November 14, 2017
New Members Join La Roche College Board of Trustees
PITTSBURGH, Nov. 14, 2017 – The Board of Trustees of La Roche University recently welcomed five new members.
The following individuals became members of the board in May 2017:
Sister Joan Marie Harper, CDP
Sister Joan Marie recently served as pastoral associate at St. Brigid of Kildare Parish in Dublin, Ohio. She has held various roles for the Diocese of Columbus, was former associate director of development at La Roche University, and was a teacher and principal for schools in North Carolina, Maryland and Delaware. Sister Joan Marie was the recipient of the 2016 Woman of Providence Award, and she received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal, also known as the Cross of Honour, in 1992.
Sister Mary Michael McCulla, CDP
Sister Mary Michael recently returned to Pittsburgh after teaching English as a Second Language to Sisters in South Korea for two years. Previously she was a nurse to three parishes, was vice president of nursing at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Illinois, and was a clinical instructor in the Memory and Aging Project at Washington University. Sister Mary Michael has served on the boards of several nonprofits and nursing organizations. She had an article published in Review for Religious and has co-authored several articles for various health and medical journals.
Sister Lisa Paffrath, CDP
Sister Lisa is the director of formation for the Sisters of Divine Providence in Allison Park, Pa. She has served as a mental health and drug and alcohol addiction counselor. Sister Lisa worked for the Office of Counseling and Health Services at La Roche and held private practice in counseling in Clarion, Pa, contracting with Children and Youth Services, Family Health Council, and employee assistance programs. Sister Lisa earned her bachelor’s degree from Duquesne University and her master’s degree from Shippensburg University.
The following individuals became members of the board in October 2017:
Susan E. Hoolahan, MSN ’91, RN, NEA-BC
A La Roche alumna and Distinguished Alumni Circle member (2014), Ms. Hoolahan is the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) and vice president of patient care services at UPMC Passavant. She has 34 years of progressive nursing experience in critical care, nursing leadership, and hospital operations in both academic and community teaching organizations. Ms. Hoolahan serves on the board of directors for the American Heart Association of Beaver Butler Counties. She is a CNO advisory council member for the Hospital and Health System Association of Pennsylvania, and an advisory board member of the California MSN in Nursing Administration and Leadership Community of Interest Programs. In 2016 she received the Passavant Hospital Foundation Legacy of Caring Award.
Uzair (Sam) Shamsi, Ph.D., PE, D.WRE, F.ASCE
Dr. Shamsi is the northeast wet weather practice leader for Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. in Pittsburgh. He has 28 years of civil engineering experience and has written more than 120 civil engineering publications. Dr. Shamsi is an instructor at Penn State Beaver and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). He serves on the board of directors for the Pittsburgh Section of ASCE and Southwestern Pennsylvania Engineering Outreach (SPEO).
About La Roche University: A private liberal arts college in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, La Roche University offers more than 50 undergraduate majors, six graduate degree programs and one doctoral program, with particular strengths in education, business, criminal justice, psychology, and health and medical sciences as well as interior design and graphic design. This residential college provides a vibrant campus community for more than 1,500 men and women enjoying 30-plus student organizations and an exciting NCAA Div. III athletics program. Founded by the Sisters of Divine Providence in 1963, La Roche University embraces its Catholic heritage while welcoming people of all faiths and backgrounds. With a legacy of social justice and a commitment to international exchange, La Roche University educates students to be lifelong learners and achievers in an increasingly diverse and global society.
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