LOS ANGELES

PARTNERING WITH

In monthly sessions held at the USC Caruso Catholic Center, Leonine Fellows are led by Catholic thought leaders from around the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. During these sessions Leonine Fellows will grapple with some of the most important questions at the intersection of Catholicism and public life.

LOS ANGELES

PARTNERING WITH

In monthly sessions held at the USC Caruso Catholic Center, Leonine Fellows are led by Catholic thought leaders from around the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. During these sessions Leonine Fellows will grapple with some of the most important questions at the intersection of Catholicism and public life.

Join nearly 1,000 Fellows across the country 

Become part of a larger community of leaders committed to integrating the teachings of the Church within their professional and civic lives. Sign up to receive a notification when 2024 applications open in the Spring.

Application Interest Form

2023-2024 LOS ANGELES

FIRST-YEAR LEONINE FELLOWS

































2022-2023 LA Leonine Fellows

Kateri Ambrow
The Alvarez Firm
Lorna Baggott
Notre Dame High School, Sherman Oaks
Miquel Balta Manich
KAMAN Corporation
Alexis Barker
St. Monica Academy
Grant Barker
Walt Disney Imagineering
Caroline Beckman
Nouri
Mairead Blaes
KYOCERA Document Solutions Development America, Inc.
Marco Carralero
Accenture LLP
Deborah Choi
UC Irvine School of Law
Joseph Cinemato
Joseph Cinemato Enterprises
Madeleine Connolly
The Law Office of Abtin Amir, PC
Patrick Connolly
Jones Day
Alessandra Conti
Matchmakers In The City
Lauren Costabile
Hearts of Joy International
Ana Gallo Luna
Klen Earth Products
Jennifer Havey
Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Claire Lejeune
Claire Lejeune Visuals
Faith Liu
Magdalen Productions, Inc.
Elizabeth Mirzaei
Independent/Freelance
Joshua Napierkowski
Anthony Nguyen
Riverside Medical Clinic
Jack Powers
Cart Agent
Omar Ruiz
City of Los Angeles - Los Angeles Police Department
Michelle Sindhunirmala
Brookfield Asset Management
Eric Tung
Jones Day
Sharif Younes
OptimalWork
Felipe Zinkewich
Loma Linda Health
Francisco Zinkewich
MNS Engineering

2021-2022 LA Leonine Fellows

Russell Abdulla
Compass
Richelle Borrelli
PepsiCo
Stephanie Caranica
Moorpark College
Andrea Cervantes
University of California, Irvine School of Law
Gerardo Cervantes
NextGen Aeronautics
Erin Coleman
Zweiback, Fiset & Coleman LLP
Kara DiPrima
The DiPrima Residence
David Dry
Pepperdine University
Lisa Ebiner Gavit
Saint Mark School
Zach Eckert
JSerra Catholic High School
Michael Gasparro
Healing and Peace Catholic Therapy Services
Lauren Geiser
Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP
Denise Gomez
Washington Iron Works
Peter Grace
Norman's Nursery
James Herrick
Kimley-Horn
Mary Hoffman
Starr Design Group
Lauren Kramer
Office of County Counsel, The County of Orange
Rosalie Langley
Ardent by Rosalie
Aaron Langley
Iris Stock App
Marissa Lenon
Kendra Scott
Brian Link
Pepperdine University | Seaver College
Lana Link
Producer
Richard Loesing
Movember
Brenda Lopez
Pacific Dental Services
Mary Katherine Mooney-Duca
Deloitte Services LP
Linda Nguyen
Cristo Rey Orange County High School
Anna Raffin
SpaceX
Molly Rose
Rose Family
Bob Rose
PIMCO
Lauren Rubal
Lauren Rubal, MD
Tristen Seagondollar
Patients Rights Action Fund
Dave Spahn
Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
Nicole Swinford
Millennium Media
Andrew Wood
Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP
Chela Wright
UC Irvine

2019-2020 LA Fellows

Martha Antonio
Alyson Barker
César Barroso
Francie Broghammer
Isabel Cacho
Robert Coleman
Pierre de Malliard
Arvin Dicioco
Rebecca Doyle
Brenda Garcia
James Holt
Koppany Jordan
Joe Kim
Kevin Mooney
Julia Norgaard
Cathleen O'Reilly
Joel Ojeda
Ariana Perfecto
Larissa Purnell
Austin Quick
Angela Reckart
Skyler Reidy
Josephine Romea
Stephanie Siu
Tommy Thompson
Begho Ukueberuwa
Margaret Walsh
Wade Wright
Beatriz Wright
Ramona Zepeda

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Thanks to the generosity of our benefactors, there is no required cost to participate in the Leonine Forum. You will, however, have an opportunity to donate to help defray the substantial costs of the Forum.

No. The Leonine Forum exists to equip the emerging generation of leaders in the core tenets of the Catholic Church’s social teachings. While our curriculum is intentionally rooted in the Catholic faith and intellectual tradition, we open to Fellows of various faith backgrounds interested in understanding the Catholic Church more deeply.

The ideal letter of recommendation comes from a respected source who can speak to your professional achievement and personal character.

No. Your recommender does not need to be Catholic, as long as he or she can speak well to your professional achievements and personal character.

When spouses apply in the same year, they are accepted or declined together.  In the former instance, the cohort cap increases to accommodate spouses’ joint participation in the Leonine Forum.

First-Year Fellows will meet one evening per month during the academic year (October-June), generally the second or fourth Wednesday of the month.

The basic format for each Session is as follows:

6:30pm — Mass

7:00pm — Reception & Conversation

7:30pm — Lecture and Q&A

8:30pm — Dinner & Discussion

9:30pm — Evening ends

LA Sessions are held at the USC Caruso Catholic Center, 844 W 32nd Street, Los Angeles.  Occasionally (perhaps 2-3 sessions per cohort year) we will host Leonine sessions in Irvine. In those instances, Fellows will be given at least two months’ advance notice.

Priority will be given to applicants who intend in good faith to make it to at least 80% of the events (missing no more than two). The Leonine Forum is built on the community of Fellows, and when one is missing, the whole group feels it.

Yes. In the month leading up to each Session, Fellows will be given a packet of reading material (40-80 pages) selected by the Faculty Leaders to read in advance. Tolle Lege!

Applications consist of a cover letter, resume, 1-3 letters of recommendation, and a brief video to be uploaded by each applicant.

The emphasis on community building, and the frequency of events, requires participants to live within a commuting distance to the Los Angeles area.

Additional intellectual, spiritual, social and community service opportunities will be organized throughout the year.  

PAST SESSION LEADERS

RYAN T. ANDERSON
Ethics and Public Policy Center
DAVID BAHNSEN
The Bahnsen Group
JOSEPH CAPIZZI
Catholic University of America
MARY HASSON
Ethics and Public Policy Center
SCOTT HEFELFINGER
Augustine Institute
CLAIRE HUANG
CHRISTOPHER KACZOR
Loyola Marymount University
AARON KHERIATY, M.D.
FRANCIS X. MAIER
Ethics and Public Policy Center
MARGARITA MOONEY
Scala Foundation
BILL MUMMA
Becket Fund for Religious Liberty
MATT PAPROCKI
Illinois Policy Institute
CATHERINE PETERS
Loyola Marymount University
JONATHAN REYES
Knights of Columbus
SCOTT RONIGER
Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts
CARTER SNEAD
University of Notre Dame Law School
JAMES SONNE
Stanford Law School
FR. ROBERT SPITZER SJ
Magis Center
STEPHEN WHITE
Ethics and Public Policy Center