UKIAH, CA., 9/4/24 – The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) announced today that Davina Sentak will serve as the new chaplain for Mendocino County Jail Inmate Services.
According to MCSO, Sentak has served first responders in Mendocino County for over twenty years. She retired from Cal Fire in 2017, where she coordinated support services for employees and responded to major incidents across the state, during which she provided chaplaincy services to Cal Fire staff and their families. She has also worked with the Ukiah Valley Fire Authority and MCSO.
In her role as chaplain, Sentak will serve the needs of the inmates at the jail. She will support incarcerated individuals with their spiritual needs, including Bible studies, religious services, study programs and personal counseling.
She will also work in the MCSO Restorative Justice Program Manager to support the department’s work. Restorative justice is the practice of facilitating face-to-face meetings between victims and offenders, to seek accountability, healing and forgiveness.
Additionally, Sentak will support MCSO with services for victims and families of the incarcerated, including death notifications, trauma services and community response efforts.
“Chaplaincy is a ministry of presence and is about showing up for people in the midst of crisis,” says Sentak on her new role. “When we do this, it gives people a sense of hope and helps them see beyond where they are in that moment.”
Sentak has lived in the county for over 40 years. She lives in Willits with her husband and is an active member of River Church in Ukiah.
If you would like to volunteer with the chaplaincy and/or restorative justice programs or donate spiritual items to the Mendocino County Jail, contact Buffey Bourassa at (707) 234-2136 or bourassab@mendocinosheriff.org.