Alexia Kelley serves as the President and CEO of FADICA-the Catholic Philanthropy Network, where she manages and oversees the organization’s strategy, team, and programs. In partnership with FADICA’s members and board, she developed the organization’s current comprehensive strategic framework, which focuses on building the future of Catholic philanthropy, advancing high impact collaborative initiatives, and lay philanthropic leadership formation. Ms. Kelley served for ten years at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Catholic Campaign for Human Development, and previously as the Deputy Director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, with responsibilities for a diverse engagement and public/private partnership portfolio. She also worked for Environmental Resources Trust, a nonprofit that focused on market-based solutions to renewable energy promotion and climate change mitigation. After college, she worked with the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), the oldest ecumenical advocacy organization in Washington DC. Ms. Kelley co-edited the book, Living the Catholic Social Tradition: Cases and Commentary, with Dr. Kathleen Maas Weigert. She also co-authored A Nation for All: How the Catholic Vision of the Common Good Can Save America from the Politics of Division. She holds a B.A. in religion from Haverford College and a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School.
Alicia Bondanella Simon directs FADICA’s philanthropy services and programs, works with the President and Board to provide strategic leadership and drive growth for the organization, and coordinates research and member-driven collaborative initiatives. She has served in several leadership roles prior to FADICA, including as a founding team leader of a Cristo Rey high school in Washington, DC, and the first youth and young adult coordinator for the USCCB’s Catholic Campaign for Human Development.
In collaboration with FADICA’s Catholic education member group, Alicia led FADICA’s cutting-edge research on Catholic schools governance, Breathing New Life into Catholic Schools: An Exploration of Governance Models and on marketing and enrollment, The Catholic School Choice.
Alicia holds degrees from the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business and the University of San Francisco. She lives in the DC Metropolitan area where she enjoys exploring museums, hiking, mentoring youth, and motherhood.
Margaret Kowalsky is the Director of Program and Impact and is responsible for engaging members and other stakeholders in meaningful education, discernment, and relationship-building activities. She shepherds FADICA’s Impact Platform process, guiding members to “listen/learn, discern/validate, and amplify/act” on specific themes for sustainable influence and change.
Margaret is a creative and mission-centered leader with 20+ years of experience in faith-based global experiential learning. In her most recent work as Director of Study Abroad at King’s College and, prior to that, with Catholic Relief Services, Margaret created curriculum that joined academic theories with perspectives from “the field” to shape learning for the common good. Margaret has taught theology courses at Villanova University and other institutions and cares deeply about intercultural learning, mentoring, and systems change. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Margaret studied at Wellesley College and Harvard Divinity School. She lives in Cleveland, Ohio.
Lauren Traskey serves as FADICA’s Administrative Director. Rejoining the team, Lauren previously served as FADICA’s Communications Director in 2015 and 2016. In her new role, Lauren focuses on the organization’s general operations, human resource management, finances and stewardship, event logistics coordination, and board of directors.
Prior to her return to FADICA, Lauren ran her own communications consulting business and served as Communications Director on the leadership team of Mercy High School in Baltimore. Her background includes extensive administrative and fundraising work in Catholic schools, as well as ministry and service-learning work at the college level. Lauren holds degrees from the University of Virginia and Marymount University and relishes any opportunity to learn something new. A native of New Jersey, she now lives in the suburbs of Baltimore soaking in time with her family, trying new recipes, and dancing every opportunity she gets.
Lindsay McGregor is the Membership and Outreach Officer responsible for helping to expand FADICA’s membership through engaging external stakeholders in philanthropy who are seeking a Catholic-inspired peer network enhancing impact. Her other key function is to coordinate FADICA’s Catholic education initiative, catalyzing donor impact in Catholic education.
With a background in fundraising and stewardship, Lindsay has spent her career building community and broadening support for Catholic organizations and schools. Most recently she oversaw the development program at Immaculate Heart High School & Middle School and prior to that spent seven years working to advance the mission of the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles. Lindsay earned her bachelor’s degree from Santa Clara University. As a native of Los Angeles, she now lives in the suburbs of Nashville with her husband and three children and enjoys cooking, hiking, and spending time with her family.
Jon Jakoblich leads the Catholic Funding Guide, an online platform connecting grant seekers to grant makers, and provides technical leadership for FADICA’s technology platforms. Prior to joining FADICA, Jon spent 10 years building financial and operational excellence in Catholic parishes and schools resulting in offertory growth, debt elimination, and increased school enrollment.
Jon has deep experience developing websites and web applications. Jon has earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree from Boston College. In his leisure time he loves being outdoors and spending time with family.
Juan leads our team in bringing to market and scaling a product centered on the future of philanthropy. Juan began his career as an entrepreneur, building products with a focus on the Hispanic demographic. He went on to train the next generation of tech founders as the COO of Draper University, launching startup ecosystems globally, and investing in pre-seed stage companies through a pre-seed venture fund he catalyzed. He founded Tabella, a company building community and financial technology for the Catholic Church, which now serves hundreds of parishes across the country. Juan also co-founded the first Catholic impact angel investor network, which actively funds innovative tech startups. His curiosity for philanthropy was sparked when he joined as a board member of the funding arm of the International Catholic Migration Commission. He lives in Texas, loves spending time with his family, and from time to time you might catch him instructing a Christian-themed spin class at a local studio!
