Rev. 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.

David Mikolainis
Chairperson

David Mikolainis has lived in southeast Wisconsin his entire life and was raised Catholic with a touch of small-town farming and Lithuanian, Polish, and German heritage.  David has an engineering degree and was a member of the U.S. Army Reserves.  More recently he has committed his time to BSA - Scouting American and served as the Assistant Scoutmaster and Scoutmaster for Troop 598, guiding all three of his boys through the ranks to become solid, young men.

David and his wife Karen started their life together with a home in Hales Corners.  Originally, they traveled back and forth to the east side of Milwaukee as members of Saints Peter and Paul, where they were married and their sons were baptized.  As life progressed, time became more important, and St. Mary was a welcoming home just a few minutes away.  At St. Mary, David has helped with the church festival on the grounds crew, and intermittently sings in the choir.  David looks forward to building and strengthening the spiritual and personal relationships with the staff, other members of the Pastoral Council, the choir, and friends in the pews.  David values the Catholic faith and the hope it provides.  If you need someone to speak in front of a group with a microphone, he might be available.

Gilbert Frenn
Vice-Chairperson

Gilbert is a retired portrait photographer who grew up in the Milwaukee area as a third-generation Lebanese Christian.  Baptized and confirmed in the Eastern Rite of the Catholic Church at St. George’s Melkite Church, he learned the importance of faith and service from his parents, who were instrumental in founding St. Sebastian’s Catholic School to ensure a Catholic education for him and his three brothers.

His family’s dedication inspired Gilbert to serve actively in his faith community.  He joined St. Mary in 1976, where he has worshiped through three different church constructions.  Over the years, he has served as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, leading a monthly group of parishioners to distribute Communion at St. Luke’s Hospital.  Gilbert also supports St. Mary as an Assistant Sacristan, Funeral Host, Sweepstakes Chairperson for the parish festival, and as a member of the Men of Christ group.

Gilbert and his wife, Jamie, were married at St. Mary.  Jamie, who is a chaplain at Elmbrook Church in Brookfield, shares his commitment to service.  Together, they have six children, five daughters and one son, and are blessed with nine grandchildren - seven granddaughters and two grandsons.

Caroline Schachtlie
Secretary

Caroline has been a lifelong member of St. Mary Catholic Faith Community.  She is married to Chris and they have three adult daughters, Laura, Sarah, and Monica as well as eight grandchildren.

Caroline attended grade school here at St. Mary, went to Pius XI High School and graduated with a degree in Business Administration from Marquette University.

Over the years, Caroline has been active in several ministries here at St. Mary.  She sang in the adult choir and participated in the “Song of Mark”, has been a festival volunteer, worked with engaged couples through the Marriage Encounter program and is a Eucharistic Minister.  Her greatest joy is singing for the Lord.  (K-Love is her favorite radio station!)

Being retired, Caroline gives praise and honor to God for the opportunity to spend time with family and friends, travel, and garden, but most of all, for the gift of her Catholic faith.

Peter Bacalzo
Deanery Representative

Pete Bacalzo joined St. Mary Catholic Faith Community in 2007.  He has been involved in various ministries and faith enrichment programs within the parish. He is a member of the parish’s chapter of the Men of Christ group since 2023. He has served in various capacities at the parish Summer festival since 2007, and as chairperson for the pizza booth since 2022.  With a background in engineering, Pete has worked in various capacities for a utility holding company for over thirty-five years.  He is the father of three children, all of whom attended and graduated from St. Mary grade school.  He enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking, traveling, and touring the countryside on his motorcycle.

Paul Clifford
Discipleship

Paul has been a member of St. Mary Catholic Faith Community since 2017.  He is a Eucharistic Minister and serves with the Pastoral Care Ministry to the homebound, and is an active participant since 2024 in the St. Mary Dynamic Men’s Group.

Paul was born on the east coast, and later in his childhood relocated to Minnetonka, Minnesota.  He attended college at UW-Eau Claire, with the intent of becoming a music man.  Four years later he graduated with a degree in business administration and accounting.

He met his wife, Kathie, in Eau Claire, and together raised three girls in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.  They were members of Pax Christi Catholic Faith Community for thirty years.  In 2017, Paul and Kathie relocated to Hales Corners.  Their daughters and growing families began to settle in Milwaukee, Madison and Chicago.  There are now eight grandchildren, most recently Kate Grace, who lived for just twelve hours, born June 30, 2026.  Kate was baptized and is free of all sin and is in heaven.

Paul retired following a successful career in financial management, having been on the founding management team for start-up Capella University (1993 - 2006).  He completed his MBA at Capella in 2005.

Paul is blessed with a wonderful family and a great life.  He is pleased to serve as a member of the Pastoral Council.

David Fritz
Human Concerns

Tom Gaglione
Pastoral Care

Tom and his wife, Kelly, are residents of Franklin and have been members of St. Mary Catholic Faith Community for over five years.  They were previously longtime members of and involved with The Church of the Gesu on the Marquette University campus, where they both worked and lived downtown, and where they were married.  Both were raised in Catholic homes, attended Catholic elementary and high schools, and graduated from the UW-Whitewater College of Business.

Now retired, Tom enjoyed a long career in international trade banking, financing transactions for companies that actively exported and imported products and equipment.  He was also active in state organizations that promoted and supported international trade.  His career gave him a deep appreciation for global economics, varied cultures, and diverse business practices.

Tom and Kelly joined St. Mary because it is a large and dynamic south suburban parish, and they enjoy attending Mass in its bright, beautiful church.  They have participated in and deeply value parish programs that have strengthened their Catholic faith and allowed them to meet many other wonderful parish members. Through these programs, Tom was motivated to start and now co-lead the parish “Dynamic Men’s Group,” which is part of a large and growing national organization known as Men of Christ.  These collegial parish groups support men who wish to deepen their faith, the faith of their families, and reengage with and learn more about their Catholic faith through Catholic programs and discussion.

Tom is honored to be a member of the Parish Council and looks forward to supporting and promoting its mission and faith programming.

Mary Beth Katorski
Deanery Representative

Mary Beth grew up on the south side of Milwaukee at St. Alexander (now St. John Paul II) Parish.  She became a member of St. Mary after moving to Franklin in 1991.

Mary Beth has been involved in various ministry and formation activities throughout the years.  Shortly after becoming a parish member, she began working with the high school Confirmation program and retreats.  She was blessed to have served with the teens on the first high school mission trip to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.  Mary Beth served as both a small-group host and large-group facilitator for Alpha, and participated in Reach More training.  She is currently an active member of the core teams for the Magnify and Going Deeper with Jesus discipleship offerings.

Mary Beth graduated from Marquette University and worked her entire career in the financial services industry.  In 2019, she received a certificate from the two-year Saturday Institute for Lay Ministry program at Cardinal Stritch University - St. Clare Center.  In 2024, she graduated from the Encounter Ministries School of Ministry, a two-year formation program designed to teach, equip, and activate disciples to demonstrate the love of God to others through the power of the Holy Spirit.

At the Ash Wednesday Mass in 2015, the Lord invited Mary Beth to enter into a journey with Him.  It has been a journey marked by healing and an ever-deepening intimacy in her relationship with Abba Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  Mary Beth seeks to honor the Lord for His work in her life by sharing her testimony and helping to bring others into their own encounter with the Lord and His amazing love.

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…” - Matthew 6:33

Frank LaSusa II
School Advisory Commission

Frank and his wife, Roxanne, have been members of St. Mary Parish since 2014, and have two children, Sebastian and Sofia.  A lifelong Milwaukee native, Frank grew up in West Allis and attended St. Rita Catholic Grade School, Pius XI High School, and Marquette University.

Frank is a Sommelier and has built his professional career in the wine industry. Together with his brother, he owns Corvina Wine Bar in West Allis.  His Catholic faith is the cornerstone of his life and guides both his family and professional journey.

Frank and his family make their home in Franklin.  He is passionate about wine and enjoys cooking, traveling, reading, golfing, and spending quality time with his family.

Brenda White
Finance Council

Brenda and her husband Bill have been members of the parish since 1986.  Their three adult children, Heather, Rachel, and Michael, attended St. Mary Parish School.  The White family has been blessed by many amazing friendships gained through school, sports, and service at the parish.  Over the years, Brenda has served as a Eucharistic Minister, choir member, St. Ben’s volunteer, and as a member of the parish building committee for the construction of the current church.

Professionally, Brenda was the founding president of Siena Catholic Schools of Racine until her retirement in 2023.  Brenda also served the Archdiocese of Milwaukee as an associate superintendent and elementary principal, as well as a middle school principal and special education teacher in the public schools.  She feels grateful for her career working with students, teachers, parents, and community partners to advance learning and build a spirit of collaboration and care for all of God’s family.

Brenda and her husband live in New Berlin.  She stays active hiking, biking, traveling, gardening, taking yoga classes, and enjoying adventures with her family and friends.

Chris Wiken
Spiritual Life and Worship

Chris and his wife Kasey have been members of St. Mary since 2021, formerly attending St. John Vianney and St. Alphonsus.  Chris and Kasey are the proud parents of three daughters, Kyleigh, Keira and Kennedy.  Kyleigh attends Tulane University in New Orleans.  Keira and Kennedy are both students in grade school.  The Catholic faith is an important part of the family’s life.

Chris’ parents Keith and Margaret founded The Packing House Restaurant on Milwaukee’s south side in 1974.  Chris now owns and operates the restaurant, continuing the family legacy there.  He furthers his involvement with the industry as a board member of the National Restaurant Association and is a past chair of the board of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.  He was awarded the Association’s highest honor, being named Restaurateur of the Year in 2024.  Previously, for about ten years, Chris was an airline pilot based on the east coast, Texas and Hawaii.  Kasey was a flight attendant for the same airline.  God’s plan wrote the rest.

Chris is involved in several ministries at St. Mary including Assisting Sacristan, Eucharistic Minister, Lector and Pastoral Care among others.  He is a devoted member of the parish’s Men of Christ group, which he highly recommends to all men of St. Mary!  Chris has also applied to the permanent Diaconate program through the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and anticipates joining the September 2028 class.

Chris is honored to be a member of the Pastoral Council and furthering his involvement with the parish community.