The purpose of this local board is to promote and advance the mission of St. Laurentius Catholic School. The board, with limited power of governance, is a participatory, policy-making body committed to fostering the highest possible standards of academic and religious education for all students. Through participation in one of the five standing committees, board members work to ensure that a course of education as prescribed by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is provided in a healthy, welcoming environment and that the finances of the school remain sound. The five standing committees are the executive management team, development committee, enrollment committee, facilities committee, and finance committee. There are currently eighteen Board members.
Kelly Bell is the Principal of St. Laurentius School. Most recently, she served at Elizabeth Seton High School, a Catholic all-girls school outside of Washington, DC. Mrs. Bell spent two years teaching middle school social studies on the U.S.-Mexico border in Brownsville, Texas as a Teaching Fellow for the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) through the University of Notre Dame. Following this experience, she served in various roles as a Clinical Faculty Instructor with ACE Teaching Fellows to train and coach Catholic school teachers. Mrs. Bell is the recipient of the Charles Redd Center Teaching Western History Award and the Rotary Endowment for Teaching Excellence Award for her work in the development of history education. She graduated magna cum laude with a BA in Political Science and Education and a MEd in Education from the University of Notre Dame.
Kate Bird is a parishioner of Holy Name of Jesus and parent of four current and one future St. Laurentius student. A product of Catholic education herself, she feels blessed that her children can attend a Catholic school that is also a neighborhood school. She joined the Board to participate in the community’s efforts to help St. Laurentius thrive. Professionally, Kate has worked in the field of Human Resources, specializing in Benefits Administration in non-profit organizations for over fifteen years.
Dan Bosak is a lifelong resident of Fishtown and a lifelong member of Holy Name Parish. He is a retired Teamster. During his time as a Teamster, he served as recording secretary/business agent and vice president/business agent for Local 107. He is currently vice president of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in North Wildwood, NJ and Chairman Emeritus of the 82nd Airborne Philadelphia Chapter. Dan has been married to his wife Nancy for almost fifty years. He is committed to keeping St. Laurentius School and Catholic education in Fishtown.
Michael Blaszczyk is a product of Catholic education for grades 1-12. He has a BA in Secondary Education from LaSalle University and was a former seminarian with the Franciscan Friars (OFM). Michael taught religion in the secondary schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. For the past 35 years he has worked in business in various positions within the same industry. He is currently a parishioner of St. Andrew Parish in Newtown. He firmly believes in the values of Catholic education and is honored to be working with the Board of St. Laurentius School as it continues the mission of Catholic education.
Rev. Alfred Bradley, C.Ss.R is a native Philadelphian and a graduate of Holy Name of Jesus School. He is a professed member of the Redemptorist community and is presently serving as the Parochial Administrator of Holy Name Parish. Father holds a BA in Philosophy, a MD in theology, and a MS in Organizational Leadership. He is a fellow of the Institute of Systems Wisdom and a doctoral candidate working on a Doctor of Management Degree in Strategic Leadership at Thomas Jefferson University. In his 33 years as a priest, Father has served in a variety of elected and appointed leadership positions in the church and the Redemptorists. In addition to his present pastoral duties at Holy Name of Jesus Parish, he assists on the board of directors for Casa Carmen Aponte, an affordable senior housing community in Philadelphia’s Kensington section.
Louis DiCocco is the President, CEO and Chairman of the DiCocco Family St. Jude Shop, Inc. He is also President and founder of Lux Mundi Candle Co., President and Director of St. Jude Liturgical Arts Studio, and President and Director of GiftsWithLove.com. Lou helped shape the liturgical design and restoration projects in places like the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC; the National Shrine of St. John Neumann in Philadelphia, and the Cathedrals of Sts. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Lou is excited to help and assist St. Laurentius School in any way he can.
Michael Mattioni, Esquire graduated from Villanova University, and the University of Pittsburgh Law School. He received an LL.M. in Taxation from the Beasley Law School of Temple University. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Maritime Academy Charter School which has campuses in Tacony and Port Richmond. Michael hopes to make a positive contribution to the board and wants to develop a long-range plan to allow St. Laurentius School to continue to grow and thrive in the future.
Deborah McColloch is the vice-chair/secretary of the Board of Limited Jurisdiction. She was born and raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio, but has lived in Fishtown for the past 25 years and worships at Holy Name Church. Her children, Adam and Rebecca Valentine, graduated from St. Laurentius School in 2009 and 2011 respectively. Deborah worked for the City’s Office of Housing and Community Development for 37 years, the last fifteen years serving as the Director of Housing for the City of Philadelphia, under Mayor Street and Mayor Nutter. Since retiring, she serves on several community boards, including New Kensington Community Development Corporation, Neighborhood Gardens Trust and Community Ventures. She is an avid quilter!
Lawrence McElvarr attended Catholic schools for 12 years at St. Francis de Sales Elementary and St. James Catholic High School in Chester, PA. He attended Temple University and the American Academy McAllister Institute of Mortuary Science. He has worked in the funeral industry since 1967. He acquired Capewell Funeral Home in 1978; the former Stiles Funeral Home in Fishtown in 1988, and Hubert McBride Funeral Home in 2001. Larry has been a member of Holy Name Parish for over 30 years and was a member of the Holy Name Society. He enjoys having Holy Name as his parish and wants to help wherever he can.
Maggie O’Brien became involved with St. Laurentius School when her children were students. She served as Secretary of the Home & School Association for several years. In 2006 when the school was in danger of closing, she became involved again because she felt so strongly that this school is a special gift to the community. Today her two grandchildren are St. Laurentius students! In addition to her work at St. Laurentius, Maggie has been involved with many community organizations. She served as President of the Fishtown Rec Advisory Council and she was a founding member of Fishtown Neighbors Association. She served as the President of Fishtown Action and worked to negotiate the community Benefits Agreement with Sugar House Casino (now Rivers). The CBA delivers one million dollars per year into the community to be used by non-profit organizations and is overseen by the Penn Treaty Special Services District. Today she is the Outreach Chair for the FNA.
Terry Richardson is the chair of the Board of Limited Jurisdiction. She is a lifelong resident of Fishtown and a graduate of Holy Name of Jesus School. She currently serves as an extraordinary minister for Holy Name Parish and is a member of the Holy Name Alumni Association. Terry holds a BS in Elementary Education and a MEd from Temple University. She recently retired after teaching for 20 years as a teacher at St. Catherine of Siena School, Holy Name of Jesus School, and Drexel Neumann Academy. She also spent 16 years as a principal at Our Lady of Loreto School in Southwest Philadelphia, Ascension of Our Lord in Kensington, and St. Malachy School in North Philadelphia.
Duane Rutkowski is the vice-principal of St. Laurentius School. He is a 1970 graduate of St. Laurentius who went on to St. Joseph’s Preparatory School. While attending the Prep, he first became a member and then assistant director and featured soloist with the Academy Boys Choir of Philadelphia performing extensively throughout Europe, Canada, and the United States. Graduating with a dual major in Educational Psychology and Music from the University of Pennsylvania, he continued to craft his talents with a Master’s Degree from the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts. Mr. R’s career in education began at the Performing Arts School as a teacher and then as principal until 1990 when he joined the staff at St. Laurentius School. He was awarded the “Teacher as Hero” award from the National Liberty Museum and was inducted into the Catholic Teacher Hall of Fame at the 2019 Foundation for Catholic Education Gala for his 30 years of service to Catholic education.
Brendan Stallard has been a parishioner of Holy Name since moving to the neighborhood in the summer of 2018. Brendan hails from the Philadelphia suburbs where he attended St. Monica School in Berwyn through 8th grade and then attended St. Joe’s Prep. He is a believer in Catholic schools and is excited to contribute to the parish by joining the school board on the finance subcommittee. Brendan is a consultant with Alvarez & Marsal, a New York City-based financial restructuring firm where he has worked since graduating from college. His firm has worked with several struggling school districts across the country to solve financial issues, including Detroit Public Schools and most recently the Diocese of Rockville Centre in Long Island, NY, the sixth largest diocese in the US. Brendan’s skills include project management and budgeting, and hopes to put them to use for St. Laurentius.
In his free time, Brendan enjoys writing and playing music, and is excited for when Holy Name can hold the St. Patrick’s Day banquet again post-Covid.
Megan Gallagher Thomson is the Director of Development for LaSalle Academy, a North Philadelphia school dedicated to educating children in grades 3-8 whose life opportunities are limited by financial, academic, or social challenges and whose parents/guardians desire, but cannot afford a Catholic education. Megan holds a BA in Political Science from Fordham University, a MEd in Urban Education and Policy from Temple University, and a certificate in development from the University of Pennsylvania. She serves on the Holy Name Parish Finance Council, the Shissler Rec Advisory Council, and the Friends of LaSalle Academy Board. Three of her four daughters currently attend St. Laurentius School.
Jim White is President of J. J. White Incorporated and is the fourth generation to be involved with his family’s Philadelphia based Construction Company. Jim’s great-grandfather, James J. White, Sr., started JJ White Incorporated in 1920. The company has been building ever since and has never lost a client in 98 years, due to dissatisfaction.
Although originally founded as a mechanical contractor JJ White has functioned for the last several decades as a Construction Manager, General, Mechanical, and Electrical Contractor, and provides HVAC/Maintenance Service, API Tank Construction & Repair and Exchanger/Extraction Services. Over four generations, each presided over by a succeeding generation of the White family, the company services the pharmaceutical, healthcare, institutional hospitals and universities, electronics, defense, chemical/process and power/utility industries in nineteen states, Canada and the US Virgin Islands.
Jim is a graduate of Malvern Prep and the University of Notre Dame.
Doreen Thompson
Julia Trogele
Scott Burns
