Ministry Formation Foundations of Catholic Healthcare Leadership

Bruce Compton is senior director of global health for the Catholic Health Association of the United States. He is based in the association's St. Louis office. Mr. Compton is responsible for assisting and supporting CHA-member organizations in their outreach activities in low-and-middle income countries. His duties include facilitating collaboration among CHA-member organizations and others, seeking to enhance the impact of international ministries. Additionally, he is responsible for education regarding international outreach issues and encouraging CHA members' participation in various activities of international ministry.Mr. Compton lived in Haiti from 2000 to 2002, and he continued to work in support of health missions in the developing world after he returned to the U.S. He did so in his capacity as founding president and chief executive of Springfield, Ill.–based Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach, a ministry organization bringing surplus medical supplies from Midwest hospitals to medical missions in the developing world.Contact

Brian M. Kane is senior director of ethics for the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA). Dr. Kane serves as a resource for CHA members, including theologians, ethicists and executives within the ministry, as well as CHA staff and other individuals and groups with shared interests.He is responsible for developing programs and materials on clinical and organizational ethics and assisting in promoting Church relations between the ministry and individual bishops, as well as the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). He is editor of Health Care Ethics USA and writes a regular column for Health Progress.Prior to joining CHA in September 2019, Dr. Kane was dean of the division of liberal arts and social sciences, and director of international academic affairs at DeSales University, Center Valley, Penn.In his role at DeSales, Dr. Kane managed the academic programs of one of five divisions, and was responsible for negotiating, assessing and maintaining the academic international partnerships of the university. He was also legal representative to Italy and the Vatican and served as representative to the Salesian communities in Arusha, Tanzania; Bangalore, India; and Guwahati, India.In addition, he was consultant to the ethics program at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network, Allentown, Penn., where he conducted clinical ethical consults, advised on polices regarding bioethics, assisted with ethics education, and served on the Institutional Review Board (IRB).Dr. Kane writes and lectures on issues in bioethics, health care and Catholic moral teaching. Publications include The Blessing of Life: An Introduction to Catholic Bioethics (Rowman and Littlefield, 2011); and Just War and the Common Good: Jus ad Bellum Principles in Twentieth Century Papal Thought (Catholic Scholars Press, 1997). Articles include “Pacifism” for the Encyclopedia of Catholic Social Thought (Scarecrow Press, 2008); and, for the National Catholic News Service, “Patriotism” (January 2002), “Is Just War Impossible?” (November 2001), “Vacations and Spirituality” (August 2001), “New Catholic Marriage Traditions” (June 2001), and “GenX Catholics” (October 2000).Dr. Kane received his bachelor of arts degree in English literature, peace studies and religious studies from Manhattan College (1983); his master of theological studies degree in social ethics from Boston University (1985); and his doctorate in Catholic moral theology from Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisc. (1994).Contact

Jill Fisk, MATM, is director of mission services for the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA). In her role based at CHA's St. Louis office, Ms. Fisk provides resources and facilitation to the Mission Services department, specifically in mission integration, spiritual care and well-being. Together with CHA's senior director of mission innovation and integration, she collaborates with CHA members to address key ministry priorities by convening and creating content to support ministry leaders in the areas of spiritual care, well-being, and workplace spirituality, integrating their work as mission.Prior to joining CHA, Ms. Fisk served Mercy Health Ministry in St. Louis as a mission and formation specialist. She holds a master's degree in theology and ministry from Fuller Theological Seminar, a certificate of spiritual direction from Aquinas Institute of Theology and a bachelor's degree in music education from Illinois Wesleyan University. She maintains a commitment to  offer whole-person care through spiritual direction, Christ-centered yoga classes and contemplative retreats.Contact

Nancy Zuech Lim is senior director, community benefit, with the Catholic Health Association of the United States. CHA is comprised of more than 600 Catholic hospitals and 1,600 long-term care and other health facilities in all 50 states. The Catholic health ministry is the largest group of nonprofit health care providers in the nation. Nancy provides strategic leadership for CHA’s efforts to advance nonprofit hospital community benefit, tax exemption, and related policy priorities while serving as a key resource to members, policymakers, and national partners. Nancy has a successful history in consensus building, program management and process improvement, advancing local, regional and national alignment and reliability of reporting measures. Prior to joining CHA, her experience included public accounting, clinical nursing, hospital quality, community benefit, and public policy.Nancy holds a Master of Public Health from the University of South Florida, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Ithaca College.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-zuech-lim-9a1b726/Contact

Dennis Gonzales, Ph.D., is senior director of mission innovation and integration at the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA). Based in CHA’s St. Louis office, Dr. Gonzales oversees the design and production of numerous CHA programs, meetings and member convenings in addition to the development of formation and mission resources for use across the Catholic health ministry.Most recently, he served as the regional vice president for mission integration at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System and The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio. Initially joining CHRISTUS Health in 2008 as a quality and performance improvement facilitator, he soon moved to director of the organizational development department, and then vice president for mission and spirituality at CHRISTUS St. Vincent Health System in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Dr. Gonzales is a graduate of the prestigious CHRISTUS Leadership & Ethics Academy, which recognizes and prepares promising leaders for the future of the Catholic health ministry.Prior to joining CHRISTUS Health, he served as associate dean for academics at a small, private university where courses in health care administration, computer technology, business and general education were offered. He has also served as a regional director and senior consultant for a multi-site medical case management company based in Southern California. A former De La Salle Christian Brother, he was a high school instructor of ethics, theology, church history, Christian and Hebrew Scriptures, government and economics.At CHA he authors bi-monthly columns for CHA’s journal, Health Progress, and is responsible for oversite of CHA’s Mission Leader Advisory Committee, as well as a variety of task forces, seminars and forums sponsored by CHA.He holds a doctoral degree in organizational development from the University of New Mexico; a master’s degree, earned Magna Cum Laude, from San Diego State University’s Department of Educational Technology, with an emphasis in organizational development; and a bachelor’s degree in political science and education, earned Magna Cum Laude, from Loyola University in New Orleans, with a minor in Spanish. Dr. Gonzales is certified in Conflict Management and Workplace Mediation and is fluent in Spanish.Contact

Sr. Teresa Maya, CCVI, Ph.D., serves as senior director, theology and sponsorship at the Catholic Health Association of the United States. Prior to joining CHA, she held the role of congregational leader for the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio from 2014 to 2022. From 2016 to 2019, she served as the president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious.She held leadership roles with CHRISTUS Health, fostering strong relationships between sponsors and governance leaders. Originally from Mexico, she joined the Sisters of Charity and took her vows in 1998. Prior to her leadership roles, she was a principal at the congregation's schools in Mexico.Sr. Teresa holds a doctor of philosophy in history from El Colegio de Mexico, a master of arts in systematic theology from the Graduate Theological Union, and a bachelor of arts from Yale University.As a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Sr. Teresa has extensive experience as a teacher, history professor, administrator, leader, facilitator, and speaker. She is committed to forming ministers who aim to transform both the Church and society. Passionate about lifelong learning and the future of consecrated life, Sr. Teresa has facilitated and consulted with various religious congregations.Contact

Sr. Mary Haddad, RSM, a member of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, is the 10th president and chief executive officer of the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA). She assumed this role in July 2019.Sr. Mary leads CHA's mission to support and advance the health ministry of the Catholic Church across the United States. The association represents the nation's largest group of nonprofit healthcare providers, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, and community health centers. She oversees operations in CHA's Washington, DC, and St. Louis offices.Working in collaboration with the CHA Board of Trustees, Sr. Mary guides the association's strategic direction and initiatives to assist member organizations in delivering high-quality, accessible care for people of all ages, races, faith traditions, and ethnic backgrounds. She also directs national advocacy efforts focused on protecting life, improving community health, addressing disparities and social determinants of health, strengthening Medicaid and Medicare, and advancing a just health system for all, particularly those who are poor and vulnerable.Sr. Mary has overall responsibility for CHA's programmatic and administrative areas, including advocacy, mission, sponsorship, ethics, community benefit, leadership development, ministry formation, international outreach, and engagement with bishops and Church leaders.She has served at CHA since 2009. Prior to becoming president and CEO, she was vice president of sponsorship and mission services (2016-2019), where she led initiatives in mission integration, ethics, leadership development, and formation. From 2009 to 2016, she served as senior director of sponsor services. She was instrumental in developing CHA's Sponsor Formation Program for Catholic Healthcare, preparing members of ministerial juridic persons for their canonical responsibilities.Earlier in her career, Sr. Mary served in congregational leadership for the Sisters of Mercy in St. Louis and held roles in healthcare, social services, and education, including international service in Belize and Trinidad and Tobago.Sr. Mary holds a Master of Business Administration in healthcare from the University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, Minn.) and a Master of Social Work from Saint Louis University. She earned a Bachelor of Science in education from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She is a member of Alpha Sigma Nu, the honor society of Jesuit colleges and universities.She has been awarded honorary doctoral degrees from Misericordia University and St. Louis University in recognition of her leadership and service in Catholic healthcare.Sr. Mary serves on several boards and advisory bodies, including the Coalition to Strengthen America's Healthcare. She is a consultant to the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and a member of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. She also serves on the advisory board for the Center for Theology and Ethics in Catholic Health.ResourcesSr. Mary Haddad's Biographical SketchSr. Mary Haddad Photo (Download hi-res image) 

Diarmuid Rooney, M.S.Psych., M.T.S., D.Soc.Admin. currently serves as vice president, sponsorship and mission services at the Catholic Health Association of the United States. In service to our members, Diarmuid provides leadership and oversight to the Mission Services department through coordination of Mission Integration, Leadership Formation, Theology and Ethics, Ministry Formation and Sponsorship, to promote a vision and understanding of Catholic health ministry as an essential ministry of the Catholic Church. Diarmuid serves as a spokesperson for CHA on Sponsorship and Mission issues, in conjunction with President/Chief Executive Officer, and maintaining effective relationships with other national organizations and CHA members. In addition, he serves as a member of the association’s core leadership group and senior management.Prior to joining CHA in 2018, Diarmuid served for eight years as vice president, formation and communication technology, at the Ministry Leadership Center in Sacramento, Calif. The Ministry Leadership Center was established in 2004 to expand and enrich executive health care leaders’ commitment to the Catholic tradition’s mission, vision and values. His key focus was co-designing and facilitating innovative leadership formation programs that transformed leaders personally and professionally, enabling them to deliver cultural transformation for their organizations. Previously, Diarmuid was regional director of mission formation for Providence St. Joseph Health & Services in Oregon (16,000 associates), where he provided organizational leadership for cultural transformation to sustain the work of the founders and ensure the presence of core values in all aspects of today’s ministry.During his active role in ministry since 1991, he worked with the Christian Brothers and was a Benedictine monk in Ireland. He trained as a clinical psychotherapist at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin. He co-founded and directed a community-based counseling and psychotherapy center, where he provided individual and group therapy, facilitation and organizational consultancy. He subsequently served as director for the Mercy Conference and Retreat Center in Burlingame, Calif., sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy.His professional experience includes cultural analysis, organizational development, clinical psychotherapy, retreat direction, pastoral counseling and program development specific to adult education. He holds master’s degrees in both theology, from the Jesuit School of Theology, Santa Clara University, and clinical psychotherapy, University College Dublin, School of Medicine. Diarmuid is particularly interested in how these disciplines impact the culture of spirituality in the workplace. He also holds degrees in business and social administration (University College Dublin); philosophy and politics (University College Dublin) and is a member of the Alpha Sigma Nu, The Honor Society of Jesuit Institutions of Higher Education.Contact

Nathaniel Blanton Hibner, Ph.D., is senior director of ethics for the Catholic Health Association of the United States. In this role, he provides research and suggested implementation of the church's moral tradition for CHA member organizations in areas of clinical and organizations ethics. Nathaniel creates educational and formational programming on moral theology and its relationship to current topics for the Catholic health ministry.Prior to joining CHA in 2017, Nathaniel earned his Ph.D. from the Albert Gnaegi Center for Health Care Ethics at Saint Louis University, where he researched organizational ethics, bioethics and Catholic health care ethics. He also taught an undergraduate course on Foundations in Health Care Ethics. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science and theology and a master's degree in theological studies from Boston College. He also has a master's degree in health care ethics from Saint Louis University.Contact

Indu Spugnardi serves as senior director of community health & eldercare at the Catholic Health Association.Contact