An Update on St. Ann's Center's CEO Search

December 14, 2023

Dear St. Ann’s Center Friends and Supporters,

It is my pleasure to share with you that Sister Nancy Downing, CND (pictured), has accepted the position of St. Ann’s Center’s next Chief Executive Officer. Sister Nancy has been formally appointed and will begin her new role on Monday, January 8, 2024. We look forward to welcoming her!

Cardinal Wilton Gregory, Archbishop of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, has also asked me to share the following with you:

“We gladly welcome Sister Nancy Downing, CND, as the new CEO of St. Ann’s Center. We are tremendously grateful that Sister Nancy has accepted this position to lead St. Ann’s critical mission in our Archdiocese with her exceptional leadership style and heart for accompanying young people experiencing crisis. Sister Nancy will help to write the next chapter in St. Ann’s 163-year story!”

Below is a brief overview of Sister Nancy’s experience and her alignment with St. Ann’s mission and the CEO role.

Sister Nancy most recently served as Executive Director of Covenant House New York, a nonprofit serving vulnerable youth in New York City, where she expanded its programs and financial support to provide housing and programs for more than 350 vulnerable youth each day. In addition, Sister Nancy oversaw the completion of an $82M renovation of Covenant House’s headquarters during the pandemic. She has extensive experience working with a Board of Directors, engaging donors, innovating programs, improving systems and operations, and working with government funding sources. Most importantly, she brings an authentic commitment to St. Ann’s Catholic Identity, values, and mission and exudes warmth, caring, and compassion.

We are so grateful that Sister Nancy will join our team - and we hope you will help us welcome her this January! Thank you for your past support of St. Ann's Center. We sincerely hope you will continue to support us - and Sister Nancy - in helping many more families in the years to come.

Best wishes,

Mary Lou Goehrung
Board Chair, St. Ann’s Center for Children, Youth and Families

P.S. View this announcement as a PDF here: https://dev.stanns.org/sites/default/files/New CEO Announcement_EXT.pdf

About St. Ann's Center

St. Ann’s Center helps mothers and children overcome crisis and achieve lasting independence and stability by providing a safe and supportive home, child care, education and employment assistance, and clinical social work services within a Catholic community that welcomes all.

Image: Mother and daughter walking on a path together.