endowment Committee since 2011. On the Clinical Pastoral Education Professional Advisory Group with the Adjunct Clinical Pastoral Education Faculty for the Sentara Norfolk General Hospital from 2001 to 2016, she was the chair for the Practice Council with the Chaplaincy Department from 2013 to 2014, clinical pastoral education resident from 2008 to 2009, associate chaplain from 2006 to 2008, and associate chaplain from 2009 to 2014. Dr. Filer has also held the role of PRN chaplain for the Maryview and DePaul Hospitals with Bon Secours Health System, Inc. from 2009 to 2011, and director of development for YWCA South Hampton Roads from 2004 to 2006.
Serving Lee's Friends as executive director from 1986 to 2001, and coordinator and founder from 1978 to 1986, Dr. Filer held the positions of vice president and board director for the Planning Council from 1969 to 1978. The president of Distaff Wives in San Francisco, CA, and Boston, MA, from 1958 to 1963, she was the president of the Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach from 1972 to 1974 and the secretary of the Hearing and Speech Center at the Johns Hopkins Hospital from 1957 to 1958. Dr. Filer began her career as registrar with the Johns Hopkins Hospital from 1955 to 1957.
Before embarking on her professional path, Dr. Filer pursued an education at Stevenson University, formerly Villa Julie Medical Secretary School, earning a degree in 1955. She concluded her education with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 2010 from the Providence Bible College and Theological Seminary. Certified as a volunteer administrator, she has been endorsed by the Sentara School of Clinical Pastoral Education as a Level I and Level II CPE. Additionally, Dr. Filer is certified as a Sentara advance care planning facilitator.
Beyond her efforts within the field, Dr. Filer has participated in numerous endeavors in her professional circles. She served the Church of the Good Shepherd in multiple capacities, including licensed pastoral caregiver since 1992, lay reader since 1992, co-chair of the Stewardship Committee in 2011, a lay Eucharist visitor from 2003 to 2009, and a chair of the Pastoral Care Council from 2003 to 2004. Likewise, she contributed to the Church of the Good Shepherd as co-leader of lay pastoral care from 2000 to 2004, lay Eucharistic minister in 2002, group leader for the Alpha Program from 1999 to 2000, and instructor for Adult Sunday School in 1997. A lector and Eucharistic minister for Christ and St. Luke's Episcopal Church since 2013, Dr. Filer held the positions of secretary and chair for the Tidewater Pastoral Counseling Service Board from 2006 to 2009, speaker for the Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach in 2007 and 2018, co-chair and member of the steering committee for the Hampton Roads Leadership Prayer Luncheon from 1999 to 2007, and a member of The Mayor's Commission on Aging in 2000.
Furthermore, Dr. Filer worked for the Eastern Virginia Medical School, serving as a consultant, trainer, visiting instructor, small group leader for their Life, Death, Grief Seminar, clerkship faculty member for the Glennan Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology from 1996 to 2001, and on the Board of Ethics for the Network of Southeastern Virginia from 2000 to 2001. She also held the roles of national trainer, and visiting instructor for Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University, Regent University, Tidewater Community College, and Virginia Wesleyan University. She has been active with Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay, including on the Food Committee since 2016, a hospice caregiver since 2015, and a pastoral caregiver and chaplain of the Hoy Center since 2014. In addition, Dr. Filer was on the board of directors, secretary of the Executive Committee, and chair of resident relations for the institution from 1993 to 2001, as well as a volunteer associate chaplain in 2003.
Dr. Filer was a student mentor and member of the Network for Empowering Woman Students with Tidewater Community College from 2010 to 2013. She served as board member of Tidewater Pastoral Care in 2006 and chair in 2008. Associated with the Virginia Council on Social Welfare as member and chair of the Tidewater District from 1985 to 1988, she participated with the Olde Huntersville Development, Norfolk, VA from 1985 to 1987 and on the Board of Trustees for Virginia Wesleyan University from 1979 to 2001. She was also on the Professional Advisory Group for Clinical Pastoral Education from 2001 to 2016, in the Self-Study Group with the Professional Advisory Group for Clinical Pastoral Education from 2004 to 2005, and the co-chair of the Diocese Gala for the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia in 2001, having been delegate for the diocese from 1999 to 2000. Furthermore, Dr. Filer has been on The Mayor's Commission on Aging in Virginia Beach, VA, from 1996 to 2001, serving as member, vice chair from 1997 to 2000 and chair from 1999 to 2001.
Dr. Filer remains affiliated with various organizations in relation to her areas of expertise. Involved with Region IV of the International Association for Volunteer Administrators from 1987 to 1988 and from 1993 to 1994, she has been active within this establishment as a subcommittee member and reader from 2003 to 2007, as well as chair of the Subcommittee for Peer Assessment from 2001 to 2003. Moreover, she contributed to the association as recertification chair from 1990 to 1992, professional development liaison associate from 1987 to 1988, and a certified Region IV liaison in 1986. Dr. Filer has held the positions of distinguished volunteer for the Centennial Cookbook Profile with the Association for Junior Leagues International in 1996, an honorary member of the Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach in 1997, and both sustainer and past president of the Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach in 1981.
On the Executive Planning Committee for the International Conference on Volunteer Administration in 1997, Dr. Filer served the Southeastern Virginia Association for Volunteer Administration as deputy secretary from 1986 to 1987 and president from 1987 to 1989. A member of the Hampton Roads Chaplains Association since 2003, she has been involved with the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce as co-chair of the Business District Forum in 2006 and the Association of Fundraising Professionals on the Hampton Roads Board from 2004 to 2005. A professional member of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, Dr. Filer was a charter associate for the Virginia Association for Hospice Organization and an associate for the Tidewater Cancer Network in 1986.
In light of her exceptional undertakings, Dr. Filer has accrued several accolades and honors throughout her impressive career. Recently, she was presented with the Health Care Hero Award from Inside Business in 2017, the Hampton Roads Volunteer Achievement Award for Outstanding Community Service in 2014, the Leading Edge Adopter Award in 2005, and the First Woman in Business Achievement Award from Inside Business in 2003 and 2004. She has also garnered the Community Achievement Award for Hampton Roads from Lee's Friends in 2004, the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service to the Hampton Roads Community from WAVY 10 in 2004, the Eckerd Salute to Women Award in 2001, and the Public Citizen of the Year Award from the Virginia Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers in 1999. Dr. Filer additionally obtained the Outstanding Community Service Award from the Norfolk Alumnae Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. in 1997 and the Distinguished Merit Citation from the National Conference of Christians and Jews in 1992.
Honored as a Distinguished Worldwide Humanitarian in 2017, Dr. Filer has further received the Special Award from the Outstanding Professional Women of Hampton Roads in 1989, the Women in Transition Award from the YWCA of South Hampton Roads in 1989, the First President's Volunteer Action Award in 1982, and the First Outstanding Sustainer Award from the Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach in 1981 and 1991. Featured in "Successful Women Speak Out: A Collection of Personal Experience and Wisdom from Successful American Women," by Stan Shur in 2011, she has also been honored with eponymous recognition from Virginia Beach, VA, for Emily Symington Harkins Filer Day on April 29, Virginia Beach in 2001, as Virginia Volunteer Administrator of the Year by the Virginia Affiliates of the International Association for Volunteer Administration in 1992, and as a Great Citizen of Hampton Roads in 1987. Dr. Filer was selected for inclusion in many editions of Who's Who in Finance and Business, Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the South and Southwest, Who's Who in the World, and Who's Who of American Women.
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