Our Administrative Staff

Father John Ehrich, MA, MDiv, STL, was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Phoenix in the year 2000. After five years of parish ministry, he spent two years studying moral theology at the Accademia Alfonsiana in Rome where he earned his Sacred Theology Licentiate in 2007. Fr. Ehrich is currently the pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Phoenix, AZ.

I graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a Bachelors degree in English/Physical Education. Upon graduation, I taught high school English for one year in Utah and junior high English for two years in Colorado. In addition to my teaching duties, I coached high school volleyball and basketball. From there, I moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico and spent two years working for a home/school based behavior modification program for adolescent Native Americans. My family and I then relocated to Phoenix. I taught third grade at Saint Matthews Catholic School before taking a part time job teaching for Rio Salado Community College. During this time I started the coursework towards my Masters degree in Education.

I have been a part of the staff at STA since 1997. When my youngest child started kindergarten at St. Thomas, I took a position as the computer teacher. After two years in the computer lab, I taught a year in 6th grade and then worked for eight years as the assistant principal. I continued to teach advanced math to seventh grade students during this time.

I feel honored to serve as the principal of Saint Thomas the Apostle Catholic School. Saint Thomas has a special place in my heart, as all three of my children are graduates. The students and families in this community are truly a blessing and I could not ask for a more dedicated and highly qualified staff.

I have a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame. Upon my graduation, I worked for Signetics Corp. and Motorola Inc. as a process engineer in wafer fabrication for the semiconductor industry. After staying at home to raise my children, I decided to return to the workforce. I received my teaching certificate and a Master’s degree in Education specializing in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Phoenix.

I have been a member of the St. Thomas the Apostle community since 2000. I have taught life science, physical science, pre-algebra and high school algebra since beginning my teaching career here. My son and one of my daughters were fortunate to attend St. Thomas.

As the assistant principal, I would like to assure you that the students of St. Thomas are very important to me. I strive everyday to see that they have a safe and secure environment in which to develop spiritually, academically and socially. I am also committed to the criteria for which St. Thomas the Apostle was recognized as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.

Hello. My name is Pam Hudgins and I am the school counselor at St. Thomas. I joined the staff as the school counselor in August 2002. I feel very blessed and proud to be a part of this wonderful community. I was born and raised in Ohio and attended Catholic schools from grades K-12. I attended Arizona State University and graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology (minor in child development) and a Masters degree in Social Work. I am licensed by the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Prior to my position at St. Thomas, I worked for ten years at a child welfare agency that served children with medical, emotional and behavioral health needs. My husband Wes and I have four children age.

WHAT DOES THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR DO? Classroom Guidance: Lessons are taught in the classroom to all students. Topics typically include friendship, feelings, respect, responsibility, conflict resolution, stress management and decision-making. The goal will be for children to gain an understanding of themselves and others while establishing and maintaining healthy relationships. Individual Counseling: Individual counseling is initiated through a referral from a parent, student, teacher or administrator. Student’s can self refer for counseling through the completion of a “Something’s Bugging Me” form. Some “typical” concerns include issues with friends, stress, frustrations with school and homework, family conflicts, parent/child relationships, illness, death of a loved one, birth of a child or concerns related to a mental health or academic diagnosis. Consultation: Consultation with parents and/or teachers is available to discuss any problem a child may have that interferes with their academic or social achievement. Small Group Counseling Sessions: Small group counseling/enrichment classes are offered throughout the school year. The majority of these classes are held once a week during the school day however some are offered as an after school group. The groups last approximately three to four weeks. Groups are open to children in grades K-5. Topics for groups offered include “Calm, Cool and Collected” (stress and anger management), “Marvelous Me” (self esteem), “O.K., Now I Get It” (study skills), “Changing families” (support for children dealing with the separation or divorce of parents), “Oh Brother, Oh Sister (improving sibling relationships) and “Manner’s Matter” (manners!).

My name is Jeri Butts, I am the finance manager at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic School. I have a E.A. from the Internal Revenue Service. This is my 11th year as the finance manager and my 23rd year as a tax professional at H & R Block Premium office. Prior to St. Thomas I was the comptroller for 10 years at Sun Valley Express.

Bob and I have been married for 24 years and have three great children, Jennifer, Erin and Mike all graduates of STA. Jennifer graduated from U of A in May 2010. Erin joined her sister at U of A and is in her junior year. Mike wanting to be in the cold county, has started college life in Flagstaff. Our family is very blessed to be part of the St. Thomas family.

The finance manager is involved in every aspect of business that involves money, such as tuition, budget, accounts payable and collection/deposit of all funds.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

I am an Arizona native. I Attended Kaibab Elemtary School, Scottsdale High School & ASU. I have been married 34 years to Dave Mason, also an Arizona native. We have 3 daughters, one of our daughters is a teacher at STA. I enjoy the STA community

Bio Information

Coming Soon

My name is Lori Kroener. I am the Food Service Director. My duties include overseeing the school lunch program. We are one of the few schools in the Diocese that still cook and bake on site. I assure that all food guidelines set forth by the Diocese of Phoenix, National School Lunch Program and Maricopa Health Department are followed at all times. I also organize the staff luncheons and help with the food service at special events. Prior to being a part of the S.T.A. community, I worked in all aspects of the food service industry. I have been a parishioner since 1991. I have such fond memories from my time as a S.T.A. parent from 1991- 2002 when my sons Billy (23) and Michael (21) attended school here. I happily joined the staff here in 1994.My husband Bill and I have been married for twenty-five years and both enjoy being a part of this great community. I have a special dedication to the children here at St. Thomas. Along with my staff we provide a very happy and healthy lunch experience. We take good care of the students while teaching them to make healthy food choices.

School Nurse at STA since 2006 Nursing background in SICU, Obstetrics and Childbirth education STA school parent since 1990 and parishioner since 1985 Married, six children

The Health 0ffice is accessible to students during normal school hours. Our mission is to treat and educate students about their health needs with respect to the every day bumps and bruises of the school playground and the occasional health concern from home that affects school life. The School Health Office also performs many health screenings throughout the year such as vision, hearing, BMI assessment, and scoliosis screenings. The St. Thomas School Health Office is very active in the Sun Wise Program. We are active in teaching students about sun awareness, which includes wearing hats and sunscreen, and seeking shade whenever possible. We believe in healthy snacks and encourage students to bring in healthy birthday treats and snacks for their breaks. Every year, the School Health Office is proactive in teaching the students about cold and flu prevention, which includes K through 2nd grades. Our goal is to help you keep our students healthy.

School Nurse at STA since 2007 Background in Neuro, Cardiac and Emergency Nursing STA school parent and parishioner since 2004 Married, four children

The Health 0ffice is accessible to students during normal school hours. Our mission is to treat and educate students about their health needs with respect to the every day bumps and bruises of the school playground and the occasional health concern from home that affects school life. The School Health Office also performs many health screenings throughout the year such as vision, hearing, BMI assessment, and scoliosis screenings.

The St. Thomas School Health Office is very active in the Sun Wise Program. We are active in teaching students about sun awareness, which includes wearing hats and sunscreen, and seeking shade whenever possible.

We believe in healthy snacks and encourage students to bring in healthy birthday treats and snacks for their breaks. Every year, the School Health Office is proactive in teaching the students about cold and flu prevention, which includes K through 2nd grades. Our goal is to help you keep our students healthy.

School Nurse at STA since 2007 Background in Cardiovascular Intensive Care and School Nursing Married, five children

The Health 0ffice is accessible to students during normal school hours. Our mission is to treat and educate students about their health needs with respect to the every day bumps and bruises of the school playground and the occasional health concern from home that affects school life. The School Health Office also performs many health screenings throughout the year such as vision, hearing, BMI assessment, and scoliosis screenings.

The St. Thomas School Health Office is very active in the Sun Wise Program. We are active in teaching students about sun awareness, which includes wearing hats and sunscreen, and seeking shade whenever possible.

We believe in healthy snacks and encourage students to bring in healthy birthday treats and snacks for their breaks. Every year, the School Health Office is proactive in teaching the students about cold and flu prevention, which includes K through 2nd grades. Our goal is to help you keep our students healthy.

My name is Jessica Alire; I am the HR Administrator and Safe Environment Coordinator for St. Thomas the Apostle. My employment began 11 years ago as the After School Care Coordinator. Since then, I’ve held several other positions throughout the parish. I am currently attending Phoenix College while taking online course with the University of the Incarnate Word. I am working to achieve a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Resources. My husband Mark and I have been married for 26 years. We moved to Phoenix 21 years ago from New Mexico with our three oldest children, Daniel, Eric, and Megan. Two years later Alexander joined the family. We’ve been parishioners at St. Thomas the Apostle for 18 years and feel blessed that God led us to this wonderful parish. Alex is our only graduate of St. Thomas the Apostle and is in his senior year at St. Mary’s High School. As the HR Administrator I am involved in all human resources activities throughout the parish. As the Safe Environment Coordinator, I work closely with the Diocesan Safe Environment Office, to promote and educate the staff and volunteers on providing a safe environment for the youth of our parish. Each year I learn more and more from our parishioners. I am always taken back by the dedication of our volunteers and their generosity with their time and talent. It is also a great pleasure working with Fr. Ehrich, Fr. Farley, and the staff of St. Thomas.

I graduated from Saint Meinrad College in 1997 with a BA in Psychology. After graduation I spent four years as a Benedictine monk at Saint Meinrad Archabbey in Indiana. I returned to Phoenix in 2001 and worked at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church as Liturgist and later that year came to St. Thomas the Apostle as Coordinator of Volunteer Ministries. In 2002 Fr. Jim Wall added Administrative Assistant to the Pastor and later that same year added Director of Maintenance to my responsibilities. In 2003 my title became Parish Manager. When Fr. John Ehrich arrived I was given the opportunity to focus all my attention to the physical facilities and maintenance.