Washington, DC (February 11, 2022) — Three inspiring Catholic philanthropic leaders have been selected as recipients of the 2022 St. Katharine Drexel Award in Catholic Philanthropy. In honoring these awardees, FADICA celebrates their immeasurable contributions to the Church and their communities and commends their generous service to others.
“Each year, FADICA recognizes outstanding Catholic philanthropic leaders whose vocation of giving recall the spirit of St. Katharine Drexel,” said Alexia Kelley, President and CEO of FADICA, the leading Catholic-inspired philanthropic peer network. “The 2022 honorees reflect St. Katharine’s philanthropic approach through servant leadership and innovation for a vital Church and the common good,” Kelley continued.
Elizabeth Anne Donnelly, Mary J. Donnelly Foundation, FADICA Member
Ms. Donnelly’s life has been devoted to lifting up the needs of others—serving on the staffs of Bread for the World, the Presidential Commission on World Hunger, and as a Maryknoll Lay Missioner in Lima, Peru. Ms. Donnelly studied Christian social ethics at Harvard Divinity School and completed doctoral work in international political economy and ethics in Harvard’s Department of Government, writing extensively on the Catholic Church’s contribution to the movement for debt relief for heavily indebted low-income countries.
An active philanthropist in causes and ministries that advance the vitality of the Church, Ms. Donnelly shares her time and expertise with several boards, including Ignatian Solidarity Network and Orbis Books. She is an emerita board member of Bread for the World, FADICA, Gregorian University Foundation, Jesuit Volunteers International, and Maryknoll Lay Missioners. She continues to serve FADICA’s mission as a member of the Program Committee and Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism. Ms. Donnelly is also the co-founder and preacher coordinator for the website Catholic Women Preach and is a frequent writer and speaker on issues of import to the Catholic Church.
Tommy Espinoza, CEO and Co-Founder, Raza Development Fund
With over 45 years of public, private sector, and nonprofit experience, Mr. Espinoza uses his skills and expertise to help Latino families and individuals live in peace and with dignity through educational opportunities and community business development.
He spent his early days organizing youth groups in Phoenix’s low-income neighborhoods, helping young Latinos escape the self-defeating treadmill of poverty and crime through one-on-one outreach and educational programs. Espinoza went on to work with Latino families in their efforts to gain access to affordable housing in the then-fledgling organization Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC). Later serving as president and CEO, Mr. Espinoza transformed CPLC from a small but determined grassroots group into one of the country’s most dynamic forces for Latino empowerment and economic well-being. During his tenure at CPLC, he was selected by the White House to advise President Jimmy Carter as a member of the Mexican American Advisory Council.
Today Mr. Espinoza serves as the president, CEO, and co-founder of Raza Development Fund, the largest Latino Community Development Financial Institution. He currently serves on the Catholic University of America Board of Visitors for the School of Arts and Sciences, LISC National Board of Directors, the Catholic Association of Latino Leaders National Board, and the Greater Phoenix Leadership Board of Directors.
Denise Hattler, Loyola Foundation, FADICA Member
Ms. Hattler has provided exemplary leadership in the world of Catholic philanthropy for many years. Her passion, guidance, and initiative were critical to the formation of Save Our Aging Religious (SOAR), an organization that raises funds and provides grants to help Catholic religious congregations care for elderly and infirm members.
Ms. Hattler’s dedication to helping those most in need goes far beyond the United States, through her generous service and stewardship of the Loyola Foundation. The Loyola Foundation is dedicated to supporting Catholic mission activities abroad, in less developed countries. She has served in leadership at the Foundation since it began over 60 years ago.
Understanding the importance of looking toward the future, Ms. Hattler engages and encourages her family members, including the next generation of Catholic philanthropists, to be actively involved in philanthropic leadership and causes.
Elizabeth Donnelly and Tommy Espinoza will be recognized and accept the award at FADICA’s 2022 Annual Meeting & Symposium in San Diego, Calif., on March 17, 2022. Denise Hattler will be honored at a later 2022 gathering.
About the St. Katharine Drexel Award in Catholic Philanthropy
Named after the patron saint of philanthropy and only the second recognized American-born saint, the St. Katharine Drexel Award in Catholic Philanthropy is presented to recognize members and other Catholic philanthropists for their exemplary and outstanding contributions to philanthropy on behalf of the Church and the common good. In addition to recognizing honorees’ exemplary leadership, the presentation of the award will offer an opportunity for recipients to highlight the work of an organization with which they have been integrally involved to the FADICA membership and beyond.
