Leadership - Oakland Catholic High School

We rely upon a strong tradition of leadership to ensure Oakland Catholic High School continually meets its mission of providing a Christ-centered, top tier education to the young women that attend the school. The focus of every leader at Oakland Catholic High School, from the President and Principal to the Board of Directors, is to continually enhance the opportunities provided so that every student can expand her knowledge, reach her potential and become an agent of change.

Mary Claire Kasunic, President

Background

For Mary Claire, education is a vocation and lifelong commitment. After graduating from an all-girls, Catholic high school - Mount Saint Joseph Academy in Philadelphia - she received her Bachelor of Arts in French and Spanish, followed by a Master's degree in Education at the University of Pittsburgh. She currently serves on Duquesne University's Board of Directors.

Oakland Catholic Career

Over the years, Mary Claire has provided valuable insight from multiple perspectives: faculty member, parent, graduate of all-female Catholic education, and visionary for the mission of Oakland Catholic High School. In 1992, Mary Claire joined the Oakland Catholic community as a French teacher, a position she held for 22 years. During that tenure, she engaged in all aspects of the school's life, instituting and directing several initiatives that remain strong components of the OC experience today. Whether serving as the first Director of Admissions or stepping in as Interim Principal, founding the JOA Society of Scholars or advocating for the addition of Mandarin, Mary Claire entered each year with renewed dedication to building on what it means to achieve an Oakland Catholic education.

Initiatives

Since 2014, Mary Claire has served as President of the school. Under her leadership, Oakland Catholic has expanded its STEM curriculum, upgraded classroom technology and IT infrastructure, instituted a Director of College Counseling position, established the Global Competence Initiative Certificate and helped found a new leadership program. A targeted fundraising approach has created additional scholarships, increased financial assistance, and provided grants for student travel, service, and leadership opportunities. Mary Claire continues to strive for the academic, spiritual, and social justice-oriented environment that will best prepare Oakland Catholic women to approach their future as globally competent, spiritually grounded, critically thinking agents of change in our world.

More About Mary Claire

Nikki Powell, Acting Principal

Background

As Acting Principal, Nikki mines her fourteen years of education experience daily. Originally from Youngstown, Ohio, Nikki is a proud product of Catholic education having attended from elementary school through graduate school. Her time at Saint Mary's, an all-women's college, fueled her passion for all-girls education. At John Carroll University, she earned her Masters in Education and Education Specialist Degree. Nikki is also a Certified School Psychologist and holds her Administrative II Principal PK-12 certification.

Oakland Catholic Career

Nikki joined the Oakland Catholic community in 2016 as Assistant Principal. During her tenure, she spearheaded numerous initiatives to foster a supportive, productive environment for both students and teachers. Among them are the Fiat Mentoring program that pairs freshmen with senior mentors, Measure of Academic Performance (MAP) testing for 9th and 10th graders, and an increased focus on mental health and wellness.

Nikki was appointed Acting Principal prior to the 2021-2022 school year. Through her leadership, Nikki aims to enrich the strong, supportive, and collaborative culture among the faculty and staff, and to foster the growth of Oakland Catholic High School, its faith tradition and its lasting impression on the greater community.

More About Nikki

In her spare time, Nikki is a proud Big Sister with the Big Brother Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh. She resides in the North Side of Pittsburgh with her husband Robert. They were married at St. Peter's Church, part of the Christ our Savior Parish and welcomed a daughter in January 2021 (OC class of 2039!) Nikki also loves biking on the North Shore and making pasta!

Board of Directors

Chair

Vice Chair

Secretary

Treasurer

Board Members

Thomas H. Ayoob, III, Esq.
Law Offices of Thomas H. Ayoob & Associates

Kristin Boose Repin, Esq.
Assistant General Counsel, Diocese of Pittsburgh Pastoral Center

Nikki Powell
Principal, Oakland Catholic High School

Sabina Chiara Coraluppi
Director of Operations, Chorus Call, Inc.

Tracey DeAngelo
Chief Marketing Officer, Post-Gazette & President, Post-Gazette Charities

Joseph T. Doyle
Director, USEC Inc.

William Garrison
Partner, Garrison Hughes Advertising

Gloria Hudock
Community Volunteer, Retired Elementary School Teacher

Mary Claire Kasunic
President, Oakland Catholic High School

Peter P. Leone, Jr.
Financial Representative, Northwestern Mutual

Dr. Gemma Marolda-Gloninger
Department of Political Science and European Studies University of Pittsburgh

Rhodora Freyvogel-Noethling
Founder, Educational Coaching Center

Concetta Silvaggio, Esq.
Managing Partner, Willman & Silvaggio

Linn M. Swanson
Retired Chief Audit & Compliance Officer, Office of Ethics, Compliance and Audit Services, UPMC

Members of the Corporation

Most Reverend David A. Zubik, DD
Bishop of Pittsburgh, Diocese of Pittsburgh

Very Reverend Lawrence A. DiNardo, VE, JCL
Vicar General & General Secretary, Diocese of Pittsburgh