A Time of Transition for Awake’s Board of Directors

This is an important week for Awake, as we express deep gratitude to four people concluding their terms on our Board of Directors and welcome a group of new directors. Bill Kessenich, Nadia Negrón, Jim Sponholz, and Elizabeth Zimmer are stepping down after generously sharing their time, energy, and talents to advance Awake’s mission.

The Awake community extends special thanks to Elizabeth Zimmer for her five years of dedicated service, including four years as board president. Involved in our organization from its earliest days, she played an important role in helping establish Awake as a nonprofit organization.

“Awake has always been blessed with amazing people for our Board of Directors,” said Executive Director Sara Larson. “I am deeply grateful to each of our departing directors for their dedication and service, and I am excited about the wonderful new people who are stepping up in their place.”

Larson expressed particular gratitude to Zimmer, explaining “Awake would not be where we are today without Elizabeth’s steadfast leadership during our formative years. She has poured immense time, energy, and heart into this community. While it’s difficult to imagine our board without her, I have great confidence in the new leaders who will carry our mission forward.”

New to the Board of Directors

During a meeting on Tuesday, April 1, the Board of Directors officially elected five new members. Here they introduce themselves to our community.

Lisa Cusmano
Loveland, Ohio

Lisa Cusmano

Occupation: Spiritual director

I have served the greater Cincinnati area as a leader in Catholic adult formation for over 25 years. Most recently, I founded Magdala House where I host retreats and accompany others as mentor and spiritual director. I have a certificate in spiritual direction and am currently studying theology at the Athenaeum of Ohio. Before entering full time ministry, I worked as a statistician. My husband and I are parents to three adult sons, and I enjoy long walks in the woods with my golden retriever, Daisy May. Helping support the Awake community in its mission is an honor and privilege. I offer my own personal experiences with abuse in the Church and my formation as a spiritual director to accompany those seeking healing and to inspire transformation in the Church.

Interesting Fact: My accent is most interesting when I'm up north :-)

Why I Got Involved with Awake: The mission of Awake is important to me firstly because of my own experience. The community of Awake has been and remains to be a critical and crucial part of my healing. Awake can be a source of healing for those suffering harm from the Church but it needs disciples of mercy to do the work. Here I am, Lord.

Lucy Huh
Orange County, California

Lucy Huh

Occupation: Ph.D. candidate at Baylor University

I am a Ph.D. candidate and doctoral research fellow at Baylor University, where my research focuses on the impact of race and culture on clergy abuse disclosure, reporting, and recovery processes. I have engaged lawmakers and led state-level policy initiatives to prevent clergy-perpetrated abuse. As a devout Catholic, I remain deeply committed to exposing abuse at all levels within the Catholic Church for its ultimate healing and transformation. The institution's repeated betrayal of victims through denial, concealment, and inadequate response must end if the church hopes to truly embody the justice, compassion, and respect for human dignity that stands at the core of its proclaimed values. Through Awake, I have found profound support from other survivors who, despite the tremendous pain they have suffered, have chosen not to allow what happened to them to destroy their faith.

Interesting Fact: I have found spiritual renewal and healing through the ancient practice of iconography. I have completed icons of the Theotokos, St. John the Baptist, St. Michael the Archangel, and am currently working on the Vatopedi Mother of God.

Why I Got Involved with Awake: Through Awake, I have found profound support from other survivors who, despite the tremendous pain they have suffered, have chosen not to allow what happened to them to destroy their faith.

Mike Riley
Fort Worth, Texas

Mike Riley

Occupation: Owner, www.mhradvising.org

I grew up Catholic in a suburb of Philadelphia, and after graduating from college I worked as a chaplain in the Diocese of Fort Worth. I then completed advanced studies in theology and social work at Boston University and began a career as a therapist and social worker. For 14 years, I served as the Director of Investigations and Religious Accreditation at Praesidium. Over the past two decades, I have also dedicated much of my time to working with children and families in the Texas foster care system. Currently, I run an investigation agency that specializes in cases of clergy misconduct, and I serve 12 religious orders as a survivor assistance coordinator. This role has deepened my appreciation for the vital mission of Awake. I am honored and excited to contribute to the meaningful work of this much-needed organization.

Interesting Fact: I was a paramedic for 24 years!

Why I Got Involved with Awake: The Church's response to survivors has largely been abysmal on a national level. Some dioceses and religious orders do better than others. There is a great need for change in the American church.

Colin Roskey
Chevy Chase, Maryland

Colin Roskey

Occupation: Attorney, self-employed

I am originally from the Boston area and was personally impacted by the crisis there. For the past 25 years, I have lived and worked in the Washington, DC region where I am an attorney with practice experience in the public and private sectors. I came to Awake to share in its restorative mission of supporting individual survivors and in advancing transparency, accountability, and positive change in the institutional Church.

Interesting Fact: I am a dog, cat and all around animal rights person and longtime member of the ASPCA.

Why I Got Involved with Awake: I became involved as part of an ongoing, personal journey to support organized healing and recovery efforts from harms caused by the institutional Church. Awake’s mission to foster that, and to work for transformation, is critical and essential.

Emma Strick
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Emma Strick

Occupation: Meetings manager, International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society

I am a recent graduate of the English department at Marquette University, the last chapter of a lifetime of Catholic education. Currently, I’m a non-profit professional in the Milwaukee area. I spend my free time reading, cooking, and with my friends, and driving frequently to my hometown, Appleton, Wisconsin, where most of my family, including my parents and two sisters, live. I’ve been interested in and increasingly involved with Awake’s work for close to two years. I’ve found incredible value in this community’s mission to intentionally emphasize survivors’ perspectives on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, which I see elsewhere discussed abstractly without understanding or dismissed completely. As a Catholic, I’m frequently awed at the resolute sense of strength in survivors and encouraged by the authenticity of Awake’s work.

Interesting Fact: I have an identical twin, and we can both say words backwards. I love reading (53 books last year) and I’m working my way through trying every recipe in the Joy of Cooking cookbook. 

Why I Got Involved with Awake: I got involved with Awake after seeing them highlighted on the FemCatholic website, and having learned more about the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church. Awake’s mission is important to me because the work shows how things like intentional listening, showing support, and being trauma-informed can be more than buzzwords, and bring healing and become tangible realities. It helps to remind me that goodness is real and that God is working.

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