(239) 687-5300
Meet Our Senior Administrators
- (239) 687-5305
- jczar@avemarialaw.edu
Dean John M. Czarnetzky is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (B.S., 1982, Chemistry) and the University of Virginia (J.D., 1989).
Before law school, Dean Czarnetzky was an officer in the United States Army, where he served as an intelligence analyst, specializing in foreign chemical, biological and nuclear capabilities. After law school, he practiced bankruptcy and commercial law with Sidley & Austin in Chicago, and McGuire, Woods, Battle & Boothe in Richmond, Virginia.
Dean Czarnetzky joined the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1994, teaching courses in bankruptcy, corporate reorganizations, secured transactions, civil procedure, and business associations. At “Ole Miss,” he was the five-time winner of the “Outstanding Law School Professor,” and in 2016, he was the recipient of the Elsie M. Hood Award for the “Outstanding Professor at the University of Mississippi,” the highest honor awarded to faculty members at the University of Mississippi.
Dean Czarnetzky also serves as a legal adviser to the Holy See’s Mission to the United Nations, representing the Holy See in negotiations, including establishing the International Criminal Court and several international treaties, including one on the rights of persons with disabilities.
Dean Czarnetzky is a lay member of the Dominican Order and a third-degree Knight of Columbus.
- 239-687-5501
- btanderson@avemarialaw.edu
Bianca is a Miami native. She grew up near Schenley Park, attending Catholic schools until studying at the University of Miami, where she graduated with a degree in Political Science. Bianca then earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law. During law school, she was inspired by her internship at the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center to dedicate herself to public service. A member of the Florida Bar, she spent most of her ten-year legal career in immigration practice in South Florida serving low-income communities through non-profit work. She transitioned away from legal practice and went on to graduate from the University of South Florida with a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science. Bianca then spent nearly a decade at the University of Miami School of Law as a Librarian Associate Professor, where was the subject specialist on foreign and international law. She taught legal research, supported faculty scholarship, and published on legal research topics in foreign and international law. She is a founding member and part of the Steering Committee of the SAILS project, a collaborative research effort to study the relationship between international law scholarship and practice. Most recently, she served as the Director of Research and Information Services at Shutts & Bowen, LLP, Miami’s oldest law firm, where she spearheaded projects on legal technology innovation and artificial intelligence.
- 239-687-5351
- jbacker@avemarialaw.edu
Jill Backer Esq. has nearly 20 years of experience working in law school career services. Before joining Ave Maria School of Law, she was the Assistant Dean for Professional Development at Pace University School of Law and the Employer Relations person at Brooklyn Law School. She has a proven track record of building and executing a successful employer outreach program for law schools.
Dean Backer joined Ave Maria School of Law in July 2021 jumping right in to promote Ave Maria Law and its students. Dean Backer practiced in criminal law in Chicago before moving into legal sales for several litigation companies. She has been the National Chair for the Employer Outreach section of the National Association of Legal Placement (NALP), on the NYC Bar Associations CAMS committee and an inaugural member of the NYC Law School Anti-Racism Consortium. She is also widely published in the National Law Journal, the New York Law Journal, Thomson Reuters and other publications. Dean Backer is a graduate of Marquette University with a BA in Psychology and a BA in Criminology and a JD from Quinnipiac University.
- (239) 687-5343
- kcastro@avemarialaw.edu
As Associate Dean for Associate Dean for Finance & Administration, Kaye Castro is responsible for many of the non-academic aspects of the operations of Ave Maria School of Law, including financial planning and budget development, accounts payable and receivable functions, risk management, maintenance of the physical campus, and supervision of the Bookstore and Café. She also manages many of the institutional reporting functions for government, accreditation, and licensing agencies. Her career spans almost forty years of varied experience in higher education administration and she has been with Ave Maria School of Law since it opened its doors to students in 2000.
Education
- MBA, Eastern Michigan University
- B.A., University of Michigan
- 239-687-5423
- rcruz@avemarialaw.edu
Associate Dean of Admissions, Financial Aid, and Housing, Roxanna Cruz is an accomplished, results-driven enrollment professional with over 20 years of working in higher education. Her extensive experience in developing and implementing comprehensive plans to recruit and retain talented and diverse individuals has been proven through her track record of consistently meeting and exceeding university and law school enrollment goals. Roxanna’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through her leadership is evident in her ability to not only help shape a class that is reflective of the world, but also in recruiting, developing, mentoring, and leading high-functioning diverse teams.
Dean Cruz re-entered law school admissions with her arrival at Ave Maria School in January 2023. Prior to this role, Dean Cruz held the position of Associate Vice President of Enrollment at Barry University in Miami Shores where she oversaw all undergraduate, graduate & professional enrollment. Roxanna also served as the Assistant Dean of Admissions at Barry University School of Law, Associate Director of Recruitment & Marketing at FIU Law, and as Director of Student Recruitment at Miami Law.
Dean Cruz holds a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership from St. Thomas University and a Master of Business Administration in Management at Nova Southeastern University. As a first-generation college graduate, she takes pride in her accomplishments and her professional development in enrollment management. Dean Cruz’s creativity, adaptability, innovative thinking, and passion for access to higher education has provided successful outcomes in many aspects of her work. In addition, she considers her most prominent role to date as that of wife and mother of four children.
Email: tkolenc@avemarialaw.edu
Phone: (239) 687-5396
Biography
Professor Antony “Tony” Kolenc joined the faculty of Ave Maria School of Law in 2022 as Director of the Veterans and Servicemembers Law Clinic (VSLC), where he supervises and mentors students representing veterans and servicemembers in litigation, administrative proceedings, and veterans treatment courts. Through the clinic, students gain hands-on experience serving those who have served in the United States Armed Forces.
Professor Kolenc previously served more than 21 years in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During his military legal career, he litigated both civil and criminal cases before trial and appellate courts, including the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces and the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. His extensive experience in military justice and constitutional law informs both his scholarship and classroom teaching.
Before joining Ave Maria School of Law, Professor Kolenc taught at several law schools, including the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and Florida Coastal School of Law, where he served as a tenured professor.
Professor Kolenc earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 1999, graduating at the top of his class. While at Florida, he served as a senior editor of the Florida Law Review and participated as both a competitor and coach on the Justice Campbell Thornal Moot Court Board. He also earned a Master of Arts in Theology and Christian Ministry from Franciscan University of Steubenville.
His scholarship and professional writing focus on constitutional law, military policy, and religious liberty, particularly issues involving the Free Exercise Clause and freedom of religion. His articles have appeared in numerous academic journals and publications. In addition to his legal scholarship, Professor Kolenc writes a regular legal column for homeschooling families in Practical Homeschooling Magazine and is the author of an award-winning historical fiction trilogy for young readers.
Professor Kolenc and his wife, Alisa, homeschooled their five children. Additional information about his writing and professional work may be found at antonykolenc.com.
Education
- J.D., University of Florida Levin College of Law, 1999
- M.A., Theology and Christian Ministry, Franciscan University of Steubenville
Professional Experience
Professor Antony “Tony” Kolenc joined the Ave Maria School of Law faculty in 2022 as Director of the Veterans and Servicemembers Law Clinic (VSLC), where he supervises students representing veterans and servicemembers in litigation, administrative proceedings, and veterans treatment courts.
Prior to joining Ave Maria School of Law, Professor Kolenc served more than 21 years in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During his military legal career, he litigated both civil and criminal matters before trial and appellate courts, including the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces and the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
Professor Kolenc has also served as a faculty member at multiple law schools, including the United States Air Force Academy and Florida Coastal School of Law, where he was a tenured professor. In addition to his legal scholarship, he is a published author whose work focuses on constitutional law, military policy, and religious liberty.
Honors & Professional Affiliations
- Lieutenant Colonel, United States Air Force Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps (Ret.)
- Director, Veterans and Servicemembers Law Clinic, Ave Maria School of Law
- Senior Editor, Florida Law Review
- Competitor and Coach, Justice Campbell Thornal Moot Court Board
- Tenured Professor, Florida Coastal School of Law
- Faculty Member, United States Air Force Academy
- Published Scholar in Constitutional Law, Military Law, and Religious Liberty
- Author, Practical Homeschooling Magazine legal column
- Award-Winning Author, Historical Fiction Trilogy for Young Readers
phone: 239-687-5332
email: ahowarth@avemarialaw.edu
Lisa Johnston is a nationally recognized leader in Catholic communications, known for her strategic vision, creative direction, and award-winning work in photojournalism, videography, and design. She currently serves as the Senior Director of Communications and Creative Strategy at Ave Maria School of Law, where she leads institutional storytelling, brand strategy, and multi-platform engagement in service of the law school’s mission of faith, reason, and service.
Before joining Ave Maria Law, Lisa spent a decade with the Archdiocese of St. Louis, where she helped shape and modernize its communications across digital and traditional platforms. Her creative contributions have supported numerous multimillion-dollar fundraising campaigns and advanced the Catholic Church’s presence in the public square.
Lisa is a six-time recipient of the Catholic Media Association’s Photojournalist of the Year award, a National Press Photographers Association honoree, and winner of the Gabriel Award for New Media Campaign of the Year. She was also selected as the inaugural recipient of the Cardinal John B. Foley Award for Excellence and Innovation in Catholic Storytelling.
A graduate of Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications and a member of the Order of Carmel Discalced Secular, Lisa brings a deeply rooted Catholic worldview to every aspect of her work.
Follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @aeternusphoto, or explore her portfolio at aeternus.com.
- 239-687-5331
- dpignato@avemarialaw.edu
Fr. David Pignato is chaplain, associate dean of mission, and visiting associate professor of law at Ave Maria School of Law.
A priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts, Fr. Pignato previously served as pastor of St. Ann Parish in Raynham, Massachusetts, and as vicar for priests of the Diocese of Fall River. He was ordained in 2001.
Fr. Pignato earned his undergraduate degree from the College of the Holy Cross (1992) and his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School (1995). Following law school, he practiced law at the Boston firm of Goodwin Procter before entering the seminary at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. While in Rome, he earned both the S.T.B. and S.T.L. degrees from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum), and later returned to complete his S.T.D. in 2010, writing his dissertation on Church-state relations.
Early in his priesthood, Fr. Pignato served at St. Julie Billiart Parish and as chaplain at Bishop Stang High School in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. He also served as personal secretary to the Most Rev. George W. Coleman, bishop of Fall River.
From 2010 to 2020, Fr. Pignato served on the faculty at Saint John’s Seminary in Brighton, Massachusetts, where he taught courses in systematic theology, including fundamental theology, Christology and ecclesiology, as well as courses in faith and reason, church and state, church history and American constitutional law.
At Ave Maria School of Law, Fr. Pignato serves as chaplain and teaches courses that reflect the law school’s commitment to the integration of faith and reason.
- (239) 687-5442
- mrengifo@avemarialaw.edu
Monica Rengifo is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Ave Maria School of Law. She joined the IT Department in August 2013, initially focusing on web content, design, and the development of new web applications. After serving as Assistant IT Director, she was promoted to CIO in March 2018.
As CIO, Monica oversees the institution’s information technology (IT) infrastructure and computer systems, ensuring they align with the school’s goals and objectives. She leads the IT department, spearheads strategic technology initiatives, and ensures data security and system integrity. Her role encompasses IT strategy development, project management, network operations, internal service delivery, and business continuity planning. Additionally, she plays a key role in policy development, setting strategic objectives, and establishing security protocols.
Monica earned her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Hodges University in 2001. She is a creative problem solver with extensive expertise in programming, database management and project management. Her diverse skill set and leadership continue to drive innovation and efficiency within Ave Maria School of Law’s IT operations.
- (239) 687-5345
Kathleen Shelmerdine is a strategic Human Resources executive with over 25 years of diverse private, public, and consulting experience in Human Resources leadership roles. As Director, Kathleen is an advocate for the people of Ave Maria School of Law as well as the institution, ensuring that the staff policies, practices, processes, systems, and training are in place to provide the faculty and staff with the resources they need.
Amongst the significant accomplishments Kathleen brings to the law school are aligning talent and business strategy to support explosive growth from start-up to mid-size organization in three years, driving execution of several large-scale talent initiatives simultaneously: re-organizations, start-ups, acquisitions, and consolidations to ensure talent alignment with shifting organizational strategic plans, creating an innovative 4-year talent attraction, optimization, and retention strategy/plan that saved $10M over four years, with 100% talent retention over five years.
When Kathleen was brought on to Ave Maria School of Law in 2018, she was tasked with “transforming Human Resources and the Title IX Office” for the school.
At Ave Maria School of Law, Kathleen consults with Senior Administrative Staff and Faculty to ensure that the employee experience supports the execution of Ave Maria School of Law’s strategy and mission. She brings to her role particular expertise in aligning talent to the organization strategy, leadership coaching, organizational design and development, budget management, employee life cycle management, change management and communication, talent management and development, and compensation strategy and analysis. Shortly after arriving at Ave Maria Law, Kathleen developed and implemented the school’s compensation philosophy, strategy, and structure to ensure consistency, compliance, and internal and external equity.
In addition to working with the faculty and staff, Kathleen works with students in the onboarding process to begin their internships and externships.
As a lifelong Catholic, Kathleen is committed to the unique ethical, ideological, and faith foundation Ave Maria School of Law provides for its students.
Kathleen received her MBA from Case Western Reserve University, her BS in Business Administration from the University of Akron, and completed the Executive Programs “World-At-Work” from the American Compensation Association and “Leading Organizational Change” from The Wharton School.
Email: pstarkey@avemarialaw.edu
Phone: (239) 687-5402
Paula Starkey most recently served as the Senior Regional Director of Advancement for Washington University in St. Louis, working with the university’s key donors and alumni leaders in the Chicago region. She has over 25 years of experience in higher education with a focus on student services and advancement and previously worked at Eureka College, DePaul University and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Paula has degrees from Illinois Wesleyan University, Illinois State University, Universite de Paris-IV (Sorbonne) and DePaul University and has completed the Certificate in Fundraising Management at The Fund Raising School in the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Her past volunteer leadership roles include serving as a trustee for Lexington College (a school of hospitality for women) and work on the Education Commission and the Evangelization Commission at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, Il.