Fulcrum Staff

Very Reverend Michael G. Ryan
Chair of the Board
Pastor, St. James Cathedral

Father Michael G. Ryan was ordained a Catholic priest at St. Peter's in Rome in December of 1966. Since then he has served in pastoral and administrative positions of the Archdiocese of Seattle, including a term as Assistant Pastor of St. Patrick's in Tacoma, Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese, Director of the Permanent Deacon Program, faculty member of St. Thomas Seminary, and Pastor of the San Juan Island parishes. Under Archbishop Raymond G. Hunthausen he served as Archdiocesan Chancellor and Vicar General (1977-1989). He was appointed by Archbishop Hunthausen to serve as Pastor of St. James Cathedral in 1988 and has served in that capacity ever since. In 1999 he was awarded a Doctoral Degree in Humanities, honoris causa, by Seattle University.

Joseph Womac
Executive Director
(206) 748-7987

Joe joined the Fulcrum Foundation in October, 2004. As Executive Director, Joe is responsible for directing the Fulcrum Foundation's overall operations. He works closely with the Board of Trustees and the Fulcrum staff to ensure that the Fulcrum Foundation succeeds in its mission. Prior to his employment at the Fulcrum Foundation, Joe was both a teacher and a student, spending over 17 years in Catholic schools. He is a graduate of St. Michael's School in Olympia, University of Portland, University of Notre Dame, and Seattle University. His degrees are in communication and political science (B.A.), education (M.Ed.), and law (J.D.). Joe's commitment to keeping Catholic schools open and accessible can be credited in large part to his experience as a participant in the University of Notre Dame's Alliance for Catholic Education, which sent him to teach and coach in Louisiana Catholic schools from 2000 to 2002.

Sue Mecham
Development Director
(206) 748-7989

Sue oversees the fund development plan at the Foundation. She works in concert with board members, parish and school leaders, and volunteers to assure successful funding of Fulcrum's mission. Sue previously served as Director of Gift Planning at Seattle Preparatory School, and is a past chair of the Catholic Secondary Schools Development Directors' Organization. Sue has presented at National Catholic Educational Association conferences at Boston College, California and Minnesota, and contributed to Momentum magazine. She is an Emeritus Trustee of Seattle Children's Hospital Guild Association Board. Sue holds a Masters in Not For Profit Leadership from Seattle University and is a graduate of Washington State University in Business Administration/Marketing.

Christen Lambert
Development Assistant
(206) 219-5811

Christen contributes to the Fulcrum Foundation as Development Assistant, planning events such as the Celebration of Light and the Chairman's Breakfast. She works closely with the Development Director, committee members and other volunteers to support Fulcrum in its mission to ensure that Catholic schools stay open and accessible.

Prior to joining the Fulcrum Foundation, Christen graduated from Gonzaga University majoring in Journalism and Broadcasting. She worked in the Catholic Schools Department as the Administrative Assistant of Accreditation and Curriculum. Christen is also a graduate of Xavier College Preparatory, a Catholic high school in Phoenix, AZ. Her exposure to the benefits of a Catholic education motivates her to support Fulcrum in its efforts to provide assistance to all who want a Catholic education.

Susan Ocoma
Programs Manager
(206) 748-7988

Susan joined the Fulcrum Foundation in November, 2011, as the Programs Manager. Prior to joining Fulcrum, she worked for 4 years at Hopelink, an Eastside non-profit. Born and raised in Seattle, she thoroughly understands the value of a Catholic education and is excited to be able to use her skills to help the Fulcrum Foundation in its mission. Susan attended St. John Elementary School, Bishop Blanchet High School and Seattle University, graduating in 2003 with a BA in Business Administration. She and her husband are parishioners at Blessed Sacrament Parish in the University District.

Eric Downing
Assistant Director for Marketing
(206) 748-7985

Eric joined the Fulcrum Foundation in June, 2009, and leads the Foundation's marketing initiatives. He started his marketing and graphic design career working in higher education at the University of Alaska Anchorage. He then spent nine years working for a major outdoor clothing manufacturer, most recently as Art Director/Marketing Supervisor. He has degrees in Photojournalism and English and is an active parishioner at St. Monica Church on Mercer Island.

Ann Milkowski
Database Specialist/Office Administrator
(206) 219-5812

Ann joined the Fulcrum Foundation in March 2011 as the Database Specialist and Office Administrator. Prior to joining Fulcrum, she spent the past 5 years working for Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Ann is very excited to be working for the foundation, having experienced firsthand the benefits of Catholic education. She attended Holy Rosary in Edmonds K – 8, Holy Names Academy, and Gonzaga University. She graduated from Gonzaga in 2005 with a BA in Broadcasting and plans on attending Seattle University to work on a Masters Program. She is an active parishioner at St. Francis of Assisi in Burien and enjoys volunteering in her community.

Cathy Wise
Marketing Assistant
(206) 748-7988

Cathy joined the Fulcrum Foundation in June 2011 as a part-time marketing assistant. A Seattle native, she attended St. Bernadette school, Kennedy High School and Seattle University. After working briefly as an ultrasound technologist, she spent the next 20 years at home raising her children. During that time, her volunteering in creative capacities at her children’s Catholic schools cultivated an interest in graphic design.

Recently she returned to school, and now at the Fulcrum Foundation, she is able to continue her support of Catholic education by using her new graphic design skills. In addition to design work, Cathy cares for an adult daughter with special needs. She and her family are active members of the St. Louise Parish community.

 

Fulcrum Board of Trustees

Archbishop J. Peter Sartain

Very Reverend Michael G. Ryan, Chair of the Board
Pastor, St. James Cathedral

Mr. Richard Cooley, Vice-Chair
Seafirst Bank, Retired

Mr. George Hofbauer, Secretary
Principal, St. Joseph School, Seattle

Mr. Frank Feeman, Treasurer
Chair, Finance Committee
PricewaterhouseCoopers, Retired

Mr. Joe Womac, Executive Director

 

 

Not pictured in the individual photos:
Frank Feeman, Diane Irvine, Mike Prato, Sr. Mary Tracy, S.N.J.M.