Our annual Light & Truth Gala gives us the opportunity each year to celebrate the amazing young men and women of Pope John Paul II High School, while raising support for student financial assistance and operations.
Meet our 2025 Keynote! 
We are honored to welcome Sister Rosemarie Nassif, S.S.N.D., Ph.D., as the keynote speaker for the 2025 Light & Truth Gala on April 25, 2025. A distinguished leader in Catholic education, Sister Rosemarie serves as the Executive Director of the Center for Catholic Education at Loyola Marymount University, where she is dedicated to strengthening Catholic schools nationwide.
Her extensive career includes serving as Program Director at the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, where she oversaw $90 million in grants supporting Catholic Sisters across 23 countries and $25 million in funding for U.S. Catholic schools. She has also held leadership roles as president of Notre Dame of Maryland University and Holy Names University, senior advisor to the U.S. Department of Education, and president of the Fund for Educational Excellence, where she led impactful reforms in Baltimore City public schools.
With professional experiences spanning Japan, Honduras, China, Rome, Korea, London, Israel, and six African nations, Sister Rosemarie brings a global perspective on education, faith, and leadership. Holding a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the Catholic University of America, she has published extensively, presented on national and international stages, and received numerous fellowships and awards, including the title of President Emerita of Holy Names University.
