Fr. Aaron Laskiewicz
Ex Officio Member

I am blessed to have been raised in a Catholic family.  Ever since childhood, going to church, saying my prayers, and being a good Christian were very important.  I was also blessed to have so many good examples in my life of how to live our call to holiness.  This was really meaningful to me as I discovered my desire to become a priest.  In fact, I wanted to become a priest ever since first grade.  Since then, it has been all I have ever known.

 My family and friends have been supportive along with my home parish, St. John Paul II, on Milwaukee’s south side.  One of the most influential figures in bolstering my faith, is my home parish pastor, Fr. Mike Ignaszak, who has been and still is, a great friend and mentor.  Over the years of my formation, I have learned a lot about myself, and God, but one of the best things has been realizing more and more how active God is in my daily life.

Email: LaskiewiczA@stmaryhc.org

Clem Budny
Trustee

Clem has been a member of the parish since 1975.  He is married and the father of three children, all of whom attended and graduated from St. Mary grade school.  Clem is a Lector, a member of the Finance Committee, a participant in the Renew program, and, along with his wife Joyce, has facilitated pre-marital reviews for engaged couples.  With a background of having been a corporate lawyer for thirty-five years, he now serves as a Trustee for the parish.

E-Mail: cbudny@synap-sys.com

Tammy DuBois
Trustee

Tammy has been a member of St. Mary Catholic Faith Community since 1997.  She currently serves as the Vice President of Operations and Chief Financial Officer for the Sojourner Family Peace Center. 

Tammy is an alumnus of both Carroll College, now University, and Marquette University.  She holds a Certification in Leadership Coaching from Cardinal Stritch, as well as a Transition to Executive Management Certification from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Tammy has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1994. 

Tammy is a Eucharistic Minister, a member of the Parish Finance Committee Pastoral Council, participated on the Debt Reduction Committee, and currently serves as the Parish Trustee-Treasurer. 

Tammy lives in Muskego with her husband, Craig, and two daughters, Sophie and Emily.  She enjoys traveling, hiking, reading, listening to music, cooking, walking her dogs, and spending time with family and friends. 

Jim Podewils
Chairperson

 Jim is a lifelong member of St. Mary Catholic Faith Community.  He is married to Sadie and they have one adult child, Angela.  Jim also has had the privilege of serving as Director of Administrative Services for the parish from October 2013 to May 2017.  He served as Parish Trustee during the mid-1980s.

Currently Jim has been active in our Haiti ministry as well as a co-leader of a small group.  He and Sadie also served as chair of the Rides during the Parish festival for ten-plus years.

He is grateful for the positive impact the community has made on his life and prays that he can contribute in furthering the Lord’s work here at St. Mary.

Email: jim.podewils@gmail.com

Maureen Riemer
Vice Chairperson

Maureen has been a parish member since moving to Hales Corners in 1991.  She is married to Scott and together they adopted their three daughters; Lexi, Lana, and Daniella, who are now teenagers.  They feel blessed to have been picked by God to adopt their daughters.

Maureen feels fortunate to have attended Catholic and Christian schools her whole life, starting at St. Alexander on the south side, then St. Mary’s Academy for high school, and graduating from Lakeland College for her business degree.  She grew up in a house where family members always volunteered through church, school, and fraternal groups.

She remembers starting to lector in 5th grade for school Masses.  She continues to enjoy helping whenever and however needed.  In the past, Maureen and her husband worked with engaged couples through the marriage enrichment program.  She is currently a Lector, Eucharistic Minister sub, a parish festival volunteer, and part of a Renew Bible Study group, which she calls her church family.  Maureen continues to grow in her faith and felt a calling through St. Mary, Alpha, and her Renew group to share more of her strong faith and love of Jesus with others.

Since 1989 Maureen passionately uses her career as an Independent Beauty Consultant and Sales Director with Mary Kay Cosmetics to build confidence in women and girls.  She also uses that opportunity to share God with her customers by keeping her priorities in order with God first, family second, and career third.  She genuinely likes people and getting to know the uniqueness and special qualities each person has.

Favorite bible quote: For nothing is impossible with God. Luke 1:37

Deb Gonnella
Secretary

 Deb became a member of St. Mary Catholic Faith Community in 2012.  She joined the choir soon after and still can be found in the alto section helping bring music to the congregation on Sundays.

 Deb joined Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology’s first Cor Unum cohort and obtained her Masters of Theology degree in 2019.  She currently works as an IT engineer at Northwestern Mutual leading a small team of developers and engineers.

Andre Lesperance
Spiritual Life and Worship Liaison

André has been a parishioner at St. Mary since 2013.  He and his wife Jackie have four children who attend or have graduated from St. Mary Parish School.  André has served in many volunteer roles for the parish and school, such as leading small groups and outreach to families, coaching sports teams and helping at school events, and leading events including the Advent Prayer Nights, 8th-Grade Retreat, and the 2020 parish mission.  André is a Catholic ministry consultant and content creator for The Evangelical Catholic, a non-profit organization serving parishes and campus ministries nationwide.  He holds a master’s degree in theology from Marquette University and has worked professionally in Catholic ministry and education since 2003.  André is excited and honored to serve the St. Mary community as a member of the pastoral council.

David Fritz
Spiritual Life and Worship Liaison

David, and his wife Kristine, have been members of St. Mary since 2001 after he completed the RCIA program.  David grew up in Wisconsin, involved in theatre and music, beginning in kindergarten and throughout his high school years.  David attended UW-Milwaukee where he studied Broadcasting.

In 2004, David was offered a job opportunity in Southern California.  After much prayer and thought, David, Kristine, and their daughter Madison all headed out to Rancho Cucamonga, California where they remained for the next twelve years.  In 2016 after visiting loved ones in Wisconsin, David and Kris realized that it was time to come back home to be with both families.  (Although both Kris and Maddie were a bit reluctant to leave the California sunshine for the Wisconsin winters!)

After returning home to Wisconsin and St. Mary, David joined the Choir and eventually was encouraged to become a Cantor which he thoroughly adores.  He feels blessed to be able to share his faith through music and song.  David also enjoys ministering as a Lector.

David works at FIS in the Electronic Payments division, and in his free time, enjoys watching the Packers with his parents, Kris, and children Jordan, Madison, and grandson Westly (a.k.a. Bubba).  He also enjoys working out at the local gym and looks forward to crossbow hunting every fall up north with his dad.  David and family currently reside in Hales Corners just up the block from St. Mary and the home of his parents, Todd and Nancy Fritz, who are also parish members.

Deb Schenk
Pastoral Care Liaison

Deb Schenk grew up and attended multiple Catholic schools in Wisconsin with various moves around the state.  St. Matthew’s in Allouez, a suburb of Green Bay, was where she felt most at home…until coming to St. Mary Catholic Parish in 2006.  Deb believes our parish is outstanding in so many ways; this truly is a loving parish family and home. 

Deb, along with her husband Steve, have three children.  Nicholas, a graduate of Catholic Memorial High School received his PhD in Atmospheric Sciences at UW-Madison and is a professor, meteorologist, and Director of R&D at UAlbany’s Center of Excellence.  Imani is a professional model, and a track and cross country athlete at New Berlin Eisenhower High School.  She’s been a Mass server with the parish since 2019 and is happy to resume duties now that the server ministry has been brought back…she absolutely loves doing it.  She finds that it’s deepened her faith, connection with the priests, and love for God.  Max is four and in the all-day K4 class here at St. Mary Parish School.  He’s active, loves trains, and is quite the talker.  In addition to their three children, Deb and Steve have been blessed to have fostered over fifty foster babies and toddlers over many years until retiring in 2019.  Imani was their first one and Max was their last one.  Both were adopted with God watching over their little lives, and the family has been blessed so very much.

Before retiring, Deb was a flight attendant for a decade until 2009, and a realtor for sixteen years before permanently retiring in 2018.  She now spends her time being involved with their younger children, and traveling now for both of their modeling careers.

In addition to being called upon to be a liaison for Pastoral Care within Pastoral Council, she’s been a small-group leader for Catholic Formation-Middle School classes.  Deb does some private, volunteer mentoring, and offers parenting support for some moms in the foster system who have reached out for help.  Sometimes, they just need extra moral support, or help with rides for their children’s appointments, and Deb’s family still does respite for the young ones when needed.  In 2019, Deb participated and completed the Alpha classes held at the parish and found them to be her favorite part of being a parishioner here.

Mike Hamlin
Pastoral Care Liaison

Mike and his wife Julie have been members of St. Mary since 1990.  Mike and Julie are the parents of two adult children, Kelsey and Austin, both of whom graduated from St. Mary Parish School.  Julie worked as a Teacher’s Aide in the kindergarten program at St. Mary Parish School from 2002 until her retirement in 2020.

Mike graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a double major in Economics and Computer Applications.  Since graduation from college, Mike has spent his career working in the financial services and payment technology business in sales, product management, and account management roles.

Mike and Julie are lifelong Catholics and are grateful to the community at St. Mary for so many blessings over the years.  Outside of work, Mike enjoys playing guitar, golf, fishing, boating and spending time with his family.

Lynn Czaplewski
Social Concerns and Outreach Liaison

Lynn and her husband Rich have been members of St. Mary since 1978.  They have three adult children, all of whom graduated from St. Mary Parish School, and have been blessed with three grandchildren.  Lynn graduated from Milwaukee County Hospital School of Nursing and earned a Master of Science degree from UW-M as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Oncology.  She retired from Froedtert and the Medical College Clinical Cancer Center.

Lynn has been involved at St. Mary as a eucharistic minister, lector, funeral host, and is on the Pastoral Care team.  In addition, she volunteers for St. Ben’s, Pathfinders, the Franklin Health Department, the League of Women Voters, and the Milwaukee Symphony orchestra.  She feels it is an honor and blessing to be able to serve on the Pastoral Council.

Mary Matestic
Social Concerns and Outreach Liaison

Called to formal ministry during her life as wife and mother, Mary returned to school and received a Master of Theological Studies from St. Francis Seminary in Milwaukee.  She ministered for twenty years as Pastoral Associate here at St. Mary Parish.  While here, she conducted retreats for women, lead scripture studies, attended to the needs of the grieving and the ill, presided at liturgical prayer and lead days of reflection.  Now retired, Mary continues to lead mornings of reflection, companion with people through spiritual direction, and teaches throughout the archdiocese.  She writes a monthly scriptural reflection column for the Catholic Herald.

Currently Mary helps with funeral planning at St. Mary as well as engage in ministry to the bereaved and the homebound on the Pastoral Care Commission.  She is an assistant sacristan for daily Mass, lectors here, and is on the Social Outreach Commission.  Recently Mary completed a course through JustFaith Ministries on Racial Justice.  She continues to collaborate with the members moving toward greater understanding of racial equality.  Mary completed the Alpha course four years ago and continues to facilitate the Alpha group in faith dialogue and discussion.

Mary has a heart for the Word of God and a great love for God’s people who struggle to see Christ in a world often stricken by fear and despair.  At home in the Word of God, Mary seeks to awaken the human heart to Christ, the source of all hope.

She received the Vatican II Award in 2002 for her work with Families and in 2001 she received the Annecy Award from St. Francis Seminary.

She is married to Fred.  Together they share the joy of four grown children and their lovely families.

Thomas Bartnicki
Finance Council Liaison

Tom has been a member of the parish since 1995 and is active as a Pastoral Council member and Funeral Host.  He and his wife Bernadette (St. Mary School Graduate) are the parents of three adult children, all of whom attended and graduated from St. Mary grade school:  Elizabeth, Jake, and Teresa.  Tom and Berna have been blessed with six grandchildren:  Ellie, Lucy, Quinn, Hallie, Lily and Agnes.

Tom graduated from UWM with a degree in Business Administration.  He has worked in various sales and marketing positions of increasing responsibility within the medical device industry over a thirty-nine-year career.

Tom is currently retired.  He enjoys spending time with his family and traveling with his wife.

Tom Fredrickson

Tom grew up on the south side of Milwaukee attending grade school at St. Veronica and high school at Milwaukee Trade and Tech, graduating in 1986.  After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force as a heavy equipment operator, ultimately stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Phoenix, Arizona.  In 1988 Tom returned to Milwaukee, settling into a long career with the Wisconsin Air National Guard.

Tom and his wife Dana became members of St. Mary in 2013 after having been in Panama City, Florida where Tom served on active duty with the U.S. Air Force.  Tom also earned a Bachelor of Science in Management from Upper Iowa University in 2018.  Tom and Dana now live in Franklin and have two adult children, Megan and Nathan.  Megan attends college at the University of London, Roehampton.  Nathan lives in Wausau, Wisconsin where he works in marketing for Milwaukee Tool.

Tom’s involvement in the parish includes being a Confirmation small-group leader, RCIA sponsor, parish festival volunteer, and a Good News People small-group leader.  He currently works for the Wisconsin Air National Guard.  In their free time, Tom and Dana enjoy boating, traveling, and being outdoors with family and friends.

Tom is a lifelong Catholic but he became more serious about his faith while living in Florida.  During this stressful but transformative time, Tom studied many leadership and self-help philosophies ultimately leading him deeper into his Catholic faith as the true source for wisdom.

Lisamarie Collins
School Liaison

Lisamarie, her husband, Joe, and daughter, Sophia, have been members at St. Mary since 2014, where Sophia also attends St. Mary Parish School.  Lisamarie earned an undergraduate degree from Marquette University, a Ph.D. from the Medical College of Wisconsin, and a J.D. from Marquette University Law School.  She practices law as a biotechnology patent attorney.

Lisamarie lives with her family, which includes a cat and corgi, in Franklin.  She grew up in a small, northeastern Wisconsin town where she was baptized and confirmed into the Wisconsin Lutheran Evangelical Synod.  For several years, Joe, who is a lifelong Catholic, attended worship services with Lisamarie.  Wishing to worship together as a family unit, Lisamarie began attending Mass at St. Mary, and was warmly welcomed into the RCIA program and parish community.  She is impressed by St. Mary Parish School, and is very grateful for the blessing that St. Mary is in her family’s life.

Lisamarie enjoys volunteering in various capacities at St. Mary, especially in the many opportunities that permit her family to serve together.  Outside of work, she looks forward to participating in family activities with Sophia and Joe.