Sisters of Charity Leadership

Serving by Leading

Elected in 2022, current members of the SCL Community Council include seated, left to right, Sister Melissa Camardo and Sister Rosemary Kolich, Councilors; standing, Sister Eileen Haynes, Community Director.

Sister Eileen Haynes

Community Director

Previously, Sister Eileen served two consecutive terms on the SCL Council, beginning in 2010. Her ministries focused on education, spirituality, eco-justice, and social justice. She taught in the U.S. and Peru, and for several years served as a school principal. Sister Eileen was also the director of a diocesan house of prayer and served in several administrative roles, including director of a high school admissions department and director of a degree completion program. Sister Eileen is a former member of the National Board of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and a former SCL liaison to the non-governmental organization (NGO) for the Sisters of Charity Federation at the UN. Currently, she is a member of the Vincentian Family Executive Board.

Sister Melissa Camardo

First Councilor

Sister Melissa brings a background in Catholic health care administration to her role on the Council. She served at Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver, Colorado, for 15 years, the final six years as the Vice President of Mission Integration. Currently, she is a member of Leaven Ministries, the sponsoring body for the Catholic entities within Intermountain Health. Sister Melissa is passionate about the empowerment of marginalized women and worked in the anti-human trafficking movement in New York City for four years. She is energized by the networks of connection among her peers in religious life and the international Vincentian Family.

Sister Rosemary Kolich

Councilor

Prior to serving on the Council, Sister Rosemary taught English, literature, and journalism for 42 years. Sister Rosemary taught at SCL high schools, including Bishop Hogan High School in Kansas City, Missouri; Immaculata High School in Leavenworth, Kansas; and Billings Central High School in Billings, Montana. In 1997, Sister Rosemary began teaching at the University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, where she remained as a professor of English for 25 years in the Language and Literature Department. At Saint Mary, she served on numerous committees and in a variety of leadership positions, including Chair of the Language and Literature Department and of the Faculty Senate. In 2010, she received the University’s Sullivan Award for Teaching Excellence and in 2021, was installed as the Sister Mary Janet McGilley Endowed Chair in Liberal Studies. Upon retirement from teaching in May 2022, she was awarded Professor Emerita in English. Sister Rosemary earned her B.A. from Saint Mary College (now USM) in Leavenworth, her M.A. from Middlebury College (Bread Loaf School of English) in Vermont, and her Ph.D. from Saint Louis University. As a Council member, she serves as the sponsor member of the Cristo Rey Kansas City High School Board of Trustees.

Hermana Esther Vilela Gutiérrez

Director of Latin American Missions

Hermana Esther entered the SCLs in 1987 and has served as a teacher in Peru for 24 years. She currently teaches Religious Education to high school students at Enrique López Albujar Educational Institution. Previously, she served as the school’s Tutoring Coordinator. Hermana Esther became the Director of Latin American Missions in 2021, supporting the projects that the Congregation supports. She has involved other teachers in the commitment to serve the most vulnerable.

Sister Jean Anne Panisko

Community Treasurer

Sister Jean Anne is serving her third term appointment as SCL Community Treasurer. In this role, she serves as an SCL Officer with members of the Community Council. Before assuming the Treasurer’s position in 2010, she spent 29 years as the principal at Annunciation School, Denver. Prior to that, she was a vice-principal and elementary educator for several years. Sister Jean Anne has a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Saint Mary and a master’s degree in administration and supervision from the University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio. She is a board member for the University of Saint Mary, Leavenworth, and Board Member for Advocates for Immigration Rights & Reconciliation, Kansas City, Kansas.