ACE Leadership Faculty and Staff
Director
Fr. Ronald J. Nuzzi, Ph.D.
Father Ron Nuzzi is a priest of the Diocese of the Youngstown, Ohio. Ordained in 1984, Fr. Nuzzi has taught in Catholic schools, served as a high school administrator, and currently is the Director of Catholic Leadership Programs in the Alliance for the Catholic Education at the University of Notre Dame. A nationally known speaker and author, he has written extensively about the multiple intelligence theory in Catholic education, the spirituality of leadership, and inclusion in Catholic schools. His book, Gifts of the Spirit: Multiple Intelligences in Religious Education, published by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), is now in its second printing. Nuzzi has conducted two separate research tours at the Vatican’s Congregation for Catholic Education and has provided original translation of church documents pertaining to the history of Catholic schooling. In 1997-1998, he conducted an extensive research project on seminary education for the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops.
From 1998-2008, he served as editor of the research journal, Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice, the only scholarly publication in the world dedicated exclusively to Catholic education. In conjunction with colleagues at the University of Dayton, he participated in a book in 1999 entitled, Catholic School Administration: A Call to Lead in which he wrote the final chapter, “To Lead as Jesus Led.” Father Nuzzi published a widely used volume with several colleagues entitled, A Handbook of Research on Catholic Education, published by Greenwood Press. In August 2002, the National Catholic Educational Association published an extensive summary of research on Catholic education 1990-2000, entitled, Catholic Schools Still Make a Difference, for which he served as editor and contributed a chapter on Catholic identity. This book was the subject of his presentations in 2003 at the annual conventions of the NCEA (National Catholic Educational Association) and the AERA (America Educational Research Association).
Two more recent publications are of special note. The first, A Handbook of Research on Catholic Higher Education, was published by Greenwood Press in 2003. Fr. Nuzzi, along with his good friends and colleagues at the University of Dayton, Thomas Hunt, Ellis Joseph, and John Geiger, has dedicated this book to Fr. Hesburgh. Nuzzi also coordinated dozens of scholars who collaborated on a two-volume encyclopedia called Catholic Schools in the United States: An Encyclopedia, which was published in 2004. He holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, and masters degrees in theology, philosophy, and education. From 1992 until 2000, he taught at The University of Dayton, and was instrumental in establishing its Center for Catholic Education, and teacher service program Lalanne. From 2000-2002, he was director of the Catholic Leadership Program at Saint Louis University, and since June 2002, it has been his privilege to call Notre Dame home.
In January 2004, Fr. Ron was among a select group of educational leaders to be invited to the White House for special celebration of Catholic education with President Bush in the East Room. In April 2004, he opened a session of Congress, saying the opening prayer in the U.S. House of Representatives before meeting with a variety of House and Senate committees on educational policy. A regular presenter at national conventions in the U.S. and Canada, he is in demand as a speaker, educational researcher, teacher, and retreat director.
Assistant Director
Emmeline Schoen D’Agostino, M.Ed.
Emmeline D’Agostino received a bachelor’s degree from Notre Dame and went on to earn her Master of Education degree through the ACE Teacher Formation program, where she taught fourth grade at San Xavier Mission School in Tucson, Arizona. After three years of teaching, Emmeline returns to Notre Dame to assist in the facilitation of the ACE Leadership Program. During the summer, Emmeline teaches the Leadership in Catholic Schools II course with a focus on liturgy, prayer, and spirituality in schools. Among her pastoral and administrative work, she is responsible for retreat and event planning, preparation of the summer session, recruitment, and assisting in the application and acceptance process.
Administrative Assistant
Gayle Washburn
Faculty
James M. Frabutt, Ph.D. 
Dr. Frabutt is an Associate Professional Specialist in the ACE Leadership Program, Concurrent Associate Professor of Psychology, and a Fellow in the Institute for Educational Initiatives. Dr. Frabutt teaches the action research sequence in the Master’s program, emphasizing classroom-, school-, and parish-based strategic inquiry designed and conducted by practicing educators and administrators.
He previously served as Deputy Director of the Center for Youth, Family, and Community Partnerships at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). Prior to that, he was the Director of the Division for the Prevention of Youth Violence and Aggression at the Center for the Study of Social Issues at UNCG. Dr. Frabutt led an action research approach to violence reduction and community safety as the Research Partner for the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort in the Middle District of North Carolina. His research and practice efforts have centered on the mental health needs of court-involved youth, university-community partnerships, and the impact of multiple contexts on adolescent development.
He has directed a local collaborative, community-university partnership featuring the involvement of schools, parents, law enforcement, mental health practitioners, the faith community, and juvenile justice professionals. Together, this partnership developed a comprehensive youth violence prevention and intervention program targeted at middle school and high school youth. His recent community-based research efforts focued on reducing disproportionate minority contact in the juvenile justice system and developing models for reducing violence and victimization among immigrant youth.
He has published over 30 articles and book chapters and has made over 70 presentations at regional and national research conferences. He has been an invited speaker at annual conferences of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, North Carolina School Social Workers’ Association, and the American Correctional Association. Dr. Frabutt is a member of the Society for Research in Child Development, the American Psychological Association (Division 27, Society for Community Research and Action), the National Council on Family Relations, and Campus-Community Partnerships for Health. He has a bachelor’s degree in psychology (University of Notre Dame) and masters and doctoral degrees in human development and family studies (University of North Carolina at Greensboro).
Anthony C. Holter, Ph.D.
Anthony Holter recently earned his PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he coordinated and researched forgiveness education programs for children in impoverished communities. Anthony is a graduate of the ACE teacher preparation program (ACE 7), and has returned to Notre Dame as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Institute for Educational Initiatives. Anthony teaches the action research sequence in the ACE Leadership Program, and works in the Center for Ethical Education developing programmatic and curricular resources for moral, character development in schools.
