Meet Some of Our Speakers

Bob Cielnicky MS is the founder and director of Life Priority Network and theformer president of Scholl. He is an experienced legislative analyst with widespread experience in organizing for community action. He speaks on current legislative efforts and methods of mobilizing for political activity.

Miguel Endara PhD teaches philosophy at Pierce College. He received his PhD in philosophy form Saint Louis University where his dissertation was on Thomistic Natural Law Theory. He has published in the National CatholicBioethics Quarterly, Touchstone Journal, and the Heythrop Journal.

Molly Israel RN is a nurse, former president of Scholl and one of the founding members. She has been a long-time advocate for the rights and protection of the handicapped.

Betty Odello RN MSN is the president of Scholl is a retired professor of philosophy who continues to teach part time. Her emphasis has been in biomedical ethics since she also worked as a nurse for over forty years. She is presently serving on the Archdiocese Life, Justice, and Peace Commissionand speaks on end-of-life issues and pre-implantation genetic and gender selection.

Jean O’Neil is the secretary of the Scholl Institute of Bioethics and speaks on the importance of end-of-life planning including the use of advance healthcare directives and the dangers of using the POLST document.

Katie Short, ESQ is a graduate of Thomas Aquinas College and the Boalt School of Law. She is the legal director of Life Legal Defense Foundation, established in 1989 to give innocent and helpless human beings of any age, a trained and committed defense against the threat of death. She speaks on issues pertaining to end of life care, the dangers of stealth euthanasia, and ways to protect self and family members in cases where disputes arise.

Zonya Townsend RN is a nurse and the current president of California Nurses for Ethical Standards. Her talks usually are about the impact of end- of- life issues, physician-assisted suicide, and fighting the culture of death in our communities. She also addresses issues such as chastity and sexually transmitted disease.

Sister Paula Vandegaer SSS, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker and the founder of International Life Services, Volunteers for Life, and the Scholl Institute of Bioethics. She speaks on end-of-life decision making and has trained, ministered, and inspired thousands.

Germaine Wensley RN is the founder and past vice president of California Nurses for Ethical Standards and has given many talks on a variety of issues including end-of-life care, hospice, and POLST.

Others who have spoken at Scholl events include:

Brian Johnston of the Pro-life Action Council

Kathleen Domingo from the Office of Life, Justice, and Peace of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Sister Marie Estelle of the Carmelite Sisters in Duarte

Christopher Kaczor of Loyola Marymount University

Alex Schadenberg of the International Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

To book a speaker, please contact our coordinator Elizabeth Hanink at 310-671-4412 or email to ehanink@aol.com. We charge a pro-rated fee depending on size of host group, distance, length of presentation and expenses.