Parish Staff
Father Robert Tonelli — Pastor
Father Bob was ordained in 1972 at Mundelein Seminary. After spending five years as a newly ordained priest and founding the new parish of St. Thomas Becket in Mt. Prospect, he was asked to accept the Hospital Chaplain and Newman Campus Minister position at the University of Illinois. In 1984, Father Bob was assigned to St. Peter in Antioch where he spent six years.In 1990, Fr. Bob took a six-month sabbatical to study at the Weston School of Theology on the Harvard campus. When he returned to Chicago, Fr. Bob was briefly assigned to St. Theresa in Palatine until he was named Pastor at St. John the Evangelist in Streamwood. He was pastor at St. John’s for 18 years where he met the many challenges of building a new church, rectory and parish offices. On July 1, 2010 Fr. Bob took over as the eleventh pastor of Saint Joseph Church.
Father Henry Kricek — Associate Pastor
Fr. Henry C. Kricek has been Associate Pastor at St. Joseph since 2006. He was ordained for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1980. In addition to serving at the parish, he teaches part-time at Loyola University and Mundelein Seminary.
Father John Szmyd — Weekend Assistant
Father Albano Fernandes — Resident
D.J. Shinkle — Deacon
Deacon Shinkle graduated from Arizona State University (ASU). He was ordained Permanent Deacon in the Archdiocese of Chicago on December 9, 1978 and assigned to Sacred Heart Parish from 1978 – 2000 before being assigned to St. Joseph in December 2000; he is also a member of St. Joseph’s Parish Council. Deacon Shinkle is a Knight Commander in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre Of Jerusalem.
Dana McKenna — Director of Religious Education
Dana McKenna began working at St. Joseph Parish in 1988 as a Pastoral Associate and has assumed more responsibilities throughout the years. Her duties now include: Baptismal preparation; directing the Religious Education Program offering classes for 3-year olds through 8th grade, which includes choosing the curriculum, hiring seminarians for enrichment, overseeing the preparation of 2nd graders for the reception of First Reconciliation and First Communion, overseeing the preparation of 8th graders for the reception of Confirmation, retaining teachers for the program; and overseeing the Youth Ministry program.
Jill Nennmann — Director of Music
Jill Nennmann was raised in Dallas, and initially pursued her educational studies in Piano Performance and Pedagogy at Southern Methodist University. Late in her college studies, Jill changed majors, and after completing degrees in Mathematics (B.A.) and Business (M.B.A.) worked for nearly fifteen years doing statistical analysis, financial modeling, and both statistical and financial forecasting for a number of large corporations. Jill returned to college in 1998 in response to a calling to full-time music ministry. She completed both the Bachelor of Church Music (emphasis in Organ) and the Master of Music in Organ Performance from Texas Christian University, and the Doctor of Sacred Music degree from Graduate Theological Foundation in South Bend, Indiana. She has studied with H. Joseph Butler, Aaron David Miller, and Joel Martinson. Dr. Nennmann previous experience included working as a free-lance and interim organist in various church denominations, as a solo pianist, and as an accompanist at Texas Christian University, for high school choirs, instrumental solo and ensemble competitions, and musical theater productions. Dr. Nennmann is also on Summer Faculty at St. Joseph College in Rensselaer, Indiana.
Laura Clark — School Principal
Laura Clark graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She earned a Master of Arts in Education from National Lewis University and a Master of Arts in School Leadership from Concordia College. She has also earned a certificate of Achievement from the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Academy. Laura served as a Deputy Sheriff for ten years and a business manager for three years before returning to education. She has been a teacher in both public and Catholic schools. For the past four years, she has been the sixth grade language arts and social studies teacher at Saints Faith, Hope and Charity School. Most recently she served as that school’s director of curriculum. Laura has also been a volunteer for numerous charitable concerns. She received approval as principal by the Catholic School Office of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
