2025 Peter Favre Award
Jennifer Kelly

The ISC is proud to present the 2025 Peter Favre Award to Jennifer Kelly. The ISC Board bestows this award to someone who, like St. Peter Favre, has a heart for Ignatian spirituality and lives their life with open-heartedness, purity, simplicity, and humbleness. Jennifer embodies these values and inspires others to live them more fully. 

Jennifer is the founder and executive director of RISE2hope, formerly the Jesuit Restorative Justice Initiative NW, a non-profit organization with programs to heal and empower those impacted by crime and incarceration with Ignatian prayer, programs, education and advocacy. More than 600 persons behind bars at nine correction centers have experienced Jennifer’s gifts. RISE2hope celebrates ten years this summer. “I am so grateful for and love this somewhat late, and very surprising, vocation,” said Jennifer.

Formed by the Jesuits since her days as an undergrad at Seattle University, Jennifer's trajectory took an extraordinary turn towards lay ministry, in tandem with her husband Gerry, who she met at SU. “We’ve always shared a strong sense of vocation to be followers of Jesus,” she said. “We have both been profoundly impacted by Saint Ignatius and the call of Jesuit spirituality.”

Jennifer has been involved with the ISC since its earliest days. Jennifer's spiritual direction, music, and retreat ministries have helped form others in Ignatian Spirituality through her leadership in the Novena of Grace, SEEL, retreats, and so much more. Jennifer served for eight years as Executive Director of the L’Arche community, in addition to serving on staff for 32 years. Jennifer's music ministry and preaching has supported countless Masses at St. Joseph Parish and Seattle U's St. Ignatius Chapel.

For Jennifer, Ignatian spirituality isn’t just something she practices, it is her way of life. With a tremendous heart for vulnerable populations, Jennifer has had the privilege to walk with people with disabilities and those that are imprisoned, young people, those with illness, and the elderly with joy. Her hard work, courage, and patience with the challenges of our prison system inspires us. Her leadership, spiritual direction, depth of wisdom, and life of faith have deepened the faith of countless others in our community. A friend to us all, we are proud to name Jennifer Kelly our 2025 Peter Favre Award recipient.

2025 Kathy Collins
spirit of service Award
Leonetta Elaiho

The ISC is proud to announce Leonetta Elaiho as this year’s recipient of the Kathy Collins Spirit of Service Award. This award is bestowed on someone whose volunteer service to the ISC embodies Kathy Collin’s commitment to the mission and her passionate heart and joy-filled faith.

Leonetta is a creative contemplative, writer, and speaker who has worked in community and youth development for the last 20 years. She served as Chair of the ISC for two pivotal years and on the Board for four. Leonetta is regarded by staff and Board members as the most influential Board Chair in many years.

Leonetta was first introduced to Ignatian Spirituality as an undergrad at Seattle University. After participating in ISC’s programming over the years, Kathy Collins called her in 2020 and invited her to join the board. “My heart knew it would be an easy ‘yes’ to give,” said Leonetta.

Leonetta’s single most enduring impact was finding and co-writing the Lilly Compelling Preaching grant application. Her vision and foresight led to a grant of $820,000 over five years to launch a new Ignatian preaching program and to sustain and grow the Women Companions of Color.

With her extensive Board experience, Leonetta identified opportunities to improve processes, governance, committees, and Board roles, professionalizing the Board in the process. She led the efforts to hire the ISC’s first full-time Executive Director and served on almost every Board committee during her tenure.

The staff was particularly touched by Leonetta’s commitment to them during a time of many transitions. She listened carefully and responded thoughtfully to the ideas, challenges, and opportunities they shared.

More recently, Leonetta shared her creative and spiritual gifts as a presenter at the Summer Day of Reflection. Her suggestion that we host the event at Rainier Avenue Church introduced a new partnership and audience to the ISC community.

Leonetta leads with vision, listens with compassion, and has an overflowing heart for those on the margins. She embodies Ignatian spirituality and lives it in everything she does. We are proud to name Leonetta Elaiho our 2025 Kathy Collins Spirit of Service Award recipient.

JoAnn Lopez shares a video message on why she supports the ISC. Click on the image above to watch her message.

Fr. Paul Fitterer, SJ shares a video message on why he supports the ISC. Click on the image above to watch his message.

John & Carolyn Hickman share a video message on why they support the ISC. Click on the image above to watch their message.