Daniel Cardinal DiNardo Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, NCPD Episcopal Moderator Chairman, USCCB, Committee on Divine Worship God and Us:  The Ultimate Partnership Arzobispo de Galveston-Houston, Moderador Episcopal de NCPD Presidente del Comité de Culto Divino, USCCB Dios y Nosotros: La Asociación Definitiva
	John Foppe Executive Director, St. Vincent De Paul Society, Archdiocese of St. Louis President, Visionary Velocity Worldwide Where Faith and Disability Meet Director Ejecutivo, Sociedad de San Vicente de Paúl, Arquidiócesis de St. Louis Presidente, Visionary Velocity Worldwide Donde se Encuentran la fe y la Discapacidad
Dr. Arturo Chavez President, Mexican American Catholic College Embracing Who We Are As Church Presidente del Colegio Católico México Americano Aceptando Quienes Somos Como Iglesia
	Mar Muñoz-Visoso USCCB, Secretariat for Cultural Diversity in the Church  Building Intercultural Competence for Ministers USCCB, Secretariado de Diversidad Cultural en la Iglesia Construyendo  Competencia Intercultural para Ministros
Peter Murphy Executive Director, USCCB, Secretariat of Evangelization and Catechesis Disciples Called to Witness: What does the New Evangelization Mean for Me? Director Ejecutivo del Secretariado de Evangelización y Catequesis, USCCB  Discípulos llamados a dar Testimonio: ¿Qué Significa la Nueva Evangelización para mí?

Saturday Learning Sessions

10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Enfermedades Mentales, Recuperación y Conexión a la Espiritualidad      
Lissette Mira-Amaya, M.A., L.M.S.W., tiene más de treinta años de experiencia en servicios de salud mental. Ha trabajado como terapeuta y administradora de programas de salude mental con adultos, niños y familia. Es miembro del Concilio de Enfermedades Mentales del Concilio Nacional Católico en Discapacidades (NCPD).

Fundación Ministral: Discapacidades en la Vida Parroquial
Nora Ponce, coordinadora de RCIA, fue directora de educación religiosa, y miembro del ministerio para personas con discapacidades y directora espiritual en la Arquidiócesis de Galveston-Houston.

Un Lugar para Todos: Enfóques y Estrategias
Gabriella Karaszewski, la Directora de Educación Religiosa en la Iglesia de San Jerónimo para la Arquidiócesis de Galveston-Houston.

Forum for Clergy
Fr. Bob Malloy, O.F.M. Cap., Director of Pastoral Services, Capuchin Soup Kitchen, Detroit Michigan and Member, NCPD Council on Mental Illness.
Deacon Tom Lambert, Co-chair Chicago Archdiocesan Commission on Mental Illness, co-chair NCPD Mental Illness Council, past state president NAMI-Illinois. He has been involved in outreach and advocacy for people with mental illness, and their families, for over twenty-five years.

Targeting People with Disabilities for Death
Stephen L. Mikochik, J.D., LL.M., M.A. in religious studies, M.A. in philosophy; Emeritus professor, Temple Law School; visiting professor, Ave Maria Law School and former trial attorney, U.S. Dept. of Justice, Civil Rights Division; past Chair, NCPD Board of Directors.

Sacramental Preparation and Celebration
Madonna Wojtaszek-Healy, Ph.D. in educational psychology, Therapist; Vice President, Rooted in Love, Inc.; Teacher and Consultant, St. Mary Immaculate School, Illinois; Author of The ABC’s of A.D.D. for Catechists. She presents regularly at national Catholic conferences and serves as a member of the NCPD Autism Task Force.

Ministry Foundations: Disability in Parish Life
Marsha Rivas, is director of the office of Equal Access Ministries for the Diocese of Toledo. She has worked in residential care for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and as a high school teacher. She serves on the NCPD Board of Directors and is a Vice Coordinator for Faith & Light USA East.

Utilizing Technology and Social Media in Ministry
Mary O’Meara, is the Executive Director of the Archdiocese of Washington Department of Special Needs Ministries. Mary is a graduate of Gallaudet University where her concentration was linguistics and language acquisition. She currently serves both persons who are Deaf and persons with developmental disabilities.

Developing a Deaf Ministry Program
Arthine Vick Powers, is the pastoral associate at Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos Parish in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Buscando la oveja perdida: Cómo desarrollar un programa local de ministerio a los sordos
Padre Len Broniak, C.Ss.R., Sacerdote redentorista, fue ordenado en 1979; ha trabajado con la comunidad sorda para más de 40 años en varios países. Ahora toma el puesto como Director del Ministerio a los sordos y los de menos oído para la Arquidiócesis de Galveston-Houston desde 2003.

Preparación Sacramental y Celebración
Juan Carlos Moreno, Director Asociado de la Oficina de Evangelización y Catequesis de la Arquidiócesis de Galveston-Houston sobre el área de preparación sacramental. Ha servido a la Iglesia en diversos ministerios por los últimos 20 años. Cuenta con una maestría en Estudios Pastorales de la Universidad de St. Thomas, y presentemente se encuentra tomando cursos para una maestría en Estudios Teológicos en la misma institución.

Apoyo a Familias
Vilma Pardo, M.A., L.P.C., es Consejera Profesional Licenciada, graduada de la Universidad de Prairie View A & M donde terminó sus estudios en Psicología y su Master en Consejería. Ella ha trabajado por veinte años en varias capacidades para la Comunidad Latina, como Directora de Ministerio Hispano de una parroquia en la Arquidiócesis de Galveston-Houston y ahora en su practica privada. La Sra. Pardo ha creado varios programas dirigidos al fortalecimiento de familias y comunidades; Ella es una presentadora a nivel local y nacional de entrenamientos y seminarios.

Spirituality: How it Strengthens Recovery

Jim McCollum, is a Houston lawyer who mostly practices immigration law. He is a graduate of The University of Texas School of Law and a magna cum laude graduate of Duke University. He has practiced law in Texas for more than 20 years. 

Fr. Bob Malloy, O.F.M. Cap., Director of Pastoral Services, Capuchin Soup Kitchen, Detroit Michigan and serves as a member on NCPD’s Council on Mental Illness.

The New Eugenics: Eliminating the "Undesirable"
Dr. Marie Hilliard, Director of Bioethics and Public Policy for the National Catholic Bioethics Center is a registered nurse who has been substantially involved in health care regulation at the state and national levels, with extensive professional background in medical ethics and public policy and advocacy. She holds graduate degrees in Maternal-Child Health Nursing, Religious Studies, Canon Law and Professional Higher Education Administration and currently serves on the NCPD Board of Directors.

Faith Formation for All
Susan Perrault, serves as the Director of Faith Formation Programs and Pastoral Minister to the Deaf Community, St. John the Evangelist Parish, Green Bay, Wisconsin. Previously Susan was the Consultant/Director for the Ministry with Persons with Disabilities & Families for the Diocese of Green Bay.

Demonstration of NCPD's App for Sacramental Preparation
Mark Mautone, President, Integrated Technology for Persons with Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Greater New York City Area. He currently serves as a member of NCPD’s Autism Task Force.

Family Support
Dorothy Coughlin, is the Director of the Office for People with Disabilities in the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. She has served in this ministry for over thirty years.
Johnathon Vermaelen, youth self-advocate; Asperger Syndrome.
Teresa Vermaelen, parent; mother of Johnathon Vermaelen.

Collaborating to Provide Community Resources

Stephen Riley, is Executive Director of Potomac Community Resources, Inc. (PCR) a private, nonprofit organization that promotes the full inclusion of teens and adults with developmental differences into community life in the Potomac, Maryland area by providing over 30 therapeutic recreational, social, educational, and respite care programs.

3:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Demostración de la Aplicación NCPD para preparación sacramental para uso en teléfonos y tabletas inteligentes
Juan Carlos Moreno, Director Asociado de la Oficina de Evangelización y Catequesis de la Arquidiócesis de Galveston-Houston sobre el área de preparación sacramental. Ha servido a la Iglesia en diversos ministerios por los últimos 20 años. Cuenta con una maestría en Estudios Pastorales de la Universidad de St. Thomas, y presentemente se encuentra tomando cursos para una maestría en Estudios Teológicos en la misma institución.

Tener acceso a ayuda cuando se recibe un diagnostico prenatal equivocado

Theresa Escalante, Doctora de Medicina certificada en Medicina Interna. Graduada de la Universidad de Loyola de Chicago, Escuela Stritch de Medicina, ella tiene 28 años de experiencia en medicina.

Formación de Fe para Todos
Nora Ponce, coordinadora de RCIA, fue directora de educación religiosa, y miembro del ministerio para personas con discapacidades y directora espiritual en la Arquidiócesis de Galveston-Houston.

Supporting Families Experiencing Mental Illness
Deacon Tom Lambert, Co-chair, Commission on Mental Illness, Archdiocese of Chicago and Co-chair NCPD Council on Mental Illness;
Lissette Mira-Amaya, M.A., LMSW, has more than thirty years of experience in mental health services. She has worked as a therapist and program administrator in mental health services with adults, children and families. She is a member of the Council on Mental Illness of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability.

Caring for the Caregiver
Tom Racunas, was a special educator for 36 years. He retired in 2010 and was blessed to become the director of the Ministry with Persons with Disabilities for the Diocese of Wichita, Kansas. Tom serves on the Board of Directors of NCPD.
Anna Maria Cruz, has been the secretary of the Ministry Formation Institute for the Diocese of San Bernardino, in California, for nine years. She serves on the Board of Directors of NCPD.

Strengthened in Faith: A Unique Video Resource for Confirmation
Sr. Kathleen Schipani, I.H.M., Administrator, Pastoral Care for Persons with Disabilities/Deaf Apostolate, Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Member, NCPD Board of Directors.
Fr. Michael Depcik, O.S.F.S., Pastor at St. John’s Deaf Center in the Archdiocese of Detroit. Father Depcik produces the video blog "Father MD's Kitchen Table."

Supporting Inclusion in Catholic Schools

Doreen Engel, Principal, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Academy, Central Falls, Rhode Island; Member, NCPD Board of Directors. She formerly served as director for Special Education in the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. She earned a bachelor’s degree in music therapy from Anna Maria College, Paxton, Mass., and a master’s degree in education with a concentration in special education, from The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.

A Place for All: Approaches and Strategies
John Barone, B.A., Religious Education, University of St. Thomas, Houston; M.A., Private School Administration, Institute for Catholic Educational Leadership, University of San Francisco. John is currently Director of the Learning Resource Center at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory School in Houston, Texas. He is the author of A Place for All: Ministry for Youth with Special Needs as well as Jesus the Christ Catechist Guide.

Take This All of You
David Rizzo, author of Faith, Family and Children with Special Needs published by Loyola Press. Co-developed the Adaptive First Eucharist Preparation Kit and contributed to the Adaptive Reconciliation and Adaptive Confirmation Kits, also published by Loyola Press.