The Monarch Impact: Recent Episodes
Caitlin
After graduating from GMAHS in 2019, Danielle attended Montclair State University where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. Now, she is a professional dancer for Project Moshen Dance Company, a dance teacher at Institute of Dance Artistry, and she owns her own spray tan business, Golden Hour Mobile Spray Tanning.
Melva graduated from Gwynedd Mercy in 1977. While she was a student, she was on the Student Council, and was known for being a great leader. She later attended Saint Joseph’s University and Temple University School of Law. She went on to work as a lawyer for an Italian aircraft manufacturer, and eventually opened her own law firm. Today, the Gwynedd community is so lucky to have Melva’s support as the Chair of the Board of Trustees as well as her many other volunteer roles.
Over Meghan’s four years at Gwynedd, she was a member of CSC, Art Club, and Glee Club. She played on Gwynedd’s soccer team, was the co-senior editor for the Literary Magazine, and was an ambassador. After high school, Meghan attended NYU with an individualized course of study with Performance and Politics. Today, she is an actress and has acted in web series “Katie and Sean” and has appeared on “Late Show with David Letterman.”
Alex graduated from Gwynedd in 2010. During her time at the academy, she was the President of GMA TV and Ambassadors. After graduating from Gwynedd, she went to Drexel University in Philadelphia, where she got her Bachelor of Science Degree in Film and Video Production. Since college, she’s been involved in the sports world, working for the Philadelphia Phillies Phantasy Camp, MLB Advanced Media, NFL Films, Philadelphia Eagles, and ESPN where she is currently a Feature Producer.
Jenna Gelenberg graduated from Gwynedd in 2011. During her time at the academy, she was actively involved in the performing arts, also taking on leadership roles in Glee Club and Diversity Club. After graduating high school, she attended New York University’s prestigious Tisch School of Arts and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Film and Television. Today, she works as a casting director and has worked on titles such as National Treasure, The Prom, Fire Country, and more.
Sr. Cathe Shoulberg graduated from Gwynedd in 1965. She earned an undergraduate degree in Education from Gwynedd Mercy University and a master’s degree in Education from Arcadia University. For 15 years, she taught as a first grade teacher in various parish schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Diocese of Camden. Also, she was the principal at St. Helena’s for 30 years. Since September 2019, Sr. Cathe has started a new ministry: Supervisor of Student Teachers at Gwynedd Mercy University.
Cindy Antoni Conaway graduated from Gwynedd in 1971 and graduated with Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from Chestnut Hill College. Cindy returned to Gwynedd as a science teacher and taught at her alma mater for 45 years. Over her career, Cindy has been the recipient of multiple awards for excellence in education. Cindy was also awarded Margaret Beirn Barger ’35 Distinguished Alumna Award for Service to the School.
Kim Dunphy Scott graduated from Gwynedd in 1984 and went on to attend Moravian University where she graduated in 1988 with a Bachelor's of Science in Business Administration and Management. She returned to Gwynedd in 2003 and now works as the Director of Enrollment Management.
Alex McMackin is a member of the class of 2010 at Gwynedd Mercy Academy. While at Gwynedd, she served as a Gwynedd Ambassador and was involved with the field hockey team. She earned her undergraduate degree in Marketing and Communications from the School of Communications at American University. She worked for Philly’s B101.1 Radio as the Promotions Coordinator and Director of Promotions. Alex was also a marketing communications specialist for Comcast. She volunteers for Project by Project, a leadership development organization that empowers the Asian American community and plays the role of the event manager. Now, she is a campaign manager for Paramount.
Alicia Jones, D.O. ’87 has been an inspiration since her days at Gwynedd, where she served as student council president and was involved with the track team. She received her undergraduate degree in biology at American University and continued her studies at Columbia University and University of Pittsburgh. She attended the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and earned a fellowship in geriatric medicine, focusing on disparities in heath care in minority populations. She attended the Executive Leadership Program for global healthcare leaders at Harvard University. Dr. Jones currently works as the Chief Medical Innovation Officer at Vitus Consulting Group in Washington DC. She also serves on the Alumnae Association Board and the Board of Trustees at Gwynedd.
Lisa Madonna '02 has been passionate about the arts since she was a student at Gwynedd. She was president of the Art Club and a dedicated member of stage crew. Lisa earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fine Arts at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. She now works as a stylist and costume designer in Los Angeles where she has styled popular artists such as The Weeknd, One Republic, Olivia Rodrigo, Imagine Dragons, and more.
Dr. Meghan Bishop, Class of '03 at Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School, excelled in cross country and track. She graduated summa cum laude in biology from the College of William and Mary. Meghan pursued Medicine at The George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, becoming a board-certified sports medicine surgeon at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute in South Jersey. Passionate about athletics, she actively supports Back on My Feet, addressing homelessness through running. Meghan also serves on the Students Run Philly Style Board of Directors, concentrating on empowering women in orthopedics.
Marlena Ventresca Parker ’86 was appointed to the U.S. Air Force Academy following her graduation from GMA. Colonel Retired Parker served in the U.S. Air Force for 26 years. She served active duty and participated in air-refueling missions over the Persian Gulf. Marlena began her next chapter as a commercial airline pilot for United Airlines in 1999, but returned to active duty in the U.S. Air Force shortly after the September 11th attacks. Marlena retired from the U.S. Air Force in April 2020. Marlena was awarded the Trocaire Leadership award for Government & Legal service this fall.
Kathleen Roeder, M.D. ‘60 was a driving force to the Gwynedd’s Alumnae Association and her contributions of time and wisdom have aided in the school's growth. Her daughter, Amy Roeder Wolfe ‘92, and her granddaughter, Charlotte Wolfe ‘25, have followed in her footsteps as Gwynedd girls. All are a part of their family legacy at GMA and each represents a different generation of graduates. Together, they share their unique perspectives on the school’s traditions, values, mercy spirit, activities, and changes.
Anna Skoien Lall '02 graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a bachelor's degree in classics and later earned her master's degree in education from Boston College. Anna worked in public relations agencies in Philadelphia, New York, and Boston. While at Gwynedd, Anna was the Student Council President, and both the Founder and President of the Latin club. She was a member of the Board of Trustees and was President of the Alumnae Association. Anna is a member of the Leadership Advisory Council and still sits on the Alumnae Board.
Lieutenant Commander Thornton graduated from Gwynedd in 2003 and attended the U.S. Coast Guard Academy where she received her undergraduate degree and commission in 2007. She earned her first Master's degree from Pennsylvania State University in 2017. She is currently enrolled in an Advanced Education program sponsored by the Coast Guard to earn a Master's of Science in Environmental Science and Policy. She has served in Law Enforcement, Search and Rescue, Incident Management roles, and worked with federal space program partners to help modernize Coast Guard support of U.S. space operations. She is a qualified Type 2 Incident Commander and Type 1 Operations Section Chief under the National Incident Management System.
Corinne O'Connell '93 is the Chief Executive Officer at Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia. After her time at Gwynedd, she attended Saint Joseph's University and received her master's degree in Nonprofit Leadership. Corinne worked with the nonprofit organizations Project HOME and the YWCA of Seattle before making her way to Habitat for Humanity in 2009. Corinne was an awardee for the Valentine Leadership Fund in 2017. This fund recognized Corinne for her consistentwork as a female nonprofit leader.
Sunny Timbo White '01 is the founder and CEO of the women-owned healthcare marketing agency Xavier Creative House. She completed two MBAs at Saint Joseph's University's Haub School of Business: International Business (2009) and Pharmaceutical & Healthcare Marketing (2022).She created a fellowship and mentorship program for aspiring entrepreneurs in college. In 2020, Sunny won the Philadelphia Business Journal's 40Under40 award. She was also named a 2022 Titan 100. Sunny was this year's commencement speaker.
Jeanne Jourdan graduated from Gwynedd in 1957 and attended college as a history major. After an 11-year hiatus to raise her 5 daughters, Jeanne returned to college to pursue her law degree at the University of Notre Dame Law School. Jeanne was a trailblazer for women in the legal profession. She was both the first female public defender and the first female Superior Court judge in St. Joseph’s County, Michigan. Jeanne continues to help teach the next generation of attorneys.
Erin Reckner '14 is a clinical researcher at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Center for Autism Resarch. Erin graduated summa cum laude from The Catholic University of America with her B.S. in Psychology and Brain Science. She obtained her M.S. in Clinical Neuroscience from the University College London. She has wokred as an undergraduate research assistant at the University of California Center for Autism Research and Translation, as well as an honorary contract researcher for the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London. Erin will be pursuing her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at George Washington University this fall.
Kathy Kirk Bellwoar '81 is a partner at SIA Partners and the former Founder and President of PPT Consulting. Kathy has managed numerous strategic technology projects, including software selection and implementation, establishing IT strategy, and optimizing business processes. She has been the Chair of the GMAHS Board of Trustees since 2016.
Maisha Palmer Kelly '95 was an accomplished student athlete at Gwynedd and was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2014. She received a BA in History from St. Joseph’s University and earned an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, leading her to earn her Master’s in Sport and Recreation Administration from Temple University. Maisha has been an Academic Counselor for Student Athletes at Vanderbilt University, and the Senior Associate Director of Athletics at Bucknell University. She is also the first Black woman to hold a Director of Athletics position at a Philadelphia Division 1 university.
Kristin graduated from GMA in 2000 and is currently a partner and director of social media at Kane Partners. She started the nonprofit The Kellan Ford Foundation in rememberance of her son Kellan Ford to raise awareness and support for childhood cancer. She serves on the board of the Leadership Committee at Gwynedd. Kristin won the 2022 Margaret Beirn Barger '35 Distinguished Alumna Award for Service to the School.
Kelley Malott DeConciliis '99 has 20 years of experience as a trusted advisor on couter-bioterrorism, exfiltrations, expeditionary medicince, health IT, emergency preparedness, and disaster response experience within internationl and government sectors. As an "exfiltration expert" operating within the Intelligence Community, Kelley led multiple operations to get families, allies of the U.S., and young female students out of Afghanistan.
Diane Dewhirst '75 has over 30 yearas of experience in national legislative policy. She served in the office of Speaker Nancy Pelosi for more than 15 years and most recently as her chief of staff. Diane served as a liaison to the House Democractic Women's Caucus. .She has served as an independent consultant for the Smithsonian, Children's Defense Fund, Center for Budget Policy and Priorities, and the Alliance for Justice. Diane now serves as Senior Deputy Chair for the National Endowment for the Arts.
Dr. Maura McLaughlin '90 attended Penn State University and received her bachelor of science degree in astronomy and astrophysics. In 2001, she received her doctorate in astronomy and space sciences from Cornell University. She is a distinguished professor of physics and astronomy at West Virginia University. Dr. McLaughlin served as chair and co-director of the NANOGrav Physics Frontiers Center. She has been awarded the AlfredPEace Sloan Fellowship Research Cottrell Scholar Award and named a fellow fo the American Physical Society for the outstanding work in in the physical sciences.
Sally McKenney '03 is a baker, blogger, cookbook author, and food photographer. Her personal blog, "Sally's Baking Recipes," strives to teach others not just what to bake, but how to bake. Her work has been featured in People Magazine, on Good Morning America, and in popular online media including Buzzfeed and HuffPost.
Dera Lee '97 is the founder and CEO of Dera Lee Productions, an award-winning event planning and design agency centered in Brooklyn, NY. She attended NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and went on to perform on stages across the country where she discovered that the magic of a show actually comes from behind the scenes. This inspired her to work with many of the top event planning companies, eventually opening her own firm in 2015.
Brooke Morris-Chott, MPS '01 is an Advocacy and EDI (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) Program Officer for Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures, a division of the American Library Association. She has written articles on EDI in non-profit and for-profit management for Association Forum's FORUM Magazine and is a member of the Association Forum Content Working Group and the ASAE. Learn more about Brooke by tuning into the Monarch Impact!
Katherin Sibel '11 is currently a candidate for a Master of Science in Community Planning at Columbia University. She majored in International and Environmental Studies at American University where she worked on the "Divestment from Fossil Fuels" student campaign and zero waste initiatives to help her campus reach carbon neutrality. She also has completed research on air quality, waste, and environmental science.
Denise Corkery Marbach '72 is the current president of Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School. She worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers accounting firm for 38 years and was the first female partner in the firm's history. When GMAHS began their search for a new school president, Denise's deep love for the school and the connection to the community made her the perfect candidate.
Carlin Cassidy '13 is a quality engineer and founder of the food sensory program at Cargill Cocoa and Chocolate, Inc. She has worked as a product developer across multiple food categories such as cakes, cheesecakes, and frostings. Tune in to learn more about Carlin and her sweet success!
Allison Zaucha '10 is a photojournalist who works on a range of stories. Her work mostly focuses on social justice issues for clients such as the New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal.
Sheila is the Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital and Boston Children’s Health Physicians in Westchester County, New York.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sheila has been in charge of infection control at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital (MFCH) and at more than 60 outpatient practice locations for Boston Children’s Health Physicians (BCHP). She was responsible for establishing guidelines to ensure the safety of her physicians, staff, and patients so that they could continue to provide and receive necessary care during the pandemic.
Sheila was also a frontline care provider, herself, and was responsible for coordinating a multispecialty collaborative team who created guidelines to identify and treat children with the new COVID related multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). In May 2021, Sheila was recognized as one of Westchester County’s Healthcare Heroes.
Gwynedd Alumna Mary Ott '75 joined the US Agency for International Development as a Foreign Service economist in 1984 and retired as a Career Minister in 2016. She spent the early years of her career traveling around Central America and the Caribbean as an economist, undertaking analyses of macroeconomic trends and overseeing programs to support economic policy reforms.