Where are you from originally?
Pittsburgh, PA – and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
What is your day job?
I am the Manager of Support Services for a financial software package that is run by over 120 school districts across Pennsylvania and has nearly 550 users. (We’re the people you contact when your software isn’t working right!)
Family?
My family also happens to be my two most favorite people in the world: my beautiful, encouraging and understanding wife Amanda, and my funny, somewhat temperamental, but ultimately inspiring son, Ethan.
When did you first join the Board?
I was honored to begin serving on the Board in January 2018.
What special duties or responsibilities have you had on the Board?
My top duty is to provide the comic relief! Honestly, in addition to serving on the Leadership Committee, I am also Board Secretary. Being Secretary is challenging because I’m responsible for keeping detailed minutes which is an important document for tracking the Board’s progress and having a historical record of each meeting for reference purposes. I like to think keeping minutes means I’m a good listener, but my wife might not agree with that sentiment.
What is the most challenging (or rewarding) part of Board service for you?
Serving on the Board is both challenging and rewarding. The challenge is trying to help the Seminary work toward the goals of its Strategic Plan while also navigating the hurdles that inevitably arise like growing financial resources, meeting the many requirements of accreditation, and learning when to pivot to a different strategy. The rewards are watching the Seminary grow and adapt despite all the hurdles!
What experiences have shaped you spiritually?
I’ve been shaped by what I’ll call “obvious” and “nonobvious” spiritual experiences. The obvious experiences range from witnessing the deep spirituality of many Byzantine Catholics I’ve known over the years to taking classes with devoted seminarians to meeting St. John Paul II (twice!). The nonobvious experiences include all the times I step back and reflect on things that seem more than coincidental like certain important people coming into my life unexpectedly, difficult times leading to a new spiritual insight or simply recognizing how much I am grateful for.
State one thing you wish you had known about service to the Church earlier in your professional career. Why is that significant to you?
Had I known how much the efforts of lay people benefit the Church, I would have tried to do more sooner. Yes, there are intrinsic rewards to helping the Church, but I like seeing the practical fruits of those efforts as well, especially the exciting changes planned for the Seminary over the next several years.
What do you do to de-stress?
I go straight to my home library. It’s very quiet, has enough spiritual and theological books for a lifetime of reading, and I can’t think of a better place to collect my thoughts and re-boot.
Cat or dog person?
I love dogs, but at heart I am a cat person because their quiet and thoughtful personalities
seem to be a good match for me. Best of all, our two cats have a very calming presence,
and who couldn’t use more of that?