McAuley To Induct Six Women in Hall of Honor

CHICAGO, IL -- An artist, travel agent, attorney, scientist, philanthropist and business leader will be inducted into the McAuley Hall of Honor this Sunday, April 30. Alumnae, friends and supporters of the school are invited to attend the ceremony and brunch on the school’s Chicago campus at 3737 W. 99th St.

The six women, all alumnae of Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School, will be inducted during a 10 a.m. Mass in the school’s auditorium. A champagne brunch immediately follows in the student lounge after the ceremony. Tickets to the brunch cost $50 per person and may be purchased in advance on school’s website.

McAuley Hall is a permanent installation at the school established in 2013 by the Mother McAuley/Saint Xavier Academy Alumnae Association . The installation serves to educate and inspire current and future students. Inductees into the Hall were chosen from more than 100 nominations by school alumnae, peers and community members.

“These six women infuse Catherine’s vision of Mercy and compassion into their work and exemplify how a McAuley education challenges and empowers young women to rise to the top of their profession and vocation,” says Peggy Evans Rourke ’76, director of McAuley alumnae relations and development. “It is fitting that we gather at McAuley, the place where their integrity, confidence and drive for excellence was first ingrained, to honor each of them, as well as our history and heritage.”

This year’s inductees into McAuley Hall include:

Kathy Roche Napleton ’68 is a former educator who embodies the values and vision of Catherine McAuley. Napleton, a resident of Hinsdale, is an advocate for Catholic grade school education and support services. As a family volunteer and philanthropist, she has devoted countless hours supporting local organizations and parishes, including Circle of Friends, the Illinois Club for Catholic Women, and several Catholic high schools in the Chicago area.

Renée Popovits ’82, a nationally-recognized thought leader, strategist and policy advocate in the behavioral health field, is founder and principal attorney of the Frankfort-based law firm, Popovits Law Group. She lectures extensively on ethics, parity, confidentiality and managed care issues. She serves on the boards and committees of several organizations, including the Catholic Charities Legal Advisory Committee and the Illinois Opioid Crisis Response Advisory Council. Francis Cardinal George awarded her with the Compassion in Action award. Popovits lives in Orland Park and is currently working on a book describing her watercolor paintings.

Kathy Wendt Sudeikis ’64, has been a leader in the travel industry for more than 45 years. She has served as president and CEO of the American Society of Travel Agents, earning her induction into its Hall of Fame and the honor of being named Travel Agent of the Year. Since 2004, Travel + Leisure magazine has named her a Top Travel Agent. Sudeikis, who lives in Kansas City, KS, appears in Travel Agent Magazine as one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in Travel. In 2015, Sudeikis was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by Travel Weekly Magazine.

Dr. Bernadette Ryan ’76, is an accomplished scientist, business owner and author. In 2000, she cofounded Experimur, a company dedicated to conducting research for the development and safety evaluation of pharmaceutical and biotechnology-based medicines. During the company’s 2007 expansion, Ryan oversaw the design and construction of the 54,000 square foot state-of- the-art research facility and labs. Ryan also is a diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology. She resides in Beverly.

Marita Carey Sullivan ’65, is the former chief executive officer and remains chairman of the board of JMG Financial Group Ltd., an independent wealth management firm. In 2008 and 2009 Sullivan was named as one of the 50 Distinguished Women in Wealth Management by Wealth Management Magazine. She is a member of the Chicago Network and Illinois CPA Society. Sullivan, who lives in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood, serves on the board of Almost Home Kids, a charity that provides transitional care to children with complicated health needs.

Jean Morman Unsworth is a renowned artist, lecturer, author and founder of the Mother McAuley art department. She also is a professor emerita of fine arts at Loyola University. Her extensive portfolio of media includes sculptures, stained glass, fabric, photography, paints, drawing and metal. Most recently she endowed the Jean Morman Unsworth Art Expressways Gallery at Loyola University Museum of Art. Unsworth lives in Chicago’s Lake View neighborhood.

Read more about the 2017 McAuley Hall inductees