Parish Council Members

Bill Burns
Bill has been with the Redemptorist Parish, in his self description "62 years spiritually and 11 years monetarily." He describes his occupation as "Meat Man Emeritus." When asked to describe what that means, he said, "i am retired." Bill is: married to Sherry Burns; father to 5 daughters and 2 granddaughters; and, is a Lector here at Redemptorist.

Cynthia Clark-Campbell
Cynthia Clark-Campbell is a Kansas City lawyer, former State Prosecutor and Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District in Missouri, who is now in private practice. She has served on the Parish Council for about ten years, formerly as president for one term. In addition, she serves as a Lector, Eucharistic Minister and a member of the Altar Rosary Society. She has been singing with the Redemptorist Choir as a soprano for over ten years as well. Cynthia met her husband, Bruce, also a lawyer, as protagonists in the courtroom; it has been happily ever after since that encounter.

Kathleen Fenton
Kathleen is the secretary of the Parish Council. She brings her dynamism and organizational skills to the Council as well. A native of Omaha, Nebraska, she graduated from Creighton University with a BA in Communications and received her Masters in Public Administration from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. in 1989. Soon after, she started working for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in D.C., then, moved to Kansas City in 1991 to manage the EPA’s Environmental Grant regional program. She has been a Parishioner at Redemptorist since 1998 and with her husband Richard “Kelly” Schwalbe, they serve as Lectors and Eucharistic Ministers. They have two grown children, Stephanie and Chase.

Nichole Jansen
President Elect
Nichole is the president elect of the Parish Council. She started her volunteer work in Texas and New Mexico. She moved to the Kansas City area where she attended William Jewell College in 1996, with a BA in Political Science. In 2000 she joined Redemptorist Parish as a Lector and Eucharistic Minister. She was married in our church in 2004 to Brian Jansen and has since been a Confirmation teacher. Currently she runs and owns the Kansas City branch of First Command Financial Planning as its senior financial advisor.

John Lathrop
John has been at Redemptorist for approximately three years and is a convert. In addition to serving on the Parish Council, John is a member of the Finance Committee. John is a CPA and partner with KPMG LLP (Peat Marwick). John started his public accounting career in Kansas City in 1981. He graduated from the University of Missouri Columbia in 1978. He has enjoyed the opportunity to travel extensively in connection with his work. He is responsible for auditing corporations and specializes in working with energy, utility and agribusiness related companies. John has three grown children and grandchildren. He is engaged to Patty Ibarra. John usually attends the 5:00 p.m. Mass on Saturday and enjoys volunteering.

Jose Martinez
Jose (JL) has been a member of Redemptorist Parish since 1997. He grew up in Santa Maria, California. Jose attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and then joined the US Navy, serving for 21 years on active duty. While at the Naval Air Station in Kingsville, Texas, Jose met his wife of 48 years. Jose and Raquel made their home in Kansas City in 1976 and joined St. Regis Church where their four children attended school and then O’Hara High School. After retiring from the Navy, Jose earned his Bachelor of Science in Education and taught at Maple Woods Community College until retiring as the Director of the Aviation program in 2000. Jose does volunteer work for the parish; is involved in many ministries; serves on the Finance Committee; and, serves as an usher at Mass. He enjoys his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He is a pilot and his great passion is flying.

Pat McDonald
Pat McDonald • member, Redemptorist Parish sine 1998 , same year of completion of RCIA) • Redemptorist choir member since 1997, cantor since 1998 • Lector and Eucharistic minister in 2009, served on committee for last 2 missions at Redemptorist, assisted with Capital Fund Campaign • Graduate of University of Kansas ( psychology); Juris Doctorate from UMKC School of Law; practicing attorney since 1995 ( KS and MO) • Member, Ladies Order of Hibernians, KC Hospice, former Girl Scout leader, Sunday School teacher and PTA carnival co-chair

Nancy Miller
Nancy is originally from Buffalo, New York where she attended Catholic grade school and Canisius College, a Jesuit school. She earned an MBA at Syracuse University then began a career in Human Resource Management. After she got married to Mark Reichle in 1996, they moved to Kansas City, to own and run a Bed and Breakfast, Southmoreland on the Plaza. They joined Redemptorist Parish upon their arrival in 1998 initially because Redemptorist offered a 5:00 p.m. mass on Sundays. In Nancy’s words, “because it was the only real option for 7 day a week innkeepers.” Nancy brings her keen interest in history and research to the Council when she provided the group with much needed background information on the Parish Councils. Nancy and Mark have volunteered for a number of parish activities and serve as Lectors and Eucharistic Ministers for the 5:00 p.m. Sunday Mass.

Lucila Rider
Lucila now lives in Blue Springs, but was part of the Coleman Heights neighborhood from 1981-1996. She has been a member of Redemptorist Church since 1981. She holds a Bachelors Degree from Park University, majoring in Accounting and Marketing. Lucila retired from Sprint Nextel Corporation after 23 years of service as a Program, Vendor Manager. She has: 2 sons, Wendell & Andrew; daughter-in-law, Brienne Glynn Train; and a grandson, Jackson. Lucila's church activities include: Altar Rosary Society President, Parish Council member, Co-Chair of the John J. Sullivan Banquet Hall fundraising campaign, Eucharistic Minister; former 1st Communion CCD teacher; former CCD coordinator; former Altar Server; and, the first person to chaperone the Youth Group at the Youth Convention held in KCMO

Lillian Pardo
President
913-722-5913
As the Parish Council President from August, 2008 to a 2-year term until 2010, Lillian brings her leadership experience from the skills she has learned in other organizations. She was on the faculty of the University of Kansas Medical Center and School of Medicine for 30 years as a pediatric neurologist, and retired in 2007. She was recently named Emeritus Professor in Neurology. Born and raised in the Philippines where she earned her Doctor of Medicine degree, she came to Kansas City in 1963 for postgraduate training. She was married at Redemptorist Church in 1964 to another physician from the Philippines. Lillian and Manuel serve as Eucharistic Ministers and volunteers for many events at the parish, as well as other organizations such as the Filipino Association, the Sinag Tala Performing Arts Troupe, the United Nations Association Board of Greater Kansas City, and the Friends of the World Food Program. They have 3 grown children and 5 grandchildren, all living in California.

Betty Szafranski
Betty Szafranski • member, Redemptorist Parish since 2003 • served as Eucharistic Minister, lector, mission committee and Altar and Rosary Society (currently vice-president) at Redemptorist Parish • prior to moving to KC, also involved with RCIA, CCD and confirmation classes and Teens Encounter Christ (TEC) • work background in Social Work, has worked with developmental disabilities clientele for the past 25 years