Diocese of Jefferson City appoints new schools superintendent

The Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City has appointed not one but two new leaders for its schools.

Water erupts from the frozen fountains at the Jacksonvile Chamber of Commerce.
Water erupts from the frozen fountains at the Jacksonvile Chamber of Commerce.

Bishop John Gaydos announced he has chosen a new superintendent and associate superintendent following a search process, which included screening and interviewing "several" candidates.

"We set out to identify a superintendent, but we are blessed with more," he wrote in a news release posted to the diocese's website.

"With the input from the listening sessions, the thorough work of the search committee and my own discernment, I am appointing a team of two people to provide leadership in our Catholic school office," Gaydos reported.

Beginning July 1, Sister Elizabeth Youngs of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Kansas, will serve as diocesan superintendent of Catholic schools. Sister Julie Brandt of the School Sisters of Notre Dame will join her in the Catholic schools office in Jefferson City as associate superintendent.

"Because of the financial sacrifice of these two congregations of women religious, I am able to make these dual appointments," Gaydos stated. "Their congregations' support has made this possible."

Youngs is currently the associate superintendent in the Archdiocese of Denver. She has 20 years of experience in Diocesan school office ministry. She earned a Ph.D in Catholic Educational Leadership from the Catholic University of America, Washington.

Brandt has served for more than a year as the Campus Ministry Coordinator and Instructional Technologist at Helias Catholic High School. She worked for 11 years with the Lakota Sioux at the St. Bernard Mission School in North Dakota. She has a master's degree from Boston College.