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Mercy High School hosts Career Day
On April 25, our Mercy Girls enjoyed a wonderful Mercy tradition, Career Day!
The theme for the day was The Power of Community, and began with our keynote speaker, Ms. Ashley Valis, MSW ’00, who serves as the chief operating officer of Catholic Charities of Baltimore. After sharing about her experiences cultivating community here in Baltimore and beyond, our Mercy Girls enjoyed hearing from some of their sisters, Dr. Cynthia Fields ’92; Alondra Sills Kelly, DNP, RN, NEA-BC ’09; Jennifer Waldt Zellinger ’97, P’29; and Lenora Henry, MPA ’88, who joined us for a panel discussion. Our panelists spoke more about their educational experiences and careers while providing valuable advice for our Mercy Girls. Later in the morning, our students visited with more than 125 alumnae, parents, and friends of Mercy to explore career paths available in many different fields as they prepare for college and beyond! Many thanks to all our visitors for making today so memorable and impactful for our Mercy Girls! To view more photos of the day, we invite you to visit our Flickr gallery.
Keynote Speaker Bio:
Ashley Valis, MSW ’00 is the chief operating officer of Catholic Charities of Baltimore. She holds a B.S. in family services from the University of Delaware and an MSW from the University of Maryland. Throughout her career, Ashley has held key roles in public service including serving as the deputy director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and the assistant chief of staff for the Office of the Governor, as well as executive director of the Office of Community Engagement at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. A proud Mercy alumna, Ashley was vice president of her class and remains passionate about leadership and community service. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, embracing family adventures.
Panelist Bios:
Dr. Cynthia Fields, M.D. ’92 is a geriatric psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins University where she also serves as a full-time faculty member teaching future doctors and participating in dementia care research. She earned her B.A. in biology from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland and her M.D. from the University of Connecticut. Dr. Fields completed her psychiatry residency at Tulane University and a geriatric psychiatry and neuro-psychiatry fellowship at Johns Hopkins University.
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Keynote Speaker Bio:
Ashley Valis, MSW ’00 is the chief operating officer of Catholic Charities of Baltimore. She holds a B.S. in family services from the University of Delaware and an MSW from the University of Maryland. Throughout her career, Ashley has held key roles in public service including serving as the deputy director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and the assistant chief of staff for the Office of the Governor, as well as executive director of the Office of Community Engagement at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. A proud Mercy alumna, Ashley was vice president of her class and remains passionate about leadership and community service. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, embracing family adventures.
Panelist Bios:
Dr. Cynthia Fields, M.D. ’92 is a geriatric psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins University where she also serves as a full-time faculty member teaching future doctors and participating in dementia care research. She earned her B.A. in biology from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland and her M.D. from the University of Connecticut. Dr. Fields completed her psychiatry residency at Tulane University and a geriatric psychiatry and neuro-psychiatry fellowship at Johns Hopkins University.
After spending 12 years providing clinical care exclusively, Dr. Fields transitioned to academia where she combines her clinical expertise with teaching and research focused on improving care for people living with dementia. A highlight of her career was dancing in the 2023 Memory Ball to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Association while also growing personally.
A proud Mercy alumna from the Class of 1992, Dr. Fields cherishes memories from her high school years, including winning Field Day two years in a row! Outside of work, Dr. Fields is an avid ballroom dancer and a cat lover!
Lenora Henry, MPA ’88 was named as the executive director for the American Red Cross of Central Maryland in September 2023 after a national search. In her role, Lenora leads efforts to ensure community engagement and Red Cross service delivery in Baltimore City and Baltimore, Carroll, and Harford counties.
With more than 25 years of experience in management, fundraising, and strategic planning, Lenora has cultivated relationships with city and state agencies, business, faith based, and neighborhood organizations. She made history as the first woman to serve as executive director of the Baltimore City Chamber of Commerce. Lenora currently serves on the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance Board of Directors and the Black Leadership Advisory Council through the Associated Black Charities. She also serves as a trustee of Mercy High School.
Having transferred to Mercy as a sophomore, Lenora speaks fondly of her experiences as a Mercy Girl, and she believes the Sisters of Mercy and her Mercy education positioned her well for the future. Lenora earned her undergraduate degree in business from Sojourner-Douglass College and her master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in nonprofit management from the University of Baltimore.
Alondra Sills Kelley, DNP, RN, NEA-BC ’09 currently serves as the director of clinical excellence at Mercy
Medical Center. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in nurse executive administration, a Master of Science in nursing, and a Post-Master’s Certificate in nursing education, all from the University of South Alabama. She earned her BSN from Coppin State University.
Medical Center. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in nurse executive administration, a Master of Science in nursing, and a Post-Master’s Certificate in nursing education, all from the University of South Alabama. She earned her BSN from Coppin State University.
Alondra began her career at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) in 2012 in the Adult Emergency Department. Since that time, she has served as a clinical nurse, senior clinical nurse, and clinical education coordinator. In 2022, she graduated with her DNP and transitioned into her current
leadership role at Mercy Medical.
leadership role at Mercy Medical.
Alondra is also an educator, having taught at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. She is passionate about advancing nursing practice and mentoring future nurses. As a Mercy Girl, Alondra won the Flame Award all four years, a testament to her commitment to excellence. Outside of her career, Alondra is a proud mother of three.
Jennifer Waldt Zellinger ’97, P’29 holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer science. With more than 20 years of experience in evaluating operations, leveraging data analysis, and implementing process enhancements that improve work flows, internal controls, and profitability. She has successfully led the development and launch of a multi-award-winning utilization management and case/disease management product, driving administrative savings, member engagement, and provider digital adoption.
Jen’s expertise in cross-functional analytics was honed in her previous roles at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, where she contributed significantly to product strategy and operational excellence. Her experience spans product management, financial planning and analysis, market forecasting, and multi-platform transformations.
At Mercy, Jen served as class treasurer all four years and was actively involved with Field Day and Prom Committee. Jen is excited about continuing her family legacy with her daughter joining Mercy as a freshman in the fall. In her personal life, she has recently taken up golf and dreams of opening a dog rescue if she were to win the lottery!
Mercy High School Baltimore is a sponsored ministry of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas and is a member of Mercy Education.
Mercy High School proudly partners with eCampus for textbooks and other materials for our Mercy Girls.
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Mercy High School proudly partners with eCampus for textbooks and other materials for our Mercy Girls.
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