The University’s governance structure is intended to perfect and make permanent the University’s essential character as a Catholic and American institution of higher learning and its role as the national university of the Catholic Church, sponsored by the United States bishops, while permitting lay responsibility and support for the University. The Fellows serve as the members of the Board of Trustees and hold certain reserved powers designed to preserve the ecclesial patrimony of the University. The responsibility for governance and oversight of the operations of the University resides in the University’s Board of Trustees.

The Fellows include trustees from four groups: Cardinal fellows, which includes all cardinals serving as diocesan bishops in the United States; four bishop fellows (diocesan bishops appointed by the Fellows); ex officio fellows, who include the chairman of the Board; the president of the University; the chancellor of the University; the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops; and appointed fellows (two laypersons) from the Board of Trustees.
 
The University will have no fewer than twenty (20) and no more than forty (40) trustees who are designated as the appointed trustees.

Current Membership of the Board of Trustees

  • Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila, Denver, Colo.
  • Richard D. Banziger, Naples, Fla.
  • Bishop John O. Barres*, Rockville Centre, N.Y.
  • Bishop Robert Barron, Winona-Rochester, Minn.
  • Lee Ann Joiner Brady, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
  • Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio*, Washington, D.C.
  • Bishop Michael F. Burbidge*, Arlington, Va.
  • John J. Carvelli, Newport Beach, Calif.
  • Lance Casimir, Esq., Arlington, Va.
  • Cardinal Blase J. Cupich*, Chicago, Ill.
  • Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo*, Houston, Texas
  • Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan*, New York, N.Y.
  • Peter C. Forlenza, Rumson, N.J.
  • Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory*, Chancellor, Chairman of the Fellows, Washington, D.C.
  • Archbishop Borys Gudziak, Philadelphia, Pa.
  • Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda*, Saint Paul, Minn.
  • Joseph Impicciche, St. Louis, Mo.
  • María Iraburu Elizalde, Ph.D., Navarra, Spain
  • Juan Jones, Potomac, Md.
  • Deacon Stephen J. Kaneb, Exeter, N.H.
  • Patrick E. Kelly, New Haven, Conn.
  • Peter K. Kilpatrick, President* Washington, D.C.
  • Leonard A. Leo, McLean, Va.
  • Ginamarie Lynch, Gaithersburg, Md. 
  • Sister Donna Markham, O.P., Chicago, Ill.
  • Rashaun J. Martin, East Boston, Mass.
  • Cardinal Robert W. McElroy*, San Diego, Calif.
  • Julie McGurn, Madison, N.J.
  • William P. McInerney, Esq., Franklin Lakes, N.J.
  • J. Paul McNamara, Bethesda, Md.
  • Elizabeth B. Meers, Esq.,Washington, D.C.
  • Gerard E. Mitchell, Esq., Washington, D.C.
  • Robert J. Neal*, Newport Beach, Calif.
  • Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley, O.F.M. Cap.*, Boston, Mass.
  • E. Jeffrey Rossi, Esq., Warren, Ohio
  • Monsignor Walter R. Rossi, Washington, D.C.
  • Randall N. Scott, Ocala, Fla.
  • Enrique Segura*, Washington, D.C.
  • Vincent N. Sica, Fairfax Station, Va.
  • Victor P. Smith, Esq.*, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Indianapolis, Ind.
  • Cardinal Joseph Tobin, C.Ss. R.*, Newark, N.J.
  • Monsignor Peter J. Vaghi, Bethesda, Md.
  • Christopher M. Veno, Malvern, Pa.
  • Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron*, Detroit, Mich.
  • Melvin G. Williams, Jr., Virginia Beach, Va.
  • Lawrence J. Morris, Secretary of the Board, Springfield, Va.

*Asterisk denotes member of the Fellows.
Board members are listed as of July 1, 2023.
To contact the Board of Trustees email: CUA-Trustees@cua.edu.