Fr. Spencer Howe is one of the co-founders of the Roccasecca Project and is currently serving as the Vice Chairman of the board. Fr. Howe is a 2009 graduate of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, where he majored in Philosophy, Catholic Studies and Classical Languages while in formation at St. John Vianney College Seminary. From 2009-2014 he was in residence at the Pontifical North American College in Rome where he completed an S.T.B. at the Gregorian University and an S.T.L. with a focus in Church History and Ecclesiology at the Lateran University. He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul & Minneapolis in 2013 and since 2017 has been serving at Holy Cross Catholic Church in NE Minneapolis. Among his assignments since his return from Rome was a part-time chaplain role within the Habiger Institute for Catholic Leadership of the Center for Catholic Studies. He enjoys spending time on campus and is grateful to stay engaged in the life of his Alma Mater.
Bill LeMire is the Chairman of the Roccasecca Advisory Committee. Bill is a 1985 graduate of the University of St. Thomas. He has a law degree from William Mitchell College of Law (1989), and he has a Master’s Degree in Catholic Studies from the University of St. Thomas (2012). After a long and successful career as a trial attorney, Bill currently works as the director of advancement for The Laboure Society. This national, Catholic nonprofit organization works to rescue Catholic vocation aspirants from the burden of student loan debt which prevents them from entering seminaries, convents and monasteries nationwide.
Kari Younes is the president of the Roccasecca Project. She is a 2008 graduate from the University of St. Thomas with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Studies Secondary Education, with a concentration in Psychology. She earned her Certificate in Professional Project Management within the Opus College of Business in 2015. Since her time as an undergraduate, Kari has worked and volunteered in various roles in Catholic education and parish ministry. She lives in Plymouth, Minnesota with her husband Mike and their three young children.
DAN CLARK SERVES AS THE BOARD SECRETARY FOR THE ROCCASECCA PROJECT. HE IS A 1985 GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS WITH A BACHELOR OF ARTS IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS. COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED DON BRIEL'S INTRO TO THEOLOGY COURSE DURING HIS FIRST YEAR AT ST. THOMAS, FOUR YEARS OF DIVISION 3 FOOTBALL (SPLIT 2-2 WITH THE JOHNNIES), A SEMESTER LEARNING GERMAN IN AUSTRIA AND MEETING MANY DEAR FRIENDS, MOST IMPORTANTLY HIS WIFE! AFTER A FULBRIGHT TEACHING SCHOLARSHIP IN GERMANY, DAN BEGAN A CAREER IN SALES AND EARNED AN MBA AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY'S KELLOGG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT. HE CURRENTLY IS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AT THE ABIS GROUP, A MARKET INTELLIGENCE FIRM FOCUSED ON THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR THAT IS HEADQUARTERED IN EVANSTON, IL. HE AND HIS WIFE, GAYLE, ARE BLESSED WITH THREE ADULT CHILDREN.
Matt Slattery is the Treasurer of the Roccasecca Project. He is a 2011 graduate from St. Thomas University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and Catholic Studies. He currently works at Lifecore Biomedical, leading Regulatory Affairs and Product Support.
Joan Mellor is a Board Member of the Roccasecca Project. She is a 1986 graduate of the University of St. Thomas, where she studied International Business and French. Her professional experience includes roles as the Director of External Affairs at Allina Health EMS and Sr. Portfolio Lead at the Medtronic Foundation, where she led philanthropic projects for 18 years in the US and globally. She currently consults for non-profits and small businesses in healthcare with a focus on grants and project management. Joan completed the St. Paul Seminary’s Catechetical Institute Pillars program in 2019, and also currently works as a parttime Pastoral Minister at the Church of St. Michael in Stillwater, Minnesota where she lives with her husband Jim. She and Jim have three grown sons.
“Our history flows from friendship and a common love for our Alma Mater. It is a story still in the making, as we gather alumni from all walks of life to stand together to nurture the goodness, beauty and truth of Catholicism at the University of St. Thomas.”