Meet Our Team
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Rosanne Coffey, Editor
Rosanne was named editor of RTJ's Creative Catechist in April 2010. She was previously advertising manager and worked in marketing for Religion Teacher's Journal, Today's Parish and God's Word Today. For over 20 years she taught in Catholic schools. She has also been a catechist and associate director for the Norwich Diocesan Office for Faith Formation.
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Jeff McCall, Art Director
Jeff has been the art director for all of the Bayard Publishing Group since 2002. He is also the Creative Director for Twenty-Third Publications. He has 22 years experience designing books and magazines for the Catholic catechetical community and 14 years as Art Director of Religion Teacher’s Journal, now RTJ's Creative Catechist.
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Paul Bourque, Production Director
Paul joined Bayard Publishing Group which includes Catholic Digest, Today's Parish, Living with Christ, and RTJ's Creative Catechist as a consultant in 2002. He became Production Manager in 2005 and was promoted to Production Director in 2009. He brings to Bayard many years of experience in printing, publishing, and pre-press.
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Jean L. Bingham, Audience Development Director
Jean joined Bayard in 2009 from Pitney Bowes. In addition to corporate marketing, she has over 20 years publishing experience working for well known business and consumer publications, such as Soundings Magazine, Woodshop News, Air Age Publishing, Running Times, RxRemedy, and Internet World. She brings to Bayard experience in new product development that will help utilize print and emerging web technologies to build brand and garner new audiences.
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Michelle Kopfmann, Advertising Director
Michelle is an industry veteran in Catholic advertising. She worked for thirteen years at Circle Media where she sold advertising for the National Catholic Register, Faith & Family and a host of websites. She handles advertising for Catholic Digest, RTJ's Creative Catechist, and Today’s Parish.
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Val Westrate, Circulation Director
After joining Catholic Digest in 1999, Val assumed the role of Circulation Manager for all the U.S.-based magazines in 2007 and was named Circulation Director in 2008. Valerie oversees circulation fulfillment for five magazine titles.
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Gwen Costello, Editor Emeritus
Gwen Costello was publisher of Twenty-Third Publications, editor of RTJ's Creative Catechist, and author of numerous catechetical books and AVs, including a Prayerbook for Catechists. She is presently a member of the Twenty-Third Publication's Acquisition's Team and an adviser to the editor of RTJ's Creative Catechist.
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Bret D. Thomas, CEO and President
Bret joined Bayard Inc. in January 2007 after serving as President/CEO of Peter Li Inc., publisher of CATECHIST, Today's Catholic Teacher, the Pflaum Gospel Weeklies, and other religious instructional books and supplemental materials. In addition to his executive experience, Bret brings to Bayard a passion for the publishing ministry of the Augustinians of the Assumption who are Bayard’s primary shareholder. Prior to his publishing career, Bret taught high school biology and life sciences in the Diocese of Pittsburgh.
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Sue Lachapelle, Advertising Account Executive
Sue came to Bayard after working at Circle Media as a media consultant where she sold advertising for the National Catholic Register, Faith & Family magazine and a host of websites. As an experienced advertising professional who understands the Catholic marketplace, Sue can assist you in creating integrated marketing campaigns that include Catholic Digest, RTJ's Creative Catechist, Today's Parish, Tobias and our websites.
