Our History
Founded in 2009 by Sr. Marie LaBollita, SC, and Rosemary Mulvihill, CSJ, Sacred Threads was created to meet the unique spiritual needs of women across many walks and stages of life.
Through conversations with friends, colleagues, and fellow spiritual seekers, Marie and Rosemary shared a common dream and vision: to create a safe place for women to voice their experiences and to find a spiritual home where all are welcome.
Some of the women they had journeyed with were hanging on by a thread. Others were secure yet longing to explore the deeper aspects of their lives. All were seeking companionship, acceptance, dialogue, replenishment, prayer and fulfillment.
It wasn’t long before the threads of women’s lives — however strong or threadbare — were being woven into a new ministry they proudly called Sacred Threads.
OUR STORY
Sacred Threads is a Boston-based, non-denominational non-profit organization committed to nourishing, connecting and inspiring women by weaving spirituality into everyday life.
Our Founders
Sr. Marie LaBollita, SC, grew up in Boston. As an educator, spiritual director, and pastoral counselor Marie’s passion is helping women articulate their spirituality and integrate their insights into everyday life. Marie believes a new lease on life happens when women have courage to share their personal stories and discover the sacredness of their lives. Now retired, her greatest blessings in life have been those who have trusted her with their stories.
Originally from Australia, Rosemary Mulvihill, CSJ, has worked extensively in education, parish ministry, pastoral care and counseling, and campus ministry. With a great interest in Women’s Spirituality and a special concern for those who are searching, struggling, or feeling on the fringes of their faith communities, Rosemary cultivates opportunities to connect and find spiritual nourishment.
Board of Directors
Marilyn Hausammann, was named Harvard’s first-ever Vice President for Human Resources in 2004, overseeing programming related to talent management, leadership and staff development, labor relations, and total rewards for the University’s workforce. She brings strategic experience from her career in higher education, consulting, technology, and financial services, along with strong nonprofit board service. Marilyn’s devotion to her work was especially evident when she creatively developed new and enhanced programs to support the transition to remote work and employee mental health during the COVID crisis. As noted by one of her Harvard colleagues, “Marilyn is a person who could tie threads together, and who could connect people who needed to talk to each other, like the conductor of an orchestra. With her calm and intelligent, forever thoughtful hand at the helm, always with a twinkle in her eyes, and an amazing sense of humor, she provided exactly the right combination of traits that we needed to get through these times together.”
Marilyn, retired from Harvard and previously held senior Human Resources roles at Thomson Financial (now Thomson Reuters) and BCG. She currently enjoys spending time with her grandchildren and looks forward to lending her incredible talents and insights to Sacred Threads.
Marilyn Hausammann
BOARD MEMBER
Bernadine Ileto Chan
Bernardine Ileto Chan is a spiritual director, retreat leader, and massage therapist. She is affiliated with Bethany House of Prayer (Arlington, MA) and is the owner of Colisteners LLC, focusing on individual and communal well-being through the lens of spiritual and embodied care. In accompanying people, Bernardine draws from her experiences as a chaplain and as an educator and administrator (globally and in the United States), and as a parent of four children.
As a massage therapist and authentic movement practitioner, she invites embodied wisdom and the arts into practices of contemplation, prayer, and action. Bernardine enjoys singing and playing the violin at her church in Newton and being active in community initiatives in her town and her children’s school.
Bernardine joined Sacred Threads in 2012 as part of a Mothers Spirituality Group that it offered. Since then, Bernardine has stayed involved with Sacred Threads in a variety of ways. She looks forward to exploring how the board, staff, and community of Sacred Threads can work together to further its mission to nourish, connect, and inspire women..
TREASURER
Ann Marie Rosa
PRESIDENT
Ann Marie brings over 40 years of experience as a marketing and communications executive to serve the Sacred Threads Board. She spent the majority of her career with PricewaterhouseCoopers, the global accounting, tax, and consulting firm. She specialized in the Technology, Automotive, and Aerospace industries. She earned an MBA from the University of Rhode Island and a BBA from the University of Michigan.
Ann Marie is also a lay leader in her church. She serves on the Parish Pastoral Council and focuses on helping parishioners enrich their faith and strengthen their community.
Ann Marie grew up in the Midwest. She has lived in Sharon, MA for the past 30 years. For the past 10 years, she has been an active member of the Sacred Threads community, an extraordinary resource that has inspired and enriched her faith journey.
Sylvia Simmons
Sylvia had a career in Higher Education as an administrator and faculty member. She currently is a consultant and a volunteer and board member for several non-profit organizations. Sylvia is an advocate for the mission of Sacred Threads knowing Sacred Threads has transformed individuals in so many ways on their path to seeking a spiritual life. Sylvia joined the Board of Directors in 2015 and serves on the Governance Committee.
BOARD MEMBER
Lynne Sullivan
BOARD MEMBER
Lynne Sullivan is currently Executive Director of the Catholic Community Fund and Catholic Health Foundation, where she oversees $5 million in endowment and grant distributions to advance the work and impact of Catholic organizations across Greater Boston communities that address service, faith, education, and health needs. She previously served as Director of Implementation at City Connects, an innovative student support program based at Boston College, where she oversaw the operations of City Connects in over 140 schools and 5 states. During this time, she was instrumental in helping launch the first technical assistance center in the Midwest in partnership with Marian University.
Lynne served for nearly ten years as the Director of Programs and Partnerships for the Catholic Schools Foundation (CSF) in Boston, MA, the largest funder of Catholic education in New England. During her time at CSF, Lynne oversaw the distribution of $7 million annually to over 100 schools and created a new scholarship program to better track at-risk high school students, a Summer Technology Academy to train teachers on integrating technology and curriculum, and new recruiting programs that increased Hispanic enrollment in Catholic schools by 25% and general enrollment by 10%. Previously, Lynne served as Director of Parent Giving at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA where she raised over $1 million from non-alumni parents and achieved 30% giving participation from parents whose children received financial aid. Lynne holds a BA from the College of the Holy Cross and an MBA in management and social policy from Brandeis University. She is the recipient of a National Spotlight Award from the League of American Communications Professional and a National Bronze Medal from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. Originally from Maine, she currently resides in Newton and Dartmouth, MA.
Molly M. Wade
BOARD MEMBER
Molly currently serves as Senior Director of Communications & Marketing for the Archdiocese of Boston’s philanthropy office.
Molly feels blessed with a life enriched by varied and textured experiences. She served as a Peace Corps Volunteer, earned her MA from The George Washington University, and then her Juris Doctorate from the University of Cincinnati where she specialized in international human rights law. Her “career” has been a mixed blend of law, motherhood, Catholic school administrator, and a Communications and Marketing professional. She has worked extensively with youth and cherishes the perspective that young people bring to every situation.
Molly has spent much of her adult life developing and facilitating ministries that help people forge a stronger spiritual connection between God and themselves. Outside of work, she enjoys writing short stories, running, and thinking about the meaning of life.
Jane Boulet
BOARD MEMBER
Jane Boulet is a mission-driven fundraiser, who is especially committed to working with organizations serving people with limited access to opportunity and support. She specializes in helping small and growing nonprofits build effective development programs and leverage their strengths to secure sustainable funding. A graduate of the University of Toronto, Jane currently serves as Director of Development for Bethany Hill Place, where she leads and manages all fundraising efforts for an affordable housing organization providing comprehensive services to very low-income individuals and families. Her work includes the development and implementation of cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and event strategies that strengthen donor relationships and advance critical programming. Jane has also directed fundraising efforts at educational and social service organizations in the greater Boston area. She brings to Sacred Threads both a strong development skill set and a practical understanding of how to grow fundraising capacity in service of communities in need.
Our Staff at Sacred Threads
Stephanie Page
Executive Director
Stephanie Page joined Sacred Threads as its Executive Director in March 2025. Formerly the Executive Director of the nonprofit women’s shelter Abby Kelley Foster House in Worcester, Stephanie will lead Sacred Threads into the future. Stephanie has a history of working collaboratively with members, donors, Board members and staff in her previous role and brings this experience to Sacred Threads. A graduate of Andover Newton Theological School, Harvard Kennedy School, and Brown University and a worship leader in Protestant congregations, Stephanie’s spiritual approach to the Executive Director role continues the tradition of the organization.