PHOENIX, AZ (August 10, 2023) – Catholic Education Arizona (CEA), Arizona’s largest Catholic School Tuition Organization, welcomes three new members to its Board of Directors, Fr. David Halm, Pastor of St. John Vianney Parish, Andrea Weeks Hardin, former mathematics teacher in the DC Public and Parochial School Systems, and Adrian Ruiz, Chief Investment Officer for Raza Development Fund.
Catholic Education Arizona’s President and CEO Nancy Padberg, MBA, said, “We are grateful for the breadth and depth of expertise and time our new board members will contribute to our mission and continued success of our organization.”
Fr. David Halm, CSC, is the Pastor of St. John Vianney Parish in Goodyear. Before his ordination to the priesthood, he worked in commercial banking. He is a certified public accountant and a certified internal auditor. Recently, he worked at St. George’s College in Santiago, Chile, as Rector and the Director of Campus Ministry. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Divinity from the University of Notre Dame.
Andrea Weeks Hardin worked in the cosmetic industry for Estee Lauder Cosmetics and taught mathematics in the DC Public and Parochial School Systems. She has served on the boards of Catholic Charities, the Foundation for Senior Living, St. Mary’s High School and the Diocesan School Board. Additionally, she has served as Chairman of the Office of Black Catholic Ministry and Chairman of the City of Phoenix Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee.
Adrian Ruiz is the Chief Investment Officer for Raza Development Fund. He holds a B.S. in business finance from Arizona State University and an MBA from Benedictine University. He is an alum of the Pahara Institute’s NextGen Network and has served as a reviewer for the Walton Family Foundation School Start-up Grant review committee; sits on the Governing Boards for the Charter School Financing Partnership, Catholic Education Arizona, and Housing Partnership Fund; and serves on the A for Arizona Expansion and Innovation Fund vetting committee.
Board Chairman, Brian Brady, said, “I am delighted to welcome Father David, Andrea and Adrian to our Board. They bring valuable skills to CEA and share our passion for Catholic education.”
Individuals and corporations continue to support Catholic Education Arizona and The Diocese of Phoenix Catholic High Schools because of their impressive results:
- 99.4% graduation rate
- 97% of graduates matriculate to higher education or military service
- 1000s of hours of community service are conducted annually
Corporations and LLCs filing as S Corps, C Corps, and insurance companies paying premium tax can direct up to 100% of their state tax liability through participation in the Arizona Low Income and Disabled/Displaced Corporate tax credits. Join APS, Cigna, Shea Homes, Earnhardt Auto Centers, GCU, Arizona Bank & Trust, Lumen, and 130 businesses changing lives in Arizona.
Catholic Education Arizona is the largest provider of scholarships to families attending Catholic schools. Since 1998, over $338 million has been raised and 153,000 scholarships have been awarded to benefit students. Learn more about how CEA is changing lives one scholarship at a time. Visit www.ceaz.org or call (602) 218-6542 to learn more.
Contact: Debra Preach, Chief Operating Officer
Catholic Education Arizona
(602) 218-6542
