A Baby’s Breath Leadership Course 2026
Saturday, April 11
St. Katherine’s Church | Wayne, PA
“…to help a mother to see her child take his or her first breath.”
“Perfection consists of doing His will, in being what He wills it to be.”
– St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Patron Saint of A Baby’s Breath®
About the Leadership Course
A Baby’s Breath has developed a unique and proven model for structuring a successful nonprofit. We are pleased to share this model with those looking to build or strengthen their own organization.
Using these principles, we have grown from one location to five centers, including:
- A home for pregnant mothers in crisis
- A medical service
- A housing service
- A financial assistance program
All of this has been accomplished by implementing a model that:
- Utilizes volunteer leadership
- Operates free of any government funding
- Upholds Catholic teaching on morality
It is by the grace of God that we have been able to do His will.
Event Agenda
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM
Mass
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Registration
9:15 AM – 9:30 AM
Welcome & Explanation of A Baby’s Breath Model
Introduction to the Leadership Course
Jared Patota, Creator of A Baby’s Breath Podcasts
9:30 AM – 10:15 AM
Applying the Thomistic Approach to Counseling Clients
Georgeann McGarry MS, LPC & Screener for A Baby’s Breath Housing Residents
10:15 AM – 10:30 AM
Break
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Service Updates
Housing Service Update
Myesha McClam, Housing Director
John Weis, Housing & PHX Local Board
Independence Program/Services Update
Amy Curran, Independence Program Applications Director
Mike Castagno, Corporate Board & Independence Lifestyle Director
Ultrasound Services Update
Open needs for offering ultrasounds
Susan McInerney
Lunch & Breakout Sessions
(Food may be taken into sessions)
Breakout Sessions
Directors
(For those who like working directly with people)
Roundtable Discussion on Cases
Susan Grant, Collegeville Director
Catherine Fry, Warminster Director
Julia Sponseller, Wayne Director
Thomas Patota, Jeffersonville Director
Star Prieto, Jeffersonville Advocate & Parenting Class Coordinator
Karen Patota, CEO
Applying the Catholic/Christian Mission
Thomas Patota
Star Prieto
Julia Sponseller
Connecting Clients to External Resources
Catherine Fry
Advocate Meeting Agendas
Connecting advocates, donation coordinators, baby store workers, prenatal/parenting class leaders, and Independence service providers
How to Nominate Your Client to the Independence Program
Amy Curran, Independence Applications Director
Donation Coordinators
(For those who prefer administrative and computer-based work)
Doug Paida, PHX Donation Coordinator
Josh Patota, CFP
Topics include:
- The role of Donation Coordinators at A Baby’s Breath
- New process for recording donations
- Volunteer, donor, and resource information
- Sponsorship mailing
General Managers
(For those who enjoy building budgets and helping fulfill financial goals)
Anne Ruegner, Warminster GM
Pete Rawson, Jeffersonville GM
John Weis, PHX Local Board
Meghan Murnane, Independence GM
Topics include:
- A Baby’s Breath model of providing financial support for centers and services
- Budgets — How and when to form them
- Local board meetings (agendas & attendees)
- New gateway processing
- New centers/services Q&A
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
New Centers/Services Q&A
Registration Information
Leadership Course
Saturday, April 11
St. Katherine’s Church | Wayne, PA
Cost
$25 per person (Paid by check)
FREE for active A Baby’s Breath® Volunteers and Clergy.
Pay Registration Fee by Check
Checks should be made payable to A Baby’s Breath and mailed to:
A Baby’s Breath
2062 W. Main Street
Norristown, PA 19403
How to Register
You may register in one of the following ways:
Register online using the form below
OR
Email: [email protected]
Subject Line: Leadership Course
Questions?
Contact Bridget Patota
[email protected]
Sign Up Today For Our Leadership Course
Saturday, April 11, 2026
FAQs
The A Baby’s Breath leadership course is open to current and new volunteers who are pro-life and would like to learn more about how the leadership of A Baby’s Breath offers free pregnancy services to mothers, fathers and families in a crisis pregnancy – before, during and after a crisis pregnancy.
Three centers—Jeffersonville, Collegeville, and Wayne—were already established with the first leadership course in 2009. Warminster began in 2014 and our Phoenixville home started with core services in 2015 and housing in 2016. The standard of care for our core services, including goal-oriented pregnancy counseling, parenting/prenatal classes, and material assistance through a baby store program, was taught in all five centers through the leadership course.
Yes! That would be the best way to learn about our approach. We have a shared session where all leaders can learn about a particular topic. Then, we break out into groups that are key to operating in the A Baby’s Breath model.
Yes! Our leadership course is more than just an organization that teaches how to speak about pro-life. We teach how to start, manage and grow centers/services.
No. If your group would like to pursue becoming an A Baby’s Breath center, we would give your group the initial costs to start your organization, but our corporate board would have to approve your application.
No. A Baby’s Breath helps more than just abortion-minded clients. Ninety percent or more of our clients are choosing life and need help with their life choices. A Baby’s Breath also takes a position on contraception, which is different from most pro-life centers. We hold Catholic/Christian values in our mission & charter because artificial contraception is not a solution to a crisis pregnancy lifestyle. A Baby’s Breath does not accept government money – our organization can maintain the integrity of its mission by not accepting government money. A Baby’s Breath is an all-volunteer leadership organization. Our volunteers value their time with their families and other activities more than compensated time.