Meet Your Local Coordinators
Nine Catholics on Call alums from around the country have volunteered to serve as local coordinators for our new network of CoC alums. They will help you with getting in touch with one another and getting to know other CoC alums in your region. The goal of this peer-to-peer ministry is to support each other on your vocational journey beyond your experience at the conference in Chicago. You can contact your coordinators personally by email and/or sign up for the respective google groups. Once you are a group member you will be able to post on the group's website and use the group's email address to communicate with other alums. As soon as you have signed up for the group, please introduce yourself to the other group members through the discussion forum on the group's webpage or with an email to all the group members using the group's email address you will receive.
If you have any other ideas or suggestions of how we can better support you and each other, please let your local coordinators or the CoC staff know. Feel free to email Birgit Oberhofer, the Program Coordinator at catholicsoncall@ctu.edu.
East Coast:
My name is Jenny. I live in Waterford, Connecticut. I am a part-time graduate student at the University of Connecticut, majoring in special education and positive behavior support. I graduated in 2006 from Saint Joseph College, which just became the University of Saint Joseph a couple days ago. I majored in special education. I am currently (you guessed it) a special education teacher at a magnet school in New London, CT. I teach (this year at least) kindergarten and first grade students. I went to Catholics on Call in August of 2010. I really enjoyed meeting other people my age who have similar beliefs to me. I also really enjoyed building such strong and lasting bonds of friendship with the three other people I traveled with. When I am not
teaching or writing reports about my students, I volunteer at Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center in West Hartford, CT. I volunteer with the youth ministry, Sunday mass, other special events, and am in the handbell choir. One fun fact is that I bought a house in October. I also play flute in a community band. :)
Contact me at: jmcimmino@gmail.com
Kate Walsh is the Associate Director for the Tri-State Coalition for Responsible Investment and has been with TriCRI since 2008. Her work focuses on advocacy on human rights, food sustainability, and water stewardship. Kate helped found Fairfield University’s Non-Profit Alumni guild, as well as serves on the Core Team for Bridges Outreach, a non-profit bringing the housed and the homeless together in community. Previous to her work at TriCRI, Kate was with FrancisCorps serving as the Outreach Manager at a food pantry and medical clinic for the uninsured in Syracuse, NY. She attended Catholics on Call in 2010 and loved meeting other reflective young adults. She wants to be involved in ministry in any way she can.
Contact me at: ms.kwalsh@gmail.com or read my blog: katesaysyes.wordpress.com
Click here to sign up for the East Coast google group.
Midwest:
Hi I am Joe Quane and I attended the Catholics on Call Conference back in 2009. I currently reside on the Southwest side of Chicago in the Beverly neighborhood (About 20 minutes or so from CTU). I graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a degree in Accounting and Information Systems. I currently work for CME Group as a Data Quality Analyst within the Market Regulation Department. As far as ministry goes, I currently serve as the chairperson for the St. Cajetan SPRED (Special Religious Development) ministry. SPRED is a ministry that provides those with developmental disabilities with an opportunity for spiritual nourishment. I also serve on the Executive Board for Office of Conciliation for the Archdiocese of Chicago. The office works to mediate conflict that may arise in parishes, schools, or offices throughout the archdiocese. I am truly grateful to have taken part in the Catholics on Call Conference. The conference gave me a whole new perspective on serving the church and allowed me to connect with other individuals around the country who were also interested in service to the Church. I have stayed connected with Catholics on Call throughout the years and attended all the winter follow-up retreats. I enjoy reading the weekly Scripture reflections and other reflections posted on the website (and even write one every now and again). Fell free to send me an email.
Contact me at: JQuane23@gmail.com
Theresa Giuffrida is from St. Louis, and she is a youth minister and Spanish teacher at Assumption Parish and School in O’Fallon, MO. She just completed a year of service in June 2012 as a full time volunteer at St. Cecilia School and Academy through the St. Joseph Worker Program in St. Louis. A Catholics on Call Alumni from August 2009, she loved getting meet other young people who are passionate about serving the Church and the community. Theresa graduated from Truman State University, where she was active at the Catholic Newman Center, in 2010 with her Bachelor’s degree in English and Spanish and in 2011 with a Masters in Spanish Education. Theresa loves playing in the park, running, writing, and talking with all of you, of course! So, feel free to send her an email anytime.
Contact me at: theresa.giuffrida@gmail.com
Krista Peterson:
My name is Krista Peterson and I live in Chicago, though I am originally from the Pittsburgh area. I came to Catholics on Call in 2011 after a year of serving with Amate House, a full time volunteer service program that is part of the Archdiocese of Chicago. I am currently a student at DePaul University studying Human-Computer Interaction. I have been Catholics on Call Regional Coordinator since March 2012. I love sewing, writing (check out the reflections I've written!), reading and painting.
Catholics On Call is important to me personally because I have found that it is difficult to take time away to be thoughtful about my vocation. I believe that young people are consumed by so many options that we too easily become lost in a path that has seemingly chosen us.
I am honored to serve as local coordinator for Catholics on Call. If you are considering this time of retreat for the first time or looking to reconnect with your fellow COC graduates, please don't hesitate to send me an email. I just love meeting new people!
Contact me at: peterson.adela@gmail.com
Location: Currently in Winona, MN; originally from Dubuque, IA
Region: Upper Midwest
College: Saint Mary's University of MN, Winona, MN; double majoring in Pastoral/Youth Ministry & Liturgical Music; Class of 2013;
Employment: Campus Safety, Office of Admission, iT HelpDesk, sports official
Extracurricular: Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus council on campus; sing in Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, Liturgical Choir; play in Concert Band and Liturgical Choir
Volunteer experience: Jamaica 2005, Honduras 2009, Spruce Up Winona, other smaller activities in the last several years
Ministry: After graduating college and getting my master's degree, I hope to be employed at a parish or school in liturgical music or youth ministry. I am partial toward music ministry as that is my strength, but working with youth and young adults in parish and school settings has always been fun for me too.
Fun fact about me: I've cycled across the state of Iowa twice during the annual RAGBRAI (Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa)...and had a blast doing it!
Contact: In person at Saint Mary's University of MN, 700 Terrace Heights #398, Winona, MN 55987; call my cell:563-552-6755 (calls only please).
Contact me at: johnu324@aol.com
Click here to sign up for the Midwest google group.
Southwest
My name is Cynthia Gutierrez. I'm originally from Chihuahua, Mexico. I completed my undergrad on multidisciplinary studies with areas of concentration on science, psychology, and health promotion. I work as a physical therapist assistant in El Paso Texas. I attended Catholics on Call in August 2011. One thing that I really enjoyed at Catholics on Call was the different talks from the speakers. Especially, the talk about discernment and human sexuality. Also, how we had time to discuss in our small group. I left Catholics on Call with a better understanding of vocations and listening to God's guidance. Hobbies that I enjoy are exercising and dancing.
Contact me at: cynthiagut@msn.com
My name is Rosie Vutera and I'm from Baton Rouge, La. I'm currently at Southeastern Louisiana University to become a Child Life Specialist and am hoping to work at St. Jude's in Memphis one day! While I'm not working at the Baton Rouge Emergency Medical Services, I volunteer on a regular basis through the Diocese of Baton Rouge Youth and Young Adult Ministry on the Leadership Team and the Diocesan Youth Retreat Team. I am also involved with Louisiana Catholic College Students through SLU's campus ministry. I went to Catholics on Call back in August 2009 and I absolutely loved meeting people my own age from across the country that wanted to learn how to better serve the Church together. I love that we are still connected as a support system through our faith and relationships that we made through CoC.
Contact me at: rosie.vutera@gmail.com
Click here to sign up for the Southwest google group.
West Coast
Bernice Aguas is a proud native of San Francisco where she also currently resides. Bernice was a participant of Catholics on Call in August 2010. She enjoyed the entire program especially visiting social justice service sites as well as meeting and learning from everyone. Bernice has been involved with young adult ministry for about four years. She began and currently leads a young adult group at a local parish. Bernice also helped start the new Young Adult Council in the Archdiocese of San Francisco where she has also been volunteering. Bernice loves helping young people grow in their faith. She also loves spicy food!
Contact me at: sbyag.stm@gmail.com
My name is Angela Marie Maiorano. I am originally from Claremont, CA which is thirty miles east of Los Angeles. I was living in Claremont when I attended Catholics on Call. Currently, I do not have a permanent address (I am working on obtaining one of those!) I still consider Claremont to be "home," even though I have not lived there for several years now. I graduated with my Master of Education, Reading in 2006. I received my Master of Education from the University of La Verne, a small, private university in Southern CA. I have spent the past two years living and working in Latin America. My first experience was in Juticalpa, Olancho, Honduras, Central America. I taught seventh and eighth grade English at a Catholic junior high school. My second experience was in Cochabamba, Bolivia, South America. I lived in an orphanage with fifty-eight girls. My main role in the orphanage was to be a positive presence for the girls and assist them with spiritual development. I am now back in the United States job searching. I may be coming to a city near you soon! I attended Catholics on Call in 2008. I learned many important things while at Catholics on Call, but one thing that stands out to me is that we all have a vocation. When I heard that word prior to Catholics on Call, I thought it referred solely to priests and sisters. Since Catholics on Call, I view that word differently. We are all called to do something great during our earthly lives, whether that be as a religious, married lay person or single lay person. That also gives me a source of comfort. I am involved in ministry in a variety of ways. Most recently, I began to get involved in homeless ministry. Prior, I worked in youth ministry by coordinating retreats and teaching Confirmation. My one fun fact is that I have been blessed to have had opportunities to travel to twenty-eight countries on five continents.
Contact me at: catholicdodgerfan@gmail.com
Michelle Fanara:
Hi! I'm Michelle Fanara. I'm from Los Angeles, California...one of the many people that have been born and raised here! I went to the Catholics on Call program in 2008. It was such an eye opening experience for me. I really had no idea what I was getting myself into. My spiritual director said to me one day while we were one the subject of vocations and callings, "Hey, you should go to this." When I found out that all I had to do was get a plane ticket, I thought about it and then decided to go ahead and just do it. I was not disappointed at all. In fact, I had a great time! I made new friends, got away from the distractions in my life AND focused on what I think God is calling me to do.
I came to the program and had no idea what my vocation in life was going to be. I had thought for many years it was one specific thing...being a physical therapist. For some strange reason, that just wasn't feeling right, but I was going thru the motions...taking classes, tests and just being miserable. When I arrived, I was happy to know it wasn't just me. I was in a sea full of young adults that were going through the same thing I was! How awesome! When I came back to my home, I wasn't afraid...I knew there were more out there like me. I started applying for jobs in ministry and before I knew it, I was hired at a parish as a Confirmation/Youth Ministry Coordinator. I left that parish for a better position. I now am a Confirmation/Youth Ministry/Jr. High/4th & 5th Grade Ministry Program Coordinator for one parish. I am also a music director for a different parish, a Master Catechist for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and I am working on opening up my own martial arts studio. One of the greatest lessons I learned from Catholics on Call was that I don't have to just have one vocational calling. God calls to us in a variety of ways. It's up to us how we listen to the call.
Contact me at: michellefanara@gmail.com
