Board of Advisors
Sharon O'Brien, Ph.D.
Director
Director
Sharon O’Brien, Co-founder and current Director of Catholics For Family Peace Education and Research Initiative, is an author and international presenter on the issue of faith communities' responses to domestic abuse and violence. Dr. O'Brien earned her doctoral degree in Human Development from the University of Maryland, College Park and a M.A. in Adult Education from The George Washington University. Her dissertation work was recognized at the 2003 International Family Violence Research Conference.
Dr. O'Brien brings an interfaith perspective to this issue having served as Co-Founder and then President of the Interfaith Community Against Domestic Violence of Montgomery County, Maryland (2004-2013); Co-Founder and Board member of the Peaceful Families Project (2007-2013); and service on the State of Maryland’s Interfaith Domestic Violence Coalition of Maryland (2013-2015). Among many leadership roles, Sharon's service has included Advisory Board of the Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse (JCADA) and Province Director of the National Council of Catholic Women (2012-2017) which has addressed domestic abuse for many years.
Dr. O'Brien brings an interfaith perspective to this issue having served as Co-Founder and then President of the Interfaith Community Against Domestic Violence of Montgomery County, Maryland (2004-2013); Co-Founder and Board member of the Peaceful Families Project (2007-2013); and service on the State of Maryland’s Interfaith Domestic Violence Coalition of Maryland (2013-2015). Among many leadership roles, Sharon's service has included Advisory Board of the Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse (JCADA) and Province Director of the National Council of Catholic Women (2012-2017) which has addressed domestic abuse for many years.
Lauri Przybysz, D.Min.
Education Director and Advisor
Education Director and Advisor
Lauri Przybysz, Co-founder of Catholics For Family Peace, specializes in adult faith formation and pastoral education. She is part of the Executive Team for the National Institute of the Family, of which CFFP is a major initiative. Lauri has served as the Executive Director of the Christian Family Movement-USA, part of an international confederation of Catholic life movements that support and promote family life, www.cfm.org. She is Past-President of National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers www.nacflm.org. Dr. Przybysz served for 13 years as the coordinator of Marriage and Family Life in the Department of Evangelization for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, where she coordinated the archdiocesan committee for Domestic Violence Response and Awareness. She received the Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Ministry at the Catholic University of America in 2012, specializing in marriage and family enrichment, and Masters in Religious Education from Duquesne University. She has been a parish pastoral associate and a Catholic school teacher.
Lauri and her husband, John, have spoken on encouraging “the Church in the home” at the Pontifical Council on the Family in Rome, and at family conferences in the U.S., Europe, Latin America, and India. Her articles on marriage and family spirituality appear on the U.S. Bishops’ For Your Marriage website. She is the mother of 6 and grandmother of 21. Her website is Family Ministry Resources.
Lauri and her husband, John, have spoken on encouraging “the Church in the home” at the Pontifical Council on the Family in Rome, and at family conferences in the U.S., Europe, Latin America, and India. Her articles on marriage and family spirituality appear on the U.S. Bishops’ For Your Marriage website. She is the mother of 6 and grandmother of 21. Her website is Family Ministry Resources.
Jeanne Atkinson, Esq.
Advisor
Advisor
Jeanne M. Atkinson is the former Executive Director of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC). Before CLINIC, she worked at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington, directing the Immigration Legal Services program for 14 years, where she directed their highly active and successful legal services program, as well as the Catholic Charities’ Refugee Center. She is Co-founder of CFFP.
During her time working at Catholic Charities, Ms. Atkinson was a partner in establishing the Family Justice Center in Montgomery County, a one stop center for survivors of domestic violence. Ms. Atkinson served as a member of the Organizing Committee for Catholics for Family Peace since its inception in 2011 and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Catholics for Family Peace. She has a JD from the Washington College of Law at the American University.
During her time working at Catholic Charities, Ms. Atkinson was a partner in establishing the Family Justice Center in Montgomery County, a one stop center for survivors of domestic violence. Ms. Atkinson served as a member of the Organizing Committee for Catholics for Family Peace since its inception in 2011 and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Catholics for Family Peace. She has a JD from the Washington College of Law at the American University.
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Rev. Donald B. Conroy, S.T.D, Ph.D.
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Donald B. Conroy is a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and Executive Director of the National Institute for the Family (NIF), a recognized Catholic non-profit, tax exempt organization for research and development of ministry to families. For 40 years, NIF has been committed to establishing grassroots initiatives that will bring about a social change for the good of families and support sustainable and regenerative approaches to life, community, and the environment. Catholics For Family Peace is an initiative of NIF.
Fr. Conroy was the North American chaplain to the International Confederation of Christian Family Movements (2010-2016) and National Chaplain of the Christian Family Movement-USA (2002-2010). The Pontifical Council on the Family invited Fr. Conroy to participate in a symposium on family ministry at the Vatican in 2010. He was one of the organizers of the National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers. Fr. Conroy co-edited Earth at Risk: Advancing the Environmental Dialogue Between Religion and Science (Humanity Books, 2000). He also serves on the Board of Managers of the Lord's Day Alliance of the USA, an ecumenical organization that promotes the joy of Sunday.
Fr. Conroy was the North American chaplain to the International Confederation of Christian Family Movements (2010-2016) and National Chaplain of the Christian Family Movement-USA (2002-2010). The Pontifical Council on the Family invited Fr. Conroy to participate in a symposium on family ministry at the Vatican in 2010. He was one of the organizers of the National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers. Fr. Conroy co-edited Earth at Risk: Advancing the Environmental Dialogue Between Religion and Science (Humanity Books, 2000). He also serves on the Board of Managers of the Lord's Day Alliance of the USA, an ecumenical organization that promotes the joy of Sunday.
Rev. Charles Dahm, O.P., Ph.D.
Advisor and Family Peace Fellow
Advisor and Family Peace Fellow
Charles W. Dahm is director of the Domestic Violence Outreach (DVO) in Chicago. Fr. Chuck, a Dominican priest, was pastor of St. Pius V parish, a large immigrant Hispanic parish in Chicago, for 21 years. During that time, he and his team developed the largest parish-based domestic violence program in the U.S. He also helped co-founded The Resurrection Project, an economic development corporation and community organization, of which he is currently board secretary. He co-founded The Chicago Workers Collaborative, an advocacy organization for day laborers, and Parenting for Non Violence, an organization that helps parents in violence ridden areas parent their children effectively.
He is a frequent lecturer and preacher on domestic violence as well as a promoter of parish ministry to victims of domestic violence. He has preached about domestic violence at all the weekend Masses in more than 175 parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago and developed ministry teams to raise awareness about domestic violence and respond to the needs of victims in more than 100 parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Fr. Chuck holds a M.A. in theology from Aquinas Institute in St. Louis and a PhD in political science from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He was co-founder of the 8th Day Center for Justice, a Catholic peace and justice center in Chicago, where he served for twelve years. He is the author of two books: Power and Authority in the Catholic Church: Cardinal Cody in Chicago, and Parish Ministry in a Hispanic Community. Contact Fr. Dahm at [email protected]
He is a frequent lecturer and preacher on domestic violence as well as a promoter of parish ministry to victims of domestic violence. He has preached about domestic violence at all the weekend Masses in more than 175 parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago and developed ministry teams to raise awareness about domestic violence and respond to the needs of victims in more than 100 parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Fr. Chuck holds a M.A. in theology from Aquinas Institute in St. Louis and a PhD in political science from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He was co-founder of the 8th Day Center for Justice, a Catholic peace and justice center in Chicago, where he served for twelve years. He is the author of two books: Power and Authority in the Catholic Church: Cardinal Cody in Chicago, and Parish Ministry in a Hispanic Community. Contact Fr. Dahm at [email protected]
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Julia M. Dezelski, S.T.D.
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Julia Dezelski is Assistant Director for Marriage and Family Life Ministry in the Committee for Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. She holds a doctorate of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome and advanced degrees in Religious Studies and Spirituality.
She has presented and written on topics concerning the family, the role of women in the Church and society, and the sanctity of life. Julia is a regular contributor on More2Life Radio Show on EWTN and was a presenter at the World Meeting of Families in Dublin. She serves on the board of the National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers and the Religious Alliance Against Pornography. She lives with her husband and two daughters in the Washington, DC metro area.
She has presented and written on topics concerning the family, the role of women in the Church and society, and the sanctity of life. Julia is a regular contributor on More2Life Radio Show on EWTN and was a presenter at the World Meeting of Families in Dublin. She serves on the board of the National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers and the Religious Alliance Against Pornography. She lives with her husband and two daughters in the Washington, DC metro area.
Terri O'Sullivan
Advisor
Advisor
Terri O’Sullivan worked at a domestic violence shelter for seven and a half years, where she did case management, outreach and dv education in the broader community, including education in the church communities. She was associate Director of the Family Life Office in the Orlando, FL Diocese for over twelve years, where she introduced domestic violence awareness into marriage preparation. After retiring, she moved to Frederick, MD, and has volunteered with Heartly House, the local domestic violence shelter.
At her parish, St. Katharine Drexel, she did a two-part presentation on the Bishops’ Pastoral, When I Call for Help, as part of an adult education course and invited Sharon O’Brien to speak to a parish staff meeting on domestic violence issues. Sharon was also invited by the youth director to speak to the teens about dating abuse and brought a young intern who shared her personal story of abuse. Terri initiated several successful parish drives for needed items for Heartly House. She makes herself available to be a support to people in the parish who are dealing with domestic violence.
At her parish, St. Katharine Drexel, she did a two-part presentation on the Bishops’ Pastoral, When I Call for Help, as part of an adult education course and invited Sharon O’Brien to speak to a parish staff meeting on domestic violence issues. Sharon was also invited by the youth director to speak to the teens about dating abuse and brought a young intern who shared her personal story of abuse. Terri initiated several successful parish drives for needed items for Heartly House. She makes herself available to be a support to people in the parish who are dealing with domestic violence.
Christauria Welland, Psy.D.
Advisor and Family Peace Fellow
Advisor and Family Peace Fellow
Christauria Welland, a native of Canada, is a Catholic clinical psychologist residing in San Diego, California, USA. She is the founder of Pax in Familia, an international Catholic ministry dedicated to peace, and to the prevention of violence and abuse in Catholic families. Dr. Welland has a private clinical psychology practice in Solana Beach, CA, where she works with a predominantly Catholic population, and a hospital practice in the rehabilitation department of Paradise Valley Hospital in National City. Dr. Welland is Adjunct Faculty at Alliant International University in San Diego, where she has taught the doctoral-level licensure course on domestic violence since 2004. She co-wrote with David Wexler, Ph.D. a Spanish-language treatment program specifically for them, Sin Golpes, Como transformar la respuesta violenta del hombre en la pareja y la familia. Dr. Welland and her husband of 25 years have been engaged in voluntary ministry with migrant workers at their parish in San Diego since 1992, as well as workshops for clergy and laity in Africa, Sri Lanka, India, Ecuador, and Mexico.
Dr. Welland was invited to speak at the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, USA, in September 2015. At the Meeting, Dr. Welland addressed the participants on the topic of pastoral responses to domestic violence in Catholic families. Her booklet, How Can We Help to End Violence in Catholic Families: A Guide for Clergy, Religious and Laity, has been printed in six (6) languages and is also available for free download online in all 6 languages at her website www.paxinfamilia.org/ Read more.
Dr. Welland was invited to speak at the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, USA, in September 2015. At the Meeting, Dr. Welland addressed the participants on the topic of pastoral responses to domestic violence in Catholic families. Her booklet, How Can We Help to End Violence in Catholic Families: A Guide for Clergy, Religious and Laity, has been printed in six (6) languages and is also available for free download online in all 6 languages at her website www.paxinfamilia.org/ Read more.