Fr. Aaron Laskiewicz
Ex Officio Member

I am blessed to have been raised in a Catholic family.  Ever since childhood, going to church, saying my prayers, and being a good Christian were very important.  I was also blessed to have so many good examples in my life of how to live our call to holiness.  This was really meaningful to me as I discovered my desire to become a priest.  In fact, I wanted to become a priest ever since first grade.  Since then, it has been all I have ever known.

 My family and friends have been supportive along with my home parish, St. John Paul II, on Milwaukee’s south side.  One of the most influential figures in bolstering my faith, is my home parish pastor, Fr. Mike Ignaszak, who has been and still is, a great friend and mentor.  Over the years of my formation, I have learned a lot about myself, and God, but one of the best things has been realizing more and more how active God is in my daily life.

Email: LaskiewiczA@stmaryhc.org

Clem Budny
Trustee

Clem has been a member of the parish since 1975.  He is married and the father of three children, all of whom attended and graduated from St. Mary grade school.  Clem is a Lector, a member of the Finance Committee, a participant in the Renew program, and, along with his wife Joyce, has facilitated pre-marital reviews for engaged couples.  With a background of having been a corporate lawyer for thirty-five years, he now serves as a Trustee for the parish.

E-Mail: cbudny@synap-sys.com

Tammy DuBois
Trustee

Tammy has been a member of St. Mary Catholic Faith Community since 1997.  She currently serves as the Vice President of Operations and Chief Financial Officer for the Sojourner Family Peace Center. 

Tammy is an alumnus of both Carroll College, now University, and Marquette University.  She holds a Certification in Leadership Coaching from Cardinal Stritch, as well as a Transition to Executive Management Certification from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Tammy has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1994. 

Tammy is a Eucharistic Minister, a member of the Parish Finance Committee Pastoral Council, participated on the Debt Reduction Committee, and currently serves as the Parish Trustee-Treasurer. 

Tammy lives in Muskego with her husband, Craig, and two daughters, Sophie and Emily.  She enjoys traveling, hiking, reading, listening to music, cooking, walking her dogs, and spending time with family and friends. 

Jim Podewils
Chairperson

 Jim is a lifelong member of St. Mary Catholic Faith Community.  He is married to Sadie and they have one adult child, Angela.  Jim also has had the privilege of serving as Director of Administrative Services for the parish from October 2013 to May 2017.  He served as Parish Trustee during the mid-1980s.

Currently Jim has been active in our Haiti ministry as well as a co-leader of a small group.  He and Sadie also served as chair of the Rides during the Parish festival for ten-plus years.

He is grateful for the positive impact the community has made on his life and prays that he can contribute in furthering the Lord’s work here at St. Mary.

Email: jim.podewils@gmail.com

Caroline Schachtlie
Secretary

Caroline has been a lifelong member of St. Mary Catholic Faith Community.  She is married to Chris and they have three adult daughters, Laura, Sarah, and Monica as well as eight grandchildren.

Caroline attended grade school here at St. Mary, went to Pius XI High School and graduated with a degree in Business Administration from Marquette University.

Over the years, Caroline has been active in several ministries here at St. Mary.  She sang in the adult choir and participated in the “Song of Mark”, has been a festival volunteer, worked with engaged couples through the Marriage Encounter program and is a Eucharistic Minister.  Her greatest joy is singing for the Lord.  (K-Love is her favorite radio station!)

Being retired, Caroline gives praise and honor to God for the opportunity to spend time with family and friends, travel, and garden, but most of all, for the gift of her Catholic faith.

Pilar Azmani
Discipleship Commission Liaison

Pilar was born and raised in Hales Corners.  After college she moved away, but upon returning she joined St. Mary Parish in the fall of 2020.  She feels grateful and blessed to have been raised in a big Catholic family.  God and family have always been most important to her.

In her early teen years Pilar found that she loved to sing.  As she got older, she began to sing in the church life teen band, as well as cantor on the weekends.  In 2016, Pilar graduated college with a degree in Communication and a minor in Music.  Throughout her college career she lived in a couple of different cities and continued to be involved in the church and singing.  Her heart loves to sing contemporary Christian music, but she believes there is always room for the traditional hymns too - you know, the oldies but the goodies.

She thoroughly enjoys being a part of the Magnify Praise Team at St. Mary, as well as cantoring at Masses throughout the year.  She is happy to join the Pastoral Council and serve as the Discipleship Liaison.  Pilar is looking forward to helping grow discipleship in our church, especially the young adult life at St. Mary.

In her free time she enjoys spending time with family and friends, swimming, paddleboarding, hiking, playing the guitar, and of course singing.

Elisabel Chojnacki
Deanery Representative

Elisabel has been an active member of St. Mary Catholic Faith Community since 2019 when her daughter began to attend the school.  St. Mary has been a spiritual home since day one and Elisabel likes to help as the occasion arises.  Since 2020, she has served with the Hospitality Ministry team.  She has also taken several opportunities to help guide small faith-group studies.  One of her favorite events of the year is the summer festival where the parish community highlights its joyful sharing and welcoming spirit.

She holds an undergraduate degree in Business Management from Upper Iowa University and works in Clinical Research.  She loves being involved at St. Mary and is looking forward to her new role as Member of the St. Mary Parish Pastoral Council.

Elisabel lives in Greenfield with her husband, two sons and daughter.  During her free time, she enjoys reading, music, walks, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

Gilbert Frenn
Pastoral Care Commission Liaison

Gilbert is a retired portrait photographer who grew up in the Milwaukee area as a third-generation Lebanese Christian.  Baptized and confirmed in the Eastern Rite of the Catholic Church at St. George’s Melkite Church, he learned the importance of faith and service from his parents, who were instrumental in founding St. Sebastian’s Catholic School to ensure a Catholic education for him and his three brothers.

His family’s dedication inspired Gilbert to serve actively in his faith community.  He joined St. Mary in 1976, where he has worshiped through three different church constructions.  Over the years, he has served as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, leading a monthly group of parishioners to distribute Communion at St. Luke’s Hospital.  Gilbert also supports St. Mary as an Assistant Sacristan, Funeral Host, Sweepstakes Chairperson for the parish festival, and as a member of the Men of Christ group.

Gilbert and his wife, Jamie, were married at St. Mary.  Jamie, who is a chaplain at Elmbrook Church in Brookfield, shares his commitment to service.  Together, they have six children, five daughters and one son, and are blessed with nine grandchildren - seven granddaughters and two grandsons.

Tom Gaglione

Tom and his wife, Kelly, are residents of Franklin and have been members of St. Mary Catholic Faith Community for over five years.  They were previously longtime members of and involved with The Church of the Gesu on the Marquette University campus, where they both worked and lived downtown, and where they were married.  Both were raised in Catholic homes, attended Catholic elementary and high schools, and graduated from the UW-Whitewater College of Business.

Now retired, Tom enjoyed a long career in international trade banking, financing transactions for companies that actively exported and imported products and equipment.  He was also active in state organizations that promoted and supported international trade.  His career gave him a deep appreciation for global economics, varied cultures, and diverse business practices.

Tom and Kelly joined St. Mary because it is a large and dynamic south suburban parish, and they enjoy attending Mass in its bright, beautiful church.  They have participated in and deeply value parish programs that have strengthened their Catholic faith and allowed them to meet many other wonderful parish members. Through these programs, Tom was motivated to start and now co-lead the parish “Dynamic Men’s Group,” which is part of a large and growing national organization known as Men of Christ.  These collegial parish groups support men who wish to deepen their faith, the faith of their families, and reengage with and learn more about their Catholic faith through Catholic programs and discussion.

Tom is honored to be a member of the Parish Council and looks forward to supporting and promoting its mission and faith programming.

Melissa Hendrickson
Parish School Commission Liaison

Melissa is a devoted member of St. Mary Parish.  Born and raised in Milwaukee, Melissa discovered a deep and personal connection with God as she navigated the complexities of adulthood.  Her unwavering faith became a cornerstone of her life, providing solace, hope, and guidance in times of need.  As a mother, Melissa embraces her role as a spiritual leader for her son, instilling in him the values of compassion, kindness, and a deep-rooted love for God.  She is a living testament to the transformative power of faith, teaching her son the importance of seeking God’s presence in every aspect of life.

Professionally, Melissa serves as a nurse practitioner, specializing in working with Veterans.  Her commitment to serving those who have served our country is a reflection of her deep sense of gratitude and compassion.  Through her work, she is able to provide not only medical care but also a listening ear and a comforting presence to Veterans who may be facing physical, emotional, or spiritual challenges.  In her role as a member of St. Mary Pastoral Council, Melissa brings her unique perspective as a nurse practitioner, a mother, and someone with a profound faith journey.

Outside of the church and professional commitments, Melissa cherishes quality time with her loved ones and finding solace in nature.  She believes that nurturing her own spiritual well-being is essential to being an effective servant of God and a source of support to others.

Mary Beth Katorski

Mary Beth grew up on the south side of Milwaukee at St. Alexander (now St. John Paul II) Parish.  She became a member of St. Mary after moving to Franklin in 1991.

Mary Beth has been involved in various ministry and formation activities throughout the years.  Shortly after becoming a parish member, she began working with the high school Confirmation program and retreats.  She was blessed to have served with the teens on the first high school mission trip to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.  Mary Beth served as both a small-group host and large-group facilitator for Alpha, and participated in Reach More training.  She is currently an active member of the core teams for the Magnify and Going Deeper with Jesus discipleship offerings.

Mary Beth graduated from Marquette University and worked her entire career in the financial services industry.  In 2019, she received a certificate from the two-year Saturday Institute for Lay Ministry program at Cardinal Stritch University - St. Clare Center.  In 2024, she graduated from the Encounter Ministries School of Ministry, a two-year formation program designed to teach, equip, and activate disciples to demonstrate the love of God to others through the power of the Holy Spirit.

At the Ash Wednesday Mass in 2015, the Lord invited Mary Beth to enter into a journey with Him.  It has been a journey marked by healing and an ever-deepening intimacy in her relationship with Abba Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  Mary Beth seeks to honor the Lord for His work in her life by sharing her testimony and helping to bring others into their own encounter with the Lord and His amazing love.

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…” - Matthew 6:33

Frank LaSusa II

Frank and his wife, Roxanne, have been members of St. Mary Parish since 2014. Their children, Sebastian and Sofia, attend St. Mary Catholic School.  A lifelong Milwaukee native, Frank grew up in West Allis and attended St. Rita Catholic Grade School, Pius XI High School, and Marquette University.

Frank is a Sommelier and has built his professional career in the wine industry. Together with his brother, he owns Corvina Wine Bar in West Allis.  His Catholic faith is the cornerstone of his life and guides both his family and professional journey.

Frank and his family make their home in Franklin.  He is passionate about wine and enjoys cooking, traveling, reading, golfing, and spending quality time with his family.

David Mikolainis

David Mikolainis has lived in southeast Wisconsin his entire life and was raised Catholic with a touch of small-town farming and Lithuanian, Polish, and German heritage.  David has an engineering degree and was a member of the U.S. Army Reserves.  More recently he has committed his time to BSA - Scouting American and served as the Assistant Scoutmaster and Scoutmaster for Troop 598, guiding all three of his boys through the ranks to become solid, young men.

David and his wife Karen started their life together with a home in Hales Corners.  Originally, they traveled back and forth to the east side of Milwaukee as members of Saints Peter and Paul, where they were married and their sons were baptized.  As life progressed, time became more important, and St. Mary was a welcoming home just a few minutes away.  At St. Mary, David has helped with the church festival on the grounds crew, and intermittently sings in the choir.  David looks forward to building and strengthening the spiritual and personal relationships with the staff, other members of the Pastoral Council, the choir, and friends in the pews.  David values the Catholic faith and the hope it provides.  If you need someone to speak in front of a group with a microphone, he might be available.

Joe Plassmeyer
Parish School Commission Liaison

Joe has been a member of the Parish since 2011. He is married to Rachel, and they have 4 kids: Joey, Olivia, Max, and Cash. All children either have graduated or are currently enrolled at St Mary’s school. He feels blessed to have such an amazing family and thankful to provide the Catholic education to his kids that he experienced growing up in St Louis.
 
Joe is Director of OPS for a large company that specializes in Halloween costumes and collectables. At St. Mary's, he was on the athletic board for over 10 years and is now looking to serve God and the church in other ways. His faith is strong, he is excited about sharing his faith with the community and being a part of the Pastoral Council.

Brenda White
Finance Council Liaison

Brenda and her husband Bill have been members of the parish since 1986.  Their three adult children, Heather, Rachel, and Michael, attended St. Mary Parish School.  The White family has been blessed by many amazing friendships gained through school, sports, and service at the parish.  Over the years, Brenda has served as a Eucharistic Minister, choir member, St. Ben’s volunteer, and as a member of the parish building committee for the construction of the current church.

Professionally, Brenda was the founding president of Siena Catholic Schools of Racine until her retirement in 2023.  Brenda also served the Archdiocese of Milwaukee as an associate superintendent and elementary principal, as well as a middle school principal and special education teacher in the public schools.  She feels grateful for her career working with students, teachers, parents, and community partners to advance learning and build a spirit of collaboration and care for all of God’s family.

Brenda and her husband live in New Berlin.  She stays active hiking, biking, traveling, gardening, taking yoga classes, and enjoying adventures with her family and friends.