Leadership

Relevant Radio Executive Team

  • Rev. Francis J. Hoffman – Chairman and CEO
  • Preston Allex – CFO
  • Josh Raymond – VP of Programming
  • Karin Freihammer – VP of Development
  • Val Mlnarik – VP of Human Resources
  • Rich Pieczynski – VP of Marketing and Communications

Board of Directors

Episcopal Advisory Council

  • The Most Rev. William P. Callahan, Bishop of La Crosse
  • The Most Rev. Salvatore J. Cordileone, Archbishop of San Francisco
  • The Most Rev. Robert P. Deeley, Bishop of Portland
  • The Most Rev. Frank J. Dewane, Bishop of Venice
  • The Most Rev. John F. Doerfler, Bishop of Marquette
  • The Most Rev. Jose H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles
  • The Most Rev. Bernard A. Hebda, Archbishop of Saint Paul-Minneapolis
  • The Most Rev. Donald J. Hying, Bishop of Madison
  • The Most Rev. Jerome E. Listecki, Archbishop of Milwaukee
  • The Most Rev. William E. Lori, Archbishop of Baltimore
  • The Most Rev. Robert J. McClory, Bishop of Gary
  • The Most Rev. Michael McGovern, Bishop of Belleville
  • His Eminence Seán Patrick Cardinal O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston
  • The Most Rev. Thomas J. Paprocki, Bishop of Springfield in Illinois
  • The Most Rev. Steven J. Raica, Bishop of Birmingham
  • The Most Rev. David L. Ricken, Bishop of Green Bay
  • The Most Rev. Larry R. Silva, Bishop of Honolulu
  • The Most Rev. Oscar A. Solis, Bishop of Salt Lake City
  • The Most Rev. Jaime Soto, Bishop of Sacramento
  • The Most Rev. George Leo Thomas, Bishop of Las Vegas
  • His Eminence Joseph W. Cardinal Tobin, Archbishop of Newark
  • The Most Rev. James S. Wall, Bishop of Gallup
  • The Most Rev. Thomas Wenski, Archbishop of Miami

Board of Director Biographies

Robert B. Atwell is the founding CEO of Nicolet Bankshares, an $8B NYSE traded company (NIC). He has over 40 years of experience as a Wisconsin banker. He is a graduate of Beloit College (’80) and the Yale School of Management (’83).​

​Bob is Director of Ariens Company, Great Northern Corporation and three other privately held companies. He serves on the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents and the Board of Relevant Radio.

John C. Feltl is Chief Executive Officer of Feltl and Company, a securities brokerage and investment bank, which he co-founded in 2002.  Since 2005, Mr. Feltl has been Chairman of Key Community Bank in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota.  Mr. Feltl is President Emeritus of the Twin Cities Chapter of Legatus.  Mr. Feltl earned a BA in Management from Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota in 1993.  In 1999, he earned a Masters of Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota.  He also holds the designation of Chartered Financial Analyst.  He married his wife Jennifer in 1996, and they have been blessed with six children.

Most Reverend José H. Gomez is the Archbishop of Los Angeles, the nation’s largest Catholic community. In his ministry, Archbishop Gomez encourages people to follow Jesus Christ with joy and simplicity of life, seeking to serve God and their neighbors in their ordinary daily activities.​​

For nearly two decades, Archbishop Gomez has been a voice of compassion and reason on moral and spiritual issues in American public life and culture. He has played a leading role in the Catholic Church’s efforts to promote immigration reform and is author of the 2013 book, Immigration and the Next America: Renewing the Soul of Our Nation.​

Archbishop Gomez has recently completed serving a three-year term as President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, a post he assumed in November 2019. In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI personally selected him to participate in a month-long “synod” or meeting of the world’s bishops on the “New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith.” In 2015, Archbishop Gomez was selected to represent the United States Catholic Bishops at the World Meeting of Families and the Synod of Bishops on “The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and in the Contemporary World.” In 2018, his brother bishops also selected him to represent them at the 2018 Synod of Bishops on “Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment.”

Archbishop Gomez urges every Catholic, in all walks of life, to assume responsibility for the mission of the Catholic Church. He has worked to promote marriage and the family and vocations to the priesthood. He has been instrumental in promoting the leadership of Hispanics and women in the Church and in American society, as a founding member of the Catholic Association of Latino Leaders and ENDOW (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women).​

Archbishop Gomez is a native of Monterrey, Mexico, and a naturalized American citizen. Prior to becoming Archbishop of Los Angeles, he served as Archbishop of San Antonio (2005–2010) and Auxiliary Bishop of Denver (2001–2005).​

He holds a doctorate degree in theology (S.T.D.), as well as undergraduate degrees in accounting, philosophy and theology. He speaks and writes often on issues in the Church and American society. Among his books are: Men of Brave Heart: The Virtue of Courage in the Priestly Life (Our Sunday Visitor, 2009) and A Will to Live: Clear Answers on End of Life Issues (Basilica, 2008).​

He has contributed introductions and essays to numerous books, including: Glorifying Christ:  The Life of Cardinal Francis E. George, O.M.I. by Michael R. Heinlein (Our Sunday Visitor, 2023); Catholic Leadership for Civil Society: A Practical Guide on Authentic Lay Leadership by Cristofer Pereyra and Erin Monnin (2022); Unleashing Hope:  The Biography of Venerable Maria Luisa Josefa of the Most Blessed Sacrament by Sister Timothy Marie Kennedy, O.C.D. (Sophia, 2022); Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood, by Michael R. Heinlein (Our Sunday Visitor, 2021); Shepherds and Fishermen: Spiritual Exercises for Bishops, Priests, and Religious, by Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M. Cap. (Liturgical Press, 2020); Shepherding the Family of God: The Spirituality of Diocesan Priests in St. John of Avila, by Father Gustavo Castillo (Institute of Priestly Formation, 2019); Saints and Sinners in the Cristero War: Stories of Martyrdom in Mexico, by Father James Murphy (Ignatius, 2019); In the Face of Darkness: The Heroic Life and Holy Death of Mother Luisita, by Sister Timothy Marie Kennedy, O.C.D. (Sophia, 2019); Beautiful Hope: Finding Hope Every Day in a Broken World, ed. Matthew Kelly (Beacon, 2018); God with Us: The Story of Jesus as Told by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John by Fundacion Ramón Pané (Loyola, 2017);  Catholics in the Public Square, 4th ed., by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted (St. Benedict, 2016); The Love That Made Mother Teresa, by David Scott (Sophia, 2016); Fire from Above: Christian Contemplation and Mystical Wisdom, by Anthony Lilles (Sophia, 2016); Dorothy Day and the Church: Past, Present and Future, ed. Lance Richey and Adam DeVille (Solidarity Hall, 2015); What Did Jesus Ask: Christian Leaders Reflect on His Questions of Faith, ed. Elizabeth Dias (Time, 2015); Tweeting With God, by Michel Remery (Ignatius, 2015); The Heart of the Diaconate, by Deacon James Keating (Paulist, 2015); The Feasts: How the Church Year Forms Us as Catholics, by Cardinal Donald Wuerl and Mike Aquilina (Image, 2014); For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristiada, The Cristero War and Mexico’s Struggle for Religious Freedom, by Ruben Quezada (Ignatius, 2012); Hispanic Ministry in the 21st Century: Present and Future, ed. Hosffman Ospino (Convivium, 2010).​

His writings have been published in the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, The Wall Street Journal, CNN.com, Huffington Post, Vital Speeches of the Day, Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy, La Opinion, First Things, The New York Post, National Catholic Register, and elsewhere.

Joel A. Hazzard has over 37 years of operational, sales, product marketing, engineering and business experience at the senior management level with organizations such as Manufacturers’ Services Limited, AT&T, NCR Corporation, and Comten. ​

In January 2002, Mr. Hazzard joined Constant Force Technology L.L.C. (CFT) as President and COO. In his two and a half years, he led CFT from concept to profitability, doubling the size of the company year over year and increasing its value by over 30 times the initial investment. In October 2004, he assumed the responsibility of merging CFT into Ergotron.​

Under Joel’s leadership as CEO and President, Ergotron quickly became a highly successful innovator of mass market products, resulting in eight consecutive record years of growth and profitability with a value increase of more than $455 MM.  He was chosen as Upper Midwest winner of the Ernst & Young LLP Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Consumer Products Category for 2009.  In 2010, he successfully led the marketing and sale of Ergotron, which culminated in its acquisition by Nortek Inc. in December 2010. Joel retired in January 2013.​

Joel is a recent addition to the Net Ministries board and also a board member of Winsted, a Console Furniture and Equipment OEM. Joel was also recently elected as President of the Men’s Society at St. Isabel Parish in Sanibel Florida.​

Joel and his wife Heidi are involved in several charities, including Pro-Life Pregnancy Clinics, Options for Women Tri-County, Net Ministries, and Relevant Radio. They started Osceola Service For Life Day (OSFLD) in 2013, which has produced over 2.1 million meals benefiting starving children around the world, awarded 74 scholarships to Osceola High School students, and contributed annually to over 40 different high school sports, clubs (band, etc.) and events.​

Joel and Heidi live on Big Lake, Wisconsin, where they enjoy abundant family time, waterskiing, bicycling and growing in their Faith. They are active members of St. Isabel Catholic Church in Sanibel, Florida during the winter months and St. Joseph Catholic Church in Osceola, Wisconsin during the Spring, Summer and Fall. They have two awesome children, Hannah and Tucker, and a wonderful daughter-in-law, Stephanie Hazzard.

The son of the late Bernard and Helen Clark Hebda, the Most Reverend Bernard A. Hebda was born on September 3, 1959 in Pittsburgh, PA.​

He attended Resurrection Elementary School in Brookline, PA, and graduated from South Hills Catholic High School in Pittsburgh.  He continued his education at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1980 followed by a juris doctor degree from the Columbia University School of Law in 1983.  He was admitted to the Bar of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1983 and worked as an associate in the law firm of Reed, Smith, Shaw and McClay.​

In 1984, he enrolled at St. Paul Seminary in Pittsburgh and pursued the required studies in philosophy at Duquesne University before being sent to North American College in Rome in 1985 where he completed his theological studies and earned his S.T.B. from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1988.​

He was ordained a deacon on April 6, 1989 at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome by Archbishop John Quinn, and was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Donald W. Wuerl on July 1, 1989 in St. Paul Cathedral in Pittsburgh.  After his ordination, he served briefly as Parochial Vicar Pro Tem at Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Elwood City, PA, before returning to Rome to complete his licentiate in canon law, which he received in 1990 from the Pontifical Gregorian University. 

Upon returning from Pittsburgh, Fr. Hebda served in the bishop’s office as Master of Ceremonies (1990-1992), in team ministry at Prince of Peace Parish on Pittsburgh’s South Side (1992-1995), and as director of campus ministry at the Slippery Rock University Newman Center (1995-1996).

In 1996, he was appointed to work in the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts in Rome.  In 2003, St. John Paul II named him Undersecretary of the Council.  While he was in Rome, he also served as an adjunct spiritual director at the North American College and as a confessor for the postulants of the Missionaries of Charity (founded by Saint Mother Teresa) and for the Sisters of that community working at a home for unwed mothers.​

He was named Fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Gaylord on October 7, 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI.  His Episcopal ordination took place on December 1, 2009.  On September 24, 2013, Pope Francis named Bishop Hebda Coadjutor Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Newark.  On June 15, 2015, Pope Francis named him Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. On March 24, 2016, Pope Francis named him Archbishop-Designate of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Archbishop Hebda’s Installation Mass took place on Friday, May 13, 2016, the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, at the Cathedral of Saint Paul.​

Rev. Francis J. Hoffman (Fr. Rocky) has been serving as CEO of Relevant Radio® since 2010 and Chairman since 2021. Relevant Radio broadcasts on over 206 AM & FM stations reaching 41 states and a potential 270,000,000 persons. The Relevant Radio app is the number one FREE Catholic radio app, with over 1 million downloads in all 50 states and 192 countries around the world. The monthly Relevant Radio audience through social media platforms is 4.6 million unique persons with 30 million impressions.​

Ordained as a priest for Opus Dei in 1992, Fr. Hoffman is a noted author and speaker and has appeared on the major radio and television networks. He is the author of six books, including “Mary at the Crossroads of History”, “The Memorare Moment”, “Marriage Insurance”, and “Treasures of the Rosary”, with hundreds of thousands of copies in circulation.  His “Lenten Lessons on the Mass” and “Catholic 101” videos have been viewed millions of times.  Fr Hoffman is the host of the “Family Rosary Across America” which gathers tens of thousands of the faithful each evening to pray the rosary.  It is known as the “Happiest Half Hour of the Day.”  He has a BA in History from Northwestern University, an MBA from the University of Notre Dame, and a doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.​

Prior to his assignment at Relevant Radio, Fr. Hoffman was chaplain of Northridge Prep School in Chicago, and served in the rural highlands of Michoacan, Mexico for fifteen summers. Before the priesthood, Fr. Hoffman worked in Sales for Inland Steel Company, and later in tax and audit for Crowe, Chizek and Company, CPAs.

The youngest of six sons, Bishop Donald J. Hying was born in West Allis, WI, on August 18, 1963. He attended St. Aloysius and Immaculate Heart of Mary grade schools, and Brookfield Central High School. Bishop Hying received his bachelor’s degree from Marquette University and his master’s degree from St. Francis Seminary.

On May 20, 1989, he was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. His first priestly assignment was as a parochial vicar for St. Anthony Parish, Menomonee Falls, from 1989 to 1994. He served as Team Member for La Sagrada Familia Parroquia in the Dominican Republic from 1994–1997. He returned to the United States and served as the parochial administrator of St. Peter Parish (1998), then as the parochial vicar of St. Anthony Parish, Milwaukee (1998–1999). He was appointed pastor of Our Lady of Good Hope Parish, Milwaukee (1999–2005) then, in 2006, served as the parochial administrator of St. Augustine Parish, Milwaukee. He served as the Dean of Formation at Saint Francis de Sales Seminary (2005–2007), and was appointed the rector of St. Francis de Sales Seminary (2007–2011).

On May 26, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Fr. Donald Hying the Titular Bishop of Regiae and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. He was consecrated a bishop on July 20, 2011 by Most Reverend Jerome Edward Listecki, Archbishop of Milwaukee.

On November 24, 2014, His Holiness, Pope Francis, appointed Bishop Hying as the Fourth Bishop of Gary, IN. Bishop Hying’s installation in the Diocese of Gary took place on January 6, 2015. On April 25, 2019, His Holiness, Pope Francis, appointed Most Rev. Donald J. Hying the Fifth Bishop of Madison, WI, and his installation took place on June 25, 2019.

Bishop Hying serves as the Episcopal Liaison for the National Association of Catholic Chaplains and as Episcopal Advisor to the U.S. Society of St. Vincent de Paul. He is also a member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, the Committee on Catholic Education, and the Catholic Relief Services Board of Directors.

A broadcast veteran of nearly 40 years, Mike Kendall is currently Chief Content Officer for Sarkes Tarzian, Inc., a private, independent broadcast company with TV stations in Chattanooga, TN (NBC) and Reno, NV (CBS) and a total of eight AM/FM radio stations in Indianapolis, Ft. Wayne and Bloomington, Indiana.​

Mike is a graduate of Indiana University, receiving his B.A. in Communications in 1987.​

His broadcast career began in earnest during a college internship at CBS in Chicago where he gained valuable experience in both radio and television broadcasting. During his junior year in college, Mike was hired as an air talent at WTTS-FM in Bloomington, Indiana.  That resulted in a decade of employment with Sarkes Tarzian, Inc. including management positions as Music Director and Program Director for their radio properties in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne.​​

In 1998, Mike returned to Chicago to take on employment at Big City Radio, Inc. and later Clear Channel Communications (now iHeart). This included on-air and management positions at WXXY-FM and WLIT-FM among work on other stations in the market.  During this period, Mike was also in high demand as a freelance voice-over artist with work for corporate firms such as Volkswagen, Audi, Levi Strauss and Marriott Hotels.  He also served as a broadcast instructor at the Illinois Media School, a national, post-secondary broadcast college based in Chicago.​​

From 2004 through 2023, Mike was employed at Relevant Radio serving in a variety of management positions, most recently Executive VP/Programming, helping to build the largest Catholic radio network in the country with over 200 owned and operated stations and affiliates as of 2023.​

Mike has served on numerous boards, including 15 years of service on the Board of Directors with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, chairing the Marketing Committee for three years and completing a 5-year assignment as Chair of the Northwest Region Board of Advisors. He has also been on the Board of Advisors for the Illinois Media School, helping to develop its curriculum and advance its career services department.  Prior to becoming its Chief Content Officer in 2023, Mike also held a seat on the Board of Directors at Sarkes Tarzian, Inc. for two years.​

Mike, his wife Traci and their two college-age daughters are parishioners of St. Thomas of Villanova in suburban Palatine.  In his free time, Mike is often found enjoying long bike rides or happily struggling with his golf game on the course.  He is an avid sports fan and enjoys reading, particularly non-fiction books on history, politics and culture.


Julie J. Kraemer is a former investment banker for Citibank with a background in finance, accounting, and marketing. Currently, she serves as a director of the Lumen Christi Institute, Catholic Relief Services, FOCUS, the University of Notre Dame Keough School, Mundelein Seminary, and Regnum Christi. Originally from the Minneapolis–St. Paul area, Mrs. Kraemer earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics and English from Lawrence University, and a graduate degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. 

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Bruce J. Lachenauer has extensive experience in building leadership teams and boards of directors for companies in the fast-moving technology industry, acquired over a 25+ year career in the executive search industry with Korn Ferry (NYSE: KFY), a $2 billion American multinational human capital leadership consulting company, and industry leaders Spencer Stuart and Heidrick & Struggles.  Mr. Lachenauer now leads his own firm, The Gaudium Group.  Earlier in his career he worked in investment banking and private equity, after a starting his career with IBM.

Bruce has held a number of senior executive leadership roles during his career in executive search, including Managing Partner of the multi-million dollar Global Technology Systems Practice for Korn Ferry, Managing Partner of the Southern California Region for Spencer Stuart, Partner-in-Charge of Heidrick and Struggles Mexico and Director of Recruiting for Heidrick & Struggles’ digital recruiting start-up. He has partnered with companies ranging from early-stage venture capital-backed firms to Fortune 50 global sector leaders, in all regions of the world. Earlier in his career, Bruce served as Chief Executive Officer for a private equity funded company he helped acquire.

In addition to advising both publicly-traded and privately-held company boards of directors, Bruce served as a founding board director of OCTANE (a non-for-profit business launch pad that has helped create hundreds of companies and thousands of jobs), founding director of an independent Catholic grade school and as a member of the religion committee of an independent Catholic high school. Bruce is a graduate of Northwestern University, where he earned a B.A. in Economics, and Harvard Business School, where he earned an M.B.A.

Neal E. McNamara is the co-founder and CEO of Virtas Partners, a boutique transaction services and accounting advisory consulting firm. Prior to co-founding Virtas, Neal led a $200M M&A and Accounting business for a $25B international consulting firm, personally serving clients including ABB, Abbott, BP, Caesars, Credit Suisse, Delphi, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, Swiss Air Group and United Technologies.

Neal obtained a B.S. in Accounting from Missouri State graduating with a 4.0 GPA. He is a CPA and was awarded the Silver Medal in 1998 for the 2nd highest score on the CPA exam in Missouri.

Neal is married with four children -Brennan (18), Madelyn (15), Kathryn (11) & Benjamin (9). He is a member of Queen of All Saints parish in Chicago and is a lector, minister of communion and served on the Finance Committee. He has also previously served on the Parish Council, annual fundraising committee, and was on the executive council for the 2016 capital campaign. Neal was the founding President of the Legatus Downtown chapter, is a St. Joseph Society member of Relevant Radio and he and his wife (Susanne) have supported Relevant Radio for close to a decade. He also competes every year at a national level in amateur cycling events.

Kevin J. P. O’Hara is the father of three children – Seamas Xavier, Daniel Liam and Sophia Mariah – and live in the Jackson Hole area in the Cowboy State of Wyoming.  They have previously lived in Winnetka and Glenview, IL. He also has experience living and working in Washington, DC, NYC, Denver and Boston, and Eastern Europe.​​

O’Hara was born in the Big Apple. His family ultimately migrated “West” to the Chicago suburbs where he attended and graduated from St. Phillip the Apostle (grammar) School and Loyola Academy. He ultimately matriculated and graduated with a BA and JD, respectively, from the University of Chicago and Georgetown University Law Center.

O’Hara has worked in several industries; primarily, financial services and technology. As part of these experiences, he has served as a member on the Board of Directors with several private and public companies. He also has served on the Board of Trustees with several charitable and not-for-profit institutions. Because of his legal background and above experiences, he possesses a deep understanding of regulation and governance.

He has been blessed with a very successful and diverse career in business, law/regulation, technology, international, angel investing, entrepreneurship, and postgraduate-level teaching. He is mission-driven and passionate and gravitates toward creative and entrepreneurial opportunities. In addition, he has built a record of character, integrity, and transparency in business and with government regulators, policy and law-makers. His forte is understanding the dynamic confluence and interplay of law/regulation, technology and business, and, therein: (a) identifying new opportunities; and (b) restructuring older models; and, then implementing through leadership and elbow grease.

His Catholic faith is extremely important to him and his family. They are active members of Our Lady of the Mountains Church in Jackson, WY, and were active members of the Sacred Heart Parish in Winnetka, IL, for many years prior to that. He established and is principal of a charitable family trust which is active in supporting education and inner-city opportunities, among other things.

The Most Reverend David L. Ricken was ordained in the Diocese of Pueblo, CO in Sept. 1980. His first appointment was associate pastor at Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. Five years later, he became administrator of Holy Rosary Parish and diocesan vice chancellor.​

In 1989, Bishop received his Licentiate degree (J.C.L.) in Canon Law from Pontifical Gregorian University and was appointed vocation director and vicar for ministry formation. Three years later, he was named diocesan chancellor. In 1996, Bishop was nominated an official of the Congregation for Clergy in Rome.​

On Jan. 6, 2000, he was ordained to the episcopacy, becoming the Diocese of Cheyenne’s seventh ​leader. During his tenure, Bishop was a founding member of Wyoming Catholic College.

Bishop Ricken was installed the twelfth bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay, on Aug. 28, 2008.​ Bishop is a member of the USCCB and serves on the Bishops’ Advisory Council for the Institute for Priestly Formation and Catholic Mutual Relief Society. He also serves on various local and national ​boards and committees.

Monsignor James Patrick Shea has served as president of the University of Mary since 2009.​

The oldest of eight children, Monsignor Shea grew up on a dairy and grain farm near Hazelton, North Dakota. He began his undergraduate work at Jamestown College, majoring in English and history. He then entered the seminary for the Diocese of Bismarck, earning a bachelor’s degree and a pontifical master’s degree (licentiate) in philosophy at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He studied classical Greek at the University of Texas at Austin and continued at the Vatican’s North American College, studying theology at the Gregorian and Lateran universities in Rome. He has studied management at the University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business and is also an alumnus of the Institutes for Higher Education at the Graduate School of Education, Harvard University.​

In addition to his service on the Relevant Radio Board of Directors, Monsignor Shea serves on the boards of Saint John Vianney Seminary in Denver, the Association of Benedictine Colleges and Universities, and the Northern Sun Conference of the NCAA. He has been a member of the National Advisory Council to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. For the State of North Dakota, he has served on the Governor’s Commission on Education Improvement and the Attorney General’s Task Force on Human Trafficking. ​

​Monsignor served as chairman of the Catholic Identity Committee on the Board of Directors for FOCUS: the Fellowship of Catholic University Students. He is a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus and a Knight Commander of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.​

Deeply committed to the education and formation of young people, Monsignor Shea is a priest of the Diocese of Bismarck.

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Peter Spingola is the co-founder of the Chapman Spingola law firm (www.chapmanspingola.com) where he focuses largely on intellectual property and technology litigation and transactions. He also handles complex commercial litigation involving securities and common law fraud, shareholder appraisal litigation, banking, contract, real estate, and employment matters.

With more than 25 years of legal practice, Peter has extensive experience as trial counsel in both jury and bench trials, as well as arbitrations, and practices in various state and federal venues across the country.

Peter is a member of the United States District Court Trial Bar, received the AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and has been recognized as an Illinois Super Lawyer every year since 2012.

Prior to co-founding Chapman Spingola in 2004, Peter was a member of the Kirkland & Ellis LLP law firm, where he focused on technology litigation and transactions for Fortune 100 companies.

Peter’s education includes a J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law (Order of the Coif, Chicago-Kent Law Review and National Trial Advocacy Team) and a B.A. from Dartmouth College.

In addition to his legal work, Peter serves on the Board of Directors for Time Bank. ​Peter and his wife Maura have three children: James (17), EJ (16) and Mary Clare (15). The Spingolas have been parishioners of St. Mary of the Angels in Chicago for more than 20 years.

Peter is very active in the local community and serves on several school boards and parish committees.

Madelyn Tirpak is a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Parish in Glenview, Illinois, along with her husband Tom and their six children: John (17), Tim (15), Stephanie (13), Nicholas (11), Veronica (9) and Max (6). Madelyn and Tom have been married for almost twenty years – the same time that they have been fans and enthusiastic supporters of Relevant Radio. Starting in the 1950s with their grandparents, their family has had a special devotion to Divine Mercy and Saint Faustina and feel that Relevant Radio has a special role in spreading the Message of Divine Mercy.

Madelyn was born in northwest Poland. She has two master’s degrees: Sociology from Szczecin University, and Family and Marriage Psychology from the Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw. She has worked as a counselor for Szczecin Helpline and The Women’s Center (Chicago). Presently, she is active in the Respect Life and Youth Ministries of her parish and is the leader of American Heritage Girls Troop 1317 at Saint Alphonsus in Prospect Heights. As a Parish Ambassador for Relevant Radio, she is always promoting it among friends and neighbors, in the parish school and at a wide variety of parish and community events.

Thomas R. Vorpahl has served on the Board of Directors since 2006. He formerly served as Chief Executive Officer from 2008-2010 and Chief Operating Officer from 2010-2018.​

Tom worked in the cheese industry since 1969 and with Green Bay Cheese Company from 1980 to 2008. He was named President of the company in 1990 and became majority owner and Chairman of the Board ​in 1998.

Tom graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a B.S. degree in Food Science. He has served on the board of directors for the Wisconsin Cheese Maker’s Association, the Wisconsin Specialty Cheese Merchants Association, and the Catholic Radio Association (CRA).  Tom is also a former member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and The Executive Committee (TEC).​

Tom’s current memberships include the Finance Council for the Diocese of Green Bay, Equestrian Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, and Legatus. He is currently active in Cursillo. Tom and his wife, Ann, belong to St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Parish in Green Bay, WI. He has also served as a member of the parish council and co-chair of the Advancing the Mission Stewardship Campaign. Tom and Ann have two children and seven grandchildren.