Leadership Biographies
Father Christopher Vaccaro
Father Christopher Vaccaro is founder of the Associates of St. John Bosco and currently serves as the President and Chairman of the Board. He was ordained a priest in 2008 for the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia. Throughout his time as a priest, he has always felt a special call to support young adults in their growth in holiness and love for God and to develop a closer relationship with the Church. Soon after his ordination, the idea of the Associates of St. John Bosco began to develop. After years of behind the scenes work by his dad, Vincent, and older brother, Brian, the ASJB was officially incorporated in 2011 and received nonprofit status on January 31, 2013. That is the feast day of St. John Bosco! The first summer College Night for rising freshmen was held in 2013. Father Vaccaro is very proud of the growth of the Associates over the last 15 years and hopes that it will continue to serve many more young people in the years to come.
President & Founder
Nate Kaczmarek
Nathan Kaczmarek has served as Vice President of ASJB since 2014. He is Vice President and Director of the Practice Groups and Article I Initiative at the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies.
Nate began his legal career in Detroit representing nationwide clients in all phases of healthcare litigation and complex medical malpractice claims. He has since served as a Senior Legal and Policy Advisor in the U.S. House of Representatives and as Counsel for the Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management in the U.S. Senate.
Nate is a Liaison Representative for The Administrative Conference of the United States. He holds degrees from Hillsdale College and Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Nate, his wife, and four children are parishioners of St. Rita Catholic Church in Alexandria, Virginia.
Vice President
LTC. Michael Rauer
Lieutenant Colonel Michael A. Rauer, United States Army (Retired) is in a second career at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria, Virginia where he currently teaches World and European History and an elective course on Military Science. As an Infantry Officer and Military Police Officer, he served throughout the world in tactical, training and garrison assignments from the company level through Headquarters, Department of the Army. On his retirement from military service, he began teaching full-time at Bishop Ireton. He currently serves as the moderator for the Catholic Witness – Pro-Life Club and the Military Service / Support Club.
Scholarship Division
Kathy Kupper
Kathy is inspired and strengthened by her Catholic faith. She is a cradle Catholic and attended Catholic grade school, high school, and college. She was blessed to be surrounded at home and in school by people grounded in Catholicism. They lived the faith and led by example. She continues to use the lessons she learned from them every day. She wants to do what she can to help young people today learn more about their faith and the positive impact it can have on their lives.
Marketing
Danielle Zuccaro is a 2016 grad of the University of Mary Washington. During her college years, she was very active in the Catholic Campus Ministry at UMW, which sparked a deep desire to serve other college-aged youth. After graduating, she took on the role as Chair of the College Division, which blossomed into an immense passion of hers. She took on the role of Executive Director of the ASJB in May 2024. She has loved seeing ASJB’s growth through the years serving this apostolate, and is indebted to ASJB’s work which has taught her the true meaning of discipleship in the Church.
Executive Director
Danielle Zuccaro
Kara Kaiser
Kara Kaiser serves as the Executive Assistant for the Associates of St. John Bosco. She holds a master’s degree in education and has always had a passion for supporting and encouraging students. She is especially passionate about ASJB’s mission of helping young Catholics strengthen their faith, grow in virtue, and share the joy of Christ with others. Kara is a classically trained violinist and enjoys spending time with her family. She and her family are parishioners at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Aldie, VA
Executive Assistant
Maria Longo
Maria Longo graduated from the University of South Alabama in 2019. Following graduation, she served as a missionary for a year with the Seton Teaching Fellows in New York City and then began graduate studies in Washington, D.C. There, in the DMV area, she began work in nonprofit development. She is excited to continue work with nonprofits as a Program Assistant for the ASJB.
Program Assistant
Susannah Tombes is a 2019 graduate of the University of Mary Washington where she fell in love with Jesus and His Church and met Danielle Zuccaro and Father Vaccaro. She served as a volunteer for ASJB during college and became the Secretary in 2020.
She currently works as an elementary school teacher in the Diocese of Arlington. She loves training for marathons and spending time with her many friends and family.
Secretary
Susannah Tombes
“I got involved with ASJB because I wanted to be a part of a truly rewarding community and grow my Catholic faith. Something that stood out to me about ASJB in particular is their selfless service to others, demonstrated in their effort in making sure practicing Catholics in high school maintain ties to their faith when they take their next steps towards college. Lastly this community has helped me discover more about what values I want for myself.”
Social Media Associate
Florida Atlantic University (2030)
Major: Political Science
Kate Merrill
“Working as an Associate of ASJB has given me the opportunity to strengthen my personal relationship with Christ while also sharing the faith with other college students like me. Their mission serves as a reminder that during such a formative time in our lives as young adults, our identity is always found in Christ before all things. Being a part of ASJB has allowed me to contribute meaningfully to evangelization and spreading the Gospel.”
Programs and Outreach Associate
Florida State University (2029)
Major: Psychology
Lizzie Zeoli
Formation Associate
Thomas Aquinas College New England (2027)
Major: Philosophy and Theology, Minor: Math and Science
Will Claeys
“I love the work that ASJB is doing for college students like me. ASJB is helping students live and grow in the faith through formation in the Bosco method that will carry with them anywhere they go. I am so grateful for the development in my own spiritual life that ASJB has provided, and especially for everything I have learned about Evangelization through ASJB. The Bosco method through ASJB is working to save so many souls, and I am so blessed to get to help play a part in that.”
“I got involved with ASJB because I wanted to remain part of a community that encouraged and supported my faith throughout college. During a period of so much change, it can be easy to feel discouraged or isolated in your faith, and ASJB provides a strong community of people united by a commitment to the mission of the Gospel.”
Programs and Outreach Associate
Wake Forest University (2029)
Major: Engineering
Francesca Copley
“I have a passion for the ASJB’s mission because I believe that the single most important thing for a young, Catholic adult is to be surrounded by a group of people on fire for the Lord. My faith journey truly took off the moment I sought out friends who would encourage each other along the way. The ASJB does exactly that, connecting people at colleges to the people they need and providing the resources to best strengthen their love of God.“
Programs and Outreach Associate
James Madison University (2027)
Major: Philosophy
Gabe Herrera
“I love that ASJB is totally focused on serving others. Those “others” are college students just like myself. I understand what it’s like to be a Catholic college student in a secular university. I’ve experienced first hand the impact of helping others live out their faith. To be able to be someone who provides help and support to someone who is trying to live out their faith is so fulfilling. It provides for me an opportunity to serve in a way that has an immediate and everlasting impact.”
Ministry Operations Associate
James Madison University (2027)
Major: Communication
Matthew Baksy
“My university Catholic community has been an amazing source of joy and key to my thriving at a very secular school, but I had a hard time getting plugged in when I first arrived here. I want to make the transition into their college Catholic ministry as accessible and seamless as possible for all rising freshmen!”