Guided by our charism of unity and a commitment to stewarding the mission, ministries, and resources entrusted to us into the future with wisdom, care, and hope, the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Joseph have appointed Antonia “Toni” Ponder to the newly created role of Chief Operating Officer (COO). This new position was created to ensure operational excellence while allowing the elected leadership team to focus on the spiritual and personal well-being of sisters and the vitality of their life and ministries.

The COO will work in close collaboration with the Congregational Leadership Team and will oversee key operational and service departments including archives, communications, development, finance, information technology, mission integration, justice advocacy, and others.

“Religious life is evolving and so must our structures,” said Sister Kathy Brazda, CSJ, a member of the Congregational Leadership Team. “This new role will help us move forward with foresight and hope into an emerging future. We are grateful to have Toni join us to help us carry our mission forward.”  

Toni brings many years of experience serving women religious, most recently with the Sisters of the Good Shepherd Province of Mid-North America. Her work has included operational leadership, governance, property transitions, and mission integration. She has accompanied congregations through significant transitions with clarity, collaboration, and deep respect for religious life. She holds a law degree from the Saint Louis University School of Law and a B.A. in Political Science from Saint Louis University. Toni has spoken at LCWR (Leadership Conference of Women Religious) conferences and workshops, and at two RCRI (Resource Center for Religious Institutes) conferences. She is also an alumna of the Leadership Collaborative’s Development Program.

For more than 360 years, Sisters of St. Joseph have embraced the Gospel call to unity with God, one another, and all creation, and to be a healing, compassionate presence in a wounded world. The creation of this new role and Toni’s leadership mark a hopeful next chapter in this ongoing mission.

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The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph is a religious community of vowed Catholic women and lay associates who live and minister in the U.S. and around the world. Our mission is to bring all into unity with God, one another, and with all creation. We do this through prayer, direct service and ministry, partnering with others to serve the dear neighbor, standing with and for the poor and vulnerable, and by advocating for systemic change. Through our Mission Network, we work with and support a diverse array of ministries including three Catholic high schools, tutoring and literacy programs, spirituality centers, social service programs, spiritual direction, and pastoral assistance. We also manage and assist in the development of senior living for religious communities and support  justice initiatives including anti-racism and inclusion efforts, care of creation, fair and just immigration policies, the abolishment of the death penalty, non-violence advocacy, LGBTQ+ support, and more. The Congregation of St. Joseph has a significant presence in Cleveland, Oh.; Detroit and Kalamazoo, Mich.; La Grange Park, Ill.; New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La.; Wheeling, W.Va.; Wichita, Kan.; and Kyoto and Matsusaka, Japan. To learn more, visit CSJoseph.org, follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to our podcast Beyond the Habitwherever you get your podcasts.