Q1. WHAT IS YOUR JOB TITLE?

Director of Meetings and Events

Q2. WHAT ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES?

As the director of meetings and events, I work with project teams and staff to envision, plan, implement, and evaluate National Catholic Youth Conferences (NCYC) and Exchange. This includes budgeting, site selection, contract negotiation and review, vendor and contractor selection and management, and liaising with project teams, facilities, and hosting dioceses.

Q3. WHY DO YOU WORK FOR NFCYM?

I have been with NFCYM since 2001. Youth ministry was pivotal to my development. I am not called to be a youth minister, but NFCYM allows me to use my skills to make sure other generations have the opportunities I had as a teen to deepen and practice my faith. 

Q4. Who accompanied you as a young person?

So many people. First and foremost, my parents! Also my sister (Eileen), friends (Eileen, Erin, Dawn, Matt), classmates and teachers at Seton High School in Baltimore, particularly Sr. Christine, Sr. Marie, Sr. Anne, and Ms. Bonner, the volunteer youth ministry team and the contemporary music ministry at my home parish (Immaculate Heart of Mary), and the youth ministry staff at the Archdiocese of Baltimore, particularly Mark Pacione and the High LI and Search program leaders.

Q5. WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS?

My top five Clifton Strengths are: Maximizer, Adaptability, Communication, Input, and Woo.

What does that mean? I like working with others so that one program, resource, meeting, or event can achieve multiple goals.

Q6. What is your most embarrassing moment in ministry?

At the second big event where I was “in charge,” we held a reception that was supposed to be a tasting of different cuisines. A poor set-up by the caterer had guests lining up at stations as though they were buffets and filling their plates accordingly. As food quickly began to run low, the catering staff started telling guests that we had let more people in than we had guaranteed; we had had a couple hundred fewer people attend than planned, but the damage was done. Soon, there were chants of “We want food! We want food!” and demands for immediate refunds. This wasn’t a pay-at-the-door event, so that wasn’t possible. For the first and only time in my career, I gave out an entire box of business cards that I had belatedly thrown in my luggage and asked people to write to me for refunds.

Q7. CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT…

Call me if you have questions about NCYC or Exchange or need help with local conference planning.

I am based in Fairfield, CT, and can be reached at [email protected] or 202-301-5165.