JULIA CAVALLO, EdD – Executive Director, Ex Officio

Dr. Julia Cavallo became the Executive Director of the Conference for Mercy Higher Education (CMHE) in August 2021. Working in concert with a 12-member Board and the Mercy Presidents Council, Julia develops programs, policies, and practices and builds relationships intended to sustain and enhance the Catholic identity and Mercy ethos of the 17 US colleges and universities founded by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas.

Prior to joining CMHE, Julia served as Director of Assessment and Institutional Research at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and as the Executive Director of the Association for Benedictine Colleges and Universities. She is skilled at developing and implementing assessment processes institutionally, as well as experience with research and planning. Julia also served two years on the Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium Board of Directors. Before working in higher education, Julia began her career as a staff writer for a daily newspaper.

She went on to earn her BA degree in communication cum laude from Saint Vincent College as well as her Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction. In 2020, Julia completed her doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pittsburgh. Her dissertation looked at ways to create and sustain a culture of student learning outcome assessment. In 2021, she received the Outstanding Alumni Dissertation Award from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Education.

JANE GERETY, RSM, PhD  – Board Chair

Sister Jane Gerety currently serves as the Chief Mission Officer at Mercy Care in Atlanta, Georgia. She previously served as the seventh president of Salve Regina University from 2009 to 2019. Sister Jane was the Academic Dean at Carlow University in Pittsburgh, where she also served as an associate professor of English, and director of the Public Leadership Program.

Prior to her service in higher education, she entered the healthcare industry in 1992 when she joined Saint Joseph’s as Senior Vice President, Sponsorship and later Corporate Compliance Officer.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in French from Mount Saint Agnes College in Baltimore, an MA in French from Middlebury College in Vermont and a PhD in English from the University of Michigan. She has also taught at the junior high and high school levels.

Sister Jane has served on numerous non- profit boards including Saint Joseph’s Health System, Mercy Care,  Emory Healthcare, Mercy Housing Inc., and Ignatius Jesuit Retreat Center.  In addition to honors for excellence in teaching, Sister Jane received honorary doctorates from Salve Regian University, Providence College, and St. Anselm’s College.

Sister Marie Parker is a member of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas.  She served in educational ministries prior to extensive ministry in healthcare administration with Catholic Healthcare Partners (now Bon Secours Mercy Health) and Catholic Health East/Trinity Health. Through various mission roles, she was active in sponsorship and governance activities, design and implementation of values integration in organizational processes, promoting and assessing Catholic identity, and facilitating processes for mergers and transitions of facilities.

Sister Marie also served in Incorporation/Formation and Leadership roles for the former Dallas Regional Community of the Sisters of Mercy.  During that time, she was a member of the original Sponsors’ Council for CMHE. She currently serves on the boards of Holy Cross Health (Fort Lauderdale, FL); The Mercy Foundation (Dallas, PA); and NativityMiguel School (Scranton, PA).

Sister Marie holds a bachelor’s degree in French and English from Misericordia University, a master’s degree in educational administration from Duquesne University, and a master’s degree in theology from Boston College.

KEVIN GLAUBER AHERN, PhD – Executive Committee Member

Kevin Glauber Ahern, PhD is a public theologian, educator, and organizational leader. He is a professor and chair of the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Manhattan University, where he also directs the Dorothy Day Center for Social Catholicism.

An award-winning author, Kevin has written extensively on the role of social movements, Catholic educational and institutional ministries, and the history of student organizing. He is the author of Structures of Grace: Catholic Organizations Serving the Global Common Good and the (co)editor of several books, including God’s Quad: Small Faith Communities on Campus and Beyond. Kevin has been a leader in several national and international organizations and serves as the chair of the Guild for the Canonization of Dorothy Day. @kevin_ahern

In his local community, Rick is a Trustee and Chair of the Finance Council of Ss. Columba Brigid Church in Buffalo and was Treasurer of the Hamburg Youth Foundation from 1993-2007.  Rick and his wife Debbie live in Hamburg, New York and have two grown children.

Peter L. DeAngelis Jr. is a 2023 retiree from Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health where he most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer/Chief Administrative Officer. This capped off an extensive career in healthcare administration including leadership positions at Catholic Health East, Trinity Health, and University of Pennsylvania Health System.

Pete has extensive experience and commitment to operational excellence, strategic leadership and financial management. He has led complex integrations of healthcare systems spanning several states and managing billion-dollar budgets. Additionally, he proactively and strategically prepared for major initiatives in healthcare such as repositioning the system for the Affordable Care Act. His career has been focused on growth and expansion of mission and vision.

Pete has also served on several boards including that of: Catholic Health Association, Healthcare Financial Management Association, and Gwynedd Mercy University. He is a former member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Pennsylvania Institute of Public Accountants. He had diplomat status with the American College of Healthcare Administrators. He has served as an adjunct professor for healthcare administration at LaSalle University. Pete earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and an MBA from La Salle University.

Sister Catherine Darcy joins brings a broad range of Church, mission and Mercy leadership experience. Her review of the CHA publication Mission Leader Competency Model, 2020 edition situates her in Tier II in most categories. This important review articulates the mission and values of an organization and expresses how to strategize with senior leaders to ensure the centrality of that mission within the fabric of the organization. Sister Catherine is versed in establishing and sustaining structures for on-going participative direction setting, providing opportunities for co-workers and employees to recognize and embrace their roles as integral members of the workplace community. She values discernment processes in an atmosphere conducive to authentic sharing in a context of mission, values and the common good.

Sister Catherine recently accepted a new position in Justice for the Sisters of Mercy. Previously, she served as Executive Director of Mission Integration at Mercy Hospital in Ada, Oklahoma where she influenced hospital administration and other leaders to use the Mercy Mission Statement and Values as the lens through which to make decisions. There, she supported the spiritual care of co-workers and patients. She also served on the second leadership team for the Mid-Atlantic Community of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, specializing in collaborative development. Her canonical ministry expands over three dioceses: serving as Vice Chancellor and Tribunal Judge for the Camden Diocese, Administrative Director of the Tribunal and Chancellor in the Diocese of Las Cruces, and Tribunal Judge at the Diocese of Trenton.

Sister Catherine earned a JCD and PhD in canon law from the University of St. Paul in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; her JCL in canon law from Catholic University of America; an MPS. Masters in Pastoral Studies from Loyola University of Chicago; and is a graduate of our own Georgian Court University with a BA in mathematics.

Dr. Katherine A. Greiner is associate professor of theology at Carroll College in Helena, Montana where she is currently holds the Schneller Endowed Professorship in Catholic Mission and Identity. She earned her PhD in theology and education from Boston College. Her dissertation, “There is a Wideness to God’s University: Exploring and Embodying the Deep Stories, Wisdom, and Contributions of Women Religious in Catholic Higher Education,” focuses on questions concerning Catholic identity, charism, and mission in Catholic colleges and universities founded and sponsored by women religious congregations.

The Sisters of Mercy and Mercy higher education were at the center of her doctoral research and she has a deep and profound love for Catherine McAuley and the charism and deep stories of the Sisters of Mercy and their ministries.

Her teaching and research interests include Christian spirituality, the theology of Christian medieval women mystics, contemporary lay ministry in the Catholic Church, and feminist and contextual theologies. She currently serves on the College Theology Society Board. She has been a regular contributor to the blog Daily Theology and is a regular contributor to Liturgical Press’s Loose Leaf Lectionary.

Dr. Kelli J. Armstrong’s work in higher education has centered on improving the educational experience for students through research, planning and strategy. She is particularly passionate about serving disadvantaged students and supporting the advancement of women in underrepresented areas.

A 1986 graduate of Bates College, Kelli earned a master’s degree in English from the University of Virginia in 1987 and a PhD in higher education administration from Boston College in 1996. She also earned an executive leadership certificate in management from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2018. 

Kelli currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Mercy Presidents’ Council.

Prior to beginning her tenure as Salve Regina’s eighth president in July 2019, Kelli served the Boston College community in a variety of positions, including vice president for planning and assessment (2012-2019), associate vice president (2006-2012) and founding director of the institutional research department (2004-2006). 

Before joining Boston College, she served as associate vice chancellor for enrollment management at the University of Massachusetts Boston (2002-2004) and as director of institutional research and enrollment services for the UMass system and the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education. She was also a research analyst at Tufts University and an assistant dean of admissions at Bates College. Her first position was as an account executive at an investor relations firm. 

Kelli is the eldest of four daughters and grew up on the south shore of Massachusetts. Next to the family’s Catholic faith and devotion to service, the most important value in their household was education, a commitment that inspired her to pursue a career in the field. She is married to Brian Griffin, an attorney, and they have two sons, David and Jake.

Dr. John J. Smetanka has served in higher education for the past thirty years as a faculty member, department chairperson, program director, vice president for academic affairs, provost, and interim president. John served as a faculty member for twenty-five years at Saint Vincent College and for over thirteen years was also the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean.  From June 2022 until its closure in May 2024, John served as Provost and then for the final six months also served as Interim President of Notre Dame College.

Currently John serves as the chairperson of the departments of Physics and Earth and Planetary Sciences at Westmoreland County Community College where he teaches full time.

John earned a BS in physics from Carnegie Mellon University and his MS and PhD in astronomy and astrophysics from the University of Chicago. His scientific research in high-energy particle physics, science pedagogy, and a variety of fields of astrophysics have been published in major journals and numerous conference proceedings. He has also written on higher education policy and practice and the relationship between science and religion.

He and his wife, Sharon, reside in Derry, Pennsylvania, have three grown children, and are members of Saint Vincent Basilica Parish.

Sister Lisa Griffith is a member of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. Sister Lisa has served as the Executive Director of Mercy Education System of the Americas since 2017. Sister Lisa is passionate about keeping the mission of Mercy alive in our schools with the students, faculty/staff, administration, and board members.

Prior to this position Sister Lisa’s ministerial experience has been in the high school setting as a business and theology teacher, counselor, and administrator.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Missouri, St. Louis, master’s in counseling from Creighton University, and administrative certification from the University of Dayton.

Sister Patricia Talone is a theological ethicist, consultant, lecturer and writer in the areas of mission, ethics and formation. From 2001 to 2016, Sister Patricia served at the Catholic Health Association of the United States, as Senior Director of Ethics and as Vice President for Mission Services.

Having taught at every level from grade three through post- graduate, Sister Patricia brings a broad educational background to her consulting services.  Additionally, she was director of vocations and temporary professed for the Sisters of Mercy from 1972 to 1983.

She holds a PhD in theological ethics from Marquette University, an MA in religious studies from St. Charles Seminary, and a BA in humanities from Gwynedd Mercy University. In 1996, she spent a semester as a visiting fellow at Georgetown University’s Kennedy School of Ethics.

Sister Patricia’s current board commitments include the Catholic Climate Covenant and St. Ignatius Nursing and Rehabilitation Center as well as several advisory boards.  She served for many years on the Board of Directors for the National Catholic AIDS Network and Mid-America Transplant Services. She previously served on the Board of Trustees at Georgian Court University.

Among her awards are the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching from Gwynedd Mercy College in 1994, and Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Scranton in 2005 and from Misericordia University in 2011. She has published extensively in theological and health care journals and periodicals.

Deanne H. D’Emilio, JD became the sixth President of Gwynedd Mercy University in Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania in August 2017. Since her arrival at GMercyU, the University has launched new programs in Occupational Therapy, Digital Communications, Family Nurse Practitioner, Public Health, and Artificial Intelligence; become a founding member of the new Division III Atlantic East Conference and embarked on a new Strategic Planning Process that will position the University for future growth and expansion. Recently, she led the process of selling University-owned real estate resulting in a 74% increase in the endowment. She also serves as a Professor of Management in Gwynedd Mercy University’s School of Business and Education.

She previously served as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Carlow University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Deanne joined Carlow University from Mount Aloysius College, where she developed and chaired the Legal Studies program and served as Associate Academic Dean and Division Chair of Humanities, Social Science, and Professional Studies, the College’s largest academic division. She is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania, and did so until 1998, when she began pursuing a career in higher education.

Deanne graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Education and a minor in religion from Westminster College in New Wilmington, PA, a Master of Arts in College Student Personnel from Bowling Green State University, and a Juris Doctor cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.