Sr Donna L. Ciangio, O.P. ’71

Vice-Chair, Caldwell University Board of Trustees

Career Profile: Sister Donna is a Dominican Sister of Caldwell, New Jersey and she is the Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Newark.

She is the director of Church Leadership Consultation and works internationally and nationally in promoting parish vitality and pastoral direction, congregational and leadership development, faith formation, small Christian communities, consulting with parishes and dioceses, and in many other areas.  She served as the international coordinator for Renew and the director of Pastoral Services of the National Pastoral Life Center and as parish consultant for the Jesuit Conference USA.

Sister Donna also serves as the director of Adult Faith Formation at St. Rose of Lima Church in Short Hills, New Jersey, is an adjunct faculty member in Drew University’s Doctor of Ministry program and is a consultant for RCL Benziger Publishing Company.  

Her articles have appeared in Today’s Parish, Ligourian, CHURCH Magazine, and in publications from Crossroads, Paulist Press, and St. Anthony Messenger Press.  A recent book is “Open Our Hearts: A Small Group Guide for an Active Lent,” a faith sharing book (with Rev. Thomas Iwanowski) from Ave Maria Press.   An article, “The Parish as a School of Discipleship,”appeared in Catechetical Leader. Her most recent Lent books are entitled “Conversations that Matter” and “Faith Sharing Resources for Advent and Lent.”

Sister Donna also serves with the Center for Ministry Development and is chairperson of the North American Forum for Small Christian Communities.

Education: Sister Donna earned a B.A. in Fine Arts and a B.A. in Religious Studies from Caldwell University. She received her M.A. in Fine Arts from New York University and her Doctor of Ministry, cum laude, from Drew University. She also holds Teacher Certification in the states of New Jersey and New York.