Meet Our Team!
English Team
Speakers
Episcopal Advisory Board
Most Reverend Samuel Aquila
Archbishop of Denver
Most Reverend Edward Burns
Bishop of Dallas
Most Reverend David Konderla
Bishop of Tulsa
Most Reverend Mark Seitz
Bishop of El Paso
Most Reverend Michael Sis
Bishop of San Angelo
Most Reverend Kevin Vann
Bishop of Orange, CA
Spiritual Advisor
Rev. James Yamauchi
Advisory Board
Suzanne Baars, Ph.D.; L.P.C.
Catholic Psychotherapy Association
The Late Louise Cowan, Ph.D.
Founder, Great Books Program, University of Dallas
Lamar Hunt, Jr.
Owner, Kansas City Chiefs
Msgr. Roger Landry
Vatican Rep. to the United Nations
Michael Waldstein, Ph.D.
Definitive Translator of The Theology of the Body
Donald Wetzel
Creator of the ATM
Interested in joining the TOBET team? View our career opportunities!
Monica Ashour
President, Founder, & International Speaker
Co-Founder, President, author and international speaker, Monica Ashour has spent her life spreading the Biblical reflection of the human person known as the Theology of the Body. Her claim to fame is that Pope John Paul spoke to her! While Monica was in Rome in JPII’s large audience, she didn’t say the typical “Viva el Papa” (“Long live the Pope”), but instead she said, “I’m from Texas! I’m from Texas!” That got his attention, and so he stopped, grabbed her hand and said,”You’re from Texas? Well, God bless you!”
Emily Flores
Vice President of Operations & Director of Digital Development
Our Vice-President of Operations, Emily Flores, is known for juggling documents, managing people, and balancing the art of making things happen with the power of multitasking. When she’s not organizing chaos, she fills the Executive Creative Director role to ensure TOBET’s projects are visually immaculate.
Michael Ashour
Vice President of Revenue & Director of Outreach and Sales
Michael is a native Texan and proud former student of Texas A&M University in College Station, where he attributes pivotal growth in his faith from the community of St. Mary’s Catholic Center. As a nephew of TOBET’s co-founder Monica, Michael has been formed by the Theology of the Body since the womb! At TOBET, Michael sets and manages goals for TOBET’s growth in outreach and development and brings steady leadership to the team. Michael has recently married the beautiful Valerie, and the two of them reside in Dallas.
Gabriel Milano
Content Creation Specialist, Speaker, & Ministry Outreach Leader
As the Director of Content Creation, Gabriel is the primary author of TOBET’s program My Body, My Identity: Discovering God’s Design. When Gabriel is not giving talks, writing children’s books, or scripting videos on the Theology of the Body, Gabriel can likely be found watching The Lord of the Rings for the 4,000th time or writing his own fantasy novels for his private publishing company Estel Publishing.
Jennifer Milano, LPC-A
Ministry Outreach Leader, Speaker
Jen is a licensed professional counselor associate who provides mental health therapy and gives talks on flourishing. Owner of Siena Counseling LLC, she loves integrating a Catholic-Christian approach in her therapy. Theology of the Body radically changed her life, and she loves living it out in her marriage, and integrating it into her work.
Kathleen Solis
Content Creation Assistant
Kathleen Solis is a graduate of the University of Dallas and provides TOBET with support in content creation. She brings elements of TOBET’s materials to life through writing, editing, video production, and even voice acting talents.
Sam Mach
Technology Specialist
Samuel Mach is a Computer Science and Philosophy undergraduate at the University of Texas, Arlington. He works with TOBET’s website team to create, manage, and maintain TOBET’s online presence.
Rachel Flick
Office Manager
As an introvert and hobbyist writer, Rachel is happy to be surrounded by lots of books and calendars in her role as Office Manager. She feels very blessed that God led her to TOBET, and is proud to be assisting in spreading the true message of the body amidst the disordered culture of the world.
Karina Barba
Director of Latino Outreach & Bilingual Speaker
Karina Barba is Colombian, married to Carlos, and a mother of three. As a Civil Engineer with an MSc, she lived a couple of years in Scotland where she practiced her English and worked as a geosciences researcher in the North Sea. In 2012, thanks to a priest friend, she discovered the Theology of the Body and changed the purpose of her life, and since then she has not stopped studying it. In 2018 she wrote to Monica, interested in the material she had to teach TOB to children, and that same year she traveled to Dallas to take one of her seminars. This was the beginning of a beautiful friendship! In 2021 she was asked to be part of the translation team for the TBM curriculum and its guides for parents and educators. Karina is now the director of Hispanic formation and outreach for TOBET.
Karina Barba es Colombiana, casada con Carlos y mamá de 3. Ingeniera Civil MSc, vivió un par de años en Escocia donde practicó su inglés y trabajó como investigadora de geociencias en el mar del norte. En 2012, gracias a un sacerdote amigo, conoce la Teología del cuerpo y cambia el propósito de su vida, desde entonces no ha parado de estudiarla. En 2018 le escribe a Monica interesada en el material que ella tenía para enseñar TDC a los niños, ese mismo año viaja a Dallas para tomar uno de sus seminarios, ¡este fue el inicio de una bella amistad! En 2021 recibe el encargo de hacer parte del equipo traductor del currículo TBM y sus guías para padres y educadores. En este momento Karina es la directora de formación y alcance hispano de TOBET.
Alex Perez
Spanish Translator
Alex loves learning about the Theology of the body. She translates and edits books and documents from English to Spanish for children, educators and parents. Share this knowledge with your family and your community, because The Body Matters!!!
Alex le encanta aprender sobre la Teología del cuerpo. Traduce y edita libros y documentos de inglés a español para niños, educadores y padres. Comparte este conocimiento con su familia y su comunidad, porque el cuerpo importa!!!
Katie Calzado
Spanish Proofreader & Graphic Designer
Katie Calzado is a former dual language teacher and graphic designer turned full time mom. Katie met Monica Ashour as a teen when volunteering for TOBET4Teens, and almost 15 years later reconnected with Monica only to discover TOBET had launched a Spanish team! These days, you can find Katie doing graphic design and layout for TOBET’s Spanish resources when her three sweet daughters are sleeping.
Katie Calzado se formó como maestra bilingüe y diseñadora gráfica, y ahora además es mamá de tres niñas preciosas. Conoció a Monica Ashour cuando se unió al grupo TOBET4Teens, y casi 15 años después ¡se reencontraron! justo cuando TOBET inició su equipo en español. Hoy en día, Katie realiza el diseño gráfico de TOBET en español cuando sus tres pequeñas están dormidas.
Deyanira Martínez
Outreach and Sales Associate for Spanish Programs
Deyanira studied Chemical Engineering and a master’s degree in environmental systems and worked in an Environmental Education program at TEC de Monterrey. She studied for a master’s degree in Family Education at the European Institute of Educational Studies. She also studied the Diplomas of Theology of the Body and Education of Sexuality at the John Paul II Institute, Mexico Headquarters. She is the mother of 16-year-old Paola and 12-year-old Helio David. She is Catholic and a member of the Jesed Community in Monterrey, N.L., where she has participated in the apostolate of children’s and youth ministries together with her husband Helio. For a year she has been working for TOBET as Outreach and Sales Associate for Spanish Programs.
Deyanira estudió Ingeniería Química y maestría en Sistemas ambientales, y trabajó en un programa de Educación ambiental en el TEC de Monterrey. Estudió un máster en Educación Familiar en el Instituto Europeo de Estudios de la Educación. Estudió también los Diplomados de Teología del Cuerpo y Educación de la Sexualidad en el Instituto Juan Pablo II, Sede México. Es madre de Paola de 16 años y Helio David de 12 años. Es católica y miembro de la Comunidad Jesed en Monterrey N.L. donde ha participado en el apostolado del ministerio de niños y de Adolescentes junto con su esposo Helio. Hace un año trabaja para TOBET como Asociado de Difusión y Ventas para Programas en español.
Monica Ashour
President, Founder, & International Speaker
Named to the Hall of Fame of her alma mater, Nolan Catholic High School Hall in Fort Worth in 2013, Monica Ashour is an author, international speaker, and Founder of the Theology of the Body Evangelization Team, known as TOBET, founded on December 8, 2001. Monica holds two Masters’ Degrees from the University of Dallas—one in Theological Studies and one in Humanities.
Listed in 2021 as one of the top Catholic Women speakers and named in 2010 by the National Catholic Register as one of the top six speakers to teen on Saint John Paul’s seminal work known as the Theology of the Body, Monica is the author of 28 books, including her Theology of the Body Marriage Preparation, lauded by Cardinal Dolan of New York and Archbishop Aquila in Denver.
In July, 2017, Monica was a panelist with Archbishop Cordileone and Jason Evert at the National Catholic Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida where she spoke on Sexuality and Chastity.
In 2015, the Catholic Press Association awarded Monica the Excellence in Publishing Award for Children’s Books for her Every BODY Has a Body: God Made Us to Love. Monica was also the recipient of Bishop Farrell’s 2008 Pro-Life Award for Civic Action.
In November of 2011, Monica presented a talk about how to teach teens TOB at the Theology of the Body International Symposium in Rome. She was also a participant in the International Summit on Lay Leadership with Cardinal Arinze in Rome. Most recently in 2023, she gave several talks in Australia and in the Philippines. Her mainstage talk is typically: Teaching TOB to Tots, ‘Tweens, & Teens.
Before becoming an international speaker, Monica served as a campus minister with Father Mike Sis and Fr. David Konderla, both who are now bishops, at St. Mary’s Catholic Center of Texas A&M University from 1996 to 1999. There she launched the now nationwide Nun Run, in which young women travel around the nation visiting convents. (The young men were jealous, and so Bishop David Konderla started the Seminary Sprint!)
Before and after her stint at St. Mary’s, Monica enjoyed 25 years of teaching middle school and high school theology and literature in the classroom.
Among her many writings, Monica has created or overseen the creation of all of TOBET’s amazing programs including:
- The Body Matters: Monica authored a Pre-K through 8th grade curriculum that teaches Pope St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body directly to children in English and Spanish.
- My Body, My Identity: Discovering God’s Design: Her team recently created over 50 videos, with animation and expert interviews, as well as children’s books to tackle tough topics for Pre-K through 12th grade.
- Bridges and Boundaries: Monica spent over three years writing a children’s safe environment program that not only teaches safety and healthy relationships, but also forms children in Pope St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.
Gabriel Milano
Content Creation Specialist & Speaker
Gabriel has dedicated his life to understanding love through the lens of the Theology of the Body. This journey began at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he earned a degree in Theology and Philosophy. Just before his senior year, he stumbled upon St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body and was immediately captivated. His senior thesis focused on the Circumcision of the Heart and the Consumption of Shame through Love (two themes in the Theology of the Body). He continued his education at the John Paul II Institute in Washington, DC, where his studies in the Theology of Marriage and Family profoundly reshaped his worldview, allowing him to see the world as an integrated whole.
While working with NET Ministries, Gabriel’s understanding deepened, but it was during his time with The Culture Project International—giving talks on sexual integrity and human dignity—that the truths of the Theology of the Body became even more vivid. As he prepared chastity talks for High School students, he began to see the objective truth of love in his life experiences and in the culture around him—in music, art, books, and movies.
Since then, Gabriel’s mission has been clear: to help others discover the transformative beauty of the Theology of the Body in every aspect of life. This has become his lifelong passion and pursuit.
Gabriel also authored My Body, My Identity: Discovering God’s Design. This program has over 50 videos, with animation and expert interviews, as well as children’s books to tackle tough topics for Pre-K through 12th grade.
Jennifer Milano, LPC-A
Speaker
Jen is a licensed professional counselor associate who provides mental health therapy and gives talks on flourishing. Owner of Siena Counseling LLC, she loves integrating a Catholic-Christian approach in her therapy. Theology of the Body radically changed her life, and she loves living it out in her marriage, and integrating it into her work.
Karina Barba
Director of Latino Outreach & Bilingual Speaker
Karina Barba es colombiana y vive en Bogotá con su esposo Carlos. Son padres de Simona, Mariana, Lucía y tres hijos más que ya están en el cielo. Mamá homeschooler, ingeniera Civil con Maestría en Ingeniería de Petróleo y Gas, trabajó durante 7 años en la industria petrolera.
Cuando Karina estaba en la universidad, hizo trabajo voluntario con varios amigos en hogares para niños abandonados. Catequista desde 2008, la Sra. Barba ha servido a la Iglesia Católica en Escocia, Venezuela y Colombia. Ha conducido programas de radio para estaciones católicas enfocados en temas pro-vida y de familia.
Su encuentro con la Teología del Cuerpo se produjo a través de una búsqueda personal después de la pérdida de su bebé por nacer. Así es como un día le llamó la atención un libro, Espiritualidad conyugal de San Juan Pablo II; era el año 2014 y desde entonces no ha dejado de estudiarla. Karina ha recibido formación en el Instituto de Teologia del Cuerpo de Filadelphia y en TOBET con Mónica Ashour.
También es colaboradora activa de los Centros de Protección al Embarazo para madres en riesgo de aborto. Ha impartido retiros y conferencias a jóvenes, padres de familia y personas consagradas. Karina es nuestra conferencista de los seminarios TOBET en español y la directora de formación hispana, y también hace parte del equipo de traducción al español del currículo de The Body Matters.
Karina ha trabajado como profesora de Religión en escuelas católicas de primaria y secundaria asimismo como profesora universitaria de formación humana donde comparte con sus estudiantes reflexiones en torno a las enseñanzas de San Juan Pablo II; antropología, castidad, sexualidad, dignidad humana, moral cristiana, razón y fe, gracia y libertad, dolor y sufrimiento; son temas que trata en sus clases. Ella desarrolló y dicta un curso sobre TDC para la batalla cultural.
English Translation:
Karina Barba is Colombian and lives in Bogotá with her husband Carlos. They are the parents of Simona, Mariana, Lucía, and three children who are already in heaven. A Homeschooler mom, Civil Engineer with MSc in Oil and Gas Engineering, she worked for 7 years in the oil industry.
When Karina was at university, she did volunteer work with her friends for the abandoned children. A catechist since 2008, Mrs. Barba has served the Catholic Church in Scotland, Venezuela, and Colombia. She has hosted radio programs focused on pro-life and family topics for Catholic radio stations.
Her encounter with the Theology of the Body occurred through a personal search after the loss of her unborn baby. This is how one day a book caught her attention, Conjugal Spirituality by Saint John Paul II; it was the year 2014 and since then she has not stopped studying it. Karina has received formation at The Theology of the Body Institute and at TOBET with Monica Ashour.
She has worked as a teacher of Religion in primary and secondary Catholics schools and as a University professor on subjects of human formation where she shares with her students reflections about the teachings of John Paul II, anthropology, chastity, sexuality, human dignity, Christian morality, reason and faith, grace and freedom, pain and suffering. She has also developed and taught a course on TOB for the cultural battle. Mrs. Barba is an active collaborator to the Centers for Protection of Pregnancy for mothers at the risk of abortion. She has given retreats and conferences to young people and parents, consecrated persons. Karina is the Spanish speaker of our TOBET seminars and Hispanic Formation Director, and she is also part of the team for translating The Body Matters Curriculum into Spanish.
Susanna Van Vickle
Bilingual in English and Spanish
Susanna fue criada en una familia misionera católica, sirviendo a los pobres y evangelizando en Colombia, México, Nueva Zelanda, Filipinas y Micronesia. Recibió una licenciatura en Teología de la Universidad Franciscana de Steubenville. En FUS, conoció a su esposo, Michael VanVickle, y ambos se convirtieron en misioneros de tiempo completo con Family Missions Company trabajando en China, Tailandia y México. Susanna y Michael han estado casados por más de 20 años y tienen 5 hijos.
Desde que ellos regresaron a los Estados Unidos de las misiones extranjeras, Susanna ha tenido muchos roles, incluyendo activista pro-vida, coordinadora de un ministerio de madres, voluntaria de ministerios para personas sin hogar, especialista en dislexia y maestra de educación secundaria, primaria, e en casa. Diariamente, Susanna se esfuerza por vivir una vida misionera en el mundo secular, eso ahora incluye la proclamación de la verdad de TOB en español.
English Translation:
Susanna was raised in a Catholic foreign missionary family, serving the poor and evangelizing in Colombia, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Micronesia. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville. At FUS, she met her husband, Michael VanVickle, and they both became full-time missionaries with Family Missions Company working in China, Thailand, and Mexico. Susanna and Michael have been married for over 20 years and have 5 children.
Since settling in the USA, Susanna has worn many hats, including homeschool mom, pro-life activist, high school (& now Second grade) teacher, mothers ministry coordinator, homeless ministry volunteer, and dyslexia practitioner. Ultimately, Susanna strives to live a missionary life in the secular world- which now includes proclaiming the powerful truth of TOB in Spanish.
Skip and Trish Welsh
Marriage Prep Facilitators
Trish and Skip have been married for 40 years and are very involved in church activities. Both have attended and completed formation with WELCOME (formerly CRHP). Skip and Trish are also on the WELCOME continuation committee at their church and have been Spiritual Directors for other teams. Skip is a Lecture, EMHC, and enjoys participating in the Men’s Morning Ministry. Trish is also an EMHC and is a participant in Catholic Daughters of America and Sisters in Christ. They both have sponsored new parishioners in the RCIA program and have become members of the RCIA team at their church.
Skip is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Texas A&M in College Station. He became Catholic in 1982 after going through the RCIA program at St. Mary’s in College Station. Skip is a Systems Architect for Schneider Electric, a global energy and automation company.
Trish completed her BS in Mathematics with a minor in Computer Science at the University of Texas at Dallas. Trish was a stay-at-home mom for their two children until returning to the workforce as a data analyst in 2004.
Skip and Trish discovered TOBET in 2017 when they started participating in the Sponsor Couple Program at their church for Engaged Couples. The TOBET program for engaged couples has offered them a way to give back to the church community and help evangelize by being presenters of the TOBET program for engaged couples.
Alex and Tony Perez
Bilingual in English and Spanish
Alex y Tony están felizmente casados desde el año 2001. Ella es de origen Colombiano y él Mexicano, se conocieron, enamoraron y casaron en Estados Unidos. Ellos han sido bendecidos con 3 hijos, Sebastián, Gabriela y Nicolás. Como familia católica participan activamente en el ministerio de Jornada Familiar de Dallas desde el año 2001, impartiendo pláticas y en retiros matrimoniales.
Tony ayuda en varias Iglesias locales a través del ministerio de la música, forma parte del ministerio de Padres y Madres Orantes y es guitarrista del grupo de alabanzas 5Evangelio con el cual dan predi-conciertos en Iglesias de Dallas y sus alrededores.
Alex es catequista y miembro del Grupo Mujer de la Iglesia El Buen Pastor, en donde continua con su formación y apoya dando temas. Además disfruta siendo voluntaria en las escuelas de sus hijos, quienes también los acompañan en algunas de éstas actividades, y son parte del grupo Jóvenes DFW.
La Teología del Cuerpo llegó a sus vidas en el año 2020 dándoles la oportunidad de traducir los libros “The Body Matters” y participar de las capacitaciones para matrimonios, aprendiendo así las enseñanzas de San Juan Pablo II, por medio del programa que Monica Ashour ha escrito.
Juntos disfrutan crecer con sus hijos y tener a Dios como centro de su hogar, viviendo la verdad del Amor. Les encanta viajar y pasar tiempo en familia.
English Translation:
Alex and Tony have been happily married since 2001. She is from Colombia and he is from Mexico. They met, fell in love and got married in the United States. They have been blessed with 3 children: Sebastian, Gabriela and Nicolas. As a Catholic family, they have actively participated in Dallas’ “Jornada Familiar” (a family ministry) since 2001, giving marital talks and helping with marriage retreats.
Tony helps in several local churches through the ministry of music, and he is also in the Ministry of Praying Parents and a guitarist for the praise band 5Evangelio (fifth Gospel) with which they perform in churches in and around Dallas.
Alex is a catechist and member of the Women’s Group of The Good Shepherd Church, where she continues her formation and gives talks. She also enjoys volunteering at her children’s schools. Their children also accompany them in some of these activities and are part of the DFW Youth group.
The Theology of the Body came into their lives in 2020, giving them the opportunity to translate The Body Matters books and participate in the training for married couples, thus learning the teachings of Saint John Paul II, through the program that Monica Ashour has written.
Together they enjoy growing up with their children and having God as the center of their home, living the truth of Love. They love traveling and spending time with their family.
Rick and Erika Choffel
Marriage Prep Facilitators
Rick and Erika married almost 15,000 days ago (almost 40 years). They have 5 grown children and 16 grandchildren, ranging ages 5-23.
After earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston, Rick spent 45 years in financial sales with several banks and financial companies. Erika earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Davis, in Child (Human) Development, and when the youngest child started school, she restarted working in school libraries, as office manager of a small school, and most recently as a fraud analyst.
Rick and Erika met Monica Ashour when she taught their youngest in high school. Since then, they’ve lived and learned much of the Theology of the Body.
Rick and Erika have served as a Sponsor Couple for the engaged at two different parishes, and have presented TOBET workshops for the engaged in both the Dallas and Ft. Worth dioceses, and at their parish. They remain active in their parish with St. Vincent de Paul Society, Holy Sews, Women’s Club, and various other ministries. They have volunteered in the past with ACTS ministry, Couple Prayer, Bible Studies, and others.
After 40 years, they see there’s still so much to learn. Daily, they ask “How have you felt my love today?”
