Staff

  • John Young was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Raised in a Catholic family, John received his BA in Film Arts in 2008 and his MBA in General Business in 2022 while serving as Director at Liberia Mission. He attributes his zeal for the faith and love for Liberia to eight years spent in Comunita Cenacolo, a Catholic lay Community that Mother Elvira Petrozzi started in Italy in 1983. From 2013–2016, John first served the poor in Liberia at Cenacolo’s St. Josephine Bakhita mission, thirty miles away from Liberia Mission.

    A burning desire to return to his “second home,” guided by the Holy Spirit, led John back to the Land of Liberty as a Communications and Operations Officer at Liberia Mission. His pictures, videos, and blog posts shared the Mission’s story with countless individuals. In early 2020, he became Director of Liberia Mission. In January 2024, after over eight years in Liberia, John returned home to the USA and now serves as the Executive Director of Franciscan Works.

    John likes to spend his free time watching movies, visiting friends, eating Liberian food, and (cautiously) riding his motorbike.

  • Emily is a native of Western New York and has a background in nonprofit communications, editing, and writing. As the Stateside Coordinator of Franciscan Works, Emily supports Liberia Mission through grant writing, fundraising, donor communications, and coordinating mission appeals. Before joining the Franciscan Works team, Emily volunteered with Franciscan Mission Service’s DC Service Corps, where she supported domestic and overseas Catholic missions as a Communications Associate. Emily enjoys good books, travel, and spending time with her many nieces and nephews.

Board of Directors

  • Paul Lipowski, a native of Toronto currently living in Deer Park, IL, brings extensive expertise and a deep commitment to Franciscan values and is currently the Chief Charism Officer at the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement at Graymoor. With a background spanning Franciscan theology, religious education, strategic planning, recruitment, and nonprofit management.  Paul holds master’s degrees in Pastoral Studies and Bible and Contemporary World studies and a Doctorate in Education in Interdisciplinary Leadership, along with certifications in Change Leadership and HR Management. He also serves as a lecturer at Holy Family University and has a consulting firm, VirtuteDuce, LLC.

    Outside of his professional endeavors, Paul is actively involved in volunteer work, including coaching youth ice hockey, lacrosse, and playing polo. He is supported by his wonderful family, of three kids and wife Kathy.  Paul's dedication to Franciscan values draws him to the amazing and transformative work of Franciscan Works! 

  • While her passion for education began in Illinois where she served as a public-school administrator and an adjunct professor for over 20 years, the opportunity to unite her professional vocation and Catholic faith brought Crystal LeRoy to Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, CA, in 2020. In her role as president, she works diligently to ensure access and equity to the poor and underserved, with a particular zeal for integral ecology and the critical need to imbue these principles into the school curriculum.

    She is thrilled to continue this zeal with the students of Liberia through the phenomenal works of Franciscan Works.  Crystal holds a bachelor's degree in international relations from Northwestern University. She attained her master's degree in cultural education and policy studies and her doctorate in educational administration and supervision from Loyola University Chicago.  Both her professional and personal values are deeply aligned with the Franciscan charism. She is excited to serve and help further the mission.

    In her downtime, Crystal enjoys spending time with her family, reading, hiking and gardening. 

  • Matt is a senior investment professional at an Outsourced Chief Investment Office, where he is responsible for sourcing and underwriting new investment opportunities in the private markets on behalf of several non-profit and other clients. Prior to his current role, he worked in public accounting gaining experience in audits, non-profit accounting, investments, and real estate. Matt is a licensed CPA in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

    Matt is excited to have the opportunity to use his professional training to serve and grow Franciscan Works and Liberia Mission. Matt is an active parishioner at his local Catholic Church and very happy to be part of the mission!

  • Bob has been a Board Member of Franciscan Works since 2003 and was Board President for 8 years. He is a recently retired Network Engineer. Bob demonstrates a deep commitment to youth as is evidenced by his 30 years as a volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America. His mission experiences began in 2003, when he traveled to Honduras and was deeply affected by the pervasive poverty there. He has been working with Franciscan Works since its creation and has traveled to Liberia Mission several times.

    Bob and his wife Kathy are both actively involved in raising needed funds for Liberia Mission through mission appeal talks and by hosting events in their home. They are both professed Secular Franciscans for over 40 years. Bob and Kathy live in Willowbrook, Illinois and are parishioners of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. They enjoy spending time with their children, grandchildren, friends, and extended family.


  • Fr. Varfee runs the Catholic Education Secretariat (CES) of the Archdiocese of Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa. Father brings with him tremendous insight into the West African Education System. He guides a centralized Catholic School System, which operates 28 schools throughout Liberia. Father is a native Liberian who studied in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Ghana before being sent to Rome to study at the Urbaniana Pontifical University. Father did his graduate studies at the Cuttington University in Monrovia, Liberia.

    Fr. Varfee has been an advisor to Liberia Mission for many years. He has served the Mission as a spiritual and administrative advisor to staff and students. He knows our organization well and was an anchor of counsel during the Ebola Crisis.

    Fr. Varfee is a great collaborator and conduit for communication between the Archdiocese of Monrovia, the Government of Liberia, and Franciscan Works. He is a wonderful steward and partner of Franciscan Works and Liberia Mission.


  • Kurt is a retired Wisconsin pediatrician whom the Lord hooked on Catholic missions in the 1970’s with a month in Central America. He later made 9 medical mission trips to Honduras. Now his focus is on supporting Franciscan Works and Liberia Mission. He loves their strong commitment to teaching authentic Catholic values and to child safety in their programs. He also loves their 3-fold emphases reflected in their motto: God, Education, Work, building for the long term temporally and spiritually.

    His medical interests include infectious diseases, child diabetes, and the effects of life habits and media on youth development and well-being. His free time is filled with church, family, friends, running, reading non-fiction, guitar, sketching, and yes - lots of home repairs.

    Along with his wife Gail he is a strong believer in the contagiousness of hope that comes from salvation through Our Lord Jesus Christ.


  • Rev. Sekou T. Sirleaf, who prefers to go by just ‘ST Sirleaf’ or simply ‘Sekou,’ is the founder and senior pastor of the One Family Christian Center International (OFCC), a nondenominational church with branches in West Fargo, North Dakota and Liberia, West Africa. ST Sirleaf has been involved in Christian Ministry for about 31 years, a journey he started as a teenager and in high school. ST holds a bachelor’s in theology/psychology from the All Nations for Christ Bible Institute International in Nigeria, a diploma in Electrical Technology from Minnesota State Community and Technical College, a bachelor’s in operations management from Minnesota State University, Moorhead (MSUM), and is currently working on his master’s in Global Development Practice at Harvard University. ST loves aviation and flew briefly at the Fargo Jet Center.

    ST Sirleaf serves on the City of Fargo Human Rights Commission as the vice chair of the commission. ST also serves on several boards of various organizations including the Midwest Ministers Association, High Plains Fair Housing Center, Student Advisory Board for the College of Business, Analytics and Communication at MSUM, and is acting chair of the board of the Myer S. Torbor Jr. Foundation. Because of his love for service, ST works as a Security Professional with Securitas Security Services at Healthy Dakota (Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota). ST is a family man and loves reading, traveling, fishing, swimming, laughing, and helping others.


  • Marisol was born in the Dominican Republic and currently lives in Central Florida. She is married and has two adult children, along with a White Labrador who thinks the house is her territory. The family loves to travel and create new memories together around the world.

    With 30 years of experience in the accounting field, Marisol primarily serves non-profit organizations, including churches, missionary foundations, private Christian schools, and government entities. She provides oversight, management, and leadership in finance and is passionate about serving others, improving processes, and solving problems.

  • Father Ken is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and a diehard Steeler, Pirate, and Penguin fan. This past June, he celebrated his 60th jubilee of entrance into the Society of the Atonement and had the privilege to meet with Pope Francis in Rome while on retreat.

    Fr. Ken is currently assigned at the Chapel of our Savior in Brockton, Massachusetts. He holds a BA in Philosophy from Siena College, a Master of Divinity from the Washington Theological Coalition, Master degree in Formative Spirituality from the Duquesne University and a Doctor of Ministry from the Graduate Theological Foundation. 

    He had previously ministered in several parishes founded by the friars and was the Rector of the Church of Sant’ Onofrio in Rome and Procurator General to the Holy See. He served as Vocation Director for Society of the Atonement, the Guardian of Saint Paul friary and did retreat ministry at the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center. 

    Father Ken was the director of the Pre-Theologate at Franciscan University where he taught a class in Ecumenism. While at Franciscan, he accompanied over 60 men who are serving the Church as priests and religious. 

    He retired from the United States Navy Chapin Corps in 2010 with the rank of Captain, having served 24 years throughout the Navy and Marine Corps communities. He is a Veteran of Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and was a first responder at the pentagon.

    His personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal and the Navy and Marine Medal as well as the Combat Action Ribbon in addition to other unit and campaign awards.

    Father Ken is a Knight Commander of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem and a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus.

    In 2024, he was elected at the 19th General Chapter to serve as a member of the General Council for the Friars of the Atonement.

  • Eric Cerini, born in a small town in western Pennsylvania, has built a distinguished career marked by service, leadership, and community engagement. A U.S. Air Force veteran, Eric graduated from East Texas State University, part of the Texas A&M University system, and went on to own and operate a Harley-Davidson dealership for over 20 years. His expertise earned him a place on the Harley-Davidson National Dealer Advisory Council.

    Active in his community, Eric has served on the local Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters, participated in the local Chamber of Commerce, and contributed to the Joplin Tourism Committee. In recent years, he has worked with Catholic Funeral and Cemetery Services, where he has held roles as a Regional Trainer, Regional Director, and Director of Cemeteries, making a lasting impact in his field and his community.


  • Matt has been a Board Member of Franciscan Works since 2024. A lover of theology and education, he felt called to continue the great work of Liberia Mission. Through his service as a Board Member of Franciscan Works, Matt hopes to help grow the wonderful programs offered through Liberia Mission. He is a Third Order Franciscan and exercises this spirituality through his local Franciscan Fraternity. He became a Franciscan Tertiary in 2021 right before the birth of his daughter.

    Matt and his wife Jessica are both parishioners of St. Paul Catholic Church in North Canton, Ohio. They both have a deep love for the Holy Eucharist and devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Matt works, attends graduate school, co-leads a men's Bible study, and participates in multiple community fundraisers and programs throughout the year with his family's love and support. Matt and Jess enjoy spending time with their friends and family.

  • Jennie is our angel in Heaven. Although she passed away in April 2013 after a two-year battle with cancer, we consider sweet Jennie an eternal member among the Franciscan Works Board of Directors. Jennie worked tirelessly for over a decade on behalf of the children of the Missions, touching countless lives on three continents and raising well over half a million dollars. She continued raising money and awareness for the Mission until her final days on Earth. She was an invaluable presence on our Board and an incomparable woman of faith.

    Jennie and her husband, Deacon Eddie, were members of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Prairieville, LA, where Jennie also shed her light among many parish ministries. Although Jennie is no longer with us in this world, we are confident she is watching over our Mission children in the next. We often call upon her sweet soul in prayer to intercede for us to Jesus on behalf of the children of Liberia Mission whom she never met but so dearly loved.

Supporters

We could not do our work without the donors, sponsors, and volunteers that advocate for our children with their donations and time. We give awards to supporters who go above and beyond for our students. To read about their work, please visit our Awards Page.