Sister Sheila Carney has been serving as the inaugural Special Assistant to the President at Carlow University since 2008. A proud alumna of Mount Mercy College (now Carlow University), Sr. Sheila currently holds a position on the President’s cabinet and oversees campus ministry and other programs through the Center for Mercy Heritage. Her lifelong dedication to the Sisters of Mercy and the mission of their founder, Catherine McAuley, has led to her appointment as chair of the board for the Mercy International Association, based in Dublin, Ireland. This organization connects the Sisters of Mercy across 43 countries.

Kathy Wilson Humphrey, PhD, is the 11th president of Carlow University. With more than 35 years in higher education, she is revered as an inspirational and visionary leader with a wealth of experience in planning and budgeting; community engagement; diversity, equity and inclusion; and board management. Dr. Humphrey embraces Carlow’s Mercy heritage and longstanding commitment to social justice as the key to positively impacting and transforming generations of lives.

John McDarby, born and raised in Carlow, Ireland, is a proud relative of Veronica McDarby, one of the Sisters of Mercy who journeyed from Ireland to Pittsburgh, PA to help establish Carlow University. John is a well-known figure in Carlow County, serving as Carlow County Museum Manger and is actively involved with the Carlow County Council and numerous other organizations. Deeply proud of his family’s long-standing connection to the town of Carlow, John continues to be a passionate advocate and historian for the Sisters of Mercy.

Sister Patricia O’Donovan currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Mercy International Association in Dublin, Ireland. Originally from West Cork, she has been a dedicated member of the Congregation for many years. With a strong background in music, theology, and pastoral counseling, Sr. Patricia has held numerous leadership roles within the ministry throughout her career.

Sister Margaret Carney, OSF, is the sister of Sister Sheila Carney and a dedicated member of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities. As an esteemed teacher of Franciscan history and spirituality, she actively contributes as a lecturer and leader for Catholic higher education and Franciscan organizations throughout the United States.