About CYP
In Dallas, 2002, at their Annual Meeting, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops drafted a landmark document in response to the crisis of sexual abuse of children in the Church. This document, setting forth their agreed upon responsibilities in combating the problem, was entitled the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.
The charter specifically created the Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection and assigned to it three central tasks:
- To assist each diocese and eparchy (eastern Rite Churches) in implementing "Safe Environment” programs designed to ensure necessary safety and security for all children as they participate in church and religious activities
- To develop an appropriate compliance audit mechanism to assist the Bishops and Eparchs in adhering to the responsibilities set forth in the Charter
- To prepare a public, annual report describing the compliance of each diocese and eparchy to the Charter’s provisions
Teresa M. Kettelkamp, executive director, retired from Illinois State Police (ISP) after 29 years where she was the first female to attain the rank of Colonel. Ms. Kettelkamp began her law enforcement career investigating white collar and public corruption cases. During her career she was also responsible for the functional supervision of 28 specially trained agents who conducted statewide investigations involving missing and/or sexually exploited children. Upon her retirement, Ms. Kettelkamp headed the ISP's Division of Forensic Services which is the 3rd largest forensic system in the world. Prior to that position, Ms. Kettelkamp headed the ISP's Division of Internal Investigation which was responsible for the investigation of allegations of misconduct within the ISP, as well as under the executive branch of government. Ms. Kettelkamp retired from the ISP for the purpose of working for the Gavin Group in conducting the first annual compliance audits of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. Ms. Kettelkamp is a lifelong Catholic, and a graduate of Quincy College, Quincy, Illinois, where she obtained a degree in Political Science. She is the mother of two adult children.
Mary Jane Doerr, associate director, holds a BA in Behavioral Sciences from Nazareth College, Kalamazoo and a MA in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan University. She has more than 20 years experience as an educator in the following roles: as a classroom teacher, an elementary school principal and a college instructor. She joined the Diocese of Kalamazoo in 1994 where she worked in stewardship and development. In 2003 she was appointed the Safe Environment Coordinator for the diocese and in 2006 was promoted to the Director of the Safe Environment Office overseeing all compliance issues related to the implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. She assumed the role of Associate Director in the Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection in July 2008.
Margaret A. Sienko, executive assistant, joined the staff of the Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection on May 1, 2006 as the Executive Assistant. Previously, Ms. Sienko served as the Staff Assistant in the Offices of the Ministries Group: Priestly Life, Priestly Formation and the Diaconate primarily working for Priestly Life and Ministry.
Ms. Sienko began her employment with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in February of 2002 and was very involved at the Bishops General Meeting in Dallas, Texas in June of 2002 in the development of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. She also provided support to the Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse which is now the Bishops Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People under the Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection. Ms. Sienko brings to the OCYP much experience and history with the USCCB, the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People and the USCCB's child protection efforts.
Ms. Sienko's employment prior to her service to the USCCB has been spent in the service of the Catholic Church.
Cortney Kerns, staff assistant, is from Hagerstown, Maryland and attended Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, MD. She graduated cum laude in 2008 with a degree in Chemistry. She joined the Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection in July 2008.