Thomas Aquinas College alumni can be found in all fields and disciplines. Below are a few prominent examples:
Priesthood and Religious Life
- Rev. Mark Bachmann, O.S.B. (’82)
Co-founder and Subprior
Monastery of Our Lady of the Annunciation of Clear Creek - The Very Rev. John M. Berg, F.S.S.P. (’93)
Superior General
Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter - Sr. Marcella, M.C. (’86)
U.S. Mid-West Regional Superior, Missionaries of Charity - Rev. Gary Selin (’89)
Formation Director
St. John Vianney Theological Seminary
Archdiocese of Denver - Sr. Thomas Aquinas Halbmaier, O.P. (’84)
Former President
Aquinas College (Nashville, Tenn.)
Education
- Dr. Joseph Almeida (’81)
Professor of Classics
Franciscan University of Steubenville - Laura Berquist (’75)
Founding Director, Mother of Divine Grace School
Author, Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum - Dr. John Mortensen (’97)
Associate Professor of Theology & Philosophy
Wyoming Catholic College
Winner, 2010 Award of the Pontifical Academies - Dr. Jean Rioux (’82)
Chair of the Department of Philosophy
Benedictine College - Carl Sauder (’77)
Vice President for Academic Affairs
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico - Michael Van Hecke (’86)
Headmaster
St. Augustine Academy (Ventura, Calif.) - Brenna Scanlon (’06)
Principal
Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish School (Oxnard, Calif.) - Dr. Michael Waldstein (’77)
Max Seckler Professor of Theology
Ave Maria University
Business
- Rolfe Kratz (’97)
Associate Broker
Classic Real Estate (Washington, D.C.) - David O’Reilly (’87)
Owner, Founder, Vintner, Winemaker
Owen Roe
Law
- Mary Bridget Neumayr (’86)
Senior Energy Counsel
Committee on Energy and Commerce
U.S. House of Representatives - Rebekah Shapiro (’05)
Attorney
Wild, Carey & Fife (San Francisco, Calif.) - Katie and Bill Short (both ’80)
Life Legal Defense Foundation - Andrew Zepeda (’79)
Outside General Counsel, The Alvarez Firm (Westlake Village, Calif.)
Of Counsel, Lurie, Zepeda, Schmalz & Hogan (Beverly Hills, Calif.)
Public Policy
- Peter Colarelli (’92)
First Ward Alderman
Lockport, Ill. - Pia de Solenni (’93)
Owner, Diotima Consulting
Winner, 2001 Award of the Pontifical Academies
Military / Law Enforcement
- Lt. JG Joshua M. Bergen, USN (’05)
Surface Warfare Officer
U.S.S. Iwo Jima - Officer Rex Mohun (’90)
California Highway Patrol - Col. Sam Shaneyfelt, USAF (’86)
35th Operations Group Commander
Misawa Air Base
Misawa, Japan
Medicine
- Thomas Hart, D.D.S. (’91)
Owner
Wahoo Family Dentistry (Wahoo, Neb.) - Dr. Caroline Johnson (’97)
Rural Physicians Group - Dr. Francis “F.J.” Milligan (’85)
Family Practitioner (Bow, N.H.) - Dr. Nadine St. Arnault (’78)
Anesthesiologist (Denver, Colo.) - Lt. Col. Paul W. White, M.D. (’95)
Vascular Surgeon
U.S. Army Medical Corps
Arts & Architecture
- James Langley (’85)
Professor, Savannah College of Art and Design - Maria Rangel (’99)
Artist
Rangel Studios - Will Dowdy (’05)
Architect
Anderson|Kim Architecture+Urban Design - David Isaac (’05)
Co-founder
Orpheum Music Productions, LLC
Media
- Mary Rose Bacani (’03)
Producer and Reporter
Salt + Light Television, Canada - Karen Walker (’76)
Founder and Managing Member, Catholic Business Journal, LLC
Founder & Producer, The Catholic Business Hour with Dick Lyles
Nonprofit & Social Work
- Maureen Gahan (’76)
Milestones Clinical & Health Resources Director
Stone Belt Arc (Indiana) - Gregory A. Peseley (’77)
Mission Integration Manager
Order of St. Francis Healthcare System (Peoria, Ill.)
“When you’re undergoing an education like this, it teaches you how to think, and forms your intellect, so that you will be able to make well-formed choices once you get out into the world.”
– Sean Wood (’13)
Ojai, Calif.
“The Church will flourish through the inspiring example and praiseworthy endeavors of Thomas Aquinas College.”
– The Most Rev. Pietro Sambi (†)
Apostolic Nuncio to the United States

