Friday, September 8, 2023 - 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
Workshop Block 3

3.1  Examining Frederic Ozanam’s Family Life – Ralph Middlecamp

Insights into his relationship with his parents, brothers, wife, and daughter.

Ralph Middlecamp
National Council President

In 2017 Ralph Middlecamp was elected as National Council President of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Ralph serves on the Society’s Council General International Board of Directors as Vice President for Solidarity and Special Projects. He is the chair of the Council General International Statutes Commission, as well as serving on the International Commission on Historical Investigation.

He has served on National Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s Store Committee and Communication Committee and is on the presenting team of the Society’s national leadership renewal program, Invitation for Renewal. He is a member of the St. Thomas Aquinas Conference in Madison, Wisconsin.

Ralph served as the executive director and CEO of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul for the District Council of Madison from 1999 until his retirement July 31, 2017. Ralph is married to Dr. Cathy Hurt Middlecamp, emeritus professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Nelson Institute of Environmental Studies.  They reside in Fitchburg, WI.  Their son, John Middlecamp, died of leukemia in 1997.

3.2  A New Beginning – Tim Williams

Wars, epidemics, social unrest – as it was in the beginning of our Society and the Vincentian Family, so it is now. As we continue to walk slowly out of the pandemic and its aftermath, with what seems like constant turmoil surrounding us, let us begin again in our Conferences and Councils, inspired by the example of our founders, and by the timeless beauty of our Vocation!

Tim Williams
National Director of Formation
National Council, SVdP

Timothy P. Williams is the National Formation Director for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in the United States. He a former senior executive in the software industry, where he also was a highly regarded speaker and writer, and he commanded Armor and Infantry units as an Officer in the United States Army. Before joining the Society’s staff full-time in 2020, he served as a Conference, District Council, and Diocesan Council officer, led Formation for the Society in North Texas, and served as a member of the National Formation Committee. In addition to his work with the Society, Tim served for three years as Chairman of the Board of Directors for a national veterans organization (USABOT), and as an appointed member of the Charter School Review Committee for the Texas State Board of Education.

Tim has presented on Vincentian Spirituality, Formation, and Heritage at numerous Diocesan, Regional, and National Assemblies, and his writing has been published in the Vincentian Heritage Journal. He has a degree in history from Marquette University, Certificates in Catholic Theology and in Sacred Scripture from the Augustine Institute, and is currently completing a Masters of Theology in Vincentian Studies at the University of Deusto in Bilbao, Spain. Most importantly, he and his wife, as long-time members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, have made many hundreds of home visits, serving Christ in the person of the poor.

3.3  Presented in Spanish: Español: Estándares de Excelencia (Standards of Excellence) - Aldo Barletta, Sylvia Gonzalez, & Lalo Rodela

Cómo crecer y revitalizar nuestras Conferencias usando los Estándares de Excelencia como guía.

Aldo Barletta 
Diversity Chair
North Sound District Council

Aldo was born in Barranquilla, Colombia, and he came to the United States in 1991. He finished his degree in Electrical Engineering in 1995, and since then, he works for a company that designs automation controls for industrial machinery. At St. Mary's Parish in Marysville, WA, he is in charge of the website and he is a presenter at the Hispanic Charismatic prayer group. Married to Everlides, he has two children: Aldo and Mario. Aldo started by attending an Ozanam Orientation in 2012 and he is currently the Spiritual Advisor of the Conference at St Mary’s parish. He is a Formator, and the representative of the Western Region for the Hispanic-Latino Task Force national committee. Also, he is the Diversity Chair at the North Sound District Council, as well as at the Seattle Archdiocesan Council.

Sylvia Gonzalez
District Council President
South San Fernando District Council

Sylvia is the District President for the South San Fernando District Council, as well as a member of the Board for the Los Angeles Council, and Formator Lead for the Western Region.

Lalo Rodela
Task Force Representative
South Central Region

Lalo is Co-chair of this Task Force and the South-Central Region representative. The region includes the states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas. The president of our region is Ray Dupont.

I have been serving as a Vincentian for about seven years. I am the president of the Saint Raphael Conference. I was elected to the position last September after serving as treasurer for about four years. I am also a trained Spiritual Advisor and have served in that capacity in our Conference and our Council. I was the (volunteer) director of the SVDP thrift store for two and a half years. I am also a Formator for our council and the South-Central Region, as well as the lead for Spanish Ozanam Orientations in our region. I also serve with the Multi-Cultural and Diversity Committee, which oversees and supports this Task Force.

I am from El Paso, Texas, born and raised. I have three adult children, Andrés, Teresa and Alejandro. I also have three granddaughters, five-year-old Mia, three-year-old Emma, and one-year-old Charlotte. I am retired from the city of El Paso after serving 27 1/2 years with the fire department as a firefighter/EMT as well as working in administration. In this role, I was blessed to have had the opportunity to have had the opportunity to have worked on the Department’s first Strategic Plan and other critical documents leading to the Department’s International Certification. It is a pleasure to belong to the Hispanic/Latino Task Force and I am here to serve you in any way I can.

3.4  Hoarding: What It Means – Catherine Guilfoyle & Mike Syslo

The concern about hoarding is one that comes up on a regular basis.  The recently approved Governance paper on hoarding will be presented and explained.   The various concerns about types of funding received by Councils and Conferences will be addressed.   Time will be provided for comments, questions, and answers.

Catherine Casey Guilfoyle

Casey resides in Edgewood, Kentucky and began her membership in the Society in 2009. She has served in various leadership roles on the Conference and District levels. Casey retired from part-time practice as an attorney in 2019 where she was focused in the area of elder law. She retired so as to devote her time more fully to her family and her new role as a “Nana” and also begin her first term as the Council President of Northern Kentucky, Diocese of Covington. Casey became a member of the SVDP National Governance Committee in 2021. Contact: [email protected]. 

Mike Syslo
Governance Committee Liaison

Mike has been a member of St. Vincent de Paul since 1983. Starting as a Conference member at Good Shepherd in Garland, TX, he served as Conference Treasurer and Conference President. He also served as Vice-President of the Dallas District Council.  In 1984, he presented the first Ozanam School in Dallas (first in over 20 years). Mike has been putting on Ozanam Schools and other training sessions for SVdP since. Mike has been a member of several Conferences in six Councils: Dallas, TX; San Jose, CA; Santa Rosa, CA; Eureka, CA; Phoenix, AZ and St. Louis, MO. Employed by the Society in 1990, he served as Special Projects Coordinator, Vincentian Life Director, Volunteer Coordinator, Dining Room Manager, Executive Director, Director of Vincentian Support Services, Director of Operations, and Associate National Executive Director. Until his retirement on April 30, 2015, Mike served as Senior Director of Governance for the National Council Office.  

Mike has written extensively on topics concerning the Society. He has presented workshops at many National and Regional Meetings. Mike has also served on multiple National Committees.  He was a member of the task force which developed Serving in Hope, the Ozanam Orientation Trainers Guide, the Invitation for Renewal Leadership Retreat, the Vincentian Pathway, and is currently Chair of the National Governance Committee. Mike is Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Archdiocesan Council of Chicago. In addition, Mike serves on multiple committees in Chicago. 

3.5  Revitalization and Retention of Conferences and Members – Host: Jeanne Harper, Panelists: Michael Fleming, Cathy Garcia, Paula Migliore, & Susan Wiland

Have you experienced conferences who are dysfunctional or need some intervention? Do you have conferences with a dwindling number of members? Do you have conferences that have lost their Vincentian spirituality or friendship? We will share our revitalization experiences and we will ask participants to share what revitalization best practices they have developed.

Host: Jeanne Harper
Chair, National Growth & Revitalization Committee

Jeanne serves on the Society's National Board of Directors as the National Growth & Revitalization (formerly Extension) Liaison and the National Neighborhoods of Hope committees. As the Society's Getting Ahead lead trainer, Jeanne instructs program facilitators throughout the U.S., and is chair to the newly formed National Getting Ahead sub-committee. She continues to conduct weekly home visits and is active in her parish Conference. Apart from tirelessly serving St. Vincent de Paul, Jeanne is spiritual advisor for youth in local Mini Vinnies, Youth Vincentians and Young Vincentians Conference. A retired psychotherapist, Jeanne holds a Master's of Pastoral Studies in Family Ministry from Loyola University. She and her husband David have two children and four grandchildren. Contact: [email protected]

Panelist: Michael Fleming, EdD, SPHR

Dr. Fleming has been a Vincentian for over 20 years. During his time in Miami and Phoenix he has filled various roles with St. Vincent de Paul. In addition to being an active volunteer (he estimates that he has been on over 100 home visits!), in Florida he was a founder and President of a Conference for five years, and in Phoenix he was head of Human Resources and Vincent Support Service for the Phoenix Council for twelve years.

Michael has been a management consultant/coach and hospital executive for over 30 years. He is a graduate of Loyola University and the University of Chicago. He lived in Brazil for many years and speaks fluent Portuguese. He is married with four grown children.

Upon “official” retirement from his job with the Phoenix Council last year, he was given the assignment to research and create a report and recommendations on recruitment and retention of Vincentian volunteers – especially the next generation (ages 19 – 49). 

Panelist: Cathy Garcia
Disaster Services Corporation

Cathy Garcia joined the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in 1999, after seeing a bulletin insert of a meeting for SVDP. She called Father Lawrence Matula and inquired about SVDP and this meeting. Father had explained the assistance of home visits and that is all Cathy had to hear.  She wanted to join because her Grandparents Santiago and Catalina Saucedo would take her when she was a little girl to home visits with SVDP. Cathy has been a Conference President, VP, Secretary for St. Robert Bellarmine Conference.  Her mentor was Edwin Petering, who invited her to be his proxy to a Mid Year meeting in Washington DC. He asked her to the Annual meeting and used the excuse that he couldn’t sit for very long for the business meetings. Cathy was so honored to be of service and agreed. Cathy has been attending Annual meeting since 2003. She didn’t know that Edwin Petering was forming her in Servant Leadership. Cathy has been the Council President of the Diocese of Victoria in Texas and currently appointed to VP of the Council. Cathy has served on the National Level of SVDP USA as a National Council Member. She was appointed to the MCD Ad Hoc Committee and involved in the creation of the MCD Handbook under Past National President Joe Flanigan. She served as the National Chair of the Multi-Cultural Diversity Issues and Initiatives for 6 years under Past President Sheila Gilbert. She currently appointed by National President Ralph Middlecamp to serve on the National Extension Committee.  

She was hired by DSC SVDP USA to work the Project Comeback Texas as a DCM Supervisor serving Wharton, Jackson, Victoria, Aransas and Nueces counties, overseeing 12 DCMs. In August 1^st, Cathy will supervisor the extended DCMP serving 10 counties in the Diocese of Victoria. Cathy served in 2010 as a DCM supervisor after Hurricane Alex in the Diocese of Brownsville and in 2013 was hired on by SVDP Disaster to work the ODRP after the 2013 Tornados in Oklahoma, in addition, assisted with the Texas Bastrop fires.

Cathy is married to Felix T for 29 years, they have three daughters, Felicia, Sky and Cynthia, Cathy has one daughter Lynda and in additional have two stepchildren Felix C and Misty.  In addition to the family structure she has 17 grandchildren. Cathy enjoys involvement in her parish and serves as served for more than 34 years as a Catechist, Extra Ordinary Eucharist Minister, is a member of the Guadalupanas, CDA member and is serving on the Pastoral Council. 

Cathy was honored to be asked by Bishop Brendan Cahill to be serve on the Convocation Committee for the Diocese of Victoria. Cathy is also a member of the Hispanic Education Project, Elks, SPJST and serves on the El Campo City Wide Thanksgiving Dinner Committee as the home delivery coordinator for more than 15 years.  Contact: [email protected].

Panelist:  Paula Migliore
Director, Transitional Housing &
Vincentian Services Advisor

 Paula is the Director of Transitional Housing and the Vincentian Services Advisor with the Society and has been in this role for 5 years. She came to NY from PA to attend college and graduated from St. John’s University, Queens with a BA in English, a MS in Secondary Education and a MA in Theology -- this is where she was introduced to the Vincentian charism and is blessed to be back with the Vincentian family in the Diocese of Rockville Centre, Long Island. Paula oversees the transitional home run by SVDPLI that serves men who are re-entering society from prison. Paula participated in many mission trips with the Vincentian family and brings that love of the mission to her work with the Diversity Committee as well as the Voice of the Poor Committee. 

 Paula is blessed to live out her vocation surrounded by so many amazing Vincentian volunteers and her colleagues who continue to inspire her. Paula worked in Campus Ministry at St. John's, she worked as a case manager in a homeless shelter run by the Society in downtown LA on Skid Row, worked at a shelter for homeless shelter for women and children and formerly incarcerated women in BK/Queens and also serves in her own parish in Queens helping with RE and Faith Formation. Paula is blessed with 3 sisters and loves being an aunt to her 3 nieces and 2 nephews! Being a part of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul brings great hope & joy to Paula's faith life. Contact: [email protected].. 

Panelist:  Susan Wiland

Susan was born and raised in Houston, Texas, and moved to the Chicago area in 1972. She is married to Jerry and just celebrated 10 years of marriage. She is blessed with 3 beautiful children, and is stepmom to 3 additional, or the Brady Bunch as they call it. After she retired 7 years ago from Motorola, she committed herself to parish ministries, from a catechist, responsible for 40 hours of adoration scheduling and a main evangelizer for Light of the World national travel team. She also is a Salvation Army service extension volunteer for the Hampshire township. She has been an active Vincentian at St. Charles Borromeo for almost 8 years, serving 3 years as Co-President for the conference, and is now serving the Vincentians of the Rockford Diocese. Contact: [email protected].

3.6  Sharing Financial Resources across the Society – Joe Manogue

Does your local Conference or Council find itself blessed with a generous bequest or an unexpected financial windfall? Are you eager to harness these resources to support your fellow Vincentians?

In this engaging and informative session, we will explore a variety of opportunities within the larger Society. We will highlight how your contributions can help empower Vincentians in regions of critical need, both domestically and internationally.  By allocating extra funds to these areas, you can facilitate meaningful development and truly embody the spirit of Blessed Frédéric’s vision of a network of charity. By the end of this workshop, you will have a better understanding of how your local Conference or Council's generosity can make a transformative difference to Vincentians in need.

Joseph Manogue
National Foundation Board Chairman

Joseph M. Manogue is the Managing Director and Treasurer of Maverick Capital Ltd. There, he focuses on structuring, pricing, and documenting Maverick’s financing, foreign exchange, and derivative transactions. In addition, he has global asset/liability management responsibility for a balance sheet in excess of $14 billion and the daily management of global counterparty risk. Prior to joining Maverick in 2001, Mr. Manogue was the Credit and Finance Officer at Tiger Management L.L.C. Before joining Tiger, he was a Vice President in equity derivative sales, credit risk management, institutional sales, and securities operations at the Chase Manhattan Bank.

Joseph is a Knight of Malta, Chairman of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul National Foundation and serves on multiple Dallas non-profit boards. He currently serves as Treasurer of the Dallas Diocesan Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, President of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy of North Texas, member of the Dallas CASA Board and Dallas CASA Endowment Board, member of the Capital for Kids Board, member of the St. Vincent de Paul Dallas Thrift Stores Board, and Trustee of the Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas Foundation. He received his M.B.A. from New York University, a B.A. from Rutgers University, and is a graduate of St. Francis Xavier High School in New York City. He and his wife, Jeanne, have been married for 33 years and have two children – Tori, a graduate of Ursuline Academy of Dallas and Tufts University, and Michael, a graduate of Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

3.7  Step Up Housing Program (Panel) - Host: Jim Dodd; Panelists:  Tot Lipka, President & CEO, Step Up

Step Up and its development partners have a long history and demonstrated model of creating housing for homeless individuals by acquiring motels and converting them to permanent supportive housing (PSH). This model provides a pathway to faster, cheaper and more. PSH can be created much faster than traditional PSH development, at a lower cost and has the potential to scale.

Host: Jim Dodd
National Council Treasurer

Jim Dodd has been a Vincentian for over a decade and has served the Society in a number of leadership roles. Jim’s involvement with St. Vincent de Paul included volunteering weekly in the Becky and Ted Catino Choice Food Pantry at the Don and Phyllis Neyer Outreach Center in Cincinnati. In addition, he serves on a development committee and the Advisory Board for the Cincinnati District Council. He is an active member of the Christ the King Conference, and is past president of the Archdiocesan Central Council of Cincinnati. As a past member of the National Council, Jim served on several national committees.

Jim attended the Society’s leadership program, Invitation for Renewal, in December 2017. Jim is a member of the Board of Directors for the National Council of the United States, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and currently serves as the National Treasurer. He was recently appointed to the National Foundation’s Board of Directors. 

Jim is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and is a retired senior vice president of Fifth Third Bank. Prior to Fifth Third, he spent 25 years with Bank of Oklahoma in Tulsa, leading the Trust Division during his last 12 years there. Jim has extensive nonprofit experience, having served on the Boards of the University of Tulsa, Tulsa Opera, Philbrook Museum of Art, and Holland Hall School. Additional Board service, while in Evansville, Indiana for 11 years, included the Evansville Museum and the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra. After moving to Cincinnati, he also served as a Board member of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Jim is married to Elizabeth and has three sons and six grandchildren.

Panelist: Tod Lipka 
President & CEO of Step Up 

Tod Lipka holds an M.P.A. degree and an M.S. from USC. With forty years in managing nonprofits, Mr. Lipka is a seasoned executive. He has been President and CEO of Step Up since 2001. In that time, Step Up has increased exponentially in its breadth of service operation and expanded from one supportive housing project to over twentyfive projects. Step Up started services originally in Los Angeles and now provides services throughout California including Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and Monterey Counties as well as the states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. Step Up is nationally recognized as a leading mental health and housing provider to those who are chronically homeless. Step Up was an early adopter of the housing first model and Step Up’s work on motel conversion models was part of the genesis of California’s innovative Homekey Model. Called one of the best service providers in the country, Step Up boasts a 98% retention rate of those who are housed. Lipka is a member of the Clinton Global Initiative and Step Up’s work was recognized and endorsed personally by President Clinton in 2010 and 2013 as well as recognition by the late Kobe Bryant and the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation. Lipka oversees all aspects of the Step Up entity which includes permanent supportive housing, mental health services and property management to nearly 5,000 people in five states, most of which serve individuals with serious mental health conditions and experiencing chronic homelessness. As an innovator and thought leader, Lipka educates and advocates directly on behalf of the individuals Step Up serves through sharing powerful personal stories from the field, increasing awareness and sharing best practices in the area of mental health, chronic homelessness, and permanent supportive housing.

Philip Mangano
President & CEO
American Round Table to Abolish Homelessness

Philip F. Mangano was appointed by President George W. Bush as Executive Director of the White House United States Interagency Council on Homelessness in 2002. Mangano coordinated national strategy to prevent and end homelessness, serving under President Bush and in the early Obama Administration (2002-2009). The nation’s first documented decreases in homelessness were achieved, including a 37% decrease in street/chronic homelessness and a 17% overall decrease (2005-2009). Mr. Mangano travelled more than one million miles in his federal role, delivered over 1,000 speeches, and established an unprecedented national partnership of 20 Federal agencies, 53 Governors of States and Territories, and over 1,500 Mayors and County Executives partnered in over 350 local jurisdictional Ten-Year Plans to End Homelessness. New public and private sector collaborations were established, including with the U.S. Conference of Mayors, National League of Cities, National Association of Counties, and National Governors Association.    

As President and CEO of the American Round Table to Abolish Homelessness, Mr. Mangano is currently implementing a national strategy to disseminate the HomeKey motel conversion strategy that he was instrumental in creating in California. Mangano began his work in homelessness in the 1980s in his native Boston, starting as a full-time volunteer on the breadline at St. Anthony Shrine. He received the 2011 Saint Francis of Assisi Award from the Knights of Saint Francis of Assisi at La Porziuncola Nuovo, National Shrine of Saint Francis, San Francisco. He has received awards and honors from numerous public and private sector entities, including the U.S. Conference of Mayors, TIME magazine, and the International Downtown Association. 

Friday, September 8, 2023 - 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Workshop Block 4

4.1  The Society – Where It all started – Ray Sickinger

This workshop will explore the history of the Society in the US from its 1845 inception in St. Louis to the present.  The formation of the first conference, its early leaders, the rapid expansion of the Society, and the eventual formation of a National Council are just some of the topics to be presented.  Knowing where we have come from helps to situate us in the present and prepare for the future.

Ray Sickinger 
Leadership Task Force Chair

Ray has been an active member of the Society since 1985. In the past, he has served as a conference president, council president, and Regional Vice President for the Northeast Region. He is currently a member of the National Board of Directors as a Liaison for Formation, chairs the Leadership Task Force, and has produced materials and videos for the formation of the Society's members and leaders. A member of the Providence College ordinary faculty since September of 1974, Ray has served in a variety of administrative and teaching positions. Formerly an Assistant Dean, Ray is currently Professor of History and Public and Community Service Studies. He was appointed Director of the Feinstein Institute on July 1, 2003, and served until June 30, 2012. He was Chair of the Department of Public and Community Service Studies from 2006-2012 and Chair of the Department of History and Classics from 2015-2019. His research interests in history have revolved around the impact of faith and service in the case of Frederic Ozanam spanning to the Nazi Era in German History, the connection of superstition and folklore in popular culture. Along with multiple speaking engagements representing the Society around the country, primarily focused on Frederic Ozanam, Ray has also authored many papers, writings, and books. Most recent, in 2018, his book, Antoine Frederic Ozanam, received first prize for best biography from the National Catholic Press Association.

4.2  The Transformational Journey of Merging – Host: Jeanne Harper, Panelist: Tom Matoushek

Has your Bishop ordered the merging or clustering of parishes? Have you formed together to figure out how to merge SVdP Conferences based on the Bishop's directions? With this type of Diocesan move have come some very interesting and challenging issues: Closings, disillusions, naming, financials, IRS, and other SVdP governance issues, etc. We will share how programs have created tools to assist parishes that were being reduced and impactful on their conferences. Join us for stories and discussions of shared experiences.

Host: Jeanne Harper
Chair
National Growth & Revitalization Committee

Jeanne serves on the Society's National Board of Directors as the National Growth & Revitalization (formerly Extension) Liaison and the National Neighborhoods of Hope committees. As the Society's Getting Ahead lead trainer, Jeanne instructs program facilitators throughout the U.S., and is chair to the newly formed National Getting Ahead sub-committee. She continues to conduct weekly home visits and is active in her parish Conference. Apart from tirelessly serving St. Vincent de Paul, Jeanne is spiritual advisor for youth in local Mini Vinnies, Youth Vincentians and Young Vincentians Conference. A retired psychotherapist, Jeanne holds a Master's of Pastoral Studies in Family Ministry from Loyola University. She and her husband David have two children and four grandchildren. Contact: [email protected]

Panelist: Tom Matoushek
Growth & Revitalization,
Archdiocesan Council of St. Louis

Tom currently serves as Manager, Growth and Revitalization for the Archdiocesan Council of St. Louis. Prior to that, he facilitated the rollout of a popular Conference data base to the 138 Conferences in the St. Louis Council. Tom has close to 30 years of experience in the Biopharmaceutical/Pharmaceutical industry in manufacturing, engineering, and project management capacities. He has been active in his parishes including Parish Council, chair of committees, lector, concession stand worker, fried chicken runner and many other activities. 

Tom has been blessed with a wonderful wife of almost 40 years, four great children and four adorable grandchildren. Contact: [email protected]. 

4.3  Continuum of Care: Homeless to Permanent Housing in 30 days – Joe Sabatino

That is the goal of the 389 Continuum of Care (COC) in the U.S. Learn more about Housing Firs, 211, Coordinated Entry, Landlord Engagement Services (LES) programs that your local COC implement for housing homeless population in your community through grant funding from HUD and VA.

New bricks and mortar housing is not always the most cost effective or quick solution. Rather working with your local COC and full time LES manager we are able to work to identify existing housing stock to achieve our ultimate goal of getting chronically homeless families, individuals and Veterans as quickly as possible.

Our Housing Task Force COC workshop will discuss how your Council/Conference can become a stakeholder in developing permanent housing solutions for your local community. The only long-term answer to homelessness.

Joe Sabatino 
National Housing Task Force Chair

Joe Sabatino has held a variety of leadership roles in his time with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, where he currently serves as Chair of the Society’s National Housing Task Force. 

At the local level, he serves on the Board for SVdP Cares in St. Petersburg, and is a past Diocesan President for the Venice, Florida Council. In addition, he previously served as a Past District Council President for Charlotte County, Florida.

Sabatino was the first president of the St. Vincent District Council of Charlotte County and led three successful District-wide fundraising efforts for the Society’s Friends of the Poor^® Walk. Sabatino also represents the Diocese of Venice, Florida on the St. Vincent de Paul National Council. He is a member of the Sacred Heart Conference of St. Vincent de Paul in Punta Gorda. 

A retired Exxon Mobil executive and Vietnam veteran, he has been active in the Punta Gorda community, serving as president of the Burnt Store Isles Association and chairman of the city’s Utility Advisory Board. 

4.4  As the demographics around our communities change, how do we stay true to our Vincentian Heritage – Pam Matamabanadzo & Pura Santangelo

This workshop explores how we can preserve our Vincentian Heritage as we strive to make room for new friends.

Pamela Matambanadzo
Liaison for Diversity
National Council, SVdP

Pamela Matambanadzo currently serves on the National Board and chairs the Multicultural Diversity Committee, which oversees the African American Task Force (AATF) and Hispanic Latino Task Force (HLTF). She served as chair of AATF prior to taking on leadership of the MCD. Pam is also member of the National Finance Committee as well as National Voice of the Poor Committee as co-chair of the North Central region VOP. Pamela is on the board of The Pope Francis Center Chicago (PFC), a special works of District IV, SVdP Chicago servicing people in District IV to help people transition out of poverty – Systemic Change. Her experience as a wealth management advisor allows the center to offer financial counseling. The Center prides itself in its ability to collaborate with other organizations in being need-centered to fully provide services for disenfranchised communities in Chicago. Pamela is responsible for the day to day operations and programs for the center.

Pamela has been a dedicated Vincentian since 2001 when she joined her conference at her home parish, St. Mary of the Lake in Chicago, where she is Conference President. Also serving on the parish council as well as being a Lector.

Pura Santangelo
Member
Archdiocese Galveston-Houston

Pura Santangelo was born and raised in Falcon, Venezuela. Her Catholic education includes the Salesians Academy for Girls and Catholic College Preparatory. After graduating from high school, Pura enrolled in the English as a second language program at the University of Houston Central Campus. After completing the program, she pursued a degree in the Hilton School of Hotel and Restaurant Management. Prior to joining he Society, Pura worked in the hospitality industry for 17 years specializing in event planning. 

In July 2004, she started volunteering at the Society's Central Office answering incoming calls to our helpline. Pura was hired three months later as a Vincentian Services support staff. She worked her way up to Director of Vincentian Services. Pura is responsible for overseeing programs that promote greater spiritual growth, encourage greater unity and solidarity, and strengthens relationships within our Parishes, Conferences, and Districts.

4.5  Starting a Voice of the Poor (VOP) Committee: The Importance of Vincentian Advocacy – (Panel) Host: Jack Murphy, Panelists: Bobby Kinkela, Mary Kreienkamp, Bernie Sammons, & Mary (Corky) Thompson

Learn how Vincentians are building strong advocacy programs in their communities.

Jack Murphy
Voice of the Poor Committee Chair
National Council, SVdP

Jack Murphy has more than 20 years of working for and with Fortune 500 companies in operations, human resources, training, and quality areas. Jack was a senior adjunct professor for Quality & Operations Management at Keller Graduate School for 14 years. Currently, he is in the Investor Relations area of the Metro Atlanta Chamber.  He serves on both the National and Georgia Boards of The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, responsible for Diversity, Advocacy, & Systemic Change. He chairs the North Fulton Poverty Task Force. Jack received a BA in psychology from Belmont Abbey College and a MEd. from the UNC-Greensboro. Jack and his wife Nancy, a retired elementary school principal, have two grown daughters and two grandchildren. They live in Alpharetta, GA.

Bobby Kinkela
Voice of the Poor, Mideast Chair

Bobby has been the Chair for the Voice of the Poor Committee in the Mideast Region since 2018, and Spiritual Advisor for his Conference since 2012. Bobby became a Vincentian in 2007. Bobby received his Masters in Theology from Ohio Dominican University. He taught high school theology at Detroit and Chicago High Schools, and was the Director of Religious Education at St. Ann’s in Augusta, MI. Bobby has been married for 17 years and has 3 children.

Mary Kreienkamp V
Voice of the Poor
Archdiocesan Council of St. Louis

Mary Kreienkamp is Co-Chair of the Voice of the Poor Committee, Archdiocesan Council of St. Louis. Through Vincentian engagement and in collaboration with other organizations guided by Catholic Social Teaching, the Committee advocates for legislation and policies that empower our Neighbors in Need. For example, the Committee successfully advocated for Medicaid Expansion and Benefits Cliff legislation in Missouri and spearheaded the launch of an alternative lending and financial coaching pilot program. Mary has been a Vincentian for twenty-four years and is currently her Conference Vice President and District Secretary. She is also a member of the Archdiocese of St. Louis Peace and Justice Commission and a Board member of Birthright Counseling, St. Louis. A recently retired IT systems engineer, Mary’s pride and joy are her six nieces and nephews.

Mary (Corky) Thompson
Voice of the Poor, Midwest Chair

Corky Thompson has been a Vincentian since 2006 when she and fellow parishioners at our Lady of Loreto Catholic Church in Aurora, Colorado started its conference. She has served as treasurer and vice president and is currently an associate member of the Denver Metro Board.  In 2018, after attending the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering where she learned about Voice of the Poor, she worked with fellow Vincentians to form a local committee. She now serves as the Midwest representative to National Voice of the Poor. She believes that fighting for systemic change and finding the root causes of poverty are essential to her life as a Vincentian.

4.6  Home Visits: The Heart of Our Vocation  - James Davis

“Let us go to the poor!” declared Blessed Frédéric. In the tradition of our patron, Frédéric taught us to see each visit as an encounter with, and an opportunity to imitate, Jesus Christ. Deepen your understanding of the Vincentian encounter – on the Home Visit, in the food pantry, or on the street.

James Davis
Spiritual Advisor
South Central Region

James Davis is a registered nurse who held a variety of staff and leadership positions in the Vincentian Health Care ministry at Ascension/Seton Family of Hospitals in Austin, Texas. He is a member of the National Formation Team and has worked with teams to develop Spiritual Advisor Training, Home Visit Training and now Vincentian Discernment and Consensus. James is a member of the St. Austin’s Parish Saint Vincent de Paul Society Conference in Austin Texas and serves as the Conference Spiritual Advisor. He also serves as the Spiritual Advisor for the Diocesan Council of Austin Texas as well as the South Central Region. His passion is the integration of Vincentian Spirituality into all aspects of Conference and Council Life.