Leadership
Patrick Exner
Chief of Community Engagement and Enrollment
It is an honor to serve this community and the many families that attend our Ascension Catholic Academy Schools. In my 25 plus years in education, I have served as a teacher, coach, principal, adjunct University Professor and as a Director of Teaching and Learning. As Director of Instructional Leadership my charge is to unify the instructional programming throughout all Academy Schools. I am so blessed to be part of a team that lives a mission of "All are welcome, all are valued and all belong."
Katie Hayes Antelo
Instructional Leadership Coach
Katie Hayes Antelo brings twenty years of experience in schools and districts in the Mississippi Delta, Texas, and the Twin Cities. She is grateful to have served as a teacher, assistant principal, founding middle school principal, head of schools, and chief academic officer. In her most recent roles, she coached principals and system leaders in Austin, TX and Minneapolis through establishing new schools, ongoing growth, turnaround, and leading district-wide strategic initiatives and programs. She joined the Ascension team in the spring of 2022, and currently leads academic strategy and coaches academic and talent leaders across the Academy. Driven by an unwavering commitment to closing the opportunity gap, she works with love and gentle persistence to achieve a more just and equitable education system. She is a proud alumna of the College of St. Benedict. Outside of her work in education, she enjoys the excitement of life with two young children, doing most anything outside, and cooking and eating delicious food.
Fr. Dale Korogi
Executive Director and Pastor at Church of the Ascension
Dale Korogi was born and raised in North Minneapolis, the youngest of four sons of Joseph and Mary Korogi. He grew up in St. Philip’s parish, where he attended grade school. He graduated from Minneapolis Central High School and the University of Saint Thomas, where he earned a BA in Theology. His seminary studies took him to the North American College in Rome. There he received an STB (Baccalaureate in Theology) from the Gregorian University and an STL (Licentiate in Sacramental Theology) from the Athenaeum of Saint Anselm. In 1983, he was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. His work there has included posts as Vocation Director, Rector of Saint John Vianney Seminary, Parochial Vicar of the Basilica of Saint Mary, and Chaplain at North Memorial Medical Center. He served as Pastor of the Church of Christ the King in Southwest Minneapolis for 12 years, and became the eighth Pastor of the Church of the Ascension in North Minneapolis in 2015 and Executive Director of Ascension Catholic Academy in 2016.
Quentin Moore
Vice President of Advancement
From the Penumbra Theater in St. Paul, where he developed his fundraising expertise, to his time with the YMCA of the North, to serving as the Director of Development at Project for Pride in Living, Quentin Moore has spent close to a decade in the non-profit sector driving fundraising results for organizations. Hailing from North Minneapolis, Quentin and his two younger siblings all graduated from Ascension Catholic School and then attended and graduated from DeLaSalle High School. He crossed the Mississippi River to get his degree from the University of Saint Thomas. With the exception of being with his family, his lovely wife Janae and new baby Charlotte, Quentin loves nothing more than spending his day developing fundraising strategies and working with volunteers and major donors on meaningful gifts that fulfill their personal values and meet their philanthropic goals. He currently serves on the board of Association of Fundraising Professionals – (AFP-MN) and is the Vice-President of its Resource Development Committee. He also serves as a Vice-Chair for the Aquatennial Ambassador Organization. Quentin spent the last two and a half years serving on the Ascension Catholic Academy board of directors and its Advancement Committee. He began his tenure as Vice President of Advancement for the Academy during the summer of 2021.
Debra Spears
Chief Operating Officer
Debra assists with strategic oversight and guidance while managing daily business operations for Ascension Catholic Academy and Church of the Ascension. Debra most recently worked as director of Admissions, Marketing and Summer Programs at Providence Academy in Plymouth, where she was employed in various capacities for more than 15 years. Prior to that, Debra also worked in numerous financial roles at General Mills. She is a graduate of Purdue University.
Patricia Stromen
President of Ascension Catholic Academy
Patricia serves as the President of Ascension Catholic Academy and Parish Administrator at Church of the Ascension. She led the team that developed and launched Ascension Catholic Academy in 2016 and serves as its president. She has served as the Parish Administrator at Church of the Ascension since 2001. In that role she has overseen the business administration and pastoral ministry of the parish. She has been in parish work in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis for 36 years and has worked in all areas of parish life, including school and parish administration, staff development, parish development, faith formation, outreach, pastoral care and liturgy. Patricia’s career has included ministry at St. Michael’s in Prior Lake and at St. Thomas the Apostle in Minneapolis. Before coming to Church of the Ascension, Patricia worked at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Pastoral Care and Staff Development. During her time at Ascension, she has worked to ensure the excellence and sustainability of Ascension Catholic School, strengthen neighborhood outreach of the parish, build the vision of an inter-cultural parish, and update the infrastructure in terms of all areas of business administration. She serves on the Catholic Cemeteries Board.