STAFF MEMBERS

Paul joined Sisters of Mary World Villages for Children in 2020, motivated by the tireless work of the Sisters of Mary and the inspiration provided by its founder, Fr. Al. Paul has over 20 years of experience working the in the nonprofit sector. He received his bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from the University of Colorado and his master’s in public administration from the University of Illinois. He has certificates in nonprofit management and is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE).

Paul enjoys running to no place in particular, following Colorado sports teams and spending time with his wife and four kiddos.

Janet Klotz has been working with World Villages for Children for over 25 years.

Janet provides support to our donors, our staff and our Board of Directors. From the very beginning, she developed a strong sense of devotion to the Sisters of Mary and their charity works. If you don’t believe us, just call her! In addition to answering donor questions, Janet enjoys gardening, reading, upcycling furniture, and spending time with her husband and two adult children.

“The Sisters of Mary represents so much of what I stand for as a person. Hope, mercy and compassion. I try to put these words into action every day.”

Ann Kee has been working with World Villages for Children for over 20 years. As a former teacher, she is proud to continue her work in the bettering of children’s lives.

Ann has held various roles in communications and donor relations throughout her career, and currently manages our day-to-day operations. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters.

“The Sisters of Mary work tirelessly to help thousands of children every year. For me, it’s so fulfilling to wake up every day and go to work knowing that in a small way, I’m helping them make the world a better place.”

Colleen Sullivan Opack fell in love with the work of the Sisters of Mary and World Villages for children when she was a young girl. She was fortunate to meet our founder, Venerable Fr. Aloysius Schwartz in her home as a young girl. While in college she was blessed to see the program in person when she visited Father Al, the children, and Sisters in Korea and the Philippines with her family. That trip changed her life. She hosted fundraisers with friends for the Sisters as a young adult. She always wanted to work for a cause so near and dear to her heart. She feels blessed to be part of this wonderful work that is changing lives and forming truly Catholic missionaries one child at a time.

Colleen has made several pilgrimages to see the work firsthand and can attest to the life changing opportunities that our students are receiving thanks to our generous donors. Prior to accepting this position, Colleen served as VP of an environmental, health, and safety training company. She enjoys working with the public and serving on the board of her family’s foundation for Catholic Charities. In her spare time, Colleen enjoys spending her free time with her husband, two college age children, and dogs.

After working as a sports writer, building contractor, and Catholic author, Kevin Wells left everything for World Villages after discovering the holy work of the Sisters of Mary. Wells was so moved by the stories of “Fr. Al” and witnessing firsthand the sisters’ round-the-clock work to nourish, house, catechize and care for 21,000-plus teens in seven different countries, he penned the acclaimed biography: Priest and Beggar: The Heroic Life of Venerable Aloysius Schwartz, published in 2021 by Ignatius Press. Kevin’s book became a best-seller and has been published in German.

As the Director of Public Relations, Kevin travels throughout the United States to share stories on the missionary work of Fr. Al and the Sisters of Mary, where he presents a series of talks to parishes and book clubs. He has served as a “content expert” for the EWTN series “They Might Be Saints,” featuring Fr. Al Schwartz, in collaboration with Michael O’Neill, The Miracle Hunter.

Kevin is a graduate of Loyola University, where his studies in creative writing and journalism led to a major daily newspaper job with the Tampa Tribune, where he covered the Tampa Bay Rays MLB team. Kevin has served as Vice President for a thriving three-generation family contracting business, one of the oldest-surviving masonry outfits on the mid-Atlantic seaboard.

“Fr. Al’s thankless and grinding work to salvage a devastated post-war Korea was as heroic as any work done in the history of the Church. The Sisters’ continuation of his work today – with some of the most bullied children in the world – is testimony to Fr. Al’s intercession and the resilience and holiness of perhaps the hardest-working community of religious sisters in the world.”

Christian joined the team in 2021 after many years of service at various other nonprofits.

Christy is honored to serve the Sisters of Mary and the 21,000 children in their care. She describes the schools as stepping into a little piece of Heaven and leaving with a heart full of gratitude and joy. The Sisters and the children are her inspiration at work every day.

She graduated from Catholic University and Johns Hopkins University, with degrees in Education and Instructional Design. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her husband and children, who bring her the most joy.