Welcoming Three Alumnae to Saint Joseph Academy's Board of Directors
Being able to give back to the Academy is important to the many alumnae who serve on the Board of Directors.
We are pleased to introduce and "welcome back" three alumnae who were recently selected to the Board for a three-year term: Dr. Cheryl Hagan O’Malley '77 (far left in photo), Dr. Joanne Savinell Belovich '81 (bottom right in photo) and Margaret Sweeney Kresser '03 (top left in photo). They join alumnae and Board of Directors Nancy Conway, CSJ '65, Pat Kozak, CSJ '64, Rebecca Dessoffy Bennett '91, Vicki Pohlman Cleary '79 and Diane Strojin '83, as well as the rest of the Board of Directors.
As Chief Transformation Officer for Southwest General Hospital, Distinguished Alumna Dr. Cheryl Hagan O'Malley '77 is responsible for developing and implementing the hospital’s population health strategy; partnering with the hospital’s community-based post-acute care providers. Dr. O’Malley has more than 37 years of nursing experience, having served as the Vice President of Patient Care Services, Interim Chief Nursing Officer at University Hospitals’ Cleveland Medical Centers, Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at St. John Medical Center, and various leadership roles at both Cleveland Clinic Lakewood and Cleveland Clinic Fairview Hospitals.
When asked about how Saint Joseph Academy has shaped her life, Dr. O'Malley stated: "The Academy provided me with the foundation of empowerment, leadership, courage, integrity, faith, authenticity and spirituality. As a nursing leader, I learned how to inspire and motivate others during my formative high school years. I was taught to have courage and stand up for my beliefs. Integrity was further instilled within me, honesty and authenticity are characteristics that are upheld by both students and alumnae. Faith and spirituality are in the fibers of the Academy; both are very much a part of who I was more than 40 years ago and who I continue to be. Receiving a Catholic education was important to me and continues to be important as we are living in very turbulent times. The education I received helped me along the way as I developed in my career, not only as a nurse but also as a leader. Being selected as an Advisory Board member of the Health Sciences Honors Program, 2016 Distinguished Alumna and the 2017 Commencement Speaker have been some of my most memorable experiences. I want to be able to give back and be a part of the Academy's future. I hope to build other relationships that will help Saint Joseph Academy sustain the mission of the Sisters and bring the life-transformational educational experience to others in the future."
Dr. Joanne Savinell Belovich '81 is the Interim Dean of the Washkewicz College of Engineering at Cleveland State University. She joined the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering in 1991. Her research specialties are in transport in biomedical systems and in biofuel production. She has brought in $2.4 million in external funding to CSU in research, education grants and gifts from government, industrial and foundation sources. Dr. Belovich chaired the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering from 2014-2019. Prior to that, she led the department’s partnership in Biomedical Engineering with Cleveland Clinic as well as the establishment of the MS Biomedical Engineering program. Joanne received the Administrative Faculty Merit Award in 2001; the Tau Beta Pi, National Honorary Engineering Society; and Faculty Merit Award, 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2014.
"I grew up learning the importance of community and caring about a cause or system larger than yourself. I learned to be very grateful for the gifts that I have been given. I was given the confidence to know that I could be successful in my chosen career because of Saint Joseph Academy. I appreciate the values of the Sisters of St. Joseph: of caring for one's neighbor and one's community, their progressive ideals of caring for the environment and working towards improvements for future generations. I’m glad that those values are being imparted to another generation of students," stated Dr. Belovich.
"25 Under 35" honoree Margaret Sweeney Kresser '03 serves as the Lead Strike Force attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Ohio. In her role, she supervises and manages the Cleveland Strike Force including collaborating with multiple federal agencies, state and local law enforcement officers and quarterly statistical reporting to the national Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Program in Washington, D.C. Previously, Margaret held the position of Assistant United States Attorney representing the United States in prosecutions of large-scale, multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, and other federal narcotics violations in the United States District Court. Additionally, she is an Adjunct Professor at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law teaching Legal Writing.
"Saint Joseph Academy is the foundation for all of the good things in my life: my friendships, my profession and my faith. The Academy gave me the freedom to develop as a confident woman in an environment where girls' opinions are valued and nurtured. If every young woman had the chance to engage in an environment like Saint Joseph Academy, where her inherent worth is seen and where she can develop into a strong, confident woman, the world would be a much better place. Regardless of where the young women from the Academy end up, they change the world by leading their families and their communities with faith and conviction. It is so necessary to have strong female leaders in our families and communities. As a member of the Board of Directors, I hope to bring an alumna perspective to the important decisions of the Academy. I would also love to get more alumnae involved in the larger, long-term projects and present all the wonderful things that the Academy has done in the years since my classmates and I have graduated," stated Margaret.
We are thrilled to have so many incredible alumnae on our Board of Directors who bring various unique professional and personal experiences to this important endeavor. Sursum corda!
Back
As Chief Transformation Officer for Southwest General Hospital, Distinguished Alumna Dr. Cheryl Hagan O'Malley '77 is responsible for developing and implementing the hospital’s population health strategy; partnering with the hospital’s community-based post-acute care providers. Dr. O’Malley has more than 37 years of nursing experience, having served as the Vice President of Patient Care Services, Interim Chief Nursing Officer at University Hospitals’ Cleveland Medical Centers, Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at St. John Medical Center, and various leadership roles at both Cleveland Clinic Lakewood and Cleveland Clinic Fairview Hospitals.
When asked about how Saint Joseph Academy has shaped her life, Dr. O'Malley stated: "The Academy provided me with the foundation of empowerment, leadership, courage, integrity, faith, authenticity and spirituality. As a nursing leader, I learned how to inspire and motivate others during my formative high school years. I was taught to have courage and stand up for my beliefs. Integrity was further instilled within me, honesty and authenticity are characteristics that are upheld by both students and alumnae. Faith and spirituality are in the fibers of the Academy; both are very much a part of who I was more than 40 years ago and who I continue to be. Receiving a Catholic education was important to me and continues to be important as we are living in very turbulent times. The education I received helped me along the way as I developed in my career, not only as a nurse but also as a leader. Being selected as an Advisory Board member of the Health Sciences Honors Program, 2016 Distinguished Alumna and the 2017 Commencement Speaker have been some of my most memorable experiences. I want to be able to give back and be a part of the Academy's future. I hope to build other relationships that will help Saint Joseph Academy sustain the mission of the Sisters and bring the life-transformational educational experience to others in the future."
Dr. Joanne Savinell Belovich '81 is the Interim Dean of the Washkewicz College of Engineering at Cleveland State University. She joined the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering in 1991. Her research specialties are in transport in biomedical systems and in biofuel production. She has brought in $2.4 million in external funding to CSU in research, education grants and gifts from government, industrial and foundation sources. Dr. Belovich chaired the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering from 2014-2019. Prior to that, she led the department’s partnership in Biomedical Engineering with Cleveland Clinic as well as the establishment of the MS Biomedical Engineering program. Joanne received the Administrative Faculty Merit Award in 2001; the Tau Beta Pi, National Honorary Engineering Society; and Faculty Merit Award, 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2014.
"I grew up learning the importance of community and caring about a cause or system larger than yourself. I learned to be very grateful for the gifts that I have been given. I was given the confidence to know that I could be successful in my chosen career because of Saint Joseph Academy. I appreciate the values of the Sisters of St. Joseph: of caring for one's neighbor and one's community, their progressive ideals of caring for the environment and working towards improvements for future generations. I’m glad that those values are being imparted to another generation of students," stated Dr. Belovich.
"25 Under 35" honoree Margaret Sweeney Kresser '03 serves as the Lead Strike Force attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Ohio. In her role, she supervises and manages the Cleveland Strike Force including collaborating with multiple federal agencies, state and local law enforcement officers and quarterly statistical reporting to the national Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Program in Washington, D.C. Previously, Margaret held the position of Assistant United States Attorney representing the United States in prosecutions of large-scale, multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, and other federal narcotics violations in the United States District Court. Additionally, she is an Adjunct Professor at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law teaching Legal Writing.
"Saint Joseph Academy is the foundation for all of the good things in my life: my friendships, my profession and my faith. The Academy gave me the freedom to develop as a confident woman in an environment where girls' opinions are valued and nurtured. If every young woman had the chance to engage in an environment like Saint Joseph Academy, where her inherent worth is seen and where she can develop into a strong, confident woman, the world would be a much better place. Regardless of where the young women from the Academy end up, they change the world by leading their families and their communities with faith and conviction. It is so necessary to have strong female leaders in our families and communities. As a member of the Board of Directors, I hope to bring an alumna perspective to the important decisions of the Academy. I would also love to get more alumnae involved in the larger, long-term projects and present all the wonderful things that the Academy has done in the years since my classmates and I have graduated," stated Margaret.
We are thrilled to have so many incredible alumnae on our Board of Directors who bring various unique professional and personal experiences to this important endeavor. Sursum corda!
