News

NEW ORLEANS (press release) — The Loyola University New Orleans Board of Trustees has appointed seven new members who begin their tenure this fall.

“I am excited to welcome this group of exceptional leaders to our board,” said President Xavier Cole in a press release. “Their dedication to Loyola will help strengthen our institution and propel our work preparing students for meaningful lives.”

The new board members are:

Reverend Penn Dawson, S.J.

Fr. Dawson earned his J.D. with honors from the University of Florida in 1987 and practiced as a partner at the firm of Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen.

In 2005, he recognized a calling to religious life, entered the Society of Jesus and professed his first vows. Fr. Dawson earned an M.A. in philosophy from Loyola University Chicago and was missioned as a visiting professor of law at Loyola University New Orleans. He then completed with highest honors his bachelor of theology and master of divinity degrees at Regis College with the University of Toronto in Canada.

Rev. Dawson teaches at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law and assists at Holy Name of Jesus Parish. He also serves as the rector of the Loyola New Orleans Jesuit Community.

Caroline Gonzalez

Caroline Gonzales, ’17, received a B.A. degree in mass communication at Loyola University New Orleans and earned her place in the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of the 2013-14 basketball team, which made a quarterfinal appearance in the NAIA National Championship for only the second time in school history.

Dr. Rachel Kent

Dr. Rachel Baribault Kent, ’74, worked as a molecular biologist in academic and biotechnology research for more than 25 years. She is co-author of 18 biochemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology publications and co-inventor on 16 patents covering recombinant DNA technology for discovery of biologic therapeutics.

She received a B.S. degree in biology from Loyola University New Orleans and an M.A. and Ph.D. in biology from Boston University. She performed postdoctoral research before joining Protein Engineering Corp. (later Dyax), a small biotechnology company in Cambridge, Mass., where she served as a senior research scientist, research director for molecular biology and research director for lead discovery.

Kent is a former member of the Loyola Board of Trustees (2012-2018) and a current member of the Loyola College of Arts and Sciences Visiting Committee. She chaired the Mission and Identity Committee of the Board for three years.

Reverend Brian Linnane, S.J.

Brian Linnane, S.J. is a professor of religious studies at LeMoyne College where he also holds the Lanigan Chair in Medicine and Ethics. Prior to his appointment to LeMoyne, he served as the 24th president of Loyola University Maryland (2005-2021) and was on the faculty of the College of the Holy Cross (1993-2005).

A graduate of Boston College and Georgetown University, Fr. Linnane received a Ph.D. in religious studies (ethics) from Yale University. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Marquette University and has completed terms on the boards of Loyola Maryland, College of the Holy Cross and University of Detroit Mercy. He was chair of the Board of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities from 2018-2021.

Lisa Osborne Ross

Lisa Osborne Ross is a communications industry veteran with over 30 years of experience as an in-demand social impact, public affairs and crisis management counselor. She recently left her position as U.S. CEO of Edelman, where she was instrumental in achieving Edelman’s milestone status as the world’s largest and most profitable public relations firm with client revenue exceeding $1 billion.

Ross co-founded and led the Washington Area Women’s Foundation, raising millions of dollars to fund grassroots organizations addressing the needs of women and young girls throughout the Washington metropolitan area. She also helped establish a scholarship fund for students in the public relations field at Howard University.

She has served on numerous boards and commissions, including the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Meridian International Center, Catholic Charities of America, National Partnership for Women and Families, Washington Jesuit Academy, Ad Council and Leadership Council for the Capital Area Food Bank.

Cherrell Simms Taplin

Taplin is the Co-Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer and shareholder at Liskow & Lewis. She has over 20 years of experience as a trial lawyer and represents commercial clients, non-profit organizations, public entities, maritime companies and major energy clients in all areas of litigation.

Prior to joining the firm, Cherrell was the Senior Chief Deputy City Attorney for the City of New Orleans. Her role was second-in-command to the City Attorney and included the position of Chief of Litigation. In April 2017, the Louisiana Supreme Court appointed Taplin to serve as Judge Pro Tempore in Division J of the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans. She is also a regular Skills Instructor for Negotiation and Mediation at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law.

Reverend John Thiede, S.J.

Rev. John Thiede, S.J., is the vice president for mission and ministry. Prior to his current role, he served Marquette as associate vice provost for student success and Jesuit enrollment initiatives. Father Thiede is also an associate professor of theology at Marquette and specializes in Christology and Latin American theology. He is working on a co-authored book and his own book for Fortress Press about St. Oscar Romero and his theological influences.

Thiede entered the Society of Jesus after finishing his B.A. at the University of Notre Dame. He completed his philosophy studies at the Pontifical Catholic University in Santiago, Chile; his regency at Marquette University High School, and his theology studies at Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was ordained to the priesthood in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2003.

Fr. Thiede earned his Ph.D. in systematic theology at the University of Notre Dame and published his first book “Remembering Oscar Romero and the Martyrs of El Salvador: A Cloud of Witnesses.” He serves on the board of trustees at Xavier University.