Do you have any other Jesuit institutional connections?
I serve on the Board of Trustees of Loyola University of Chicago.

What does your job entail?
Being a president of a university has two main (and very broad) functions. You are the chief ambassador for the institution with all external constituents and alumni. You also are CEO of a complex organization with faculty and staff employees and one which prioritizes learning and the holistic formation of students, the creation and dissemination of knowledge, and serving global society and the global church.

What is your favorite part of your job?
In my view, I work with incredibly awesome students. They are wicked smart, very compassionate and respectfully active about the issues they care about. Thus, one of my favorite parts of my job is getting to know, supporting and mentoring our students. I always come away from an interaction with our students very impressed, inspired and hopeful.

Also, in my view, I am now working with the most talented and aligned leadership team I have ever worked with or for. Working with them is the other favorite part of my job. I really enjoy and learn from my leadership colleagues.

What are some of the lights and shadows you’ve experienced as a woman working in partnership with a men’s religious order?
I have felt very much welcomed, respected and embraced by the Jesuit community, both at Santa Clara University and well beyond. It has been a true gift to get to know and enjoy genuine friendships with a number of Jesuits. They are delightful people. Also, since being a president can be a lonely job, I find their companionship very consoling.

How does Ignatian spirituality shape your approach to work?
Ignatian spirituality is such a gift. Keeping myself anchored in Ignatian spirituality centers me and brings me peace when many things are swirling around me. It keeps me focused on the here and now and not on my potential anxieties about the future. It also keeps my heart centered in gratitude for others and God’s creation.

How could the Jesuits and the church as a whole foster women’s leadership more effectively?
I am hoping that the synodality movement which Pope Francis has championed in the global church will eventually lead to more formal roles for women in the church. Many Jesuits I know are proponents of women deacons and other such roles. I have enjoyed my interactions with groups such as Discerning Deacons who keep the hope alive for this type of growth in our church.

What’s one of your favorite quotes about leadership or the best leadership advice you’ve ever received?
God has a better imagination than you do. Don’t overplan your leadership path and always keep yourself open to God’s next step in your journey.