Sister Mary Ross
Mary Ross chose the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Brentwood, New York when she was drawn to Religious Life in 1970. She began her professional career as Director of Administrative Services in the Brooklyn Diocesan Office of Catholic Education. By 1982, Mary had moved on to Campus Ministry at Queens College, CUNY. After 13 years in traditional convents, Mary moved to Providence House III in Jamaica where homeless women and children, women released on parole, and sisters sat together at the dining table in their new home. The Providence House journey would lead Mary in a new direction. First, as Program Director (1984-1990) and then Executive Director (1990-1995) of Providence House, Inc., Mary understood that the challenges faced by women and children throughout our city called for more than emergency housing. Providence House would now include an apartment building in New Rochelle where women could reestablish their family life. In 1995, Mary Ross petitioned the Congregation to send her to law school. Receiving her law degree in 1998 where she served as notes and comments editor of the New York City Law Review and passing the Bar Exam on the first attempt brought Mary to The Legal Aid Society in Queens to the Criminal Defense Division as Staff Attorney.
It was in her Queens office that Mary heard the call for volunteers to spend eight weeks in Kabul, Afghanistan. Through the International Legal Foundation of New York, Mary would be part of a team that would work to bring a greater awareness of defense law to war torn Afghanistan. In The New York Law Journal, Mary is quoted as saying, "There hasn't been a defense bar for 20 years. Accused people never see a lawyer. The large goal is to help train Afghan lawyers. The closer goal is to try to get some people out of jail. There actually are laws [in Afghanistan] about how long accused persons can be held, but nobody's keeping those laws." Returning home to Brentwood, Mary shared her experiences of Afghanistan and helped us to have a better understanding of the people in Kabul.
Appointed by Governor David Paterson, and approved by the New York State Senate in June of 2008, Sister Mary Ross, CSJ now serves as Commissioner of Parole. The first Religious in the history of the State of New York to serve as Commissioner. Mary's wealth of experience from the classroom to the courtroom only added to her role as Commissioner of Parole.
Mary has served on the WREF since its founding in 1989. She has been the recipient of the Eleanor Roosevelt award for Community Service and received the Presidential Award for Voluntary Service.
Janet Johnson
Sister Mary Ross
Evelyn Stock
Camille Murphy
It was in her Queens office that Mary heard the call for volunteers to spend eight weeks in Kabul, Afghanistan. Through the International Legal Foundation of New York, Mary would be part of a team that would work to bring a greater awareness of defense law to war torn Afghanistan. In The New York Law Journal, Mary is quoted as saying, "There hasn't been a defense bar for 20 years. Accused people never see a lawyer. The large goal is to help train Afghan lawyers. The closer goal is to try to get some people out of jail. There actually are laws [in Afghanistan] about how long accused persons can be held, but nobody's keeping those laws." Returning home to Brentwood, Mary shared her experiences of Afghanistan and helped us to have a better understanding of the people in Kabul.
Appointed by Governor David Paterson, and approved by the New York State Senate in June of 2008, Sister Mary Ross, CSJ now serves as Commissioner of Parole. The first Religious in the history of the State of New York to serve as Commissioner. Mary's wealth of experience from the classroom to the courtroom only added to her role as Commissioner of Parole.
Mary has served on the WREF since its founding in 1989. She has been the recipient of the Eleanor Roosevelt award for Community Service and received the Presidential Award for Voluntary Service.
Janet Johnson
Sister Mary Ross
Evelyn Stock
Camille Murphy
