ST. MARY'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CONTACT

For more information about the Board of Directors or to submit any feedback about the school, please reach out to the Executive Committee at: exec@smhscs.org.

GOVERNANCE OVERVIEW

The Board of Directors of St. Mary’s High School serves as the governing body responsible for the long-term mission, strategic vision, and financial health of the school. Rooted in our Catholic identity, the Board ensures that all policies, planning, and leadership decisions uphold the values and educational mission of the school.  The Board provides governance through the adoption of policies, approval of budgets, strategic planning, and oversight of the President. A copy of our bylaws can be found HERE.

DIOCESAN STRATEGIC ALLIANCE AGREEMENT

St. Mary’s High School operates in partnership with the Diocese through a Diocesan Strategic Alliance Agreement, which can be found HERE. This agreement affirms our shared commitment to Catholic identity, mission fidelity, sound governance, and long-term sustainability as part of a Pre-K through 12th Catholic education ecosystem. Through this alliance, the school and Diocese work collaboratively to alignment across all of St. Mary's standing committees. As part of this agreement, the Bishop of the Diocese of Colorado Springs appoints a director to St. Mary's Board of Directors annually, usually the Superintendent of Catholic Schools, to serve as an advisory non-voting member.

BOARD MEETINGS

  • The St. Mary’s High School Board of Directors meets regularly to fulfill its governance responsibilities in support of the school’s mission. 

  • Board meetings are open to observation by members of the school community.  A brief public comment period of up to five (5) minutes is reserved at the conclusion of each meeting for observers who wish to share remarks with the Board. Observer comments are limited to governance-level matters and are received at the discretion of the Board, or when necessary upon referral from the Issue Resolution Policy (click HERE for the Issue Resolution Form).

  • Meeting dates are published below. Any changes to scheduled meetings will be reflected on the school’s official calendar.

    • February 25th at 5 PM, Resource Center

    • March 18th at 5 PM, Resource Center

    • April 15th at 5 PM, Resource Center

    • May 20th at 5 PM, Resource Center

    • June 17th at 5 PM, Resource Center

STANDING COMMITTEES

To support its work, the Board is organized into seven standing committees:

  • Mission Effectiveness – Ensures the school’s Catholic identity is fully integrated across academics, activities, and culture

  • Executive Committee – Oversees board operations and supports the President in urgent matters

  • Academic & Extracurricular Programs (Academics) – Supports the development of a strong academic curriculum and student activities

  • Finance – Provides oversight of budgeting, financial planning, and sustainability

  • Human Resources (HR) – Advises on personnel policies, leadership development, and ethical employment practices

  • Facilities, Equipment & Technology (Facilities) – Guides long-term planning and maintenance of the school’s physical and technological infrastructure, and also addresses safety and food services

  • Marketing, Enrollment & Development (MED) – Supports enrollment growth, fundraising, and community engagement for students, parents, faculty, alumni, and other community stakeholders

Each committee includes at least one Board member and a staff co-chair, with additional staff and community members serving in volunteer roles. Committee participation is a vital way in which the broader St. Mary’s community contributes to the school’s mission and growth.

If you are interested in joining a Board Committee to help, read more here: SMHS Board Committee Member Job Descriptions (April 2025)

BOARD ASSIGNMENTS

The 2025-2026 Board of Directors and their Committee assignments are as follows:

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

  • Chair: Bobbie Collins

  • Vice Chair: Pat Mills

  • Treasurer: Jeff Trusheim

  • Secretary: Deacon Juan Moreno

MISSION EFFECTIVENESS

  • Board Co-Chair: Msgr. Jaeger

  • Other Board members: Deacon Juan Moreno

ACADEMICS

  • Board Co-Chair: Pat Mills

  • Other Board members: Sheila Whalen, Superintendent of the Diocese of Colorado Springs

  • Staff members: Dennis Archuleta, Mary Anne Aragon

  • Non-Board members: Andrea Lucero

FINANCE

  • Board Co-Chair: Jeff Trusheim

  • Staff Co-Chair: Laura Flanigan, CFO

  • Non-Board members: Peggy Libbey

HUMAN RESOURCES (HR)

  • Board Co-Chair: Bobbie Collins

  • Staff Co-Chair: Dennis Archuleta

  • Staff members: Laura Flanigan, Tommy Darneal, Tricia Faber

  • Non-Board members: Kim McKee, Nate Lenz

FACILITIES

  • Board Co-Chair: Tom Neppl

  • Staff Co-Chair: Jim Cristelli

  • Non-Board Members: Karen Kosiarek, Chris Carter, Mark Montague

  • Safety Subcommittee:

    • Board Co-Chairs: Tom Neppl and Mark Strub

    • Staff Co-Chair: Dennis Archuleta

    • Staff Members: Jim Cristelli

    • Non-Board Members: Teri Stegmiller, Chris Lawhorn, Joe Tretcher, Chris Carter, Mike Scott, Enrique Trivino, and Elias Quintero

MARKETING, ENROLLMENT AND DEVELOPMENT (MED)

  • Board Co-Chair: Mark Strub

  • Other Board members: Natalie Myers, Jennifer Thibault

  • Staff members: Tricia Faber, Tommy Darneal, Leah Ramzy

  • Non-Board Members: Tara Cuccinelli, Ali Paglia, Bill Raskob, Mark O'Donnell