Board of Directors
Red Cloud Indian School is grateful to our board of directors, who make up men and women from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and around the country who guide our organization forward each and every day.
Officers:
- President: Dr. Raymond Nadolny, Ph.D.
- Chairperson: Robert Ecoffey
- Vice Chairperson: Fr. Tom Merkel, S.J.
- Treasurer:
- Secretary: Jane Farrell (non-board member)
Mr. Rodney Bordeaux (Rosebud SD)
Mr. Bordeaux is an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe for which he has served several terms as the elected President. He formerly served as the Chief Operating Officer of Saint Francis Mission, which is sponsored by the Midwest Province of the Society of Jesus. He graduated from Augustana College in Sioux Falls and earned a Master’s degree in Lakota Leadership from Oglala Lakota College. Mr. Bordeaux is returning to the Board having served several terms on the Board and as Chair, most recently in 2020.
William “Shorty” Brewer (Porcupine, SD)
Mr. Brewer is an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and a lifelong member of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. He is a graduate of Holy Rosary Mission and served on the Red Cloud School Board. He retired as the Tribal Police Chief having served in law enforcement for 20 years. He then served two consecutive terms as Vice President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. He became interested in Gaming serving in various positions including 11 years on the National Indian Gaming Association Board of Directors. He is very involved with youth activities on the Reservation, including working with horse trail rides and races. He is a very avid fan of the Red Cloud athletic teams.
Fr. Joseph Daoust, S.J. - Ex-Officio (Pine Ridge, SD)
Fr. Daoust is the Superior of the De Smet Jesuit Community, which includes all the Jesuits in South Dakota. At Red Cloud, he is sacramental minister at Our Lady of the Sioux in Oglala and St. Bernard Church on Red Shirt Table. He has graduate degrees in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and in Law from the University of Michigan. He has taught law at universities in Detroit, London, and Uganda. He is a former Provincial of the Detroit Province and President of the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley. Before coming to Red Cloud in 2015, he served on the Jesuits’ General Council in Rome, and was the Major Superior of the Jesuits there and in the Holy Land.
Mr. Paul Daoust (Boston, MA)
Paul Daoust lives in Boston and is a retired CEO/Senior Executive who ran both turnaround (4) and growth (2) companies in the HR, technology and insurance industries. He spent almost 30 years in HR consulting with Watson Wyatt (now Willis Towers Watson) and has been on the board of 11 publicly-traded or private companies. He is a graduate of the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy, where he serves on its Advisory Board, and Boston College. He has also served on a number of education-related boards including Xaverian Brothers High School and 4 Nativity Prep model schools (which include the national Nativity-Miguel Network of Schools and Nativity Prep Boston where he served as Vice-Chair and Chair).
Dr. Emmett J. Doerr, Jr. (Dunwoody, GA)
Dr. Doerr graduated from Marquette University, Creighton University School ofMedicine, and the Sloan School of Management at MIT. He built a health system serving the poor in Camden, NJ and was an executive in several managed care organizations. He wrote the proposal for what became the Garden State Health Plan, the managed care operation of the New Jersey Medicaid Program. Dr. Doerr led the development of the HMO of New Jersey and the HMO Great Lakes in greater Chicago. He practiced primary care internal medicine in the Veterans Health System and taught medical students and residents at two medical schools. He served as the Assistant Chief of Medicine at the Atlanta VA. Recently he worked with the American College of Physicians in health care policy advocating for universal health insurance and improvements in the health system. As a Red Cloud Board of Directors member from 2014-2020, Dr. Doerr chaired the Board’s first Governance Committee and Heritage Center Committee and also served on the Presidential Search Committee and the Executive Committee.
Mr. Robert Ecoffey (Rapid City, SD)
Mr. Ecoffey is an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. A graduate of Pine Ridge High School, he holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Chadron State College, and attended the FBI National Academy. He was the first Native American to be appointed as United States Marshal in 1994 by President Clinton. He was the Agency Superintendent for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Pine Ridge Agency from 1996-2001; Director of the Office of Law Enforcement Services; Deputy Regional Director-Indian Services for the Great Plains Region, Bureau of Indian Affairs, responsible for managing programs such as Credit, Housing, Human Services, Roads, and Tribal Government Services. He then served a second stint as the Agency Superintendent for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Pine Ridge Agency, until his (first) retirement. He is also a local business owner, operating a Subway franchise. He previously served on the Board of Directors from 1996 to 2002, again from 2008 to 2014, and from 2015 to 2018, when he resigned to assume the leadership of the Oglala Sioux Police Department, from which he (again) retired. He serves as Chair of the Board.
Mr. Michael Hora (Chicago, IL)
Mr. Hora is a retired executive with A.T. Kearney, a consulting firm. He has been interested in Native issues for many years and serves on many boards. He previously served on the Red Cloud Board of Directors from 2011-2019.
Ms. Dakota Hoska (Denver, CO)
Ms. Hoska is a Native American artist, curator and enrolled member of the Oglala Lakȟóta nation, Pine Ridge, Wounded Knee community. She is currently the Assistant Curator of Native Arts for the Denver Art Museum (DAM), which houses one of the country’s largest collections of Native American artwork. Before her move to the DAM, Hoska served as a Research Assistant for the Minneapolis Institute of Art. There, her primary responsibilities were breaking down barriers between the institution and local Native community members and also supporting the development of the ground breaking exhibition “Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists.” Hoska graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Art from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN, and she completed her Master’s degree in Art History with an emphasis on Native American Art History from the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul, MN.
Mr. Brendan P. Kennealey (Wilmington, DE)
Mr. Kenneally served for ten years as the President of Salesianum High School in Wilmington before departing in 2021 to found Nestor, a proptech startup. He began his career in academia as a volunteer teacher at Nativity Preparatory School in Boston before becoming the founding principal of the Nativity Preparatory School in New Bedford MA, later working with the Oblates of Saint Francis de Sales to start the Nativity Preparatory School in Wilmington. In 2004, he founded the Benebikira Sisters Foundation which raises awareness and funding for the Benebikira Sisters’ schools and clinics in Rwanda.
In addition, he worked as an area superintendent for the Catholic Schools Office for the Archdiocese of Boston and created and taught a Social Entrepreneurship class at Boston College as an adjunct. In addition to Red Cloud, Mr. Kenneally also serves on the Boards of Ursuline Academy and the Ministry of Caring in Wilmington DE. For several years, he also led a book club of great works (The Odyssey, East of Eden, 1984, etc.) at Gander Hill, a maximum-security state prison. He was awarded a B.A. from Boston College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. He and his wife Nicole reside in Wilmington, DE with their two young daughters.
Rev. Timothy Kesicki, S.J. (Washington, DC)
Father Kesicki works with the Descendants Truth and Reconciliation Foundation, a new partnership between Descendants of Jesuit slaveholding and the Society of Jesus in the United States. He just completed his tenure as president of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States in September 2021. Prior to leading the Jesuit Conference, Fr. Kesicki served from 2008 through 2014 as the Provincial of the Chicago-Detroit Province of the Society of Jesus. A contributor to CNN and MSNBC, Fr. Kesicki hails from Erie, Pennsylvania, where he attended local Catholic schools before earning a bachelor’s degree in political science from John Carroll University in Ohio. Fr. Kesicki entered the Society of Jesus at Loyola House Jesuit Novitiate in Berkley, Michigan, in 1984.
His formation as a Jesuit included philosophy studies at Loyola University Chicago, theology studies at the Jesuit School of Theology and studies in educational administration at Teachers College, Columbia University, New York. Fr. Kesicki has ministered and taught in Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and worked with Jesuit Refugee Service in Adjumani, Uganda following his ordination. Fr. Kesicki served as president of Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland from 2000 - 2008.
Rev. James Kubicki, S.J. (St. Francis, SD)
Fr. Kubicki is the former president. He is the former President of St. Francis Mission on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota and served in that position since 2017. He taught at Red Cloud as a Jesuit scholastic from 1977-80. From 1989 to 1995 he was associate director of the Sioux Spiritual Center as well as the Rapid City Diocese's formation program for deacons and lay ministers. He has served the Jesuits as vocation director, formation director, and assistant to the provincial for Native American ministry. For fourteen years he was the national director of the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network (Apostleship of Prayer).
Mr. John Levy (Omaha, NE)
Mr. Levy is the Vice President of the William and Ruth Scott Family Foundation. In this role, John helps oversee the philanthropic investments of a Giving Pledge family. John previously was the executive director of a large social service agency and an attorney at two large regional law firms. In the past ten years, John has served on the board of more than 15 nonprofit organizations. He earned his bachelor degree in Spanish and Latin American Studies with honors and distinction from the University of Kansas, his master’s degree in history from University of Nebraska-Omaha, and his Juris Doctorate with distinction from the University of Nebraska College of Law. In his free time, John spends time with his wife and three boys ages 5, 8, and 10. He travels extensively and has completed multiple ultramarathons.
Mr. Stephen F. McCarthy (Rapid City, SD)
Mr. McCarthy’s connection with Red Cloud began as a Red Cloud Volunteer teacher in 1968. Since that time, he has devoted himself to numerous nonprofit and professional boards and is well known in the region for his expertise in construction. He is a supporter of the arts and historical preservation. He is a graduate of St. John’s University (New York, NY) and earned his Master’s degree from City University and a Master of Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Public Policy at Harvard University. He previously served several terms on the Red Cloud Board (1996-2002 and 2003-2009). He is the Owner/Operating Manager of McCarthy Properties, L.L.C.
Rev. Thomas J. Merkel, S.J., (Omaha, NE)
Rev. Thomas J. Merkel, S. J. serves as the Vice Chair. He is an Assistant Vice President for University Relations at Creighton University. He served as the Vice President for Mission and Identity at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School (2015-2016), the President of Creighton Preparatory School (2003-2012), and the Superintendent of Schools at Red Cloud Indian School (1997-2003). He taught at Red Cloud High School (1990-1993) and Boys Town High School (1992-93). Fr. Merkel is a member of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). He entered the Jesuits in 1985, pronounced his first vows in 1987 and was ordained in 1997. He studied at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University, earned a M. A., Private School Administration from the University of San Francisco in 1997, a M. Div., Theology from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley in 1996, a Ph. L., Philosophy from Gonzaga University, Ponficia Facultas Philosophica Sancti Michaelis in 1990 and a B. A., Theology from Creighton University in 1985.
Raymond Nadolny, Ph.D. (Pine Ridge, SD)
Raymond Nadolny, Ph.D., a leader in higher education for over 25 years, became Red Cloud’s 27th president on June 1, 2019, succeeding Fr. George Winzenburg, SJ. Dr. Nadolny has focused his life’s work on creating opportunity for students in rural and low-income communities. From 2009 to 2016, he served as the third president of Williston State College, a dynamic community college within the North Dakota University System. Dr. Nadolny received his Ph.D. in Education from Oregon State University, a certificate in fundraising management from the University of Indiana, and a higher education management certificate from the University of Oxford. He taught both college- and high school-level courses in business, information technology, philosophy, and theology. He holds a master’s in theology and has served as a chaplain, Catholic youth minister, and faith formation director.
Mr. Sam O’Rourke (Porcupine, SD)
A member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Red Cloud's Class of 1992, Mr. O’Rourke is a successful business owner and resident of Porcupine on the Pine Ridge Reservation. His children continue the family tradition of attending Red Cloud. He is the owner of Badlands Enterprise and Badlands Concrete. O'Rourke/Badlands Enterprises L.L.C. located in Porcupine, SD, United States is part of the Waste Management Services Industry. With over 20 years experience in the water and sewer installation field, Mr. O’Rourke has grown his business to include: Heavy construction, concrete work, building pads, roads, and site preparation. He credits Red Cloud for shaping "who I am today." A proponent of Indian owned businesses, Sam is a community leader advancing the prosperity and well-being of the Lakota people.
Ms. Lisa F. Ryan (Glen Echo, MD)
Ms. Ryan is a graduate of the University of Virginia (B.A.) and University of Notre Dame Law School. She has practiced law in Washington, DC, beginning her career specializing in natural resource issues for Native American Tribes and Alaskan Native Corporations. After a stint as a Trial Attorney with the United States Department of Justice’s Land and Natural Resources Division she returned to private practice primarily representing and advising tribally controlled school boards in funding, legislative, and other education related matters. She has served on several nonprofit boards for organizations providing education and social support services. Ms. Ryan holds an Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown University.
Ms. Norma Tibbitts (Manderson, SD)
Norma Tibbitts lives with her husband Mike on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and is a member of the St. Agnes parish. She is an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the mother of three children. She has five grandchildren who live out of state and is proud that one of her granddaughters is a graduate of Red Cloud High School. She worked in education for thirty years, starting as a high school teacher at Red Cloud, and for a few years as its high school principal. She accepted the position of Agency Superintendent for the Pine Ridge Reservation, with the OST’s endorsement in 1994. She worked on other reservations across the nation as an employee of the Bureau of Indian Education. She is retired and has taught part time for the Oglala Lakota College.
Rev. James M. Weiss (Boston, MA)
A graduate of St. Ignatius Prep and Loyola U. (Chicago) with further studies at the universities of Chicago and Munich, Fr. James Weiss has taught theology at Boston College since 1979, where he offers an undergraduate year-long sequence in social justice. In 1990, he founded and has since directed the Capstone Vocational Discernment Seminars Program for seniors. He has supported Red Cloud since the 1980s, visited many times, and encouraged students to volunteer here. An Episcopal priest and spiritual director who has served inner city parishes, he now serves the Commission on Ordained Ministry for his Diocese. A church historian with interest in Lakota history, he is also an academic expert on the papacy and the College of Cardinals and has widely advised the press and media during the last two papal transitions.
Ms. Sarah White (Rapid City, SD)
Sarah Pierce, Director of Education Equity, NDN Collective, is Oglala Lakota from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Ms. White has 8 years of experience working and advocating for Title VI Indian Education Programs, working at Rapid City Area Schools in South Dakota and at Omaha Public Schools in Nebraska. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, a master of education degree from Creighton University, and a PK-12 Administrator endorsement from the University of South Dakota. Pierce leads NDN Collective’s education equity campaign work, expanding opportunities for Native American students to have access to culturally relevant and culturally responsive learning environments.
Mr. William Whitaker (Washington, DC)
Bill is the Founding President of Washington Jesuit Academy, established in 2001 to address the academic needs of underserved middle school boys in the Washington, DC area. He served in that capacity until 2020. A graduate of Acadia University in Nova Scotia he has served on many educational boards in the DC area and is the former Director of Admissions and Assistant Varsity Basketball coach at Gonzaga College High School, just north of Capitol Hill.
Mr. Stephen Wilcox (Danville, CA)
Mr. Wilcox is President of the Wilcox Family Foundation, which provides funding to organizations targeting underserved communities. He is a retired senior executive of Accenture, LLP, a technology and outsourcing company where he spent 28+ years. Steve has been active on several non-profit boards. Most notably he spent eight years on the board of Catholic Charities of the East Bay, two years as Board Chair. He served as Chancellor to the Diocese of Oakland, as well as Chair of the Diocese’s Capital Campaign. During his previous service on the Red Cloud Board, he served as At-Large Member of the Executive Committee, Chair of the Advancement Committee, and member of the Governance Committee.
J. Christopher Woiwode (Pacific Palisades CA)
Mr. Woiwode currently serves as the Vice President and Chief Security Officer for Macerich in Santa Monica, where he oversees security for corporate and shopping mall facilities in fifteen states which host more than 400 million visitors annually. Chris has developed a world-class security program including remediation of major incidents, and fostering collaboration amongst multiple stakeholders such as retailers, local and federal law enforcement, and local city authorities. Prior to joining Macerich, Chris spent 25 years with the FBI including as Section Chief for the Counterintelligence Division in Washington DC. During his time with the Bureau, he served in multiple locations including overseas in Denmark and Saudi Arabia.
Since 1987, Chris has organized an annual golf event to benefit a scholarship fund for the children of fallen agents. A graduate of University of Detroit Jesuit High School he also worked as Director of Admissions there from 1982-1987. He was awarded an M.A. in leadership from University of Jamestown, a B.S. from Cornell University and an Executive Certificate in Negotiation and Business Administration from Notre Dame. Chris is married to Elizabeth (since 1988). Chris and Liz have two children, Daniel and Joseph, both graduates of Georgetown Prep and both currently also living in Southern California.