Learn about the Panelists
Most Reverend Earl K. Fernandes, Bishop of the Diocese of Columbus
Bishop Earl K. Fernandes was ordained and installed as the 13th Bishop of the Diocese of Columbus on May 31, 2022. He served as pastor of St. Ignatius of Loyola Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, from 2019 until his ordination and installation. From 2016-2019, he was a member of the Staff of the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, D.C. From 2008-2016, he was the Dean of the Athenaeum of Ohio/Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary of the West in Cincinnati and an associate professor of moral theology. He holds a doctorate in moral theology from the Alphonsian Academy in Rome. He has given presentations, talks, and retreats around the country and has published articles in three collections of essays published by the Institute for Priestly Formation in Omaha, which also published a book he authored in 2014. Father Fernandes’ scholarly essays have also appeared in Seminary Journal, Homiletic and Pastoral Review, the Linacre Quarterly, and the Journal of the National Apostolate for Inclusion Ministry. His articles in the latter two addressed issues of persons with disabilities.
Dr. Richard Anthony (Tony) Gallenstein, Professor of Public Policy at Catholic University of America
Dr. Richard Anthony (Tony) Gallenstein attended The Ohio State University from 2006 to 2017, earning two bachelors, a masters, and a Ph.D. from OSU. After graduating in 2017, he joined the faculty in the Department of Economics at Catholic University of America (CUA) that same year. Dr. Gallenstein's research areas include international development, microfinance, behavioral economics, and a growing research program on AI. In 2023, Dr. Gallenstein founded the Master of Public Policy program at CUA, which trains students to apply Catholic Social Teaching to the design and implementation of public policy with the goal of pursuing the common good. His courses at CUA include Public Policy for the Common Good, Catholic Social Teaching for Public Policy, Advanced Microeconomics, Experimental Economics, Applied Econometrics, and Machine Learning for Economics and Policy.
Matthew Jones, Engineering Manager
Matthew Jones is a Buckeye Catholic alum and studied engineering and philosophy at The Ohio State University. A lifelong Catholic, he is a father of two with a loving wife who is the head of English at Bishop Watterson High School. He works as an engineering manager for an S&P 500 industry-leading tech company focused on AI, data, and applications for pharma, biotech, and medtech companies. He is an AI governance professional on various international subcommittees for the pharmaceutical industry focused on data models, regulatory compliance, and workplace preparedness.