Leading with Faith, Innovating with Purpose: A Message from Pushpay’s New Catholic GM

My first day at Pushpay was one I’ll never forget. I had the opportunity to attend the Mass celebrating the election of Pope Leo XIV, at Rate Field in Chicago. The Pope addressed the nearly 30,000 people in the stadium with a virtual message, and I left feeling inspired and hopeful—not only about my new role, but about the future of the Catholic Church.

I love Pope Leo XIV’s approach, particularly his perspective and beliefs on technology, AI, and their role in the Church. He conveys that technology should never replace community or erode human dignity, but that it can absolutely strengthen how we engage, support, and walk alongside one another in faith.

From the early apostles to today’s digital age, the Church has always embraced innovation when it serves the mission of Christ. That’s why I believe now is a pivotal moment for Catholic ministry, and why I’m honored to step into a newly created role as General Manager of the Catholic segment at Pushpay.

This isn’t just a new job for me. It’s a personal and professional calling. It’s also a reflection of Pushpay’s continued commitment to the Catholic Church, and to the parishes and dioceses that have already entrusted us with their mission.

Rooted in faith

My own story is steeped in Catholic tradition. My grandparents, James and Katherine Wolff, helped lay the cornerstone for Our Lady of the Woods Parish in Woodland Park, Colorado. Through their stewardship and with guidance from my parents, I grew up serving as an altar boy in our local parish for years. My wife, Jessica, and I were married at St. Ritas in Nederland, Colorado. As parents, we’re also doing our best to live a life of service and set an example for our two children of faith.

I bring decades of experience leading go-to-market teams across the education, corporate, and nonprofit sectors—including time at PowerSchool and Axero Solutions, where I helped strengthen growth and improve operational excellence. I’m excited to bring that same focus on strategy, process, and team alignment to Pushpay as we continue to serve and innovate for the Catholic Church.

At Pushpay, I see my role as both external and internal. I’ll be spending time with pastors, diocesan leaders, and parish staff to listen, learn, and ensure their voices are reflected in our product strategy and roadmap. Internally, I’ll be supporting the bold vision that our new CEO, Kenny Wyatt, has shared, and will help guide our teams in the prioritization of innovation, growth opportunities, and strategic partnerships that strengthen our long-term impact in the Catholic Church. My goal is to serve as a bridge, connecting the needs of our customers with the direction of our business, so we can shape the future of Catholic technology together.

A new season of growth

Pushpay has continued to invest in serving the needs of the Catholic Church over the last several years—my appointment as GM is just one sign of that commitment—and we’re just getting started. With more than 800 parishes and four dioceses actively using Pushpay today, we’re present and growing quickly, while continuing to listen to the needs of parishes and dioceses and delivering on their needs time and time again.

Since the initial launch of ParishStaq, our suite of tools built specifically for Catholic churches, I know there’s been some curiosity around what’s next. And some of you may have wondered: is Pushpay still investing in helping the Catholic Church? The answer is a resounding yes.

In fact, we’ve been so busy building and helping our customers that we haven’t paused to share some of the great highlights and recent wins we’ve achieved together. In fact, nearly 4.5 million sacraments have been recorded in ParishStaq since we launched Sacrament Tracking, providing faith formation leaders with the confidence they need to engage, track, and support a parishioner’s sacramental journey.

There’s also been great momentum at the diocesean level as well. The Archdiocese of Seattle was the first diocese to embrace ParishStaq. One of their favorite products is the mobile app, and nearly 100 apps have been created for their 162 parishes to date. For many, this is the first app they’ve offered parishioners. This is also the first year that an archdiocese has completed their diocese-wide annual report process using Pushpay’s seamless Annual Report tool. We look forward to continuing the positive momentum and impact as we’ve recently welcomed the Diocese of Madison, the Diocese of Springfield Illinois, and the Diocese of Nashville.

Where we’re headed next

There’s a lot of levels of change happening in the Church right now, and we recognize the shifting dynamics: new diocesan leadership, an aging parish population, and a younger generation engaging with faith in new ways. We know the average age of the parishioner continues to rise, and according to our 2025 Catholic State of Church Technology report, churches who acknowledge tech’s importance in achieving their mission are much more likely to attract Millennials and Gen Z. Yet parishes are seeing much less engagement with those generations today.

I believe the Church needs partners it can trust, who can help navigate today’s current landscape in order to build a thriving Church for future generations. Pushpay is committed to being that partner.

We know that the Church grows when it adapts. From the monks who preserved Scripture, to the printing press, to live streaming Mass during COVID—every era of innovation has expanded the reach of the Gospel. I believe Pushpay is helping usher in the next chapter of that evolution.

We’ve already built a strong foundation with our current product suite, and we believe the roadmap ahead will make ease of use, communication, and engagement with parishioners stronger than ever.

Join us on the journey

At the Mass in Chicago, Pope Leo’s former teacher, Sister Dianne Bergent, said something that has stayed with me when I think about my position here: “If you serve God and serve others with fidelity and leadership, the Lord will take you far.”

That’s what the Church is about. And that’s what I believe Pushpay is about, too.

I am filled with hope and optimism when I think about the future of the Catholic Church and my new role at Pushpay. I believe technology can help people connect more deeply with their faith and each other. And I believe that with Pushpay’s heart for ministry and innovation, we can do something truly special together. I’ll be at several upcoming events and would love to connect with you onsite if you’re planning to be at the Stewardship Day at the Archdiocese of San Antonio (August 23), ICSC in Chicago (September 21-24), or DFMC in Philadelphia (September 29-October 2). Looking forward to meeting with you and your team soon.

DISCLAIMER: this content has been generated, at least in part, by artificial intelligence.