RENEW International's Leadership
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Sr. Theresa Rickard, O.P., D.Min.
President & Executive Director
Sister Terry Rickard, O.P., is a Blauvelt, NY Dominican Sister. She was appointed Executive Director of RENEW International in May of 2006 and President in December, 2009. Before coming to RENEW, Sr. Terry worked for many years in parish ministry in the South Bronx and was Vocation and Formation Director for her Dominican congregation. She has extensive experience presenting workshops, retreats, and parish missions. Sister Terry is also a regular contributor to the RENEW International blog. [read more] |
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Msgr. Thomas A. Kleissler
President Emeritus & Co-Founder
Msgr. Thomas A. Kleissler is a Priest of the Archdiocese of Newark and the co-founder of the original RENEW process in the Newark. He was appointed Director of RENEW from its inception and became President in 2001. In December of 2009, he passed the leadership of RENEW to Sr. Theresa Rickard but continues to use his gifts and talents as part of the RENEW team. He co-authored Small Christian Communities: A Vision of Hope for the 21st Century and numerous articles. He holds an MA in Theology from Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ and an MA in Counseling from Iona College, New Rochelle, NY. Msgr. Kleissler’s vision for a renewed Church came out of his work as a parish priest in Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Park Ridge, NJ, and as pastor of St. Ann’s Parish in Newark. |
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Sr. Honora Nolty, OP
Assistant Director
A first generation Irish New York Catholic, raised in Queens, New York is how Sr. Honora, begins to describe herself; a New Yorker by birth and choice. As a Dominican Sister of Amityville, NY, she ministered in Brooklyn’s inner city, Long Island, Seattle, the Pacific Northwest, and Central America. Her work as teacher, principal, associate superintendent of schools, director of an international volunteer program and a spirituality center in Southampton, NY, have all prepared her for her position as Assistant Director and Director of RENEW International. As Assistant Director, Sr. Honora is a supervisor and works with the program managers and project leaders. |
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Gregory Kremer
Special Assistant to the Director
Greg Kremer has worked full-time for the Roman Catholic Church for almost three decades in a variety of ministries including: Youth and Young Adults, Juvenile Detention, Social Outreach/Justice and Peace, Ministry Formation, Parish Renewal, and Small Christian Communities. Before coming to RENEW International, he conducted a two-year study of ministry with young adults in Seattle. Mr. Kremer, who received an MDiv from Seattle University, WA, has been working for RENEW International since 1998, currently in the area of Ministry Expansion. |
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Sr. Eileen Carmody, PBVM
Director of Human Resources
Sr. Eileen is formation director for her congregation, and does spiritual direction and retreat work in the New York/New Jersey area. Sr. Eileen received her BSN from Lehman College in NY and ministered as an RN in a Bronx hospital for twelve years, specializing in dialysis. She holds a MA in Spirituality with a concentration in Spiritual Direction from Fordham University. |
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John Carney
Director of Development
Before joining RENEW International, Mr. Carney was Director of Development for Pascack Valley Hospital and a Regional Major Gifts Officer for the American Red Cross of Northern New Jersey. Previously, he was Director of Communications for the YMCA Retirement Fund and also held marketing positions for several Wall Street companies. He is a trustee of St. Anthony of Padua Church in Butler, NJ, and a member of the parish development committee. He and his wife, Linda, are recipients of the Francis Medal for their contributions to St. Anthony’s. Mr. Carney holds an MBA in marketing from Rutgers University and AB in English from St. Peter’s College. |
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Eartha Johnson
Manager, Customer Service/Order Fulfillment
Before joining RENEW International, Ms. Johnson worked for Schering-Plough Corp., where she was responsible for maintaining corporate customer service level goals for inventory management throughout their global supply chain. Prior to that, Eartha worked for various Wall Street investment firms, including Merrill Lynch & Co., in investment strategy. She holds a BA from Fordham University with a triple major in Economics, Politics, and English; she has an MBA in Marketing from New York University. Eartha has been a volunteer at Ronald McDonald House, NY for over 20 years. |
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Dr. Laura Zane Kolmar
Director of Pastoral Services
Dr. Kolmar holds a B.A. in Religion from Colgate University, a Master of Divinity from Yale University Divinity School and a Doctor of Ministry from Drew University Theological School. She has a diverse background which includes parish social ministry, workshop and retreat leadership, and pastoral care and counseling. Her past volunteer efforts in Morris County include development work for Delbarton School and membership on the Board of Managers of Family Services of Morris County. She is a member of the Association of Professional Chaplains, Spiritual Directors International and The Sacred Dance Guild. Laura is a volunteer Chaplain for the American Red Cross as a disaster relief team member. |
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Reverend Alejandro López-Cardinale
Coordinator of Hispanic Programs
Fr. López-Cardinale is a diocesan priest from the Archdiocese of Caracas, Venezuela. As a presenter, he is responsible for implementing ¿Por qué ser católico? in several U.S. dioceses, and has spearheaded RENEW Proyecto América Latina in his native Venezuela. He also presents LEVÁNTATE Unámonos en Cristo. He holds an MA in Catechetical Pastoral Issues from Catholic University, Paris, and is in the Doctor of Ministry program at Laval University, Quebec City, focusing on the experience of small Christian communities and their impact on the Church. |
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Deirdre Trabert Malacrea
Director of Marketing and Communications
Mrs. Malacrea is a graduate of the Harvard Business School and coordinates RENEW International’s marketing strategies. She has worked in a variety of corporate marketing and consulting roles, most recently for PepsiCo. Active in her community and parish, she has served on the Boards of the Westfield Symphony Orchestra and the Junior League of Elizabeth-Plainfield, NJ. Mrs. Malacrea is a catechist and served as a Why Catholic? coordinator in her parish. |
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Richard Michalowski
Controller
Before coming to RENEW International, Mr. Michalowski worked for large, multinational financial companies, including Deutsche Bank and American Express Co. in various controllership positions. He is a CPA in the State of New Jersey and earned an MBA in Finance from New York University. |
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Kathleen Ogle
Managing Editor, Publications and Resources
Ms. Ogle came to RENEW International with more than 20 years publishing experience as a journalist and editor. Previously, she served as Managing Editor of the Catholic Spirit, the award-winning, weekly newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen. She has a BA in English from Rutgers University and an MA in Theology with a concentration in Moral Theology from Washington Theological Union. |
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Mary Beth Oria
Director of Business Operations
Ms. Oria oversees operations at RENEW International, particularly in the area of publishing. She was Vice President of Finance and Operations for Hanover Brands, Hanover Direct Inc., direct catalog and e-commerce marketer located in Weehawken, NJ and Hanover, PA as well as Manager, Financial Planning for Corporate Division of Colgate Palmolive, Inc., New York, NY. Ms. Oria served on her parish team that implemented a Junior Youth Ministry program. She holds an MBA from Seton Hall University. |
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