Academic Advisory Board

Rebecca Castagno

Miss Rebecca Castagno is currently a 1st/2nd grade teacher at Regina Luminis Academy, a Catholic classical school. She grew up attending a Catholic classical school where she attributes learning many of the Catholic morals and values that have formed her as a young Catholic woman. She graduated from Immaculata University with a degree in Early Elementary and Special Education. During her time at Immaculata, she was involved in many clubs and activities. One of the most noteworthy clubs was “Macs Respect Life” where she served on the leadership board and brought awareness to students on campus about the dignity of all human life.

When she is not teaching, Miss Castagno has taken a particular interest in St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body.” She has been fortunate enough to attend a few courses with Christopher West.

As an Advisory Board member for Mission Love and Life, she seeks to use St. John Paul II’s integrated vision of the entire human person to help younger generations understand the truth, beauty, and goodness of formative topics, such as living out a chaste and moral life.

Kelly Foley

Kelly Foley has been an educator for over 30 years, and is currently the Director of School Ministry at West Catholic Preparatory High School. She has been married to her husband Patrick for 27 years, and is the mother of three.

Kelly is a parishioner at St. Luke the Evangelist Parish in Glenside, PA, fand has been a member of the parish for 23 years.

Lisann Castagno

Lisann Castagno is a mathematics teacher at St. Joseph’s Prep High School in Philadelphia. She and her husband Michael and have been married since 1994, and have three daughters. They are parishioners of Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Trooper, Pennsylvania, where they are on the marriage preparation team as well as the Alpha ministry. They are on the board of A Baby’s Breath Crisis Pregnancy Center, and are also certified Natural Family Planning teachers.

Jennifer Mars

Jennifer Mars has worked as an office administrator at St. Joseph Preparatory School since 2019. She is co-moderator for the Respect Life Club, and is also a moderator for the Prep Republicans.

Shana Rightley

Shana Rightley is a mathematics teacher at Villa Maria Academy High School in Malvern, PA. She is moderator for Villa’s Pro Life Club.

Dr. Joe Zalot

Dr. Joe Zalot joined the National Catholic Bioethics Center as a Staff Ethicist in July 2017. Among his other duties, he produces and hosts the NCBC’s Bioethics on Air podcast, compiles its bi-monthly Bioethics Public Policy Report, and responds to approximately 400 ethics consultations per year. He also lectures for the NCBC and has authored multiple statements, guides, and book chapters for NCBC publications.

Prior to coming to the NCBC, Joe served from 2015-2017 as the Regional Director of Ethics and Spiritual Care for Mercy Health-Cincinnati. In this role he chaired the regional ethics committee, reviewed and drafted ethics and spiritual care policies, and initiated a nurse ethics education program. During this time, he also served as a Lecturer at the Athenaeum of Ohio/Mount St. Mary’s Seminary where he taught courses in Medical Ethics and Morality and Justice in Catholic Life. From 2004-2009, he was an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies and Ethics at Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, and from 2009-2015 an Associate Professor with tenure. At Mount St. Joseph, he taught courses in Health Care Ethics, Business Ethics, Sexual Ethics, and Christian Marriage. He also taught student travel courses to Rome that integrated the Catholic faith with history and art. Joe earned a Ph.D. from Marquette University in 2002, an M.Ed. from Boston College in 1997, an M.Ed. from Springfield College in 1991, and a BA from St. Anselm College in 1989. He has authored two books along with numerous articles, and he has presented at academic conferences both domestically and internationally.

Joe is the founder and President of Dr. Z Travel, LLC, a faith-based travel company that offers educational and parish pilgrimage trips to Europe. He is married to his wife Susan (1994) and they have a daughter, Maria.

Michael Clymer

Michael Clymer is a theology teacher at Little Flower Catholic High school for Girls. He is also the moderator of the Respect Life Club. He is a member of the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, where he works as a sacristan. He is currently working on a Master of Arts in Catechetics and Evangelization from Franciscan University.

Dr. Kyle Thompson

Dr. Kyle Thompson was raised in a Protestant tradition and came home to the Catholic Church when he was in his mid thirties. It was during his pursuit of his Master’s in Theology that he discovered his love of the Catholic faith, its traditions, and its theology rooted in logic and reason. Feeling further called to dive deeper into his faith, he once again returned to LaSalle to gain his Doctorate in Theology with a focus on spirituality. As an individual that feels that we should always keep our feet grounded in the world and the people in it I have continued to work, and serve the Lord, as he explored these academic endeavors. He spent five years working in the criminal justice field as a juvenile probation officer in the City of Chester, ten years working in the City of Philadelphia as a social worker, and am now in his fifth year teaching at Merion Mercy. He is pleased to be a part of this initiative and hope that the good work we do may allow hearts to be open to the reality that all life, regardless of situation or circumstance, is valuable, worthy of God’s love and the gift that life is.

Dr. Joe Downey

Dr. Joseph B. Downey is an educator, achieving the nation’s most prestigious awards for excellence in Music. He was previously Teacher of the Year for Burlington County, New Jersey. He’s a former Mayor, and a Counselor for A Baby’s Breath.

Joe is a member of St. Marks Knights of Columbus Bristol Council 906, and a Pro-Life Activist.

Steve Bozza

Steven Bozza is the Director of the Office for Life and Family for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. He is a Professor of Bioethics and Moral Theology at Catholic Distance University, Arlington VA and Immaculata University. He served as an editor and freelance writer for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Department of Pro-Life Activities for issues related to Artificial Reproductive Technologies. He has spoken and written extensively on marriage, sexuality and infertility issues for the National Catholic Bioethics Center and other publications.

Mr. Bozza has a Master of Arts Degree in Religious Studies from St. Charles Seminary in Wynnewood Pennsylvania. He has completed his doctoral studies in bioethics at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome.

Nicky Verna

Nicky holds a Masters in Theology from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary School of Theological Studies where she attended with her husband, Tom, who is a Permanent Deacon in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. They have been married since 1994, and have four children. Nicky works as Director of the New Evangelization at St. Andrew the Apostle Church. She serves the Church as a certified leader and Regional Ambassador for SoulCore; facilitator for women’s retreats; leader and prayer intercessor for the Unbound prayer ministry; board member for AbbeyFest Ministries; and facilitator/volunteer for Hope’s Garden, a ministry which accompanies women as they come to know themselves as beloved brides through teachings, prayer, support and connection to Christ the Bridegroom. Nicky is captivated by the lives of the saints, has a deep devotion to Our Blessed Mother and is genuinely in love with Jesus.