Catholic Women in Leadership: Past, Present and FUTURE

Location: The Great Hall in The Basilica School

Event Overview:

This event focuses on the next steps for The Basilica in advancing Catholic women’s leadership. Attendees will hear from three Catholic leaders about their personal journeys and their perspectives on supporting Catholic women in the future. The session will also include opportunities for participants to share their own experiences and ideas, which will help guide the work of Saint Phoebe’s Footsteps.

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Panelists:

Brian J. Bruess, Ph.D., is the first person to serve as president of both the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, a role he began on July 1, 2022. Under his leadership, CSB and SJU –two nationally respected Catholic, Benedictine, residential liberal arts colleges – have deepened their partnership through a unified governance structure known as “Strong Integration,” all while maintaining their distinct missions and identities. Bruess has championed initiatives aimed at strengthening student success, modernizing enrollment strategies and guiding the two institutions through strategic planning for a thriving future.

Prior to CSB and SJU, Bruess served as president of Saint Norbert College in Wisconsin and spent more than two decades at Saint Catherine University in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in a variety of leadership roles. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Saint Norbert College and both a master’s and doctorate in college student personnel and research and evaluation from Ohio University.

Brian and his wife, Carol – a scholar in residence for relationships and dialogue at CSB and SJU –live on the Saint Ben’s campus with their beloved Bernedoodle, George, who moonlights as a campus therapy dog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anne Cullen Miller is President Emeritus of the Catholic Community Foundation, where she served as President from 2013 to through January of 2026. Anne joined the Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota (CCF) in 2008, first serving as investment officer and vice president of finance and investments before becoming president. Under her leadership, the Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota (CCF) has grown to become the largest of its kind in the nation, managing more than $800 million in charitable assets and granting over $45 million annually. Since its beginning, CCF has granted $350+ million into our community while remaining focused on community partnerships and community education.

 Anne is an active community volunteer, currently serving on the national board for FADICA (Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities) and on the Descendants Truth and Reconciliation Foundation. She previously served on local boards for Cretin-Derham Hall High School in Saint Paul, Catholic Rural Life and Saint Paul Urban Tennis. She sits on the President Advisory Committees for the Ignatian Volunteer Corps and is an active member of the Minnesota Women’s Economic Roundtable (MWER). In the past 7 years, Anne was instrumental in establishing the Catholic Racial Justice Coalition in the Twin Cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and the Consortium of Catholic Foundations, a national membership organization. 

Anne and her husband Mark have 3 grown children and 2 grandchildren. She enjoys volunteering, road biking, hiking national parks, golf, tennis, cross country skiing and practicing yoga.

Jean Wincek, CSJ, EdD, currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Saint Catherine University and the Board of Directors for the Minnesota Center for Health Care Ethics and Accola, all organizations that have their roots in the mission of the Sisters of Saint Joseph. She was a member of the Saint Paul Province Leadership Team from 2009 through 2017. Her other ministries included teaching and administering in Catholic schools in the Twin Cities and North Dakota. She and her colleague, Colleen O’Malley, CSJ team-taught graduate courses on effective teaching, brain-based learning, instructional planning, school culture and educational change for Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota for two decades. They also developed planning processes for school mergers, designed and led strategic planning processes for non-profit organizations and K-12 schools, facilitated large group meetings and provided staff development for school faculties and business groups. Jean has written several books and articles on topics such as the influence of metaphor in shaping school culture, educational change, strategic planning and development, and celebrating ritual as a faith community. She has served on several CSJ Congregational and Province committees, facilitated process and meetings throughout the CSJ Congregation and is a Sister Companion to the Carondelet Agrégée.

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Moderator: Jill Reilly: Past Parish Council Chair, current member, and retired Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

Program Highlights

• Panelists will share their leadership journeys.
• Discussion on developing current female leaders in the Church.
• Visions for promoting, educating, and supporting future advances for Catholic women in leadership roles.
• Small group discussions for participants to share insights, which will inform the ongoing work of Saint Phoebe’s Footsteps.