FDLC’s board is comprised of representatives from each of the USCCB’s 14 geographic regions, as well as two ex-officio members. The following directors are serving terms from October 2022 – October 2023.
Region 1
Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont

Richard J. Clark
Archdiocese of Boston
Cathedral of the Holy Cross
1400 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02118
[email protected]

Region 2
New York

Rev. Sean Paul Fleming
Diocese of Buffalo
Saint Joseph Cathedral
50 Franklin Street
Buffalo, NY 14202
[email protected]

Region 3
New Jersey and Pennsylvania

Mr. Thomas Octave
Diocese of Greensburg
723 East Pittsburgh Street
Greensburg, PA 15601
[email protected]

Region 4
District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, West Virginia, and the Military Archdiocese

Dr. James Starke
Diocese of Arlington
St. Mary’s University
5400 Roland Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21210
[email protected]

Region 5
Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee

Betty-Ann Hickey
Archdiocese of New Orleans
7887 Walmsley Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70125
[email protected]

Region 6
Ohio and Michigan

Msgr. Gary Smetanka
Archdiocese of Detroit
Our Lady Star of the Sea
467 Fairford Road
Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236
[email protected]

Region 7
Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin

Todd Williamson, Vice Chair
Archdiocese of Chicago
3525 South Lake Park Ave.
Chicago, IL 60653
[email protected]

Region 8
Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota

Mr. Daniel Ewens
Diocese of Crookston
Sacred Heart Church
200 Third Street
East Grand Forks, MN 56721
[email protected]

Region 9
Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska
Region 10
Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas

Rev. Marcus McFadin
Diocese of El Paso
St. Patrick Cathedral
1118 N. Mesa St.
El Paso, TX 79902
[email protected]

Region 11
California, Hawaii, and Nevada

Laura Bertone, Chair
Archdiocese of San Francisco
One Peter Yorke Way
San Francisco, CA 94109
[email protected]

Region 12
Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington

Tish Thornton, Treasurer
Diocese of Boise
1501 S. Federal Way, Suite 400
Boise, ID 83705
[email protected]

Region 13
Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming

Rev. Rob Spaulding
Diocese of Cheyenne
St. Paul Newman Center
1800 Grand Avenue
Laramie, WY 82070
[email protected]

Region 14
Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina

Lisa Weis
Diocese of Orlando
St. Margaret Mary Church
526 North Park Avenue
Winter Park, FL 32789
[email protected]

Ex-Officio

Mrs. Rita Thiron
Executive Director
FDLC
415 Michigan Avenue NE, Suite 70
Washington, DC 20017
[email protected]


Rev. Dustin Dought
Executive Director
Secretariat for Divine Worship
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 Fourth Street NE
Washington, DC 20017-1194
[email protected]
