Mr. Nicholas Stein

Chair

Nicholas Stein is a founder and the Director of Bon Secours Young Adults, a ministry of the Congregation of Sisters of Bon Secours of Paris. Since its founding in 2014 in Marriottsville, Maryland the ministry has reached hundreds of young adults across the United States, Ireland, England, France and Peru through retreats, programming, and relationship-building in order to deepen their Christian call to compassion, healing, and liberation.

Nicholas is also the founding chair of the Board of Directors of the National Institute for Ministry with Young Adults. He has served on several national and international initiatives in the field of ministry with young adults and has been a sought-after speaker and consultant in the field. He currently serves as a Consultant to the USCCB Working Group on Youth and Young Adults. He was the founding chairperson of the USCCB National Advisory Team on Young Adult Ministry and in that role helped to lead the efforts of the National Dialogue on Catholic Pastoral Ministry with Youth and Young Adults.

Originally from Seattle, he currently lives in Catonsville, Maryland with his wife and 3 children. He is an active parishioner at St. Ignatius Church in Baltimore, Maryland. He holds an MA in Theology from Boston College and a BA in Print Journalism/Political Science from the University of Southern California.

Bishop Arturo Cepeda

Vice-Chair

In April 2011, Pope Benedict XVI named the Most Reverend Arturo Cepeda, a priest from San Antonio, as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit. One month later he was ordained by Archbishop Allen Vigneron, becoming the youngest Bishop in the United States at age 41. Bishop Cepeda served as a Bishop member on the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) Committee on Catholic Education and also as the Chair for the Sub-Committee on Hispanic Affairs. Currently he serves as the Chair for the USCCB standing Committee of Cultural Diversity in the Church.

Bishop Cepeda had most-recently served as Rector of Assumption Seminary in San Antonio. He was born in Mexico and immigrated to the U.S. with his family at age 19. Bishop Cepeda continued his seminary studies at Our Lady of the Lake University, and obtained a degree in Religious Studies with a specialty in Psychology from the College Seminary of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Returning to San Antonio’s Assumption Seminary he received the degree of Master in Divinity from Oblate School of Theology and was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Patricio Flores on June 1, 1996. In 2001, after obtaining the degree of Master in Biblical Theology from St. Mary’s University, and while he was assigned as parochial vicar in the Cathedral of San Fernando, Bishop Cepeda traveled to Rome to study at the Pontifical University "St. Thomas Aquinas, Angelicum,” where he successfully obtained a Licentiate and Doctorate degree in Sacred Theology (STL, STD).

Bishop Cepeda also serves as Episcopal Vicar and Regional Moderator for the Northwest Region Families of Parishes and served as Director of Evangelization, Catechesis, and Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Detroit. Bishop Cepeda is an international speaker and published author. Most recently he has become a board member of many committees including the National Institute for Ministry with Young Adults, USCCB Religious Liberty Committee, USCCB Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism, The Eucharistic Revival Bishop Advisory Committee, Social Responsibility Committee for the Michigan Catholic Conference, and the Leadership Roundtable Bishop Advisory Committee. Bishop Cepeda is also participating in the leadership of the proceedings and conclusions of the 5th National Encuentro of Hispanic-Latino Ministry and in addition he is leading the Journeying Together National Catholic Intercultural Encounter for Ministries with Youth and Young Adults.

Deacon Andrew Orosco

Secretary

Deacon Andy Orosco, ordained in 2014 in the Diocese of San Bernardino, California, is assigned to the Native American Ministry serving six Mission Churches on Indian Reservations in the diocese. Deacon Andy has been a life-long youth and young adult advocate. He currently serves on the National Institute for Ministry with Young Adults, as a committee member for the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops National Advisory Team on Young Adult Ministry to the Committee on Laity, Marriage Family Life and Youth, is a current committee member of the California Catholics Conference of Bishops Native American Peoples Committee and participated in the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops National Dialogue Leadership Network focused on forming and engaging young missionary disciples for the Twenty-First Century.

Ms. Stacy Allen

Stacy M. Allen, a native of Colón, Panama, is proud to call Houston home where she served as a middle school and high school catechist for 8 years at her home parish as well as a volunteer Youth Ministry Coordinator. Stacy is a founding member of the Young Adult Catholics of African Descent for the Archdiocese of Galveston Houston and in 2020 she was appointed as a lay consultant to the USCCB Bishops Working Group on Youth and Young Adults. She works as a Felony Associate Judge for the Harris County District Courts.

Mr. Armando Cervantes

Armando M. Cervantes currently serves as Director of Youth & Young Adults and Director de Ministerio Hispano for the Diocese of Orange in California. He has over 20 years of professional experiences in various ministries serving all age groups in both Catholic Dioceses and Non-Profits. He loves the Lord and serving His Church – and enjoys smiling, dancing, eating, travelling and spending time with his family. Armando serves nationally and internationally as a coach, consultant, advocate, trainer and speaker and has two Master’s Degrees in Business Administration and Pastoral Theology.

Ms. Kara Dixon

Kara Dixon is the Deputy Director of Video Production for the Senate Democratic Media Center for the US Senate in Washington, D.C.

She grew up in Winchester, Virginia and is a graduate of the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism. At UMD, she participated in the CBC-UNC Diversity Fellowship Program led by UNC and WRAL. During college, Kara was a member of Capital News Service and ViewFinder presented by the University of Maryland. Both programs won numerous regional and national awards. She spent two years as a multimedia journalist at KFDM/KBTV in Beaumont, Texas, where she covered everything from historic flooding to crime. Her station was awarded the Texas Associated Press Jordan Flaherty Award in 2016. After her time in Texas, Kara worked for WAVY News 10 for six years reporting on a number of stories and hosting the political digital series "Candid With Kara..."

In June 2019, Kara was one of 120 young women chosen to participate in the Given Forum, a Catholic leadership forum held in Washington, D.C. In 2020, she completed the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership’s Emerging Leaders Program at the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Leadership. In her free time, Kara volunteers in the community.

Mr. Tom East

Tom is a national speaker and serves as the Pastoral Assistant for Saint Charles Borromeo Parish in Tacoma, Washington. Previously, he was the Director of the Center for Ministry Development, Director of Youth Ministry, Associate Director of Religious Education, and College Campus Minister for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Tom holds a Master of Arts degree in Religious Studies from Mount St. Mary's College in Los Angeles. Tom provides workshops for parents of young adults as well as retreats and workshops for young adults. Tom is author for numerous books and resources including Leadership for Catholic Youth Ministry.

Fr. Jonathan Kalisch, OP

A native of Woodbridge, New Jersey, Fr. Jonathan Kalisch, O.P. experienced God’s merciful love through mentorship and discipleship  as an undergraduate student at Georgetown University. While working for Price Waterhouse in Warsaw, Poland, Kalisch went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land to pray about his own future and felt called to the priesthood on the Sea of Galilee where the Gospel of John Chapter 21 occurred. He then met the Dominicans in Krakow and began to discern a religious vocation. Encountering the writings of St. Faustina and the message of Divine Mercy with its words “Jesus, I trust in you,” gave him the courage to follow God’s call.  

Ordained a priest in 2003, Fr. Jon spent nine years serving in campus ministry at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT and Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH. In 2013, he began serving at the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus in New Haven, CT as the Director of Chaplains and Spiritual Development for the two million member organization. Fr. Jon has led young adults to participate in six World Youth Days, included serving as Co-Executive Producer of the World Youth Day 2016 Mercy Centre at the Tauron Arena, the international English-language catechesis and youth festival site that drew over 100,000 pilgrims during the WYD Krakow. Fr. Jon regularly speaks on college campuses, to gatherings of Knights of Columbus, and preaches retreats. Along with his work with the Knights, he serves as a member of the USCCB National Advisory Team for Young Adult Ministry.

Tracey Lamont, Ph.D.

Tracey Lamont, Ph.D., is Director of the Loyola Institute for Ministry and is Assistant Professor of Religious Education and young adult ministry at Loyola University New Orleans, Loyola Institute for Ministry. She received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Religion and Religious Education from Fordham University and specializes in curriculum development, youth and young adult ministry, and religious education. Her research examines how constructive-developmental theory can help religious educators explore new ways to think about young adult moral development in a complex global society. She was as a committee member for the National Dialogue on Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment from 2017-2019, and has been a member of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops National Young Adult Advisory Team (NATYAM) since 2017. From 2017-2021, Tracey served as the Vice Chair of resources for NATYAM and is currently a member of the Board of Directors for the National Institute for Ministry with Young Adults (NIMYA). In her spare time, Tracey enjoys hosting and facilitating synodal listening sessions with young adults locally and nationally. Click here to watch Tracey present an OSV talk on how to create a more welcoming church for young people.

Ms. Kelsey Meczywor

Kelsey Meczywor is the Director of Parish Life at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Hartford, Connecticut. She previously worked at the Archdiocese of Hartford, in the Office of Education, Evangelization and Catechesis for six years. Kelsey has been active in Catholic ministry for nearly 10 years. Working in parish ministry provides Kelsey with many opportunities to connect with young adults in all stages of life and be a joyful witness to their spiritual journeys. Kelsey attended Sacred Heart University in Bridgeport, Connecticut where she received her Bachelors of Arts Degree in History. Kelsey lives in Windsor Locks, Connecticut with her husband David, her two children Virginia and Isaac and their two rescue pets, Charlie and Marigold.

Ms. Kelli Reagan Hickey

Kelli Reagan Hickey is a research associate in the Catholic Social Tradition at the University of Notre Dame's Center for Social Concerns. Her research interests include Christian ethics, economics, and character development. Hickey is also an alum of Leadership Roundtable's ESTEEM program, which prepares college students for leadership in their parish communities. She lives with her husband, Brian, in Columbus, Ohio.

Fr. Kyle Shinseki, SJ

Fr. Kyle Shinseki, SJ currently serves as a Pastoral Associate at Saint Mary Student Parish, which provides Catholic Campus Ministry for the University of Michigan. He was born and raised in Hawai‘i and entered the Society of Jesus in 2009. Prior to joining the Jesuits, he received a bachelor’s in urban studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he became Catholic, and later earned a master’s in urban planning from the University of California Los Angeles. He then worked for six years at UnidosUS, formerly the National Council of La Raza, in community development and fundraising.

He next completed an MBA at Northwestern University, which led to his work at Procter & Gamble in marketing. As a Jesuit, he has ministered in high schools and universities, served in multiethnic parishes, and provided spiritual direction and retreats. Ordained to the priesthood in June 2018, he completed a Licentiate in Sacred Theology in May 2019, with a focus on small-group communities of ethnic Catholic college students. Prior to arriving in Ann Arbor, he served as Campus Minister for Faith Formation and Intercultural Ministry at Santa Clara University. He serves on the Boards of Directors of the National Institute for Ministry with Young Adults and the Manresa Jesuit Retreat House in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He enjoys preparing diverse ethnic dishes, hiking, and listening to Latin American, country, and Hawaiian music.

Bishop William A. Wack

Bishop William A. Wack, CSC was ordained a priest in the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1994. He served as Associate Pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in Colorado Springs, Associate Director of Vocations and Campus Minister at Notre Dame, Director of André House (a soup kitchen/hospitality center) in Phoenix, and Pastor of St. Ignatius Martyr Parish in Austin, TX. On May 29, 2017, Bishop Wack was appointed by Pope Francis to serve as the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. He was ordained and installed on August. 22, 2017, in Pensacola, Florida. He has worked and ministered extensively with young adults, especially at Andre House and in campus ministry in various schools. He has a heart for evangelization and a joyful spirit, which serves well when ministering to/with youth and young adults.

Ms. Nicole M. Perone

Ex officio

Nicole M. Perone is the National Coordinator of ESTEEM, the faith-based leadership formation program for Catholic students at colleges and universities across the United States. ESTEEM is a partnership between Leadership Roundtable and Saint Thomas More Catholic Chapel and Center at Yale University, which prepares young adults for the transition from campus ministry to parish life, and to engage their temporal gifts as leaders in their faith communities. 

Nicole previously served as the Archdiocesan Director of Adult Faith Formation for the Archdiocese of Hartford. She holds a Master of Divinity from Yale University. Her Bachelor of Arts in Theology with double minors in Italian and Catholic Studies was bestowed by Loyola University Maryland, where she graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa.

Nicole is the chair of the Board of Members for the National Institute for Ministry with Young Adults, and on the writing team for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ pastoral framework on youth and young adult ministry. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the All Africa Conference: Sister to Sister, as well as the National Advisory Council for the NeXt Level initiative of the Center for FaithJustice. In 2018, Nicole was a delegate to the Pre-Synod on Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment, and served on the writing committee for the final document. Her work has been published by America Media, Catholic News Service, The Jesuit Post, and US Catholic.  

Nicole lives in Milford, Connecticut with her husband, John Grosso (director of digital media for the Diocese of Bridgeport) and their Golden Retriever, Ellie. 

Mr. Paul Jarzembowski

Ex officio

Paul Jarzembowski is the Associate Director for the Laity at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) within the Secretariat of Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth. In this role, he is also the national coordinator for World Youth Day for the United States, staff liaison for the National Advisory Team on Young Adult Ministry (NATYAM), and was the lead USCCB staff to the 2018 Vatican Synod of Bishops on Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment, which led up to Pope Francis’ Christus Vivit (2019). Paul is the author of Hope from the Ashes: Insights and Resources for Welcoming Lenten Visitors (2022) and has been a writer, consultant, trainer, and speaker both nationally and internationally.  In addition to his work with the Institute, Paul serves on the board of directors for the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFYCM) and the National Catholic Network de Pastoral Juvenil Hispana (LaRED) and serves on the advisory boards for the National Association for Lay Ministry (NALM) and the National Catholic Committee on Scouting (NCCS). Originally from Northwest Indiana and the Greater Chicagoland Area, where he received his degrees from Valparaiso University and Loyola University Chicago, Paul now lives in the Maryland suburbs of Washington DC with his wife and ministry colleague Sarah.