In honor of International Women’s Day, join us for this free Q&A panel with Catholic female leaders!

Moderator: Sr. Amelia Hueller, OP

Sr. Amelia is a member of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia (Nashville, TN). Prior to entering the convent, Sister worked in Maternal and Child Health, primarily among immigrant populations. Sister accompanies students to the United Nations Conference on the Status of Women where they listen to the U.N. sessions and then hold their own debriefs on the challenging content through the use of Catholic Social Teaching. Sister Amelia currently serves at St. Anthony’s Catholic School in Washington, D.C., where she teaches Middle School religion and social studies.

Sandra Coles-Bell

Sandra Coles-Bell serves as the Executive Director of the National Black Sisters’ Conference, an organization founded by African American religious in 1968 with the mission of unification and advocacy. Prior to this position, she worked at the Archdiocese of Washington as the Program Director in the Office of Cultural Diversity and Outreach.  She holds a Masters in Administration from the University of Maryland’s Global Campus in College Park and a Bachelors in Biology from the Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.  Sandra’s passion for effective leadership and communication found her as a member of Toastmasters International for over 30 years where she served in leadership and mentors several current and past leaders in their role.  Sandra serves as a lector at the Basilica of the National Shrine in addition to her home parish.  She is the mother of three children and the grandmother of three. Sharing the Leadership Tip: Listening is a Sacred Art

Maruška Healy

Maruška Healy was born in the Czech Republic and earned Masters in Theology from the International Theological Institute in Gaming, Austria. She and her husband currently reside in Maryland with their seven children. She enjoys home educating, living the liturgical year, sharing the Good Shepherd Catechesis with a wider community, keeping traditions, and opening their home to others. Sharing the Leadership Tip: Home as a natural place for a woman to engage with and transform the world

Barbara McGraw Edmondson

Dr. Barbara McGraw Edmondson is the Head of School at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School. She previously served as Chief Leadership and Program Officer for National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Dr. Edmondson’s leadership in Catholic education has had both local and national influence, serving the Maryland Catholic Conference as the Chair of the Education Committee, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Work Group on Principal and Faculty Faith Formation, the University of Notre Dame Alliance for Catholic Education Superintendents Forum Design Team, and NCEA’s National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary School (NSBECS) Council. She began her work as a Catholic educator both in the classroom and as principal of two Catholic elementary schools. 

Dr. Edmondson began her career in higher education at The George Washington University, where she also earned her Doctorate in Education. As a senior member of the student affairs leadership, she oversaw the undergraduate residence life program for four years. Dr. Edmondson has also taught graduate and undergraduate classes in educational leadership and human development for over a decade at both GW and Loyola University in Baltimore. She currently serves as a member of GW’s National Council for Education and Human Development, Mount St. Mary’s University Center for Catholic School Excellence, and the Board of Directors for the Archdiocese of Washington’s Consortium of Catholic Academies.

In her time away from school, Dr. Edmondson delights in spending time with her husband, four adult children, and yellow lab both in the Nation’s Capital and at the Delaware shore. She is an avid Washington Nationals fan. Sharing the Leadership Tip: Relationship, Relationship, Relationship!

Lourdes Arguello

Lourdes Arguello is an expat from Latin America now Washington, DC-based lifestyle consultant. She offers services to improve her clients’ lives in areas such as personal style, home style, and hosting.

She has a B.A. in Education from Amherst, MA and is a certified Montessori teacher obtaining her certificate in San Francisco, CA.  She received her Masters in Matrimony and Family from the University of Navarre in Spain and her Image Consultant degree from Style Innovators in Chicago, IL.

She has been married for 23 years and is a mother of four.

Lourdes Arguello defines style as encompasses much more than clothes. She sees an intricate flow and connection among one’s style, home, and how we host and share with our loved ones. The way one walks, talks, stands, and exudes confidence all create style. Sharing the Leadership tip: The wisest and most fashionable decision I made after college was choosing the perfect driver for my red convertible.

Krista Keil

A native of Colorado, Krista moved to Washington D.C. in 2018. Krista graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies from the University of Colorado at Boulder and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, with a specialization in traumatology, at Divine Mercy University. Krista has spent the last ten years working with youth and diverse populations in the non-profit sector in various capacities, with an emphasis on mental health. Additionally, Krista has a background in international and domestic mission-based work and event coordination. Krista is passionate about helping others realize their potential and advocating for human flourishing. Krista currently works at the Youth Leadership Foundation as the Director of Character and Mentorship and is a lover of the outdoors, spontaneous adventures, and good cooking! Sharing the Leadership Tip: Character, Healing, and Leadership: The pursuit of interior healing and the formation of one’s character are essential to effective leadership