Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is responsible for maintaining Holy Family Academy as a Catholic educational institution in good standing with the Diocese of Phoenix, directing its Catholic values through the curriculum and culture, overseeing its financial health, and providing guidance to the Principal in her role as the chief administrator of the Academy.

SHIRLEY A. WEIS, BSN, MM, DOCTOR OF SCIENCE (HC) : CHAIR

Dr. Shirley Weis is the Emerita Chief Administrative Officer of the Mayo Clinic where she was responsible for all operations of the $10 billion, 55,000 employee health system. She currently is a member of the Board of Directors of Mednax/Pediatrix. She has served on the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees, Winona State University Foundation Board and numerous other boards and governing bodies.

Dr. Weis has a broad academic and teaching background. She was a special advisor to Arizona State University President Michael M. Crow and served as a professor in the W. P. Carey School of Business and ASU College of Nursing and Health Innovation. She is an adjunct professor at Michigan State University.

Dr. Weis is an Emerita Professor of the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. She has also taught healthcare leadership courses at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, Michigan State University, University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse and for the Michigan Hospital Association.

A magna cum laude graduate of Michigan State University’s College of Nursing, Dr. Weis has earned a Master’s in Management Degree from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Mich., and has been honored by Michigan State University with a Doctor of Science degree.

Shirley and her husband John are proud grandparents of one granddaughter who is a graduating HFA senior and another HFA alumna granddaughter who is graduating from the University of Dallas in May.

SHANNON OBERNUEFEMANN, D.D.S.: VICE-CHAIR

Shannon is the owner of O-Dentistry, a comprehensive family dental practice in Phoenix, AZ. Shannon was raised here in the Valley and attended Brophy College Preparatory. After graduation he headed north to attend Northern Arizona University where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. After graduation he attended the prestigious Marquette University School of Dentistry.

While at Marquette he received an Air Force scholarship and was accepted into an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency. After spending time treating our service members he and his family moved back to Phoenix.

Always trying to improve his clinical skills Dr. Obernuefemann completed a two-year orthodontic seminar given by Progressive Orthodontic Seminars a leader in orthodontic training for the general dentist.

Shannon and his wife Teresa have 15 children, one HFA alumna who graduated from Grand Canyon University and is now teaching, another alumni who is attending the seminary to become a priest, two attending college, eight enrolled at HFA and one pre-school age child at home.

DOMINIC DEMARK: TREASURER

Dominic is the owner of DNG Construction, LLC. A native of Prescott, AZ, Dominic is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Arizona.
After graduation from the University of San Diego with an Accounting degree, Dominic began his career in public accounting working for Ernst & Young, LLP for 5 years in their San Diego, CA and Phoenix, AZ offices. His love for construction led him to the construction industry in 2002 and in 2012 started DNG Construction specializing in commercial projects in the K-12 Education, Municipal, Religious and Recreation sectors.

Dominic has volunteered in the not-for-profit industry for the past 25 years providing pro bono services to various 501(c) entities and has served on three boards of directors’ positions during that time.

Dominic also volunteers as the Padres Varsity Baseball coach. He attempts to instill in the boys a greater love for baseball, character building on the team’s/their personal successes & failures and pride in HFA.

Dominic and his wife Jessica have 15 children, one HFA alumni who graduated from Colorado State University Pueblo and is now working as a pediatric nurse, another HFA alum who graduated from Colorado State University Pueblo and is pursuing his CPA certification, an HFA alumna who recently graduated from Scottsdale Community College, eight enrolled at HFA and one pre-school age child at home.

ALFRED CELAYA: SECRETARY

Fred is an accomplished businessman as well as a seasoned educator. He is a graduate of the University of Arizona with a degree in Environmental Engineering and Management. After a successful career with a mining company and working in Real Estate, he applied his talents to teaching. Fred taught at Mohave Community College and has taught Chemistry, Science, Math and Religion in a variety of Catholic schools.

Fred and his wife Cynthia have two daughters, Anna and Ava who are University of Arizona graduates.

Education Background:

Graduated from the University of Arizona in 1990 with a B.S. in Chemistry, and from Arizona State University with a certification in Environmental Engineering Management in 1992.

Work History:

1986 to 2000: Worked at Magma/BHP Copper Company in San Manuel, Arizona in a variety of positions that spanned from Environmental Technician to Chief Environmental Engineer for the San Manuel Copper Mine.
2002 to 2006: Chemistry teacher for Yuma Catholic High School, Yuma, Arizona.
2006 to 2018: Science teacher for 6^th – 8^th grades for St. Gregory Catholic School, Phoenix, Arizona.
2020 – Present: Science teacher at Holy Family Academy, Phoenix, Arizona.

JOYCE STOWE: DIRECTOR

Joyce is grateful to serve as an advocate for the Catholic mission of Holy Family Academy, supporting its culture and growth in thoughtful and faithful ways for todays’ students, faculty, families and those in the future. Alongside her primary vocations as a Catholic wife and mother, she brings a solid professional and volunteer foundation, including prior board service at a similar independent traditional Catholic school.

Joyce graduated in May 2000 from the University of Washington School of Business with a concentration in Human Resources and Organizational Behavior. During her many years living in the Seattle, WA area, she worked for the University of Washington, Washington Mutual Bank, and as a senior agent and agency manager for Allstate Insurance.

Joyce pursued a more creative direction when she founded Transcendent Design, a small business that partnered with local photographers to create custom-designed wedding and special event photo albums and products, which she operated from 2006 to 2021.

Volunteer service has always been important to Joyce and her family. From 2017 through the schools’ closure in 2023, she served as a board director at Stella Maris Academy in Edmonds, WA, overseeing operations and contributing to strategic planning and governance.

Joyce and her husband William have three children who attend Holy Family Academy’s Upper Academy.