The Frances Xavier Warde School’s Board of Trustees is comprised of volunteers from different backgrounds who share their perspectives and give their time toward the governance of the School. The Board provides leadership and plans, develops, and sets policy to ensure the fiscal health of the School. Board members typically serve three-year terms. The entire Board meets approximately six times during the year to review committee reports and financial statements and to assess the School’s performance. In addition, there are eight committees of the Board that work in smaller groups, which facilitates thorough review of policy matters.
Mike Moynihan, father of Katie (’14) and Andrew (’17), is an Equity Partner in the law firm of Freeborn & Peters, LLP and recently completed an eight-year term as Co-Managing Partner of the Firm. Mike has been on the FXW Board since 2018, serving on Governance Committee and Committee on Trustees. He previously served as Co-Chair of Freeborn & Peters’ Real Estate Practice Group and is currently Co-Chair of its Recruiting Committee. Mike maintains an active practice handling a broad range of real estate and financing transactions and has more than 25 years of experience in commercial and industrial real estate development. A significant portion of his practice involves representing developers of large-scale commercial, mixed-use and industrial developments, primarily in major metropolitan areas. Mike also represents clients, on a national basis, in the acquisition, financing and leasing of office properties, retail centers and other real property assets.
Steve Waller, father of Greer (’21) and Marin (’20), has more than 25 years of experience providing corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate performance management advice to Fortune 50 and middle markets organizations seeking to grow their companies, improve operational efficiencies and accelerate profitability.
Gary Rozier, father of Dominic (8), Tyson (6) and Alison (3), is the Managing Director at Oak Street Real Estate Capital. The firm specializes in providing flexible capital solutions to a variety of organizations including corporations, healthcare systems, universities and government entities. Oak Street is currently a division of Blue Owl Capital. Before joining Oak Street, Gary was the Senior Vice President, Institutional Marketing & Client Services at Ariel Investments. Gary was responsible for institutional business development and client services with a special focus on registered investment advisors.
Susan Thomas is an FXW parent and supporter who has been involved in all aspects of school functions from chairing the Gala to leading volunteer activities. Susan has extensive experience in marketing and public relations and worked as producer for public television in northern Virginia. Her late husband is Henry Thomas, a pioneering NBA player agent who counted Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Tim Hardaway and many others as clients over a 30-year career. Susan and Henry’s children, Jaye ’14 and Ryan ’17 attended FXW.
Dr. Samer Abbas, father of Layla (8), Sami (6) and Kinan (4), is a practicing cardiologist and serves as the Medical Director of Cardiology Services at St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, IN and Community Hospital in Munster, IN.
David has more than 30 years of public accounting, commercial/investment banking, and consulting experience with an emphasis on building senior level relationships, providing strategic direction, and business development. David is currently a Director with BDO USA, LLP.
Jemia Cunningham-Elder (’01) is the first alumnus of The Frances Xavier Warde School to serve on its Board of Trustees. Ms. Cunnigham-Elder has more than a decade of experience working in education and is currently the Chief Executive Officer at North Lawndale College Prep High School. She has previously worked at Boston College, Prospect Hill Community Foundation and the University of Chicago.
Rose Loftus Healy, mother of Maeve (’17), Shane (’18), Quinn (’20) and Ronan (8), practices law with her sister at Loftus & Loftus, Ltd. Mrs. Loftus Healy focuses her practice on construction matters, mechanic lien issues, contract negotiations, and real estate transactions. She has been an active participant in the Young Lawyers Section of the Chicago Bar Association.
Brad Henderson, father of Harper (6) and Adler (4), is a Rhodes Scholar and the founding CEO of P33, a nonprofit devoted to inclusive economic growth. He has over 20 years of experience unlocking economic opportunities that benefit businesses and individuals. He has served on several Boards, including the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the Chicago History Museum.
Tyeise Huntley-Jones, mother of Justice (Grade 1) and Chancellor (PreK-4), started her career in brand management before moving into education and working for the Chicago Public Schools for nearly seven years, her last position as Director of the Office of Access & Enrollment. Since May 2022, Ms. Huntley-Jones has served as Director of the Golub Capital Social Impact Lab at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Michael Kennedy begins his eighth year as Head of School at The Frances Xavier Warde School (FXW). He came to FXW from La Lumiere, an independent Catholic boarding high school in La Porte, Indiana, where he was Headmaster for 11 years. During his tenure at La Lumiere, Mr. Kennedy guided the school through its first ever comprehensive capital campaign, an aspirational and inspirational Strategic Plan, as well as their first ever Campus Master Plan. Under his direction, La Lumiere School experienced unprecedented growth with enrollment and giving to the school nearly doubled, the number of faculty with advanced degrees tripled, all while enhancing the quality and quantity of curriculum offerings. Mr. Kennedy brings to FXW experiences in different types of schools that spans three decades, starting at Georgetown Preparatory School in Bethesda, Maryland, before moving to La Lumiere School as a teacher, coach and administrator. Prior to returning to La Lumiere School in 2004 as the school’s fifth Headmaster, he was the Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at The Latin School of Chicago. Michael Kennedy also serves on the Board of Directors of Lake Michigan Association of Independent Schools (LMAIS), and First Friday Club of Chicago. He is also a former Trustee at Sacred Heart Schools (Chicago) and The Stanley Clark School (South Bend, IN). Mr. Kennedy received his bachelor’s degree from Boston College and a master’s degree from The University of Notre Dame.
John Kim, father of Dylan (4), is the Founder and CEO of the Illinois Physicians Network, a management service organization founded in 2004 providing injured persons having workers’ compensation or third-party liability claims with high quality healthcare services. He is also the Founder and CEO of the First Call Network.
Tim Kincaid, father of Roman (Grade 2) and Marlowe (Grade 2), is a prominent Chicago attorney whose legal practice focuses on private equity transactions and mergers and acquisitions. He also has experience counseling clients on day-to-day corporate and LLC matters, including entity formation, contracts, and corporate governance. He is the co-chair of the Compensation Committee and chairman of the Foundation Committee at his firm, and also is on the Board of Directors of Legal Aid Chicago.
Sharyl Mackey, mother of Jackson (6), Aidan (4) and Reed (4), actively participates in numerous not for profits throughout the city of Chicago, including chairing annual events and galas for the Evan Scholar Foundation, Service Club of Chicago and Prentice Hospital Board in addition to serving on Lurie Hospitals Heliport Advisory Committee and President of her Condo Association.
Father Patrick McGrath was installed as the Pastor of Chicago’s Old St. Patrick’s Church on July 31, 2022. Father Pat, who was born in Chicago and raised in the south suburbs, holds a bachelor’s degree from Notre Dame and master’s from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley and Northwestern. He was ordained a priest in 2006 and served as President of Loyola Academy in Wilmette from 2009 through 2022.
Ms. Preston, mother of Ascher, is currently the Managing Principal at Preston Design & Construction Consulting. Amy spent many years at Tishman Speyer overseeing the Design and Construction group in Chicago. Her role involved leading a team of project managers to develop and implement capital and tenant improvements for 8 million square feet in the Chicago Business District.
Arnie Rivera, father of Leahy (Grade 5), began his career in education as a first grade teacher before serving in many roles with the Chicago Public Schools, including Chief Operating Officer. He also served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Education under Mayor Emanuel. In May 2021, Mr. Rivera was named Chief Administrative and Equity Officer of Navy Pier where he leads the Pier’s key administrative functions, including People and Culture, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Community Engagement, Legal, and Data Analytics.
Father Gregory Sakowicz has been the Rector of Chicago’s Holy Name Cathedral since July 1, 2016. Father Greg, a graduate of Notre Dame High School in Niles, was ordained a priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago on May 9, 1979. He was assigned as Associate Pastor at St. Mary of the Woods in 1992 and became Pastor in 1997.
Kristian May Stewart, Ph.D., mother of Myles (’19) and Chase (7), is SVP of Strategy, Analytics & Research for Ten35, a full-service marketing communications firm. She began her career crunching data and tracking global trends at Leo Burnett and honed her chops mining insights for Fortune 500 brands at DDB Chicago.
James Walsh, father of Jack (’21) and Brooke (’18), provides direction and management to the finance, accounting, treasury, actuarial and tax planning teams at Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company (HCSC), and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
