St. Louis School Board
The School Board advises the Pastor and Principal on issues related to school operation. The Board helps develop and implement policy in critical areas such as finance, development, facilities, community, and public relations/marketing. It provides an avenue for laity to participate in the educational ministry of the Church and parish, and collaborates with other school and parish organizations.
The Board consists of a diverse group of people from the parish and surrounding community. Each year, the Board recruits two or three new voting members from parents of currently enrolled students and from non-school parents. Representation from both groups is essential.
Voting members of the Board typically serve a three-year term beginning in the Spring, attend nine meetings each year, serve on at least one committee (finance, development, membership, etc.), participate in other school-related activities throughout the year as available, and experience great satisfaction from offering their time and talent to this special ministry of the parish.
Voting Members
Mike McEwen (Term: 2005 – 2008). Board Chairperson
Mike has been a St. Louis parishioner for 18 years serving as a lector and member of various technology committees. He reports to the president of a minority-owned technical services company and currently oversees several multimillion dollar contracts with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Over his 25-year professional career, he has held a variety of positions from individual contributor to executive in several commercial, non-profit, and government organizations. He has a B.S. in Computer Science from Washington University in St. Louis, a M.S. in Computer Systems from the Air Force Institute of Technology, and a M.B.A. in Marketing from Loyola College in Maryland. Mike is also a certified Project Management Professional. He resides with his family in Columbia.
Norm Belden (Term: 2006 – 2009). Board Vice-Chairperson and Liaison to Parish Pastoral Council
Norm has been a member of St. Louis parish for over 20 years and a Howard County Public School teacher for nearly 30. He is currently Commissioner of Cross-Country, Track & Field for the Howard County Public School System. Throughout his distinguished career as a coach and physical educator, he has spearheaded several award-winning service projects benefiting Harvest for the Hungry, Children’s Cancer Fund, and Habitat for Humanity. He also coordinated practice facilities and meals for the 2005 Paralympic Team. His numerous contributions to St. Louis Parish and School include Vacation Bible School, Hospitality Committee, Church Dedication Committee, Clarksville Picnic, School Auction, and Field Day organizer.
John Tiffey (Term: 2007 – 2010). Recording Secretary and Development Committee Vice-Chairperson
John has been a parishioner and Howard County resident since 1991. With 17 years of experience in the hospitality/service industry, he is currently Director of Sales and Marketing at the Hilton Baltimore BWI Hotel. He is a graduate of Gonzaga High School in Washington, DC and holds a B.A. in Communications from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. Three of his four children attend St. Louis School.
Chuck Nagle (Term: 2005 – 2008). Development Committee Chairperson
Chuck is the current Director of the Office of Advancement and Seton Awards Gala at the National Catholic Educational Association in Washington, DC. He served as Director of Institutional Advancement for the Institute of Notre Dame in Baltimore, spent time as Associate Athletic Director of External Operations at Eastern Michigan University and Bowling Green State University, was a TV sportscaster for ESPN, and coached and taught at the high school level. His knowledge of marketing, promotions, development programs, and fundraising campaigns is a valuable asset to the Board.
John Eger (Term: 2006 – 2009). Finance Committee Chairperson
John has been a member of St. Louis parish since 1990. He brings over 25 years of business and financial accounting experience to the Board. He is currently CFO and Assistant Trust Fund Administrator for very large health and pension benefit trust funds. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and is a Certified Public Account. John’s two children attend St. Louis School.
Steve Rolla (Term: 2006 – 2009). Membership Committee Chairperson
Steve Rolla has been a parishioner since 1999. He is the President and CEO of Capitol Office Solutions (a Xerox Company). Steve has held various operational, technical, and marketing executive positions prior to his current position. Steve has degrees in Aeronautical Technology from the State University of New York, College of Aeronautics and Business Management from Central Connecticut State University. Steve is married to Colleen and has five children.
Julie Wrenn (Term: 2007 – 2010). Finance Committee Vice-Chairperson
Julie Wrenn is a CPA with 16 years of professional experience in the areas of accounting and financial management, financial/operational auditing, and business systems implementation. Julie graduated from Loyola College with a BBA in Accounting and spent six years in public accounting. She then held management positions with Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., Friends School of Baltimore, and SCM Chemicals, Inc. Julie’s most recent employer was Giant Food, Inc. from 1995 to 2003 where she served as Financial and Operational Audit Manager/Director. Julie resigned in 2003 to become a full-time homemaker. Julie has been a member of the parish since 1996. She is married to Brian and has three children. She is a St. Louis school parent and actively serves as chair on several fundraising committees.
Non-Voting Members
Rev. Msgr. Joseph Luca (ex officio). Pastor
Monsignor Joseph L. Luca is the Pastor of St. Louis Church, one of the largest congregations in the Archdiocese of Baltimore with a registration of over 4200 families. He was appointed to that role by Cardinal William Keeler in February of 1996. Prior to this appointment, Msgr. Luca's pastoral experience included serving for three years as the Director of RENEW for the Archdiocese of Baltimore and for 12 years as Pastor of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parish in Middle River. He is also fondly remembered as an Associate Pastor at St. Francis of Assisi parish in Baltimore and at St. Joseph Parish in Cockeysville.
Monsignor Luca is a native of Baltimore and was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Baltimore in May 1970 by Cardinal Shehan. Prior to priestly ordination, Msgr. Luca studied at the University of Maryland, College Park and at Resurrection College in Kitchener, Ontario; he also studied at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, where he received a Master's Degree in Systematic Theology. Although his ministry has been primarily devoted to parish service, he has actively served on various boards and commissions of the Archdiocese of Baltimore including the Board of Catholic Charities, The Cathedral Foundation Board, the Priest Personnel Board, the Lay Retirement Board and the Priests Council. He was named a Prelate of Honor with the title of Monsignor by Pope John Paul II in December of 1995.
Terry Weiss (ex officio). Principal
Terry has been a St. Louis parishioner for 10 years. Her entire professional life has been serving the students and families of the Catholic School System of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. After graduating from Keough High School, she earned her B.A. at UMBC then completed her Masters Degree in Education and School Administration at Loyola College of Maryland. She has served the archdiocese as both an elementary and middle school teacher, as an assistant principal, and has entered her 12th year as the principal of St. Louis School. Terry is the proud mother of a son who attends kindergarten at St. Louis School. She currently lives in Ellicott City with her husband and son.
Mary Ewachiw (liaison). Assistant Principal
Mary Ewachiw serves as the assistant principal of St. Louis School. She holds a master's degree in education from Loyola College in Maryland. Prior to joining the staff at St. Louis, she taught religion, social studies, and language arts to students in grades six through eight. Mary currently chairs the Planning Committee as the school renews its Middle States accreditation.
Bernice Winthrop (liaison). Teacher Representative
Bernice Winthrop is a fifth grade teacher at St. Louis School. She has been teaching at St. Louis since 2004. She has degrees in Speech Pathology and Education of the Hearing Impaired. She taught in Prince George’s County for 30 years. Mrs. Winthrop is a parishioner of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Highland, where she is a Eucharistic minister and a lector. Currently she is teaching the Confirmation Preparation class. Mrs. Winthrop is a member of DreamBuilders, an Outreach of St. Mark's, which has built homes in West Virginia, New Mexico and Mississippi for Habitat for Humanity, and rehabbed homes for ARC of Howard County. She also volunteers her time at Bishop Claggett Center in Buckeystown, Maryland, where she has worked on the staff of Special Challenge Conference, for developmentally delayed adults, and at Amazing Grace, a camp for children whose mothers are in prison. She is married and has three adult sons.
Chris Kelly (ex officio). Home School Association President
Chris is married with two wonderful children who attend St. Louis school. She has been a member of the parish and her children students at St. Louis since moving to Columbia in May 2005. She works in software development and customer service for the healthcare division of Sage software. Her children thrive in the St. Louis school environment and she welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the school community.