AVÕïËù

Melodie is the Executive Director of the Roche Center for Catholic Education and faculty member for the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at AVÕïËù College. Prior to coming to AVÕïËù College, Melodie served as an assistant professor and academic director of the Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program for the Alliance for Catholic Education at the University of Notre Dame. She also has served as president of Nativity Jesuit Academy in Milwaukee, WI and director of mission effectiveness for the NativityMiguel Network of Schools in Washington, DC. Melodie's current research and scholarship focuses on urban Catholic education, system-level leadership, effective governance practices, character formation across networks of schools, and the intersection of immigration and education. Her published work includes Cultivating Talent: Examining Pathways to Increase the Presence of Hispanic Teachers and Leaders in Catholic Schools (2022), Seven Steps to Strategic Planning for Catholic School Leaders (2020), and Responding to the Call for Educational Justice: Transformative Catholic-Led Initiatives in Urban Education (2018). Melodie has a doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and master's degrees in educational administration from Marquette University and education from Mount Mary College.

Prior to joining the Roche Center, Jeremy was a teacher and leader at a college prep high school in Lexington, MA for nearly 20 years, where along with teaching, he helped lead and coach new & experienced teachers. Jeremy recently received his Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction from the Lynch School of Education & Human Development at AVÕïËù College. Throughout his time studying at AVÕïËù College, he worked at the Roche Center as a research fellow and is excited to rejoin the center as an Instructional Leadership Coach.

Prior to joining the Roche Center in 2018 as a fiscal and operations administrator, Ana served as a fiscal and events specialist for AVÕïËù College's Center for Centers, where she coordinated events and managed the financial aspects of the department. Ana earned a master's degree in leadership and administration from the Woods College of Advancing Studies at AVÕïËù College in 2017.

Liz is a passionate advocate for Catholic schools. Having received a Catholic education from kindergarten through a master's degree, Liz enjoys giving back to the institutions that formed her. She has taught at the elementary, middle, high school, and graduate levels. Currently, she serves on the Catholic Schools Foundation’s Allocations Committee, and is a board member of the Sacred Heart STEM School. She also is an active member of the AVÕïËù College Alumni Association. Liz has undergraduate degrees in psychology and theology from AVÕïËù College, and a master's degree in education from the University of Notre Dame through the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) program.

Dan comes to the Roche Center from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) where he served as Director of Accreditation and School Improvement for the Commission on Independent Schools. Before his time with NEASC, Dan was the superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Providence and an assistant superintendent for the Diocese of Arlington. Although, arguably, his best years were in the classroom as a humanities teacher, he has dedicated most of his career to championing Catholic school mission viability, leadership development, and institutional sustainability as a school-based and diocesan leader. Dan has master’s degrees from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and The Catholic University of America, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame.

Prior to joining the Roche Center, Belen served as an Instructional Coach for the Dual Language Immersion Network in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. As an Instructional Coach, she supported teachers and schools in creating system structures to improve biliteracy and thematic instruction. Belen is passionate about Catholic education and her teaching experience and expertise stems from over ten years of service within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Additionally, she has served as a reading intervention specialist, teacher coach through FACTS Ed., and is well-versed in language acquisition strategies. She received her bachelor's degree in English, master's degree in Elementary Education, and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from Loyola Marymount University.

Anne-Marie’s experiences in social work, theology & ministry, education, school leadership, and instructional leadership coaching have shaped her passion for Catholic education. Prior to joining the Roche Center, she served as a Catholic school leader in the San Francisco Bay Area and supported the development and implementation of the Roche Center Empowering Educators Teacher Leadership Program as a consultant. Anne-Marie has an MA in Educational Leadership from the University of Notre Dame.

Chris returns to AVÕïËù College, where he previously spent six years working in Career Services and University Advancement. Prior to joining the Roche Center, Chris worked at the Healey Education Foundation implementing new Catholic school governance structures in the Archdiocese of AVÕïËù and leading comprehensive assessments of Catholic elementary schools around the country. Through Healey, Chris successfully coached more than 80 school and board leaders on governance and board management best practices, while helping develop strong operating principles aligned with church teaching and on the ground needs of schools. Chris has nearly 15 years of direct service work with Catholic schools, including 4 years as a senior administrator leading fundraising efforts and alumni engagement at a Catholic high school and 3 years serving as vice chair of the board for a Catholic high school in AVÕïËù. Chris earned his MA in Education Administration, his MA in Pastoral Ministry and his BA in Human Development and Philosophy, all from AVÕïËù College.

Molly serves as Director of Leadership Programs at the Roche Center. Previously, she has served as both an elementary and middle school educator, and has held several teacher-leader positions in the Catholic schools she served. She was an assistant principal and principal for 12 years. As principal for nine years in the Chelmsford Public Schools in Massachusetts, she was instrumental in facilitating Social Emotional Learning (SEL) effectively across all elementary schools. Further, she helped to research, build, and implement a Social-Emotional Behavioral Therapeutic Program for the district. Molly completed her doctorate in Educational Leadership at AVÕïËù College, where she also served as a clinical supervisor of student teachers while completing her degree and an administrative internship in the AVÕïËù Public Schools. Her dissertation was in urban parent engagement. Her passions include the impact of leadership on school communities and the importance of SEL for positive school climate and overall well-being of students.

Michael joined the Roche Center in 2021 drawing upon his previous work as a middle school educator, instructional coach, professional learning consultant, teacher educator, researcher, and policymaker across Catholic and public education settings. Most recently, he was the Coordinator of Educator Pipelines, Preparation, and Certification with the Rhode Island Department of Education. He has experience with multiple programs in the University Consortium for Catholic Education (UCCE), including as a Teaching Fellow with the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) at the University of Notre Dame, the founding Assistant Director of Programs with the Alliance for Catholic Education at Saint Joseph's University (ACESJU), an Instructional Coach with the Urban Catholic Teacher Corps (UCTC) at AVÕïËù College, and the Director of the Providence Alliance for Catholic Teachers (PACT) at Providence College. Michael earned his doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Language, Literacy, and Culture from the Lynch School at AVÕïËù College. He is a Coyle Research Fellow with the University of Notre Dame's Center for Literacy Education and pursues research interests in contemporary issues in Catholic education, educator collaboration, professional learning and development, and writing and literacies. His published work includes Collaborative Professionalism:  When Teaching Together Means Learning for All, co-authored with Dr. Andy Hargreaves (2018).

Prior to joining the Roche Center, John served as executive director of Operational Vitality for the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA), where he oversaw the organization's programs related to communications, marketing, budgeting and finance, technology management, and digital learning and discipleship. He also served as the assistant superintendent for academic excellence and budget supervision for the 32 Catholic schools in the state of South Carolina. John has a doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership from the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California.

Elena comes to AVÕïËù College from Eastern Connecticut University, where she was an assistant professor and director of the online bilingual education program. Throughout her 20-year career as an educator, Elena has served as supervisor of ESL, World Languages, and Dual Language Programs in New Rochelle, NY, and West Hartford, CT; as a board member for Upper-West Success Academy in NYC; and as a board member of New York's Brilla Prep Schools, a charter school network with a Catholic approach. Elena has a master’s degree in Supervision and Administration of Schools and Districts from Hunter College, CUNY; a master’s degree in Theological Studies from the University of Dallas; and a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Bilingual and Multicultural Education from the University of Connecticut.

Lou is Superintendent of Schools and Secretary of Education for the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware. Before assuming this role in 2012, he served as assistant superintendent in the diocese, and also as director of curriculum PreK-12 and professional development for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. He has served as principal and teacher for several Catholic schools in Pennsylvania and as a professor at Neumann University and Chestnut Hill College. In every role, Lou sees his ministry in Catholic education as both an invitation and gift as he journeys with others and encounters Jesus Christ. Lou has a doctorate in educational leadership from Immaculata University.

Dr. Melanie Palmisano has extensive service to Catholic schools as a teacher and administrator on the elementary, middle, high school levels as well as the university undergraduate and doctoral levels. She recently retired from the Diocese of Baton Rouge after thirteen years in service as Superintendent of Schools and currently provides leadership coaching and school improvement consulting through Inspir-ED Consulting, LLC specializing in the areas of resilient leadership and school improvement. Dr. Mel earned a Doctorate in Education Leadership from the University of San Francisco, a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of New Orleans, and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Secondary Education from Loyola University of the South. Her publications include articles for NCEA’s Momentum and The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools on accreditation and school improvement. Dr. Mel has provided presentations and workshops to schools, districts, and professional organizations on a wide variety of topics with the goal of providing support for educational improvement. Dr. Mel’s focus is to bring joy to the work of Catholic schools, and she is especially happy to share the journey as a coach to graduate students at AVÕïËù College.

Ms. Lytia Reese currently serves the ministry of Catholic education in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh as Superintendent of Schools, where she leads 28 Catholic early childhood, elementary and high schools. A product of Catholic schools K-college, Ms. Reese received her Bachelor of Science in Economics and Finance from Christian Brothers University and received her Master of Arts in Instructional and Curriculum Leadership from the University of Memphis. She has dedicated her vocation in education to serving under-resourced students and embodied the tradition of her Dominican roots by modeling her instruction and leadership around the four pillars of Dominican education: preaching; prayer; study; and community. A teacher for over 15 years, she spent much of her career serving students attending Title I schools. In 2012, she began her appointment as Principal in Jubilee schools in the Diocese of Memphis, which students who would not have been able to afford a Catholic education without significant financial assistance. She continued her service to under-resourced students in the Diocese of Galveston-Houston as the Assistant Superintendent of Urban Achievement. There, she oversaw and supported 13 schools whose primary mission was to serve students who could not afford a Catholic education. Prior to becoming an educator, Ms. Reese worked in the financial sector as a manager at The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Memphis Branch. She discovered her love of teaching through her involvement with Junior Achievement where she taught financial literacy to middle-schoolers.

Patrick is the Executive Director of the Xaverian Brothers Sponsored Schools, a network of 13 schools in Maryland, New York, Connecticut, Kentucky, and Massachusetts. A liaison between the Xaverian Brothers and the schools’ leadership teams and boards, he assists schools in animating the mission of a Xaverian education while promoting strong governance at the board level. Previously, he served the Archdiocese of Omaha for 15 years as a K-8 principal, a high school president, and Superintendent of Schools. In his role as superintendent, Patrick restructured the staffing of the Catholic School Office and was a key team member in the Archdiocese’s Ignite the Faith Capital Campaign which raised $53 million for various needs throughout the archdiocese. The newly developed leadership team strategically invested a significant portion of these funds in Catholic education, leading to the highest Catholic school system enrollment gain in the country in the years following the program investments. Patrick has also held leadership roles in private, non-denominational schools in Maryland and Massachusetts. He earned his bachelors from the College of the Holy Cross, a master’s in educational administration from Harvard University, and his doctorate degree from Creighton University.

Carrie Fuller is the Managing Director of School Networks in the Department of Catholic Schools, Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Previously, she served eight years as principal of All Souls World Language Catholic School, the only two strand (Mandarin-English, Spanish-English) dual language Catholic school in the nation. Dr. Fuller came to All Souls from AVÕïËù College where she served as an Instructional Coach with the Urban Catholic Teacher Corps (UCTC), researched successful school leadership and Catholic school sustainability, as well as assisted with professional development for principals and teachers through the Roche Center for Catholic Education. A Florida native, Dr. Fuller is proud of her Nicaraguan/Cuban heritage, has lived and traveled in Latin America, and is always looking to improve her Spanish. In addition to ensuring the needs of language learners are prioritized, Dr. Fuller is a fierce advocate of inclusive schooling as well as the centrality of arts education. She has taught all levels of education—from first grade to graduate school. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame, a Master of Divinity from Harvard University, and her PhD in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on Education Leadership from AVÕïËù College.

Having served as a bilingual classroom teacher, reading specialist, consultant and educational researcher, Gloria has extensive experience in developing dual language curriculum. She has her own consulting firm, which provides professional development workshops to school teams and helps districts develop their literacy and dual language programs. Gloria earned a doctorate from the University of Southern California and holds a master's of education degree in language and literacy from Harvard University with a reading specialist credential focused on second language acquisition.

Dr. McGilvray-Rivet is the recently retired principal of Barbieri Elementary School in Framingham, Massachusetts. In 1990, Barbieri opened one of the first Two-Way Bilingual programs in the state. Prior to serving as the principal, she served as the Director of Bilingual and Sheltered English Programs at the district level. Her 43-year career in public education in Massachusetts also includes serving as an elementary principal in Topsfield and as Bilingual Program Coordinator and Elementary Spanish Bilingual Teacher in Lawrence, MA. Her primary interests are in supporting Two-Way Immersion teachers and leaders and in family involvement. Dr. McGilvray-Rivet has bachelor's degrees in elementary education and Spanish from Wittenberg University, and she completed her master's and doctoral degrees at AVÕïËù University.

Leticia Oseguera is the Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of San Diego. Previously, she was the principal of Mater Dei Juan Diego Academy in San Diego, where she joined the faculty in 2017. She has 19 years of bilingual education experience, five years as the principal of the only Catholic school in San Diego with a dual language program and 14 years of teaching experience at the high school level in public and Catholic schools. A product of bilingual education herself, Leticia migrated with her family from Michoacán, México to the United States as an 8-year-old, and is committed to educating the next generation of bilingual, faith-filled global leaders. She has a master's degree in educational leadership and administration from St. Thomas University, a master's degree in education with an emphasis on second language acquisition from Claremont Graduate University, and a bachelor's degree in Spanish literature from the University of California, San Diego. As a life-long learner, Leticia recently completed a Certificate in School Management and Leadership from Harvard.

Fr. Gilbert is a Catholic priest from Nigeria. Before his studies in the United States, he served as a teacher, principal, and member of the Nsukka Catholic Education Commission in his native country. His research interests include educational change and policy, Catholic education, the tutorial relationship model, and formative / meaning-making education. In partnership with the Roche Center, Fr. Gilbert organized the Catholic Educators’ Conference in Nigeria and investigated the practice of the tutorial relationship model in Mexico and Chile with the Womenhoven grant. He has master's degrees in Educational Leadership and Curriculum and Instruction from AVÕïËù College and a bachelor's degree in Philosophy and Theology from Pontifical Urban University, Rome.

Victoria is a Master’s candidate for a MA Theology & Ministry/ Master’s of Social Work (MSW) dual degree. She received her BS in Molecular & Cellular Biology / BA in Spanish from Johns Hopkins University and has worked full-time in public health research and epidemiology for five years. Most recently, Victoria completed a year of ministry with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, where she provided case management and spiritual support group services for seniors, the unhoused, traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors, and survivors of intimate partner violence through a Catholic, community based hospital. Victoria’s research interests focus on adapting Ignatian spirituality for use in mental health care, particularly to address adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and trauma throughout the lifespan.

Julia is currently in her final year of the Master of Divinity program at the School of Theology and Ministry (STM). At the STM, she is the student leader for the Crispaz El Salvador Encounter and serves on the Spiritual Advisory Board. Her journey with the Roche Center began as a participant on the Encuentro Immersion trip to the US-Mexico border. She serves as a graduate assistant for the Templeton-funded research project on Pedagogies of Character Formation. She is excited to join the Roche Center team and learn more about dual language education in the US through her work with the TWIN-CS network.

J Elizabeth is a Master's candidate for a MA Theology and Ministry / Master's of Social Work dual degree. She is from the AVÕïËù area and received her BA in Political Science and History from Fordham University. After graduating, she completed a year of service in San Antonio, Texas, through the Jesuit Volunteer Corps where she worked as a legal aide to immigration lawyers serving women seeking asylum on the southern border. Most recently, J Elizabeth lived in Spain for a year teaching English in a secondary school. She is interested in women's theology, prison ministry, and the utilization of Catholic values in public policy and organizing for a more just society.

Teddy is an undergraduate sophomore at AVÕïËù College in the Carroll School of Management. He is pursuing his bachelor’s degree in Management with a concentration in Business Analytics and International Studies with a concentration in Political Economy and Development Studies. In addition to his academic pursuits, Teddy is involved with Freshmen League, 4AVÕïËù, BC Bigs, and Sports Analytics Club. Having attended AVÕïËù College High School and now AVÕïËù College, Teddy has found the Jesuit aspect of his education to be important in shaping him into who he is. He hopes to use this Catholic foundation to guide him at the Roche Center as he helps with the development of projects such as the Executive Leadership Academy.

Isabella is an undergraduate senior at AVÕïËù College in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences. She is currently pursuing a bachelor of art’s degree with a major in Communications and minors in Management & Leadership and English. In her role at the Roche Center, she is responsible for supporting the development and execution of social media marketing strategies aimed at promoting the Center's mission and programs. Alongside her work at the Center, Isabella is also a member of the AVÕïËù College Investment Club and the Women in Business Club. A graduate of Catholic high school, and now a student at AVÕïËù College, Isabella’s background gives her a deep appreciation for Catholic education, which she brings to her work. Passionate about promoting the Center’s mission, she is committed to supporting the efforts to shape future leaders in Catholic education.