Paulist Center Announces Lay Executive Director

We are thrilled to announce that Colleen M. Burns will be the first Executive Director of the Paulist Center!

After a national search, we are proud to have found a Boston resident who brings both a familiarity with the Paulist Center and a vision for its future. The Executive Director is a new lay leadership position, and Colleen will be responsible for deepening our identity as a center of mission and outreach rooted in meaningful prayer and liturgy. This role calls for a strategic leader who brings management expertise and a commitment to Catholic social teaching — someone capable of translating theological values into the operational decisions that advance our mission.

Colleen holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Yale and spent over 20 years in consulting and management, including several years with Public Consulting Group in Boston. About 15 years ago, she made a meaningful career change, returning to school to earn a Master’s in Theological Studies from Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry. She went on to serve as a hospital chaplain at several Boston-area hospitals, and she is now eager to bring together her professional expertise, pastoral experience, and Catholic faith in this new role.

Colleen will be getting oriented behind the scenes this June and July, spending time with staff and the Paulist Fathers while also taking pre-planned vacation time. She will be fully present and available to the broader community starting August 1. We will communicate about opportunities to meet her once we have them scheduled.

Welcome Colleen!