Fr. Charles Trullols
Spiritual Director & DC Chaplain
Fr. Charles Trullols
Fr. Charles Trullols is the Spiritual Director and DC Chaplain of the Leonine Forum. He is also Director of the Catholic Information Center, a corporation of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC. Originally from Barcelona, Spain, he graduated from the Barcelona School of Architecture with a bachelors degree in Architecture, then earned a bachelors degree in Theology and a doctoral degree in Canon Law (JCD) from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome.
Fr. Trullols was ordained a priest in Rome for the Prelature of Opus Dei in 2006. Following his ordination he was assigned to work in Granada, Spain. In 2008 he moved to the United States and lived in Pittsburgh, South Bend, and Chicago, where he served the pastoral needs of the Prelature. Besides his current role at the Leonine Forum and at the CIC he is also assistant Chaplain at Oakcrest School in Virginia. Fr. Trullols speaks four languages fluently.
Mitch Boersma
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Mitch Boersma
Mitch Boersma is Co-founder and Executive Director of the Leonine Forum. He is also the Chief Operating Officer of the Catholic Information Center (CIC) – an organization committed to making the Catholic Church alive in the hearts and minds of men and women living and working in our nation’s capital. Originally from Colorado, Mitch holds a Bachelors degree in Business from the University of Dallas and a Masters degree in Moral Theology and Ethics from the Catholic University of America. Mitch held research positions at the American Enterprise Institute (Washington, DC) and worked as an independent writer and researcher on several book-length projects. In 2013, Mitch was named one of FOCUS’ (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) 30 under 30 young Catholics, He is a Tertio Millenio Seminar Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, and a graduate of the Summer Seminar on Catholic Social Teaching from the Society of Catholic Social Scientists. His work has appeared in secular and religious news outlets including RealClearReligion, EWTN, Legatus Magazine, Fox News, The Stream, Verily Magazine, and National Review Online, among others. He and his wife Rosie live in Fairfax, VA with their children.
Emma Boyle
Director of Operations
Emma Boyle
Emma Boyle serves as the Leonine Forum’s Director of Operations. She is a proud alumna of the first D.C. Leonine cohort from 2014. Prior to joining the Leonine Forum, Emma served as a student life program director, History department chair, and classroom teacher at Saint John Paul the Great High School, where she was also active as a coach and theatre director. She has extensive experience in creating and implementing curricula, leading pilgrimages, and planning retreats and service opportunities. Emma is a native of Pittsburgh, PA, and a graduate of Christendom College.
Abigail Galván
Director of Development
Abigail “Abi” Galván
Abigail “Abi” Galván serves as the Director of Development of the Leonine Forum and is a proud alumna of its 2021-2022 DC cohort. Abi is passionate about helping nonprofits forge strategic partnerships and achieve sustainable growth. Prior to joining the Leonine Forum, Abi served as Lead Development Officer of the Thomistic Institute, Communications and Program Officer of the Crimsonbridge Foundation, and Development Director of the Religious Freedom Institute. She got her start in fundraising by helping devise and fund the launch of the Bethlehem Museum for Heritage and Culture in the Holy Land. A graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, Abi earned her bachelor’s degree in international politics. She serves on the Pastoral Council of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC and is a founding board member of the Gratia Plena Institute, an initiative started by a fellow alum. Originally from Texas, Abi now calls Washington, DC her home.
Cindy Searcy
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Cindy Searcy
Cindy Searcy serves as the Director of Strategic Partnerships to the Leonine Forum and as the Vice President of Development at the Catholic Information Center. She has over a decade of professional experience in nonprofit fundraising with a number of institutions in Washington, DC. Born and raised in Kentucky, Cindy earned her BA in Government with honors from Georgetown University and a Master’s degree in Politics from the Catholic University of America. Cindy is a recipient of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute’s M. Stanton Evans Alumni Award, and is a former Bryce Harlow Fellow. She has contributed articles to The Catholic Thing and Law & Liberty.
Brie Jastrebski
Director of Alumni Engagement & Chicago First Year Coordinator
Brie Jastrebski
Gabrielle (Brie) Jastrebski serves as the Director of Alumni Engagement for the Leonine Forum. She helped launch the Leonine Chicago chapter and served as the First-Year Coordinator since 2020. Prior to joining the Leonine Forum, Brie served as the Global Program Manager of the FEMM Foundation and lead Educator for FEMM’s international education programs. She has served in leadership for Young Catholic Professionals – Chicago Chapter and as a FOCUS Missionary. Brie is a graduate of the University of Illinois and a Chicago native.
Jennifer K. Amster
Events & Communications Manager &
NYC First Year Coordinator
Jennifer Monsalve
Jennifer K. Amster serves as the Events & Communications Manager of the Leonine Forum. She is a proud alumna of the 2018-2019 NYC cohort and has served as the NYC First-Year Fellow Coordinator since 2019. Prior to the Leonine Forum, Jennifer served as Director of Campus Ministry at Felician University. She received her BA from Fordham University. Thereafter, she earned her Master’s degree from the Pontifica Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia, while working at the Colombian Bishops Conference. Jennifer lives in Bogota, NJ with her husband Logan, whom she met on the 30-Day Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Elisabeth Showalter
Associate Director of Development & DC First Year Coordinator
Elisabeth Showalter
Elisabeth Showalter serves as the Associate Director of Development for the Leonine Forum. She also serves as the DC First-Year Fellow Coordinator, and is the point person for all First-Year DC events. Prior to joining the Leonine Forum, Elisabeth served as the Advancement Officer for the GIVEN Institute and as a mathematics teacher at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School in Washington, DC. She is a graduate of the Catholic University of America where she studied mathematics, psychology, and Italian. Elisabeth lives in Alexandria, VA with her husband.