Roche Center Team

Melodie is the Executive Director of the Roche Center for Catholic Education and faculty member for the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College. Prior to coming to Boston College, Melodie served as an assistant professor and academic director of the Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program for the Alliance for Catholic Education at the University of Notre Dame. She also has served as president of Nativity Jesuit Academy in Milwaukee, WI and director of mission effectiveness for the NativityMiguel Network of Schools in Washington, DC. Melodie's current research and scholarship focuses on urban Catholic education, system-level leadership, effective governance practices, character formation across networks of schools, and the intersection of immigration and education. Her published work includes Cultivating Talent: Examining Pathways to Increase the Presence of Hispanic Teachers and Leaders in Catholic Schools (2022), Seven Steps to Strategic Planning for Catholic School Leaders (2020), and Responding to the Call for Educational Justice: Transformative Catholic-Led Initiatives in Urban Education (2018). Melodie has a doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and master's degrees in educational administration from Marquette University and education from Mount Mary College.

Prior to joining the Roche Center, Jeremy was a teacher and leader at a college prep high school in Lexington, MA for nearly 20 years, where along with teaching, he helped lead and coach new & experienced teachers. Jeremy received his Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction from the Lynch School of Education & Human Development at Boston College. Throughout his time studying at Boston College, he worked at the Roche Center as a research fellow and is excited to now be a full team member.

Prior to joining the Roche Center in 2018 as a fiscal and operations administrator, Ana served as a fiscal and events specialist for Boston College's Center for Centers, where she coordinated events and managed the financial aspects of the department. Ana earned a master's degree in leadership and administration from the Woods College of Advancing Studies at Boston College in 2017.

Prior to joining the Roche Center, Belen served as an Instructional Coach for the Dual Language Immersion Network in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. As an Instructional Coach, she supported teachers and schools in creating system structures to improve biliteracy and thematic instruction. Belen is passionate about Catholic education and her teaching experience and expertise stems from over ten years of service within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Additionally, she has served as a reading intervention specialist, teacher coach through FACTS Ed., and is well-versed in language acquisition strategies. She received her bachelor's degree in English, master's degree in Elementary Education, and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from Loyola Marymount University.

Chris returns to Boston College, where he previously spent six years working in Career Services and University Advancement. Prior to joining the Roche Center, Chris worked at the Healey Education Foundation implementing new Catholic school governance structures in the Archdiocese of Boston and leading comprehensive assessments of Catholic elementary schools around the country. Through Healey, Chris successfully coached more than 80 school and board leaders on governance and board management best practices, while helping develop strong operating principles aligned with church teaching and on the ground needs of schools. Chris has nearly 15 years of direct service work with Catholic schools, including 4 years as a senior administrator leading fundraising efforts and alumni engagement at a Catholic high school and 3 years serving as vice chair of the board for a Catholic high school in Boston. Chris earned his MA in Education Administration, his MA in Pastoral Ministry and his BA in Human Development and Philosophy, all from Boston College.

Molly joined the Roche Center in 2021, drawing upon her work as an elementary school teacher, middle school teacher, teacher-leader, clinical supervisor, assistant principal, and principal.  She now serves as Director of Leadership Programs for the Roche Center for Catholic Education, directing the Catholic Leadership Cohort (CLC) Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Leadership and Policy degree program, and supporting all leadership programs and initiatives at the Center. In her recent role as principal for nine years in the Chelmsford Public Schools in Massachusetts, she was instrumental in facilitating Social Emotional Learning (SEL) effectively across all elementary schools. Further, she helped to research, build, and implement a Social-Emotional Behavioral Therapeutic Program for the district. Molly completed her doctorate in Educational Leadership at Boston College, where she also served as a clinical supervisor of student teachers while completing her degree and an administrative internship in the Boston Public Schools. Her dissertation was in urban parent engagement. Her passions include the impact of leadership on school communities and the importance of holistic education for positive school climate and overall well-being of students. Her published work includes The Playbook for Whole-Child Education in US Catholic Schools (2024). She serves as an adjunct professor in the Lynch School of Education and Human Development for several educational leadership courses.

Angela Mitchell is the Director of Leadership Formation - Ireland. Angela holds a Bachelor of Education degree from Trinity College Dublin and a Master's in Educational Leadership from the University of Notre Dame. She has also studied Christian Leadership and Spirituality at the postgraduate level in Ireland at the Milltown Institute and the Mario Institute of Education. She is an experienced teacher and school leader with expertise in instructional leadership, leading for mission, and adult formation. Angela previously held the role of Director of ACE Ireland. Angela is currently a member of the board of directors for the Catholic Education Partnership in Ireland.

Michael joined the Roche Center in 2021 drawing upon his previous work as a middle school educator, instructional coach, professional learning consultant, teacher educator, researcher, and policymaker across Catholic and public education settings. Most recently, he was the Coordinator of Educator Pipelines, Preparation, and Certification with the Rhode Island Department of Education. He has experience with multiple programs in the University Consortium for Catholic Education (UCCE), including as a Teaching Fellow with the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) at the University of Notre Dame, the founding Assistant Director of Programs with the Alliance for Catholic Education at Saint Joseph's University (ACESJU), an Instructional Coach with the Urban Catholic Teacher Corps (UCTC) at Boston College, and the Director of the Providence Alliance for Catholic Teachers (PACT) at Providence College. Michael earned his doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Language, Literacy, and Culture from the Lynch School at Boston College. He is a Coyle Research Fellow with the University of Notre Dame's Center for Literacy Education and pursues research interests in contemporary issues in Catholic education, educator collaboration, professional learning and development, and writing and literacies. His published work includes Collaborative Professionalism:  When Teaching Together Means Learning for All, co-authored with Dr. Andy Hargreaves (2018).

Prior to joining the Roche Center, John served as executive director of Operational Vitality for the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA), where he oversaw the organization's programs related to communications, marketing, budgeting and finance, technology management, and digital learning and discipleship. He also served as the assistant superintendent for academic excellence and budget supervision for the 32 Catholic schools in the state of South Carolina. John has a doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership from the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California.

Elena comes to Boston College from Eastern Connecticut University, where she was an assistant professor and director of the online bilingual education program. Throughout her 20-year career as an educator, Elena has served as supervisor of ESL, World Languages, and Dual Language Programs in New Rochelle, NY, and West Hartford, CT; as a board member for Upper-West Success Academy in NYC; and as a board member of New York's Brilla Prep Schools, a charter school network with a Catholic approach. Elena has a master’s degree in Supervision and Administration of Schools and Districts from Hunter College, CUNY; a master’s degree in Theological Studies from the University of Dallas; and a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Bilingual and Multicultural Education from the University of Connecticut.

Lou is Superintendent of Schools and Secretary of Education for the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware. Before assuming this role in 2012, he served as assistant superintendent in the diocese, and also as director of curriculum PreK-12 and professional development for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. He has served as principal and teacher for several Catholic schools in Pennsylvania and as a professor at Neumann University and Chestnut Hill College. In every role, Lou sees his ministry in Catholic education as both an invitation and gift as he journeys with others and encounters Jesus Christ. Lou has a doctorate in educational leadership from Immaculata University.

Dr. Melanie Palmisano has extensive service to Catholic schools as a teacher and administrator on the elementary, middle, high school levels as well as the university undergraduate and doctoral levels. She recently retired from the Diocese of Baton Rouge after thirteen years in service as Superintendent of Schools and currently provides leadership coaching and school improvement consulting through Inspir-ED Consulting, LLC specializing in the areas of resilient leadership and school improvement. Dr. Mel earned a Doctorate in Education Leadership from the University of San Francisco, a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of New Orleans, and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Secondary Education from Loyola University of the South. Her publications include articles for NCEA’s Momentum and The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools on accreditation and school improvement. Dr. Mel has provided presentations and workshops to schools, districts, and professional organizations on a wide variety of topics with the goal of providing support for educational improvement. Dr. Mel’s focus is to bring joy to the work of Catholic schools, and she is especially happy to share the journey as a coach to graduate students at Boston College.

Ms. Lytia Reese currently serves the ministry of Catholic education in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh as Superintendent of Schools, where she leads 28 Catholic early childhood, elementary and high schools. A product of Catholic schools K-college, Ms. Reese received her Bachelor of Science in Economics and Finance from Christian Brothers University and received her Master of Arts in Instructional and Curriculum Leadership from the University of Memphis. She has dedicated her vocation in education to serving under-resourced students and embodied the tradition of her Dominican roots by modeling her instruction and leadership around the four pillars of Dominican education: preaching; prayer; study; and community. A teacher for over 15 years, she spent much of her career serving students attending Title I schools. In 2012, she began her appointment as Principal in Jubilee schools in the Diocese of Memphis, which students who would not have been able to afford a Catholic education without significant financial assistance. She continued her service to under-resourced students in the Diocese of Galveston-Houston as the Assistant Superintendent of Urban Achievement. There, she oversaw and supported 13 schools whose primary mission was to serve students who could not afford a Catholic education. Prior to becoming an educator, Ms. Reese worked in the financial sector as a manager at The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Memphis Branch. She discovered her love of teaching through her involvement with Junior Achievement where she taught financial literacy to middle-schoolers.

Patrick is the Executive Director of the Xaverian Brothers Sponsored Schools, a network of 13 schools in Maryland, New York, Connecticut, Kentucky, and Massachusetts. A liaison between the Xaverian Brothers and the schools’ leadership teams and boards, he assists schools in animating the mission of a Xaverian education while promoting strong governance at the board level. Previously, he served the Archdiocese of Omaha for 15 years as a K-8 principal, a high school president, and Superintendent of Schools. In his role as superintendent, Patrick restructured the staffing of the Catholic School Office and was a key team member in the Archdiocese’s Ignite the Faith Capital Campaign which raised $53 million for various needs throughout the archdiocese. The newly developed leadership team strategically invested a significant portion of these funds in Catholic education, leading to the highest Catholic school system enrollment gain in the country in the years following the program investments. Patrick has also held leadership roles in private, non-denominational schools in Maryland and Massachusetts. He earned his bachelors from the College of the Holy Cross, a master’s in educational administration from Harvard University, and his doctorate degree from Creighton University.

Flannery joins the Roche Center as an Instructional Leadership Coach in the Empowering Educators: Teacher Leadership Academy. She is excited to build off of her prior experience as a Founding Director of Admissions, Teacher, Instructional Coach, and most recently Principal of Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School to now support and coach teacher-leaders in Cristo Rey Schools across the country. As a school leader, she focused on building highly effective teams, adopting the Internal Coherence Framework to create the conditions for continuous improvement in schools. Her passion for education started as an undergraduate student at Boston College, developed as a member of the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) at the University of Notre Dame, and led her to earn a Doctorate in Educational Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania in 2019. 

Carrie Fuller is the Managing Director of School Networks in the Department of Catholic Schools, Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Previously, she served eight years as principal of All Souls World Language Catholic School, the only two strand (Mandarin-English, Spanish-English) dual language Catholic school in the nation. Dr. Fuller came to All Souls from Boston College where she served as an Instructional Coach with the Urban Catholic Teacher Corps (UCTC), researched successful school leadership and Catholic school sustainability, as well as assisted with professional development for principals and teachers through the Roche Center for Catholic Education. A Florida native, Dr. Fuller is proud of her Nicaraguan/Cuban heritage, has lived and traveled in Latin America, and is always looking to improve her Spanish. In addition to ensuring the needs of language learners are prioritized, Dr. Fuller is a fierce advocate of inclusive schooling as well as the centrality of arts education. She has taught all levels of education—from first grade to graduate school. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame, a Master of Divinity from Harvard University, and her PhD in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on Education Leadership from Boston College.

Having served as a bilingual classroom teacher, reading specialist, consultant and educational researcher, Gloria has extensive experience in developing dual language curriculum. She has her own consulting firm, which provides professional development workshops to school teams and helps districts develop their literacy and dual language programs. Gloria earned a doctorate from the University of Southern California and holds a master's of education degree in language and literacy from Harvard University with a reading specialist credential focused on second language acquisition.

Dr. McGilvray-Rivet is the recently retired principal of Barbieri Elementary School in Framingham, Massachusetts. In 1990, Barbieri opened one of the first Two-Way Bilingual programs in the state. Prior to serving as the principal, she served as the Director of Bilingual and Sheltered English Programs at the district level. Her 43-year career in public education in Massachusetts also includes serving as an elementary principal in Topsfield and as Bilingual Program Coordinator and Elementary Spanish Bilingual Teacher in Lawrence, MA. Her primary interests are in supporting Two-Way Immersion teachers and leaders and in family involvement. Dr. McGilvray-Rivet has bachelor's degrees in elementary education and Spanish from Wittenberg University, and she completed her master's and doctoral degrees at Boston University.

Leticia Oseguera is the Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of San Diego. Previously, she was the principal of Mater Dei Juan Diego Academy in San Diego, where she joined the faculty in 2017. She has 19 years of bilingual education experience, five years as the principal of the only Catholic school in San Diego with a dual language program and 14 years of teaching experience at the high school level in public and Catholic schools. A product of bilingual education herself, Leticia migrated with her family from Michoacán, México to the United States as an 8-year-old, and is committed to educating the next generation of bilingual, faith-filled global leaders. She has a master's degree in educational leadership and administration from St. Thomas University, a master's degree in education with an emphasis on second language acquisition from Claremont Graduate University, and a bachelor's degree in Spanish literature from the University of California, San Diego. As a life-long learner, Leticia recently completed a Certificate in School Management and Leadership from Harvard.

Fr. Gilbert is a Catholic priest from Nigeria. Before his studies in the United States, he served as a teacher, principal, and member of the Nsukka Catholic Education Commission in his native country. His research interests include educational change and policy, Catholic education, the tutorial relationship model, and formative / meaning-making education. In partnership with the Roche Center, Fr. Gilbert organized the Catholic Educators’ Conference in Nigeria and investigated the practice of the tutorial relationship model in Mexico and Chile with the Womenhoven grant. He has master's degrees in Educational Leadership and Curriculum and Instruction from Boston College and a bachelor's degree in Philosophy and Theology from Pontifical Urban University, Rome.

Aashna Khurana is a doctoral student in Curriculum and Instruction, specializing in Educational Leadership, at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development. Her research focuses on evaluating systems-level reforms that advance the inclusion of learners with disabilities. She is currently contributing to the Center for Research on the Superintendency & District Governance, where she supports the third volume of the Research Series on the Superintendency and the Center’s statewide analyses of superintendent and school board decision-making processes. A special educator by training, Aashna previously served as a research associate at ASER Centre, Pratham Education Foundation, where she helped develop the Assessment for All (AfA) Tool to ensure the inclusion of children with special needs in large-scale assessments in India. In Boston, she is one of the lead researchers on the Boston Public Schools Inclusion Initiative, aimed at reforming inclusive education services. Her scholarly interests span inclusive education, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), leadership for school improvement, and the evaluation of systems reform. She has also been named a Jackson Scholar, joining a national network of graduate students of color preparing for leadership and professorship in educational leadership.

Eric serves as the interim director of the Tang Institute at Phillips Academy Andover, as well as the director of partnerships. In addition to his work with the Institute and external engagement work on behalf of the Academy, Eric leads the school’s Leadership Development Program and helps design and develop global and experiential education programming. Prior to joining the Institute, he led a range of initiatives at the World Economic Forum as the associate director of the Young Global Leaders community and participated in the Forum’s Global Leadership Fellows program. Previously, he worked with the Inter-American Development Bank as a social sector research fellow and served as a teacher of religion at Notre Dame Catholic High School (Fairfield, CT). He was a Fulbright Scholar in Montevideo, Uruguay, where he carried out research on regional economic integration and education policy in South America. Eric earned a bachelor’s degree in international studies from Fairfield University and a master’s degree in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. His interests revolve around whole person formation for social impact, global citizenship, and meaningful community engagement.

Katie Ward is a Ph.D. student in Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher Education at Michigan State University and Program Coordinator of the American Indian Catholic Schools Network Teaching Fellows program at Holy Cross College. Her research focuses on religion and education in the United States, examining teachers’ religious and spiritual identities and meaning-making, culturally sustaining pedagogy in Catholic schools, and movements of ethnoreligious nationalisms impacting US education. She has served as a Catholic school educator and holds a Master of Theological Studies degree from the Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry and a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Education degree from the University of Notre Dame.

Victoria is a Master’s candidate for a MA Theology & Ministry/ Master’s of Social Work (MSW) dual degree. She received her BS in Molecular & Cellular Biology / BA in Spanish from Johns Hopkins University and has worked full-time in public health research and epidemiology for five years. Most recently, Victoria completed a year of ministry with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, where she provided case management and spiritual support group services for seniors, the unhoused, traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors, and survivors of intimate partner violence through a Catholic, community based hospital. Victoria’s research interests focus on adapting Ignatian spirituality for use in mental health care, particularly to address adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and trauma throughout the lifespan.

J Elizabeth is a Master's candidate for a MA Theology and Ministry / Master's of Social Work dual degree. She is from the Boston area and received her BA in Political Science and History from Fordham University. After graduating, she completed a year of service in San Antonio, Texas, through the Jesuit Volunteer Corps where she worked as a legal aide to immigration lawyers serving women seeking asylum on the southern border. Most recently, J Elizabeth lived in Spain for a year teaching English in a secondary school. She is interested in women's theology, prison ministry, and the utilization of Catholic values in public policy and organizing for a more just society.

Sean is a Master’s candidate for the Master of Divinity degree and Resident Minister for undergraduates at Boston College. Sean hails from Dublin, Ireland, and received his BA in Applied Psychology & Human Development from the Lynch School of Education at Boston College in 2017. Since then, Sean has since worked in Jesuit ministries in Belize, England, Ireland, and the US – training as a secondary teacher in Religious Education at King’s College London, and serving as a retreat facilitator for the Irish Province of the Society of Jesus. Sean’s latest role before returning to full-time studies was as chaplain at Our Lady’s School, Dublin; his interests include sport, education, spirituality, music, and helping people to connect with faith through nature.

Eric is an undergraduate senior at Boston College in the Carroll School of Management. He is pursuing his bachelor’s degree in Management with concentrations in Finance and Operations Management as well as a major in History. In addition to his academic pursuits, Eric is involved in the Boston College Investment Club, BC Bigs, History Club, and Midwest Society. After attending Regis High School in New York City, Eric continued his Jesuit education at Boston College. He greatly values the Jesuit motto of being a person for others, and he believes that his Jesuit education has shaped him into the person he is today. He hopes to leverage his skills and experiences to support the Roche Center's administration of the Executive Leadership Academy and Board Development Institute.

Teddy is an undergraduate senior at Boston College in the Carroll School of Management. He is pursuing his bachelor’s degree in Management with a concentration in Business Analytics and International Studies with a concentration in Political Economy and Development Studies. In addition to his academic pursuits, Teddy is involved with Freshmen League, 4Boston, BC Bigs, and Sports Analytics Club. Having attended Boston College High School and now Boston College, Teddy has found the Jesuit aspect of his education to be important in shaping him into who he is. He hopes to use this Catholic foundation to guide him at the Roche Center as he supports outreach, communication, and marketing efforts.