Mary T. O'Neill, BCC, D. Min.

Retired VP of Spiritual Care and Pastoral Education, Catholic Health Services

Mary T. O’Neill has over 30 years of experience with training Ministry students for national board certification as Chaplains and spiritual care providers to patients, families and staff persons in healthcare. She is certified as a Pastoral Educator through the National Association of Catholic Chaplains and the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education. Mary T. is also a Licensed Therapeutic Massage Therapist and has worked many years in care for persons struggling with illness, disability and the diminishment of age. For 18 years, Mary was employed as the Assistant Administrator/Director of Pastoral Services at Calvary Hospital in Bronx, NY, a specialty palliative care hospital that emphasizes care for the whole person, body, mind and spirit. Her recent employment for 13 years was with Catholic Health Services of Long Island (CHSLI), NY, as VP for Spiritual Care and Pastoral Education. Catholic Health Services is a health system that covers a wide spectrum of health and behavioral services. She received her master's degree from St. Louis University and her Doctor of Ministry from New York Theological Seminary. She is currently actively retired and living in Maryland.

Denise Hess, MDiv, BCC-PCHAC

Executive Director, Supportive Care Coalition

Denise currently serves as the Executive Director of the Supportive Care Coalition - a partnership of Catholic health care ministries from across the U.S. committed to advancing excellence in palliative care. Denise comes to the Coalition with over a decade of experience in palliative care clinical practice and organizational leadership. She is also a licensed psychotherapist, an ordained Presbyterian minister, and a palliative care chaplain. She is happily married with two amazing adult children.

Denise Gannon

CEO of CSJ Initiatives

Denise Gannon has served as the CEO of CSJ Initiatives since October 2018.  She is responsible for working with the staff in developing and overseeing the various management agreements with the Congregation’s six centers as well as those with other religious Congregations.  She also explores possible management options with other Congregations who express an interest in the services of CSJ Initiatives. Denise has served in the Health Care industry since 1996 in various roles from Director of Nursing, Director of Clinical and Support Services, VP of Wellness and Performance Improvement, VP of Wellness and Community Based Services to VP of Post-Acute Services.  She has also brought an innovative dementia program to the US and has established partnerships and collaborations with community and professional resources.

Bill Slater

Director of Finance at CSJ Initiatives

Bill Slater brings over three decades of experience in the long-term care industry to his current position as Director of Finance at CSJ Initiatives. As Director of Finance, Bill is directly responsible for legal business formations, monthly financial reporting, third party billing, annual budget, audit, and cost report preparation. During his career he has been responsible for computer operations and network management within the finance/information systems departments, serving a network of multi-site locations in a multi-state region with more than 250 individual users. In the course of his career, he has coordinated the installation and training of approximately 30 network systems across the United States, developed an innovative inventory tracking system, and served as the lead team member in successfully implementing the prospective payment system.

Sr. Ginger Downey, OLVM

Leadership Team for the Congregation of Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters

Sr. Ginger Downey, OLVM, is a current member of the Leadership Team for the Congregation of Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters, commonly known at Victory Noll sisters.  She has been a member of the congregations since 1986.

Sr. Ginger is a native of Wyoming and has a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from the University of Wyoming and a Master's degree in Theology, emphasis in Liturgical Studies, from St. John's University, Collegeville, Minnesota.  She has served in parishes as Director of Religious Education and Pastoral Associate in Catechetics and Liturgy. She served as Liturgist for Newman Center at Arizona State University and as the Diocesan Director of Worship for the Diocese of Phoenix. Her latest ministry before her election to leadership in 2012, was with Faith on Fire, an adult formation ministry which she co-founded to provide faith formation for adults in theology and liturgy.  Sr. Ginger continues to do workshop and training in liturgy, while serving in Congregational Leadership.  She has been a presenter at the Southwest Liturgical Conference, coordinator of liturgy for the Conference of Major Superiors of Men, prayer leader for the Institute Canon and Civil Law for Religious and continues to be a retreat and spiritual companion for men and women throughout the United States.  

Edward Owen Jr., BS, PGDip, MA, LNHA

Faculty, Avila Institute of Gerontology, Inc.

Ed is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator in two states, with more than 40 years of both clinical and administrative experience in healthcare. He holds a BS in Health Care Administration from Excelsior College, a PGDip in Dementia Studies from the University of Bradford, and an MA of Theology from Saint Leo University. Additionally, Ed is an ordained permanent deacon in the Catholic Church and is assigned to Saint Benedict Catholic Church in Richmond, Virginia.

Sharon Euart, RSM, JCD

Executive Director, Resource Center for Religious Institutes

Sister Sharon is a Sister of Mercy of the Americas who holds a doctorate in canon law. Prior to coming to RCRI on April 1, 2014, she was the Executive Coordinator of the Canon Law Society of America.  She was Associate General Secretary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops from 1988-2001. She taught canon law at the Catholic University of America and has served as  a canonical consultant for religious institutes and diocesan bishops. She Currently she serves as a consultant to the USCCB Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. 

Christopher J. Fusco, Esq.

Associate Director for Civil Law, The Resource Center for Religious Institutes

Christopher J. Fusco, Esq. is the Associate Director for Civil Law at The Resource Center for Religious Institutes in Silver Spring, Maryland. He is also the Associate General Counsel and Moderator of The Tribunal for the Diocese of Metuchen. He holds a master's degree in religious studies, as well as the licentiate degree in canon law, from The Catholic University of Louvain. He received his Juris Doctor degree from The City University of New York School of Law. Mr. Fusco is a member of the Bars of New York and New Jersey, and has been admitted to practice before all federal trial and appellate courts of those states, including the US District Court for the Southern District of New York and the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, as well as the US Court of International Trade, the US Tax Court, and the US Supreme Court. He and his wife, Patricia Scalese, live outside Princeton, New Jersey. 

Clare L. Horn, LCSW

Clare L. Horn received her undergraduate degree from Marymount College, Tarrytown, NY, a M.S. Ed. from Hofstra University and a M.S.W. from Fordham University where she also completed her doctoral courses. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New York State. She holds membership in the Academy of Certified Social Workers and National Association of Social Workers. 

She has worked with the elderly and served as Director of Social Work for over 25 years in Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Centers. In November 2016 under Ms. Horn’s leadership at The New Jewish Home the dementia unit received Comfort Matters Accreditation. Ms. Horn has educated staff and families in palliative care and the ‘person-directed care’ program.  She has presented at conferences and meetings on topics related to social work, dementia, palliative and person- centered care. 

She currently serves on the board directors of Marian Woods, Marian Woods, an Adult Care Facility and Convent for religious women in Westchester County. She is on the faculty of the Avila Institute of Gerontology

Juliëtte Sterkens, AuD

Juliëtte Sterkens, AuD has over 35 years of experience in the field of audiology and hearing rehabilitation. In 1981 she left behind her speech therapy work and her large extended Dutch catholic family - including two priest uncles - to marry the love of her life and to continue her studies in audiology at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. She retired from private practice in 2012 and is on her encore career as a consumer and hearing loop advocate with the Hearing Loss Association of America thanks to grant funding from a private family foundation.  Dr. Sterkens has lectured around the country to professionals and consumers on hearing loss, hearing aids and the benefits of hearing loops.  Her advocacy efforts have leveraged hundreds of hearing loop installations in Wisconsin and many more beyond. For her advocacy work she has received the WSHA Wisconsin Audiologist of the Year, the American Academy of Audiology Presidential Award, the Hearing Industry Larry Mauldin Award, AT Still University Humanitarian Award and her alma mater’s Alumni of the Year Award.