Our Team
On January 23rd, 2013, The Mary Ward Centre officially opened its doors to celebrate the Loretto Sister's newest ministry and the ongoing contribution of Mary Ward, founder of the Loretto Sisters, to the works of education, justice, and spirituality in response to contemporary needs. We are inspired by Mary Ward's values of freedom, justice, sincerity, and joy, and committed to the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. Learn more about Mary Ward here.
Since 2013, our partnerships and collaborations with various groups and individuals have continued to grow and expand. We are humbled by the number of people that have shared in our events and experiences, and our mission to implement the vision of The Mary Ward Centre.
Audrey Ferrer
Director
Eva Rodriguez-Diaz
Program Manager of Trafficking, Migrants, and Refugees at Mary Ward Centre
Sr Sarah Rudolph, ibvm
Social Justice Animator
Jaime Gutierrez
Communications Officer
Kathy Murtha
Retreat Coordinator & Facilitator
Alejandra Manrique
Volunteer
Co-Op Students
Alexa Mae Arreola
Podcast and Animation Producer
Catherine Chang
Photographer and Videographer
Lana Bello
Graphic Design Artist and Illustrator
Audrey Ferrer is the Director of the Mary Ward Centre. She was previously a Religion and Family Life Resource teacher for the Toronto Catholic District School Board, and the coordinator of the Interfaith Youth Alliance Movement. She has a particular interest in engaging youth in interfaith dialogue and collaboration with community partners to advocate for equity and social justice issues. She has won several exemplary awards, scholarships and grants and has received support from organizations such as KAICIID, Development & Peace (Caritas International), and Canada World Youth.
Sr. Sarah Rudolph, IBVM is a member of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary | Loretto Sisters. With a background in international relations and policy analysis, she is the Social Justice Animator for the Mary Ward Centre, leading on faith-based advocacy for children and youth. She has a deep love for Ignatian spirituality which she shares as a giver of the First Spiritual Exercises, through a monthly women's prayer group, and outreach to women in recovery through the STIR Retreats program.
Kathy Murtha has been a Retreat/Workshop facilitator for the past 30 years. She loves designing and facilitating retreats for young people and adults. Kathy gained a global consciousness and sense of the importance of social justice issues through her two year VICS volunteer experience among the Huli tribal peoples in the highlands Papua New Guinea and three years grassroots work with the marginalized and street people in Parkdale.
Eva Rodriguez-Diaz has 20 years of experience working in Colombia protecting the rights of peasant populations and indigenous affected by the armed conflict and internal displacement, and protection of women's human rights and the promotion of their economic rights as employees, owners and producers of the land. She collaborates with international organizations designing human trafficking prevention programs for Latino-American countries.
Jaime Gutierrez leveraging nearly 20 years in graphic design, advertising, and product development, Jaime Gutierrez brings his expertise to Mary Ward Centre. His main goal is promoting faith as a path towards positive societal change.
Jaime's advertising background fuels his human-centered design approach. He believes design can inspire a commitment to serving others and foster an understanding of faith as a tool for social transformation.
Alejandra Manrique is a grade 12 co-op student at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Academy, with an unwavering passion for history, music, and art. Alejandra has been drawing since before she knew what art was and has plans to pursue a career in illustration. She has experience in both storytelling and illustration, having previously written a children's story and preparing stories over campfires to scare her dear friends and family. Alejandra will be responsible for developing a graphic novel that reflects Mary Ward's adventurous life and her fight for women's rights. The graphic novel will be a testament to Mary Ward's legacy.
Alexa Mae Arreola is a Grade 12 Co-op student at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Academy, with endless depths of admiration for the Digital arts. Entranced with animations since she was a kid, Alexa wishes to work in the animation field for years to come. She is skilled in drawing, animation, and is good with coming up with her own ideas and stories since she is also a writer in her spare time. Alexa will be responsible for the spirituality exercises on our podcast and will be lending a hand in the animations of The Mary Ward Center.
Catherine Chang is a grade 12 co-op student at Loyola Catholic Secondary School, with a passion for videography, photography and art. Catherine is determined to spread her appreciation for cinema to those around her, throughout her life. Moreover, striving to encourage change by a process of peace and integrity. Catherine will be responsible for taking photos and videos of events and compiling them into an educational piece as a testament to Mary Ward’s legacy.
Lana Bello is a grade 12 co-op student at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Academy. Originally from the Philippines, she moved to Canada in 2023 and has since been pursuing her passion for digital illustration. Lana's artistic journey began at a young age, inspired by the talented artists around her. She developed her skills through practice and experimentation, eventually taking on art commissions for friends. As Lana continues to develop her skills, her co-op experience as a graphic designer/illustrator at the Mary Ward Centre will be a valuable stepping stone towards her dream of becoming a successful digital illustrator.