OUR FOUNDATION BOARD AND STAFF
Steve Abts
President
sabts@valleschoolsfoundation.org
I am a graduate of Valle Schools as are my two sons. I joined the Valle Catholic Schools Foundation board in 2020 hoping to help the Valle community continue to grow and thrive. I have an accounting degree from University of Missouri, Columbia. I have been in banking and active in the Ste. Genevieve Community for over 40 years. I hope that my background in the banking and accounting fields will help continue to steer the Foundation to growth and support of the Valle Schools system.
Rob Lawrence
Treasurer
I joined the Valle Catholic Schools Foundation Board in 2022 as I have always been an avid supporter of Catholic education. Joining the Board has allowed me the opportunity to serve and support the local school commuity that I deeply cherish. I graduated from Truman State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with emphasis in Finance and Marketing. Throughout my 30 year career, I have actively devoted my time to finance, more specifically the banking industry, which is why I believe my background and experiences will be of benefit in the continued growth and success of the Valle Catholic Schools Foundation.
Cindy Loida
Board Member
573-535-9074
cloida@valleschoolsfoundation.org
Now more than ever, I could not imagine any educational setting other than Valle Catholic Schools as the foundation for educational and faith-based excellence in our community. The Valle friends and Alumni support is nothing short of amazing and I hope to be involved in the Valle community for years to come. My wish is that I can assist other families that seek a Catholic education for their children with the chance to have it at Valle.
Fr. Edward Nemeth
Since joining the Foundation in 2017, I have found that the role of organizations such as the Valle Catholic Schools Foundation is vital for the long-term growth and success for Catholic schools. Catholic education across the country faces many challenges. With strategic financial partners like the Valle Catholic Schools Foundation, we are able to confidently overcome these challenges and provide a transformative educational experience for the students and families who make Valle their home.
Cara Naeger
Vice President
I joined the Valle Catholic Schools Foundation board in 2022 because I believe in the positive change that occurs when giving back to community. Holding a degree from the University of North Carolina Charlotte with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Minors in both Economics and Mathematics coupled with my 15 years of experience in entrepreneurship, management systems, operations growth, and finance, allows me to not only understand the importance of enhancing the academic experiences, but also facilitate and execute goals designed for the future growth of Valle Schools.
Greg Schwent
Secretary
I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as a board member of the Valle Schools Foundation. I am a graduate of Valle High School Class of 1991. My wife Nicole and I have three children, two of which have graduated from Valle and one currently attends Valle High School. I also come from a family whose father and mother, as well as my four brothers and sisters also graduated from Valle High School so I am well aware of what Valle Schools provide to it’s students. My goal is to continue to support the vision of Valle Schools Foundation and uphold the future of Valle Schools.
Ryan Wolk
Board Member
I am honored to serve on the Valle Catholic Schools Foundation Board with such a talented group! I graduated from Valle Catholic in 1995 and earned my Bachelors of Science degree from Missouri State University. Upon graduation, I moved to Saint Louis and started my career with Farmers Insurance and Financial Services. Currently I live in Eureka with my wife and our two daughters, Berklee and Stella. We are parishioners at Most Sacred Heart in Eureka, and both Berklee and Stella attend Most Sacred Heart school. For this reason, I’m very grateful to be part of the Foundation as my children most likely will never attend Valle Catholic, but by serving on this board, I can give back to the school that provided me an incredible transformative catholic education and allowed me to experience numerous unique opportunities.
Jason Blum
Donor Consultant
573-880-5591
jblum@hsbadvisorsllc.com
Joining the Foundation as a Donor Consultant in 2020, I was presented the perfect opportunity to give back to Valle after it had given me so much during my time as a student there. I look forward to being a part of the Foundation that will help continue that tradition and give those opportunities to future generations.
Emily Trautman
Donor Services Manager
573-880-3382
etrautman@valleschoolsfoundation.org
A Valle graduate, Emily joined the VCSF team in October of 2022 and is responsible for gift and data processing and daily VCSF office operations. In this role, she is responsible for donor updates, report and letter generation, database management and website content creation and maintenance. Emily is also responsible for scheduling and meeting coordination. She graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with a B.S. in Early Childhood & Elementary Education, as well as a M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from Western Governors University.
Steve Abts
President
sabts@valleschoolsfoundation.org
I am a graduate of Valle Schools as are my two sons. I joined the Valle Catholic Schools Foundation board in 2020 hoping to help the Valle community continue to grow and thrive. I have an accounting degree from University of Missouri, Columbia. I have been in banking and active in the Ste. Genevieve Community for over 40 years. I hope that my background in the banking and accounting fields will help continue to steer the Foundation to growth and support of the Valle Schools system.
Cara Naeger
Vice President
I joined the Valle Catholic Schools Foundation board in 2022 because I believe in the positive change that occurs when giving back to community. Holding a degree from the University of North Carolina Charlotte with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Minors in both Economics and Mathematics coupled with my 15 years of experience in entrepreneurship, management systems, operations growth, and finance, allows me to not only understand the importance of enhancing the academic experiences, but also facilitate and execute goals designed for the future growth of Valle Schools.
Rob Lawrence
Treasurer
I joined the Valle Catholic Schools Foundation Board in 2022 as I have always been an avid supporter of Catholic education. Joining the Board has allowed me the opportunity to serve and support the local school commuity that I deeply cherish. I graduated from Truman State University with a Bacehlor of Science in Business Administration with emphasis in Finance and Marketing. Throughout my 30 year career, I have actively devoted my time to finance, more specifically the banking industry, which is why I believe my background and experiences will be of benefit in the continued growth and success of the Valle Catholic Schools Foundation.
Greg Schwent
Secretary
I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as a board member of the Valle Schools Foundation. I am a graduate of Valle High School Class of 1991. My wife Nicole and I have three children, two of which have graduated from Valle and one currently attends Valle High School. I also come from a family whose father and mother, as well as my four brothers and sisters also graduated from Valle High School so I am well aware of what Valle Schools provide to it’s students. My goal is to continue to support the vision of Valle Schools Foundation and uphold the future of Valle Schools.
Cindy Loida
Board Member
573-535-9074
cloida@valleschoolsfoundation.org
Now more than ever, I could not imagine any educational setting other than Valle Catholic Schools as the foundation for educational and faith-based excellence in our community. The Valle friends and Alumni support is nothing short of amazing and I hope to be involved in the Valle community for years to come. My wish is that I can assist other families that seek a Catholic education for their children with the chance to have it at Valle.
Ryan Wolk
Board Member
I am honored to serve on the Valle Catholic Schools Foundation Board with such a talented group! I graduated from Valle Catholic in 1995 and earned my Bachelors of Science degree from Missouri State University. Upon graduation, I moved to Saint Louis and started my career with Farmers Insurance and Financial Services. Currently I live in Eureka with my wife and our two daughters, Berklee and Stella. We are parishioners at Most Sacred Heart in Eureka, and both Berklee and Stella attend Most Sacred Heart school. For this reason, I’m very grateful to be part of the Foundation as my children most likely will never attend Valle Catholic, but by serving on this board, I can give back to the school that provided me an incredible transformative catholic education and allowed me to experience numerous unique opportunities.
Fr. Edward Nemeth
Board Member
Since joining the Foundation in 2017, I have found that the role of organizations such as the Valle Catholic Schools Foundation is vital for the long-term growth and success for Catholic schools. Catholic education across the country faces many challenges. With strategic financial partners like the Valle Catholic Schools Foundation, we are able to confidently overcome these challenges and provide a transformative educational experience for the students and families who make Valle their home.
Jason Blum
Donor Consultant
573-701-2359
jblum@hsbadvisorsllc.com
Joining the Foundation as a Donor Consultant in 2020, I was presented the perfect opportunity to give back to Valle after it had given me so much during my time as a student there. I look forward to being a part of the Foundation that will help continue that tradition and give those opportunities to future generations.
Emily Trautman
Donor Services Manager
573-880-3382
etrautman@valleschoolsfoundation.org
A Valle graduate, Emily joined the VCSF team in October of 2022 and is responsible for gift and data processing and daily VCSF office operations. In this role, she is responsible for donor updates, report and letter generation, database management and website content creation and maintenance. Emily is also responsible for scheduling and meeting coordination. She graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with a B.S. in Early Childhood & Elementary Education, as well as a M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from Western Governors University.