Mary Paxton Joins Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School as New Director of Advancement

Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School President Brian Menard announced today that Mary A. Paxton will join the school at the end of January as the new Director of Advancement.

“I’m thrilled to have Mary join our team of reformers as we build a 21^st Century model of Catholic education,” said Menard.  “Her wealth of experiences in the institutional advancement world has consistently emphasized her priority of service and ministry to young people, both in and out of educational settings.  Moreover, the diversity of roles she has played in the Diocese of Cleveland and elsewhere prepares her well both to spearhead the implementation of our ambitious development plans and to coordinate an effective advancement staff,” Menard said.

“I look forward to playing my part in making a school with such great charisms, history and tradition a fixture of Catholic education in Cleveland for the 21^st Century,” said Paxton, who is moving to VASJ from a development position at E City, a Cleveland nonprofit that teaches teens entrepreneurial, business and life skills to enable economic independence.

Paxton replaces Interim Director of Advancement Sr. Susan Mary Rathbun, OSU, who stepped down from VASJ’s Board of Advisors last summer to fill the advancement post temporarily.  Describing the transition from Rathbun to Paxton, Menard said, “We spent a long time looking for the right person to fill Sr. Susan Mary’s shoes.  Now that we have, I’m pleased to be able to keep both on board our Viking ship.”

Rathbun will spend a few weeks working side-by-side with Paxton, then will continue both as a volunteer in the Advancement Office and resuming her role on the Board of Advisors.  “During her tenure, Sr. Susan Mary has been instrumental in reconnecting VASJ with our Villa Angela alumnae, and in introducing me as the school’s new President to our various constituencies,” said Menard.

VASJ, Cleveland’s furthest-east high school on the shores of Lake Erie at the intersection of Lake Shore Boulevard and E 185^th Street, began in 1990 with the merger of the Ursuline all-girls Villa Angela Academy and the Marianist all-boys St. Joseph High School.  Menard has been the school’s second President since last March.