Mercy Center and the Sisters Academy of New Jersey, both located in Asbury Park, honored Mercy Sister Diane Szubrowski and Lisa Fontenelli during the fifth annual Walk with Mercy Awards Luncheon held May 9 in the Navesink Country Club.  All proceeds from the event, which drew a throng of 200 people, support Mercy Center's Sisters Academy of New Jersey.

The students of Sisters Academy of New Jersey provided an inspiring musical performance. During the event, a special announcement was made that the students had recently completed comprehensive testing with impressive results. The fifth grade students tested 57 percent or higher above their grade level in the subjects of reading, language and math. The sixth and seventh grade students tested 75 percent or higher. The eighth grade students tested 85 percent or higher above their grade level. 

Sister Diane and Fontenelli were recognized for their staunch support of the mission and values of Mercy Center and Sisters Academy.

Sister Diane began her professional career in 1959 as a classroom teacher.  Her service to the Sisters of Mercy in the New Jersey Regional Community formally began in 1974 in which she served as personnel director, In 1978, she was elected to the leadership team of the Sisters of Mercy of New Jersey.  Sister Diane completed a master’s degree in social work and ministered to families and individuals at Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Metuchen.  In 1994, the community elected Sister Diane as president of the New Jersey Regional Community of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, a post she held until 2007.  From 2008 to the present, Sister Diane has been an integral part of the Institutional Advancement office at Georgian Court University, Lakewood. She also serves on the board of Mercy Center and is a member of the sponsor council of the Conference for Mercy Higher Education in the United States.

Fontenelli was educated in St. Mary Academy, Lakewood; St. Joseph High School, Toms River, and Syracuse University.  She is a vocal champion for the empowerment of girls through education, mentoring and advocacy. She has worked for more than 20 years at Goldman Sachs in the Global Investment Research Division for more than 20 years. Currently, she is deputy head of Global Investment Research (GIR) and head of securities research. She is an active mentor and sponsor of women in business around the world. 

Fontenelli is a dedicated supporter of Sisters Academy and the Partnership for Global Justice, with a special focus on the education of girls.

Mercy Center is a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Mid-Atlantic Community which provides the chronically underserved population of Monmouth County with vital social and education services.  Founded in 1997, Sisters Academy of New Jersey is an independent middle school for girls, grades five to eight, that helps empower young women to break out of their community's cycle of poverty to go on to fulfill their new vision of themselves and their futures.

For more information on Mercy Center, visit www.mercycenternj.org.