Meet Elise Gower, Our New Associate Director for CLA

We are excited to welcome Elise Gower as our new Associate Director for Contemplative Leaders in Action and the newest member of our Ignatian Young Adult Ministries team!

About Elise:

Based in Baltimore, Maryland, Elise comes to us with ten years of experience in Jesuit higher education. She most recently served as the Associate Director of Programs at Loyola University Maryland's Center for Community Service & Justice, guiding strategies for mission and identity, and overseeing community engaged learning and scholarship, immersions, and initiatives to advance community impact.

Prior to this, she worked in ministry at Loyola and the University of Scranton, focusing on Ignatian retreats, justice programming, and interfaith engagement. Elise has a master’s in education and attributes much of her personal and professional development to the dynamic gifts of Ignatian spirituality.

Elise is deeply committed to antiracism work, building bridges with the LGBTQ+ community, and understanding discernment as a critical tool for informed and effective leadership.

Elise can be reached at egower@ignatianyoungadults.org.