Mrs. Lucia conrado, manager of operations and finances
Lucia E. Conrado was born in San Antonio, Texas, and raised in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. At the age of 19, Lucia returned to the U.S. to complete her university studies at Grand Valley University in Grand Rapids, MI. In 1996, she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, with a minor in Accounting Systems.
Before joining the Cathedral staff in 2008, Lucia Conrado had returned to the U.S., after almost two years in Kenya, East Africa, where she was Financial Analyst/Program Coordinator for Yarumal Foreign Missions. Her role was to provide a trustworthy business structure – budgets, financial statements, communications and reporting – for program donors and the Diocese of Maralal. At the same time, Lucia’s pastoral work was as coordinator of Yarumal’s women’s programs in Tuum, near Lake Turkana. Her most rewarding achievements in Kenya were learning Swahili and creating a micro-loan program to benefit the entrepreneurial efforts of women in Samburu and Turkana.
Before Kenya, Lucia spent five years as a business-software consultant, training users and customizing software packages for specific client needs. For her first job out of College, she spent five years as general manager of a high-end home-remodeling company in Northbrook, Illinois.
Lucia believes strongly in volunteering her time and talents to help the disadvantaged members of society. From 1994-1995, she volunteered as a Spanish-language interpreter for the Women, Infants, and Children’s (WIC) program in Michigan. From 1999-2001, she served on the PBI Executive Committee, was its Treasurer and co-conducted an exploratory project in East Timor. She also volunteered for the Chicago Interfaith for Worker Rights from 2004-2005.
Lucia E Conrado is the Operations and Finance Manager for St James Cathedral. She is responsible for data entry, accounts payable, contributions and donations, collaborates with stewardship efforts, payroll, helping and creating organizational and program budgets in collaboration with the Dean and other ministry leaders.
Her position's primary responsibility is ensuring organizational effectiveness by providing leadership for the organization's financial functions in conjunction with the Treasurer and Finance Commission and also interacts with the Chapter, the Cathedral governing board.
Working with the St James Commons Council, she also contributes to the development and implementation of organizational strategies, policies and practices for the campus and supervises the proper maintenance of Cathedral premises.
Lucia is married to The Reverend Victor H Conrado, who serves as Associate Rector for Spanish Ministries in St Mark’s Episcopal Church in Glen Ellyn, where the couple lives. They are the proud parents of David A Conrado.
