Our Staff
RENEW International employs a dynamic and diverse team of lay women, men, religious, and priests.
Our Leadership
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Msgr. Thomas A. Kleissler
President and Co-Founder
Msgr. Thomas A. Kleissler is a Priest of the Archdiocese of Newark and the co-founder of the original RENEW process in the Newark. He was appointed Director of RENEW from its inception. He co-authored Small Christian Communities: A Vision of Hope for the 21st Century and numerous articles.He holds an MA in Theology from Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ and an MA in Counseling from Iona College, New Rochelle, NY. Msgr. Kleissler’s vision for a renewed Church came out of his work as a parish priest in Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Park Ridge, NJ, and as pastor of St. Ann’s Parish in Newark. |
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Sr. Theresa Rickard, OP
Director
Sister Theresa Rickard, OP, is a Blauvelt, NY Dominican Sister. Before coming to RENEW, Sr. Terry worked for many years in parish ministry in the South Bronx and was vocation and formation Director for her Dominican congregation. She has extensive experience presenting workshops, retreats, and parish missions. Sister Terry holds a MA in Religion from Fordham University, a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from Aquinas Institute of Theology, St. Louis, Missouri. She is a contributing author to the book “Spiritual Manifestos”. |
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Sr. Kathleen Collins, SFCC
Assistant Director
Sr. Kathleen (Kass) Collins is a Sister for Christian Community. Sr. Kathleen has an MA in Theology and an MS in Business Administration. She has served as a pastoral associate in the Diocese of Richmond, VA, and as a school administrator in Pennsylvania and Maryland. From 1988 until 2003 she worked for the National Catholic Educational Association as a workshop presenter in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. |
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Allan Donaldson
Director of Development
Allan Donaldson came to RENEW with an extensive background in non-profit development. Formerly Vice President for Institutional Development for Habitat for Humanity International and Director of Development for Fedcap Rehabilitation Services, he also served as a consultant for Amnesty International USA and the DeWitt Wallace Readers Digest Foundation. |
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Gregory Kremer
Special Assistant to the Director
Greg Kremer has worked full-time for the Roman Catholic Church for over 20 years in a variety of ministries including: Youth and Young Adults, Juvenile Detention, Social Outreach/Justice and Peace, Ministry Formation, Parish Renewal, and Small Christian Communities. Before coming to RENEW International, he conducted a two-year study of ministry with young adults in Seattle. Greg, who received an MDiv from Seattle University, WA, has been working for RENEW International since 1998, currently in the area of Ministry Expansion. |
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