The Board of Directors of Parish Twinning Program of the Americas have announced that David J. Siler is the organization’s new executive director.
Siler, who assumed the leadership position effective Aug. 15, will be introduced to leaders of U.S. twin parishes at the PTPA National Conference in Nashville, Aug. 26-28.
Siler succeeds Theresa Patterson, founder and executive director of the Parish Twinning Program since 1978. Patterson announced her plans to retire in March 2022. She will continue to serve as a member of the Parish Twinning Program Board of Directors.
“I am delighted to pass the torch to David and support his leadership,” Patterson said of Siler’s hiring.
Siler brings strong leadership experience to the organization along with a passion for its mission. Most recently, he served as the Executive Director of National Youth Advocate Program for Indiana, a foster care provider. Prior to this position, he served for five years as President and Chief Executive Officer of Families First Indiana, a Central Indiana human services agency. He also served as Executive Director of Catholic Charities for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis for 16 years after having served as the agency director of St. Elizabeth Coleman Pregnancy and Adoption Services.
Siler also has significant experience with a parish twinning relationship. In 2012, Siler helped to form the twinning relationship between his home parish, St. Matthew the Apostle Catholic Church in Indianapolis, and an impoverished Catholic parish in Bois de Lance, Haiti.
As the parish twinning leader, Siler conducted numerous mission trips and has led the completion of many significant projects, including the construction of a rectory, the expansion of two schools, funding for wages for teachers and administrators of the two schools, and a food program that provides meals for 480 students four days a week.
“David is a perfect fit for this important position,” said Parish Twinning Program Board President Diane Huggins. “He brings significant leadership experience and a passion for our mission. We believe he has the energy, dedication, and vision to advance our mission and lead our organization into the future.
“We look forward to working with David to continue the inspirational legacy of our founder Theresa Patterson,” Huggins said.
Representatives from U.S. Catholic parishes across the country will have the opportunity to meet Siler at “All Things Are Possible: Sharing God’s Love in Haiti and Latin America,” Parish Twinning Program’s National Conference in Nashville, Aug. 26-28.
The purpose of the conference is to share information and learn about best practices for building spiritually enriching twinning relationships with impoverished parishes in third world countries.
More information about Siler and the National Conference is available at ptpausa.org.
Parish Twinning Program of the Americas is a Catholic, non-profit organization whose mission is to live the Gospel by seeking, building and maintaining twinning relationships between parishes in the U.S. and parishes in Haiti and Latin America. Since its founding in 1978, it has grown to become the largest, most significant organization of its kind, having formed approximately 300 twinnings for parishes located in 73 Catholic dioceses in 31 states.
