Mater Dei Prep, Middletown, will hold its signature fundraiser, the Seraph Strong Gala, Feb. 8 in the Sheraton Hotel, Eatontown. The annual event brings together alumni, current students, family and friends who support Mater Dei Prep's tradition of excellence in education and commitment to Catholic values. This year's honorees are Kathryn McLaughlin, Class of 1972, and Robyn O'Neill Begley, Class of 1973.

Begley has more than 40 years of experience working in multiple areas of health care and administration and has served in leadership roles for state and national professional organizations. She is currently chief executive officer of the American Organization for Nursing leadership and senior vice president and chief nursing officer of the American Hospital Association, where she leads key initiatives involving workforce development, quality and safety and future care delivery models. For 35 years she worked for AtlantiCare Health System in Atlantic City, the region's largest health care organization. For the past 20 years, she served as vice president of nursing and chief nursing officer.

Begley’s prior experience includes working in Massachusetts and New York in maternal and child health. She was recently honored with The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey School of Nursing Visionary Leader Award.

Begley received a bachelor of nursing degree from Georgetown University, Washington. While working as a clinical nurse and raising a family, she obtained a master of science degree in nursing at Widener University, West Chester, Pa., and a doctor of nursing practice from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark.

While at Mater Dei, Begley was a member of the National Honor Society, student government and multiple clubs and committees. She was a cheerleader for four years, a two-time captain and a varsity letter recipient.

At the upcoming gala, she will receive the Seraph Excellence in Leadership Award that identifies leaders in the community whose entrepreneurial vision was the catalyst for transformational growth in their field. As an executive leader, Begley leads a membership organization of more than 10,000 nurse leaders whose strategic focus is excellence in nursing leadership.

Begley is married to Jim Begley, a member of the Class of 1973 and is mother to three children, Christopher, Marisa, and Jessica, and she has four grandchildren.

McLaughlin is a founding partner and principal of McLaughlin & Wilshinsky, P.C., New York City. For the past 25 years, she has represented clients in civil litigation matters; employment disputes; real estate transactions; family law and estate matters; and general legal counseling for businesses. 

She was one of the founding members of the Mater Dei Prep board of trustees, assisting in the formation of the school by developing the by-laws and other documents for the new governance structure, including charters for various organizations. She was also chair of the academic development committee and a member of the legal affairs and policies and procedures committees. In the fall of 2018, McLaughlin co-founded the Women's Leadership Initiative which serves the young women of Mater Dei Prep by providing positive leadership models, mentoring and advocacy for women's sports and programs at the school.

McLaughlin and Cathy Daniels, Class of 1979, chair of the Kevin Attridge Memorial Committee, recently collaborated in a major fundraiser, the Attridge/Women's Leadership campaign which raised $240,000, including a $100,000 matching gift from Don Froude, in support of the Attridge Scholars and Women's Leadership programs.

McLaughlin has spent her career volunteering for myriad causes, including serving as a pro bono attorney for families of 9/11 victims.

McLaughlin received a bachelor's degree in English and journalism from the University of Delaware and earned a law degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law where she was Supervising Editor of the Cardozo Law Review. Prior to becoming an attorney, she worked for WPLJ-FM Capital Cities/ABC, Inc. in New York, where she spent nearly a decade in marketing, sales and management.

While at Mater Dei, she served as a leader of the student council and contributing writer for The Seraph, the student publication. She has a son, David, and her siblings, Skip McLaughlin and Susan McLaughlin Mayer, are also Mater Dei High School graduates.

McLaughlin will receive the Frank Outwater Lifetime Achievement Award, which identifies those selfless individuals who have worked behind the scenes, without expecting recognition, to ensure others in the community are helped to overcome obstacles. It also recognizes how one has leveraged their Mater Dei Prep experience, including curricular, extracurricular and a Christian value system for outstanding achievement in their personal and professional life.

The 2020 Seraph Strong Gala features online, silent and gift auctions; cocktails and dinner; and entertainment by Joe Rapolla, Class of 1979.

For more information about the gala or to sponsor the event or place an advertisement in the journal, visit materdeiprep.org or contact Jen DeBiase, director of advancement operations, at [email protected].

For more information, contact DeBiase at (732) 671-9100 or [email protected].