Board Leadership
Celia Asbell
Board Member
Celia is a Certified Public Accountant with Gallagher Flynn, LLP in South Burlington VT. She earned a B.S. in Business Administration with an accounting concentration from the University of Vermont, and a Masters in Pastoral Studies from Loyola University New Orleans, LA, which led to the opportunity to teach an on-line course in the Religious Studies department. Read more...
Margret Brescia
BOARD MEMBER
Margret Brescia holds a degree in Sports Medicine/Exercise Science and a certificate in Accounting and she is currently finishing her Master’s Degree in Accountancy from Champlain College. She has worked for SymQuest Group in South Burlington VT for 16 years, starting out as their Accounts Payable Specialist, moving onto Staff Accountant, Finance Manager, and currently serving as their Division Accounting Manager. Read more...
Fr. Michael Carter, SSE
BOARD MEMBER
Fr. Michael Carter, SSE, is a native of Burlington, Vermont and was educated in local Catholic and public schools. Graduating with a degree in Religious Studies from St. Michael’s College, Colchester in 2012, Fr. Carter entered the Society of St. Edmund that same year and enrolled at Boston College obtaining a Master of Divinity degree in 2016. Read more...
Jeffrey Firlik
BOARD MEMBER
Jeffrey Firlik was appointed to the Mater Christi board in 2018. He is a retired Pharmacist. Jeff earned a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Albany College of Pharmacy, a Master of Science in Administration from Saint Michael’s College, leadership certification from Cornell University, and completed Doctor of Pharmacy courses at the University of Florida. Read more...
Laurie Gagne
BOARD MEMBER
Laurie Gagne received her doctorate in Systematic Theology from the University of Notre Dame and taught Religious Studies for many years at Trinity College of Vermont (winning the Katherine O’Donnell Outstanding Faculty award in 1988.) Read more...
Ken Gragg
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Ken retired from the Vermont Air National Guard in 2008 as a Chief Master Sergeant after 30+ years of service. Read more...
Zsuzsanna Kadas-Foote
Board Member
After 34 years as a professor at Saint Michael’s College, Zsu (“Sue”) retired in 2019. She earned her B.S. in Mathematics and Physics at St. John’s University in New York City, and her Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics at Rutgers University, with research focused on mathematical modeling of biological systems. Read more...
Sister Jacqueline Marie Kieslich, RSM
BOARD MEMBER
Sr. Jacqueline Marie Kieslich was born in Burlington and lived on North Avenue with her parents, Albert and Lucille Kieslich and her two brothers. The family were parishioners of St. Joseph Church and served actively in parish activities. Read more...
Heather Lemon
BOARD MEMBER
Heather is a Financial Consultant focusing on 401(k) Plans with NBT Financial Services in Burlington, VT. She began her career in the banking industry in 1998. In 2001 she earned her securities and insurance licenses. Read more...
Brenda Luciano
BOARD MEMBER
Brenda is an attorney with the law firm Bauer Gravel Farnham LLP in Colchester, Vermont. Brenda’s primary practice areas are in civil litigation, business law and environmental law.
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Sister Lucille MacDonald, RSM
BOARD MEMBER
I was born in Providence, RI, and raised in Lebanon, NH. In 1957, I entered the Sisters of Mercy and during the years of perusing my undergraduate and graduate degrees in Education, I was privileged to serve as teacher and principal in the New Hampshire diocesan schools for twelve years. Read more...
Joanne Nelson
BOARD MEMBER
Joanne Nelson and her 5 siblings are alumni of Mercy education at St. Monica’s School in Barre, VT, and grew up in a family restaurant business in Marshfield. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Saint Michael’s College as well as Master’s Degrees in Education and Theology and Certificates in Catholic Campus Ministry, Clinical Pastoral Education, and Grief Support. Read more...
Manon O’Connor
BOARD MEMBER
Manon O’Connor serves as Associate Vice President, Major Gifts at the University of Vermont Foundation and the UVM Medical Center. Previously, Manon was appointed Acting Associate Vice President, University of Arizona Health Sciences from July 2018 to November 2019. Read more...
Michael Walsh
BOARD MEMBER
Michael Walsh was born and raised in Trumbull, Ct. He attended high school at Fairfield Prep, earned his Marketing Baccalaureate from the Arizona State University and received his MBA from the University of New Haven.
Mike is Regional Director of NFP Property & Casualty, the 12th largest global insurance broker specializing in Property & Casualty, Commercial Benefits and Individual Solutions. NFP is headquartered in New York City with over 6,500 employees worldwide and 300 office locations. Read more...