As part of a recent reorganization, the Office of Ignatian Spirituality welcomes Lauren Gaffey to the role of Associate Director of Communications; Elise Gower, Associate Director of CLA, to the formal role of supervisor overseeing seven Cohort Coordinators; and Seán Patrick Sanford to the newly created position of Director of Mission.

Lauren Gaffey transitions from her previous role as Associate Director, Ignatian Young Adult Ministries, which she has held since 2017. Prior to joining OIS, Lauren worked for Charis Ministries, a Jesuit retreat ministry, for ten years, running programs for those in their 20s and 30s and serving in communications roles.

Lauren has also worked as a college campus minister and in parishes as both an employee and volunteer. Lauren lives with her family in Chicago.

Lauren may be reached at lgaffey@jesuits.org.

Contemplative Leaders in Action (CLA) recently completed a very successful two-year cycle under the leadership of Associate Director, Elise Gower. Having guided the CLA team since 2021, Elise will take on the formal role of supervisor overseeing a team of seven Cohort Coordinators for the 2023–2025 program.

Elise brings over 10 years of experience working in ministry and community engagement at Loyola University Maryland and The University of Scranton. Elise is committed to individual and collective antiracism work, faith intersections within the LGBTQ+ community, and understanding discernment as a critical tool for informed and effective leadership. Elise lives in Baltimore, Maryland.

Elise may be reached at egower@jesuits.org.

In his new role, Seán Patrick Sanford will support the talented mission team that leads OIS’s programs (including CLA, Jesuit Connections, Hispanic Ministries, and the Ignatian Spiritual Direction Initiative.) Under the leadership of Executive Director, Carlos Aedo, Seán will work on program assessment and development, the ongoing integration of the Universal Apostolic Preferences, and OIS’s programmatic alignment with the province’s forthcoming Apostolic Plan.

Seán has served as a parish pastoral assistant, a retreat house director, social sector consultant, and as an executive coach with clients on five continents. He has founded and led multiple nonprofit organizations including the Center for Faith Justice and the Two Hawks Foundation.  Sean lives in Southhampton, NJ.

Sean may be reached at spsanford@jesuits.org.

Please join us in congratulating Lauren, Elise, and Séan on their new roles.

We also say goodbye to our colleague, Kevin O’Brien. OIS wishes to formally thank Kevin for his many contributions to the ministry of the Exercises. We are grateful for his many years of service to OIS. We wish him the best for him and his family.