Catholic Charities USA Names Sister Donna Markham Its First Female President

(Press release, Jan. 12, 2015) — The Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) board of trustees announced that Sister Donna Markham OP, Ph.D., president of the Behavioral Health Institute for Mercy Health, has been selected as its new president. Sister Donna, the first female president to lead CCUSA in the organization's 105-year history, has a doctorate in clinical psychology and a proven track record in organizational leadership. She succeeds Rev. Larry Snyder, who served as CCUSA's president since 2005, and will officially be seated as CCUSA's 10th president on June 1, 2015.
"After a nationwide search, Sister Donna was selected based on her extensive relevant experience, her demonstrated leadership skills and her deep sense of commitment to the poor," said Sister Linda Yankoski, chair of CCUSA's board of trustees and president and CEO of the Holy Family Institute. "She has served national and local nonprofit organizations within the Catholic community at the executive and leadership levels, and brings a breadth of creativity, perspective and experience."

"I am both honored and humbled to engage in this enormously important ministry," said Sister Donna Markham, incoming president of CCUSA. "There can be no greater call than to serve and advocate on behalf of persons who struggle to get by in a world where they are all-too-frequently relegated to the margins of society and where they long for dignity, hope and compassion. I feel blessed to walk among the many dedicated Catholic Charities workers across the country who daily make the Gospel come alive through their care for their sisters and brothers in need."

Sister Donna is an Adrian Dominican sister and board certified clinical psychologist. In her current position for Mercy Health she is engaged in leading the transformation of the delivery of behavioral health care services across seven major geographic regions. Prior to joining Mercy Health, Sister Donna served 10 years as the president of the Southdown Institute in Ontario, Canad,a and as Prioress of the Adrian Dominican Congregation. She also served for eight years as a member of CCUSA's board of trustees, two of which as board chair.