The People of Partners

Patricia Hughes Baumer, M.Div.
Co-Founder and Director
Patricia Hughes Baumer began her preaching ministry while on the staff of the Jesuit Retreat House in Cleveland, Ohio in the early 70's. She also served as Director of Campus Ministry at Mundelein College in Chicago, and as Pastoral Care Coordinator of the Hospice of Illinois Masonic Medical Center, preaching in these settings as well. Patricia has lectured widely in the field of the development of ministry, and has published on these topics in Liturgy, America, Catholic World, and New Theology Review.

Patricia is a member of the Academy of Homiletics and the Catholic Association of Teachers of Preaching.

Patricia has her Masters of Divinity degree from the Jesuit School of Theology, Chicago, Illinois.

Fred A. Baumer, Ph.D.
Co-Founder
Fred Baumer has worked with theology students, clergy, managers and executives in a training and formation capacity for over twenty years. He brings a wealth of experience in adult learning theory which he applies to his work in organizational development for Fortune 1000 companies and in teaching preaching in parish and diocesan programs.

Fred was a member of the committee who wrote Fulfilled in Your Hearing: The Homily in the Sunday Assembly, published by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. He has conducted preaching workshops in over twenty dioceses, and with his wife, Patricia, he has been preparing lay people for the preaching ministry since 1991.

Fred has his Doctorate in Communications from Northwestern University.

The Board of Directors

The board's role is to serve in an advisory capacity and to provide financial oversight. The board has also articulated Partner's vision statement: The vision of Partners In Preaching is to provide every local faith community with competent, diverse, and empowered lay and ordained voices for ritual preaching.

Introducing the Board of Directors
Martha Blenkush, Marketing Coach and Project Manager, Professional Services Marketing, Inc, Golden Valley, MN

Julie French, LPTA, Scobey, MT

Rev. Gregory Heille, O.P., DMin, Professor of Homiletics, Academic Dean and Vice President, Aquinas Institute of Theology, St. Louis, MO

Rev. Paul Jarosezski, Pastor, Church of St. Katherine Drexel, Ramsey, Minnesota

Charles J. Keffer, Former Provost, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN

Rev. Eugene Lauer, S.T.D., Pastoral Ministry and Continuing Education, Diocese of Pittsburgh, PA

Tim J. McGuire, J.D., Frank E. Russell Chair, Cronkite School of Journalism, Arizona State University, Scottsdale, AZ

Deborah Organ, DMin, Assistant Professor of Homiletics, Coordinator of Multicultural Ministry Formation, The St. Paul Seminary, School of Divinity , Saint Paul, Minnesota

Michael R Prendergast, MTS, MA, Liturgical Consultant, Portland, OR

Dolly Sokol, MTS, Ph.D., Executive Director, Office of Development, Archdiocese of Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM

Fred A. Baumer, Ph.D., Vice President, BI Performance Services, Inc., Co-founder of Partners In Preaching, Eden Prairie, MN

Patricia Hughes Baumer, M.Div., Co-founder and Executive Director, Partners In Preaching; Eden Prairie, MN