Anna was born in Manhattan and attended St. Michael’s Parish grammar and high schools. She graduated from Fordham University in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. With a desire “to help people,” she pursued employment in the field of social work as a caseworker for families and children in need. In 1981 Anna completed her Master’s in Social Work at Hunter College School of Social Work. Anna worked for ten years as a clinician and team leader at Fordham-Tremont Community Mental Health Center in the Bronx with a Spanish-speaking psychiatric population. Here she learned the importance of presence, listening and “walking with people” when problems are persistent and do not yield easily to solutions. She is fond of quoting Maryknoll Missioner Ita Ford who was martyred in El Salvador in 1980: “Can I say to my neighbor: I have no solution for this situation, I have no answers, but I want to go with you and look for them with you? Can I allow myself to be evangelized by this opportunity? Am I able to see my own poverty and accept what I learn from others?” In 1993 Anna began employment as Parish Outreach Coordinator at St. Anthony’s Church in Oceanside where her responsibilities included the supervision of an office, a food pantry and a clothing room. She is a graduate of the diocesan Pastoral Formation Institute, a process which helped Anna grow toward an understanding of Parish Social Ministry as an expression of faith and discipleship. Anna is pleased to be a member of the Pastoral Staff and looks forward to serving the community in partnership with the parishioners of St. Joseph’s.