Leadership

School Leadership

Fr. Fred Close (Pastor) is a D.C. native who started his education at Brightwood Kindergarden and Nativity Catholic School in NW.  In Summit, N.J., he continued his education at the parish school; graduated from St. Benedict's Prep in Newark, N.J.; and matriculated at Boston College (B.A. Economics, 1969) and Boston College Law School (J.D., 1973).  After serving for about 25 years in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice as a trial attorney, he entered seminary for the Archdiocese of Washington at Blessed John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, MA, and was ordained to the priesthood of Jesus Christ on June 9, 2001.  He served at St. Mary's of Piscataway and St. Patrick's of Norbeck before being assigned to St. Anthony of Padua in 2006, where he now serves as Pastor.  This self-described “recovering lawyer” became a priest as a result of encountering Jesus Christ in the Charismatic Renewal Movement, and discerning his vocation at Mother of God Community in Gaithersburg, MD. 


 

Michael Thomasian (Principal) A native of Boston, Mr. Thomasian came to St. Anthony Catholic School in 2000 after graduating from Assumption College with a bachelor's degree in Psychology and Education. He holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from Trinity University and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from the University of Notre Dame. Mr. Thomasian taught both elementary and middle school for eleven years and also served as the assistant principal prior to being appointed principal in 2011. Under his leadership the school has experienced increased enrollment, improved facilities, and a strong Catholic Identity.  In 2017, Mr. Thomasian was honored as the Archdiocese of Washington's Distinguished Principal of the Year. In 2018 he was also recognized with a NCEA "Lead. Learn. Proclaim." award and a  NAESP's National Distinguished Principal of the Year Award. Most recently, The Catholic University of America awarded Mr. Thomasian a Doctor of Education,  honoris causa. Mr. Thomasian currently serves on the archdiocese's Elementary School Principals' Association's Executive Board, Trinity College University's Council on Education, and is a member of the University of Notre Dame's  Reform Leaders' Summit.  

Michael Thomasian is a St. Anthony parishioner and the father of five children.