Dr. Donna Orsuto
Originally from Ohio, Donna Orsuto is the Co-founder and Director of the Lay Centre. She is also a Professor at the Institute of Spirituality of the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Italy. She lectures extensively and gives retreats in various parts of the world.  Her most recent book is entitled Holiness (London: Continuum 2006). She is involved in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, having served as a consultor for the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and as a member of the Commission for Ecumenism and Dialogue of the Diocese of Rome. 

Riekie van Velzen
Originally from Holland, Riekie van Velzen is the Co-founder and Administrator of the Lay Centre.  She has raised a family in Rome.  In addition, she is an artist whose work is exhibited in private collections world-wide and whose sacred works have been commissioned for several churches in Italy.

Heather Walker
Originally from Middlesbrough, England, Heather Walker is the Office Manager of the Lay Centre.  Following her graduation in Spanish Language and Literature, with minors in French and Italian at Leeds University and postgraduate studies in TEFL and Office Administration, Heather left England in her mid-twenties to live abroad.  Her thirty years of work experience have included office work, language teaching and professional proof reading and editing.

Robert S. White
Originally from Connecticut, Robert White is the Assistant Director of the Lay Centre.  After earning his B.A. in Philosophy from St. John's Seminary College of Liberal Arts in Boston, MA, and the S.T.B. from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, he worked in parish ministry, taught and developed curricula for adult faith formation programs, and directed retreats in the United States.  Since returning to Rome, he completed the S.T.L. in Patristic and Historical Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University.  He is currently pursuing language studies in preparation for the S.T.D. 

Board of Directors

Dr. Peter J. Albert

Faculty Research Associate, University of Maryland
College Park, MD, USA

Mr. James T. Cavanaugh, III
Cavanaugh Capital Management

Baltimore, MD, USA

Mrs. Mary Dwan
Washington, DC, USA

Mr. Ralph Dwan, Esq.
Attorney

Washington, DC, USA

Dr. Sandra Keating, Board Secretary
Assistant Professor, Providence College

Providence, Rhode Island, USA

Ms. Nancy Eisold Lindsay, Board Chair
Senior Counsel, World Bank (ret.)

Washington, DC, USA
 

Mr. Joseph T. Lynaugh
Ridgewood, NJ, USA

Mrs. Suzanne Nicholson
McLean, VA, USA

Rev. Donald Senior, CP

President, Catholic Theological Union
Chicago, IL, USA

Mr. Michael Schultz

Partner, McKee Nelson LLP
Washington, DC, USA

Honorary Board

Mr. John L. Allen, Jr.

Vatican Correspondent, National Catholic Reporter
New York, NY, USA

Mrs. Aldegonde Brenninkmeijer-Werhahn
St. Genesius Rode, Belgium

Mr. Hubert Brenninkmeijer
St. Genesius Rode, Belgium

Mrs. Sonia Vandama Cooke

Potomac, MD, USA

Most Rev. Michael L. Fitzgerald, M.Afr.
Apostolic Nuncio to Egypt

Cairo, Egypt

Miss Leideke Galema, L.o.B.
Arnhem, The Netherlands

Mrs. Janet Hall

Reston, VA, USA

The Right Honorable Tony P. Hall

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Agencies in Italy (ret.)
Reston, VA, USA