Catholic Charities Leadership
Meet the Team
Permanent Ex-Officio Board Members
Bishop Donald J. Hying
5th Bishop of Madison
Bishop Donald Joseph Hying was born on August 18, 1963, in West Allis, Wisconsin. He completed his early education at St. Aloysius, Immaculate Heart of Mary, and Brookfield Central High School, later earning a bachelor’s degree from Marquette University and a master’s degree from St. Francis Seminary. His Holiness, Pope Francis, appointed him as the Fourth Bishop of Gary, Indiana, and he was installed in 2015. In 2019, Pope Francis named him the Fifth Bishop of Madison, Wisconsin, with his installation taking place on June 25, 2019.
Fr. Tait Schroeder
Vicar General – Diocese of Madison
Fr. Tait Schroeder is the vicar general of the Diocese of Madison. A native of the Sauk City area, he was ordained in 2002 after studying in Rome and later earned a doctorate in canon law. He has served as a parochial vicar in Madison and as pastor in Ridgeway, Barneveld, Ashton, and Martinsville. After working at the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome, he returned to lead the implementation of the Diocese’ “Into the Deep” Strategic Plan.
Michael Wick
Director of Mission – Diocese of Madison
Michael Wick serves as the Director of Mission for the Diocese of Madison and previously served as the chief of staff, a role he began in the summer of 2022. He came to Madison from the Diocese of Gary, where he served as chief of staff for the past five years. He also previously served as executive director and director of operations with the Institute on Religious Life.
Shawn Carney
Executive Director – Catholic Charities
Shawn Carney was appointed Executive Director of Catholic Charities Diocese of Madison in May 2021. For the previous decade, he led the RSM Wisconsin accounting, tax and consulting practice of four offices and 160 employees through tremendous growth. Carney had also served on the Catholic Charities board and has been an advisor to several non-profit boards in the Madison and Rockford communities during his career.
Bishop Donald J. Hying
5th Bishop of Madison
Fr. Tait Schroeder
Vicar General – Diocese of Madison
Fr. Tait Schroeder is the vicar general of the Diocese of Madison. He grew up in the Sauk City area and attended Holy Name Seminary in Madison, graduating in 1994. He pursued a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from St. Mary’s University in Winona, Minn., and was ordained a priest on May 24, 2002, after studying at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. He later returned to finish a degree in sacramental theology. Fr. Schroeder served as a parochial vicar at St. Maria Goretti and St. Dennis parishes in Madison, and later as pastor in Ridgeway and Barneveld. He earned a doctorate in canon law in 2012 and served as the Judicial Vicar for the Diocese of Madison from 2013-2018, while also pastoring St. Peter’s in Ashton and St. Martin’s in Martinsville from 2015-2018. He then worked at the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome and was called back by Bishop Hying to lead the implementation of the Diocese’ “Into the Deep” Strategic Plan.
MICHAEL WICK
Director of Mission – Diocese of Madison
Michael Wick serves as the Director of Mission for the Diocese of Madison and previously served as the chief of staff, a role he began in the summer of 2022. He came to Madison from the Diocese of Gary, where he served as chief of staff for the past five years. He also previously served as executive director and director of operations with the Institute on Religious Life.
Shawn Carney
Executive Director – Catholic Charities Diocese of Madison
Shawn Carney was appointed Executive Director of Catholic Charities Diocese of Madison in May 2021. For the previous decade, he led the RSM Wisconsin accounting, tax and consulting practice of four offices and 160 employees through tremendous growth. Carney had also served on the Catholic Charities board and has been an advisor to several non-profit boards in the Madison and Rockford communities during his career.
Board of Directors
Officers
- Megan McDermott, Chair
- John Feller, Vice Chair
- Kyle Schwarm, Secretary
- MaryJo Steeber-Higgins, Treasurer
- Patrick Flesch, Immediate Past President
Directors
- Tina Ahedo
- Richard Bennett
- Mike Jacques
- Rosario Perez
- Vicky Thelen
- Michele Trewitt
- Paul Wrycha
Executive Team
Shawn Carney
Executive Director
CHRISTINA bEAN
Director of Human Resources
Claudia Becker
Director of Finance
Sandra Lampman
Director of Mission Effectiveness
Kelly Medenwaldt
Director of Programs
Program Leadership Team
Catherine Brock
Manager of Family Programs
James Debilzen
Manager of Communications & Catholic Identity
Mary Haberman-Laesch
Program Manager – 5 Door Recovery
Nici Hawkins
Program Manager – Community Resources – The Beacon
Alisha Henning
Manager of Volunteers – The Beacon
Cricket Hesselberg
Senior Manager of Programs
Judi Hoang
Program Manager – Parish Social Ministries
Melissa Kelley
Program Manager – Parish Social Ministries
Becky Klapper
Program Manager – Community Living
Nichole Kraemer
Program Manager – Adult Day Center
Joel Schenk
Program Manager – Community Connections
Carly Sobye
Manager of Homeless Services
Ashlyn Mehlhaff
Director of Development
TBD
Program Manager – Day Shelter – The Beacon
We are grateful for the volunteers and for the financial support of donors and our Diocese, which enables Catholic Charities to perform our many ministries.
