Past Board Members

"History has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own."

Michelle Obama

Neysa Finnie

Past Chair

Neysa is the Past Chair of the Catholic Women’s Leadership Foundation. She served as Chair until January 2021 and was previously Vice-Chair and Treasurer.

Neysa recently retired as the President of St. Thomas More Collegiate (STMC) – a Catholic, independent co-educational secondary school in Burnaby, British Columbia. Neysa is the principal of her own firm which in specializes assisting companies in the technology industry with a wide variety of services related to their contracting needs. In addition to being a practicing lawyer, Neysa has an MBA and started her career as a software developer.

Neysa serves as a director of Providence Health Care and Catholic Pacific College. She completed the Institute of Corporate Directors Not-for-profit Governance Essentials Program. Previously, Neysa served as Chair of St. Mark’s College at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and Corpus Christi College, as a member of the Archdiocese of Vancouver Stewardship council and the Archbishop of Vancouver’s pastoral council. She served as a lay advisor to the Oblates’ Provincial Council. At UBC, Neysa is a guest lecturer in the MBA program and in the leadership program at Corpus Christi College. Internationally, Neysa has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, assisted Computer Aid International (London England), and founded Oblate Mission Travel leading lay people on short term mission trips at home and abroad where the Oblates are ministering. She lived in Tanzania and taught conversational English at a Catholic secondary school.

Neysa was a 2013 recipient of the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal from Pope Francis (the highest honour a lay person can receive from the Pope) and is a dame of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.

Theresa Schopf

Past Communications Committee Chair

Theresa Schopf has been a pharmacist for more than 35 years and has worked in a variety of healthcare settings as well as Health Canada and the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA). She is passionate about healthcare and helping others. Being married to a member of the Canadian Forces and moving frequently, Theresa has had many opportunities throughout the Atlantic Provinces and Ontario. Currently, she is working with NAPRA and still enjoying community pharmacy part-time in Ottawa. Theresa has a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree from Dalhousie University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Ottawa.

Since 1983, Theresa has been an active member of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada (CWL). She joined the CWL at St. Mary’s Chapel in CFB Gagetown and has served in many capacities at the parish level at civilian churches and military chapels. Theresa is currently the treasurer of the Military Ordinariate Provincial Council and a member of the CWL at Our Lady of the Airways Chapel (Military Ordinariate). Theresa participates in her local civilian parish as a Eucharistic Minister and a member of the Baptism Preparation Team.

Theresa has been married to her husband for more than 35 years, has three children and three grandchildren.

Theresa was elected a director of the Catholic Women’s Leadership Foundation effective January 1, 2018, and is very excited to work with this new program.

Rita Janes

Past Chair

Rita has been a member of the Catholic Women’s Leadership Foundation since January 2015 and was appointed Chair on January 1, 2017.

Rita graduated from St. Bride’s College, Littledale and went on to receive degrees in mathematics and mathematics education from Memorial University. She continued her postgraduate studies at Memorial University, University of Alberta and Western Illinois University.

Her work life included teaching mathematics to children from primary to high school; mathematics and mathematics education at Memorial University of Newfoundland; and Program Development Consultant, St. John’s Roman Catholic School Board. She served on several different Curriculum, Program and Review Committees for the NL Department of Education and was national president of the Interchange on Canadian Studies.

Rita is president of an independent professional development company, Rita Janes’ Educational Solutions, providing professional development to teachers across Canada and the United States. She also has been a partner author for several chapters of books and professional development publications for teachers and students. Her most recent publication is Numbers and Stories: Using Children’s Literature to teach Young Children Number Sense (Corwin).

Rita is past – president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Catholic Women’s League, member of the CWL National Board, 2013-2015, member of St. Pius X Council since 1978, president of her parish council and presently serves on the executive as chair of spiritual development.

A parishioner at St Pius X Parish for 50 years, she serves as lector, served on the parish pastoral council and most recently chaired the 50th Anniversary Celebrations for the parish. Rita was president of the Parent Teacher’s Association of the three catholic schools associated with the parish (St. Pius X Girl’s School; St. Pius X Boy’s School; Gonzaga Jesuit High School) and where her children attended school.

Over the years she has been involved in a wide variety of professional and volunteer groups, locally and nationally. She was elected to the Board of Directors of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM); elected as Canadian representative to the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics(NCSM); chaired the Affiliated Services Committee(NCTM), representing mathematics groups across the United States and Canada; chaired Professional Development Services Committee(NCTM), whose main role was planning and implementing professional development experiences for teachers across North America; president of the NLTA Mathematics Teacher’s Council; president of the NLTA Elementary Teacher’s Association; Editor of Teaching Mathematics , a publication of the NLTA; established the first program for Gifted Education in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Rita chaired the St. Patrick’s Mercy Home Foundation (2006- 2013), and presently serves as Chair of the Board for the Mercy Centre for Ecology and Justice.

In recognition and appreciation of Rita’s work with teachers at all levels she received the Barnes Award from the Newfoundland and Labrador Teacher’s Association for outstanding contribution to the professional development of teachers.

She received the Queen Elizabeth Golden Jubilee Medal in 2013 for her work as a community volunteer and her contribution to mathematics education.

Rita resides in St. Johns with her husband Jack. They have three adult children: Robert and wife Joanne, Victoria, BC; David and wife Joanne, Toronto; and Jacqui in St. John’s. They are also proud grandparents to Emma and Trinity Anne. Rita is an avid cook and gardener and loves to read, hike and travel.

Becky Kallal

Past Secretary

Becky was Secretary of the Catholic Women’s Leadership Foundation and has served in that capacity since May 2015.

Becky is a former Junior/Senior High Social Studies teacher who later worked at Alberta Education on the team that develops the province-wide examinations and then served two terms as an elected trustee on Edmonton Catholic School Board.

Becky currently does governance consulting with a wide variety of boards throughout Alberta and is a freelance editor in the specialized area of high-stakes certification examinations. She is also a contracted instructor with Alberta School Councils’ Association, where she is part of a team that presents workshops to school councils as a means of helping them to understand and successfully fulfill their legislated role in education. She serves as the external neutral chair of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology’s Student Association Senate, and frequently works with other Alberta post-secondary student governments to improve their governance processes.

Becky maintains her personal governance experience by serving on boards of various sized organizations. For example, she currently serves as a director on the Board of Catholic Social Services, an Edmonton diocesan agency serving nearly 25,000 clients through a $90 million operating budget. She is also a director on the Board of the Edmonton Inner City Children’s Society, a small non-profit agency that runs year-round programming for inner-city, at-risk children in elementary and junior high schools; this Board monitors an operating budget in the range of $300,000.

Becky is a graduate of the Government of Alberta Board Development Program, which provides governance assistance to not-for-profit boards through workshops, consultations, training, resource materials, and special presentations. She is also a member of the National Association of Parliamentarians.

Becky and her husband Steve Simmons live in Edmonton and attend St. Edmund’s Parish.

Claire Heron

Past Chair

Claire is a past chair of the Catholic Women’s Leadership Foundation (2015).

She had many roles at diocesan and provincial levels of The Catholic Women’s League of Canada and nationally was Communications and Organization Chair before serving as national president from 1994-1996.

Claire was the first Roman Catholic appointed by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops to Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada (WICC). She worked diligently to represent our faith tradition and to work ecumenically with the other ten faith groups represented. She became the Council’s president, a term which was extended due to the untimely death of its president-elect.

Claire represented the League on the Board of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations for two terms, one of which as the Vice President for the North American region. In this capacity, she attended General Assemblies in Canberra, Australia, Rome, Italy and Arlington, USA. As a Board member, she worked on the Orientation Committee which resulted in her accepting to chair the WUCWO Endowment Fund (EF). The EF had internal and external components. Member organizations were contacted first. As a result, the target of $750,000 was reached which provides annual interest for WUCWO’s use.

Currently, Claire chairs the Saskatoon Diocesan Ecumenical Commission. She was recently appointed to a second five year term as the Spiritual Advisor for the Saskatoon Diocesan Catholic Women’s League.

Josephine Lombardi

Past Director

Dr. Lombardi was a Director of the Catholic Women’s Leadership Foundation.

Dr. Lombardi has worked as a parish minister, university campus minister, high school chaplaincy leader, teacher educator through O.E.C.T.A., professor of Religious Education, Brock University, retreat facilitator, faith formation consultant, and program coordinator in the Diocese of Hamilton. Presently, she is Associate Professor of Pastoral and Systematic Theology, Professor of Field Education, and Director of Lay Formation for St. Augustine’s Seminary in Scarborough, Ontario. She has done media work in radio and television and has been an advisor to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops in the area of doctrine and Catholic-Muslim relations. Her book, On Earth as it is in Heaven, has been featured on CTS and Salt and Light Television.

More recently, she has been appointed Series Theologian for the new Religious Education curriculum for grades 1 through 8, “Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ” for Catholic School Boards in Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Irene Lefort

Past Director

Irene Lefort
Irene Lefort is known locally, provincially, and nationally for her service to many organizations and causes. She has been at the forefront of women’s rights and causes, educational leadership and change, church governance and education, and culture. Irene was Chief Financial Officer for 25 years for the Antigonish School Board and Director of the St. Francis Xavier University’s Diploma in Ministry program. At the end of her working life, she focused on completing her degree and was awarded a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in Catholic Studies from St. Francis Xavier University in 2005, at the age of 71. For her dedication and excellence she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from St. Francis Xavier University in 2004. She was also a recipient of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee medal in 1977.

Irene was elected National President of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada in 1984. She has served as a director on a number of organizations including the Board of Governors of St. Francis Xavier University. She has been an executive member of Clan Donald Canada and editor of their national newsletter. She is also Secretary of the Scottish Clans of Canada Education Foundation.

Irene was elected a director of the Catholic Women’s Leadership Foundation effective January 1, 2017.

Kim Scammell

Past Treasurer (2015)

Executive Director, National Office, CWL

Velma Harasen

Past Director (2015)

Past President, National Office, CWL (2012-2014)

Barbara Dowding

Past Director

Barbara has been a member of the Catholic Women’s Leadership Foundation since January 2015 serving in the director position reserved for the Catholic Women’s League National President or her designate.

Barbara has been a member of the Catholic Women’s League for more than 40 years. She has served in various capacities in the CWL culminating with her election as the National President for the term 2014-2016.

Barbara has served the Archdiocese of Vancouver since for more than 20 years and is currently the Vice-Chancellor. She also serves on several Archdiocesan councils and boards including the Archbishop’s Council, Permanent Diaconate Advisory Board, and Evangelization Advisory Board. Her roles of increasing responsibility with the Archdiocese have included Director of Stewardship, General Secretary of Archdiocesan Synod, Jubilee Coordinator, and Chair Archdiocesan 2010 Olympic Games Committee.

Barbara is a popular presenter, speaker and workshop facilitator. She has participated in the International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin, observer at the canonization of St. Kateri in Rome, and International Congress at the Holy See on the twentieth anniversary of the apostolic letter Mulieris Dignitatem.

Barbara and her husband Alan reside in Coquitlam, BC and are members of St. Clare of Assisi Parish. They are the proud parents of three adult sons and three grandchildren.