Governance

Ursuline Sisters of the Central Province

The Ursuline Sisters, as represented by the Provincial Team of the Central Province, serve as Sponsor and Corporate Member, and hold ultimate responsibility for the governance of Ursuline Academy. It is, however, governance which they delegate to the Board of Trustees of Ursuline Academy.

Board of Trustees

2024-2025 Board of Trustees:

Deb Tallo, Chair

Merry Kweiter '89, Vice Chair

Sheila Effan '95, Secretary

Cara Wigmore Graff '11, Chair of Advancement

Diane Grimsley '88, Chair of Buildings and Grounds

Chris Lawhorn, Chair of Membership

Tim Leon, Chair of Fiance

Emilie Baker
Tonia Burke
Annmarie Cobb '08
Craig Hingle
Tony Kennedy
Beth Letscher '94
Sr. Chabanel Mathison, OSU
Mark Michalski, PhD
Michelle Miller Goodwin '09
Karen Mortillaro
Peggy Slater

How to Get Involved

We are excited to begin recruiting Board members who will begin their terms at the beginning of the 2024/25 school year. Our goal as a Board is to be reflective of our community and offer solid partnership to the Academy’s administration in setting overall direction, maintaining proper governance and raising funds. We invite all members of the Ursuline Academy community to nominate themselves or others who have the time and expertise to provide leadership as committee members or members of the Board of Trustees.

We’ve included all of the information we think would be helpful below. If you would like additional information, please contact Peggy Slater at pslater@ursulinestl.org.

Thank you for your interest. We look forward to hearing from you!
-- The Membership Committee

Board of Trustees

Board members are recruited during the early months of the spring semester for three-year terms that begin the following September. The Board of Trustees meets 5-6 times per year on Thursday evenings. The Board is supported by the President of Ursuline Academy.

Criteria for serving as a member of the Board of Trustees are as follows:

Faith filled person whose values align with the Ursuline and Catholic tradition
Proven history of financial support to Ursuline Academy
Employment and/or education background with skills that would assist the Board
Ability and willingness to attend the majority of Board meetings (5-6 per year, Thursday evenings)
Ability and willingness to serve a three-year term
An ability to donate or raise a meaningful amount for Ursuline each year
At least one year of service on an Ursuline Committee (may be waived for 24/25 candidates)
Will not have a current student at Ursuline during board term

Committees of the Board

Those serving on Committees of the Board may be identified and begin serving at any time of the year. Committee members are invited to serve based upon their expertise related to the work of the committee. Committees meet on varied schedules, depending upon the work to be done.

All committees are supported by a member of the Senior Administrative Team.

The current committees of the Ursuline Academy Board of Trustees are:

• Building and Grounds Committee (B&G)

The B&G Committee collaborates with Academy leadership on matters pertaining to the maintenance, repair, and renovation of existing buildings, capital construction and care of the grounds. We rely upon this group, who have experience in real estate, construction, project management and facilities maintenance to identify strategies for providing the best possible educational environment. In 22/23, they have focused on long term planning for a new HVAC system as well as other, shorter term needs.

• Development Committee

The Development Committee advises the Board of Trustees on matters pertaining to fund-raising, communications and marketing. Members collaborate to establish goals for all fund-raising events/programs and make recommendations to the Board of Trustees concerning its role in accomplishing these goals. 22/23 was a big year for this committee as it undertook the work of positioning Ursuline Academy to conduct a successful capital campaign over the next five years.

• Finance Committee

The Finance Committee advises the Board of Trustees on matters pertaining to the financial position of Ursuline Academy. They review monthly financial statements and regular investment performance reports; conduct a careful review of the annual operating budget prior to making a recommendation to the Board for its approval; and together with the Director of Finance and Operations, serve as primary contact with the audit firm and investment portfolio manager. The impact of this committee has been significant in 22/23 for its implementation of updated investment and endowment policies, allowing Ursuline to budget and plan more effectively for long term financial stability.

• Mission Integration Committee

The Mission Integration Committee assures that Academy activities, curriculum and community life reflect its stated mission and advises the Board of Trustees on matters pertaining to Ursuline sponsorship, including completion of the Ursuline Identity Assessment. Those with experience in educational, mission-related and global interests can make a significant contribution to this committee that focuses on “what makes Ursuline Ursuline.” Among other topics, this committee is currently reviewing the Graduate Profile and longitudinal data from the Cultural Competency Assessment.

• Membership Committee

The Membership Committee maintains a roster of qualified, mission-focused individuals to serve as members of the Board of Trustees. Activity includes: recruiting candidates for the Board and its committees, recommending a slate of officers and new members to the Board and Ursuline Sisters each spring, and conducting New Board Member Orientation and the annual Board Evaluation. During the 22/23 school year, the Membership Committee implemented a more structured process and guided the implementation of an user-friendly online nomination process.

Be a part of Ursuline Academy's Board of Trustees

We invite all members of the Ursuline community to nominate themselves or others who have the time and expertise to provide leadership as committee members or members of the Board.

Submit Board/Committee Nominations Here