Take 5 with some New Faces
Welcome to Take 5 – a Spirit Magazine feature that asks five questions to three people who have a connection to the theme of the magazine.
Literally thousands of people have had the opportunity to realize how special it is to be a part of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon (SSMO) campus community. Between the Sisters, their friends and families, the supporters and donors who are close to the SSMO Foundation, the administrators, staff, teachers, students and parents who are a part of Valley Catholic School, the nurses, caregivers, staff and residents who are connected to Maryville, all of the board directors across each sponsored ministry and the SSMO Ministries Corporation employees who diligently support the Sisters and their sponsored ministries, there are literally thousands of faces in this community.
With so many faces in the crowd, let’s get to know three of the newer faces who are witnessing how special this place is firsthand. All three of them are doing special work to add to the legacy of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon campus community.
Taron Pickett
What is your job title and primary responsibilities?
I am the Director of Campus Culture and Community Engagement. This is a new role for Valley Catholic School (VCS).
My primary responsibility is to work with students, staff, and families to foster a culture where the SSMO Core values are present and at the forefront of all school activities. This includes upholding a system of inclusion and belonging through student culture and environment, curriculum and instruction, and extracurricular activities.
What attracted you to the SSMO campus?
The initial attraction was, of course, the beautiful campus. After reviewing the website and meeting a few of the leaders of this community, I saw that this is a place where people don’t just say that they care about the students – they show that they care. I also happened to have a friend who taught here and other friends who have had very positive experiences to share with me about VCS before I even applied for this position. It was their experiences, coupled with the few leaders whom I had already met that compelled me to pursue this position.
What excites you about your job and this community?
I believe that anyone who decides to work within the education system must thoroughly enjoy working with and educating the bright young minds within that system. I am no different. Building relationships and being involved in students’ lives is at the core of what I do. I hold in high value the responsibility of shaping student experiences and I enjoy working as part of a team that shares this passion.
What is one goal you have developed since joining the SSMO campus community?
I have many goals in my first year as the Director of Campus Culture and Community Engagement. One of those goals is to learn as much as I can about the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon and Valley Catholic School. I want to understand their history in order to better work with my colleagues to enhance each student’s experience.
Tell us a story about one of your first experiences on campus.
I will tell you a couple of quick ones. Recently, I got an opportunity to play bocce ball with some of the staff and the Sisters. As a former athlete, I went into this event with the utmost confidence. Truth be told, I have not experienced much losing in my athletic career. That is until I played bocce ball with the Sisters. I played 4 games – I lost them all! It was a very humbling experience.
Second, K.T., the VCHS athletic director, asked me to announce the volleyball and soccer players at their home games. I was a bit nervous about it, but I accepted. Well, when the time came to take the mic, I realized I had not done my due diligence to learn the correct pronunciation of the players names. Lesson learned, now my focus is learning more and more names of VC students. Go Valiants!
Brendan Foley
What is your job title and primary responsibilities?
My job title is Human Resources Coordinator, and I am responsible for supporting our nurses, caregivers and staff at Maryville.
Some of my responsibilities include new hire onboarding, answering questions about benefits, pay, and leaves, as well as helping people navigate our HR software.
What attracted you to the SSMO campus?
First, as a Catholic, I was immediately interested in working with the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon and supporting their sponsored ministries. Second, I was attracted to the size of the campus and Maryville, in particular. I have worked with both larger and smaller organizations. At Maryville, I feel like I finally found the right balance between my responsibilities and the number of people I have the opportunity to support.
What excites you about your job and this community?
I like the variety that comes with this job. Every time someone calls my phone or visits the HR office, they bring a unique and interesting puzzle we get to solve together. Whether it is getting locked out of Paycom, our HR Information System, and resetting their password or something more complex, such as analyzing the different strengths and costs of an employee’s benefits selections, I like that no problem is too big or too small for SSMO Min. Corp. HR.
I have learned a lot in my first six months here and I am excited to learn more and tackle new challenges each day. I am blessed to build strong relationships with the employees across the entire campus and am encouraged that people know they can rely on me for help. I feel accomplished because I know my work supports my community and when people leave the HR office, they feel heard and know their problem is either fixed or will be resolved soon.
What is one goal you have developed since joining the SSMO campus community?
Everyone I have met here has been extremely supportive. My goal right now is to continue to be open and humble so I can learn more about HR and support the team as best as I can.
Tell us a story about one of your first experiences on campus.
I had a delightful introduction to Sister Juanita Villarreal. It was during my first week here, and I had just returned from a vacation with my wife. I was very proud of my status as a newlywed and not-so-subtly showed off my wedding ring. Sister Juanita looked at it, and with a laugh, said “I like mine better.” Next, she showed me the ring she got when she pronounced her first vows and she just celebrated her 60th Jubilee. I was totally humbled by seeing her dedication to the Sisters for 60 years. It was really inspiring.
The story makes me laugh any time I think about it or share it with my friends. I want to bring that kind of joy and dedication to what I do here as an HR Coordinator, and to my wife as her life-long partner at home.
Sister Mary Kimario
What is your job title and primary responsibility?
I am a preschool teacher at Valley Catholic Early Learning School. My primary responsibility is to support, assist, and take care of the children in the Daisy class.
I help the children learn basic activities, such as washing their hands, tying their shoes and playing with one another respectfully. I also teach our Daisy friends some basic skills, such as counting, listening, and speaking.
What attracted you to the SSMO campus?
I am from Tanzania in East Africa and am a part of the Holy Spirit Sisters. After reading about the history of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon and their education ministry, I was attracted by the mission and values of the Sisters. I wanted to serve this community. I was also deeply touched by the diversity of the SSMO campus community.
What excites you about your job and this community?
I am excited about my preschool job because I absolutely love working with the age group. It is my pleasure to work with little children because they are like angels. I love to play with them and listen to their stories.
What is one goal you have developed since joining the SSMO campus community?
I started working at Valley Catholic Early Learning School on July 1, 2024. It is difficult to say that I have developed a goal for working with these wonderful children in my short time here. That being said, I have really enjoyed teaching our Daisy friends how to make the Sign of the Cross.
Tell us a story about one of your first experiences on the campus.
One of my first experiences on campus was Missioning Day! It was amazing to meet so many people from all areas of the campus. I love how we all came together in the SSMO Motherhouse Chapel to learn more about the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon and to hear from Sr. Adele Marie Altenhofen, President of the SSMO Ministries Corportation. Her words of encouragement and the atmosphere were very inspiring.
These are just a few of the faces of more than 500 employees who light up our SSMO campus community and share in the joy of serving in and advancing the Sisters’ sponsored ministries of education and health care.
