Meet the Staff
Our staff consists of a Director, an Associate Director, and a Case Manager. Together they coordinate around 100 volunteers and partners to provide all KWC services.
Director
After joining the Benedictine Sisters in 1986, S. Bridget taught English and Theology for almost 25 years in area high schools. She served as principal for six years at Maur Hill-Mount Academy. She has a Master Degree in Theology, School Administration, and is a certified Spiritual Director.
In the summer of 2010, she found a new calling as Associate Director of the Keeler Women’s Center. As such, Sister Bridget provided classes, retreats, and services to women at Keeler and visited women in the Wyandotte County jail.
In 2016, Sister Bridget became the director of the Keeler Women’s Center. Now, she is serving as the public face for the center and works with volunteers and partners to offer a wide variety of classes and services.
S. Bridget is currently serving as a member of the Monastic Council for the Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica.
Associate Director
Brenda comes from a diverse background in local, national, and global nonprofits. As a fully bilingual person, Brenda works directly with the Hispanic population.
Brenda holds certifications in Computer Applications, Trauma-Informed Care, and Home Counseling.
Her other professional certifications include Parent Project education, adult learning, and facilitator trainer for community conversations.
Brenda is responsible for writing and managing Keeler’s print publications, social media, and website.
Brenda is one of our certified bilingual spiritual directors. She recently completed her oblation with the Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica monastery.
Counseling Services Director
Dr. Silvia Byer is a multilingual scholar and committed community advocate.
Argentinian-Italian roots and an upbringing in Buenos Aires and Turin, Italy, shaped her deep appreciation for cultural diversity, community, and lifelong learning. She brings a rich cross-cultural perspective shaped by life in South America, Europe, and the United States. She earned a Ph.D. from UNC-Chapel Hill and served as a college professor, teaching and publishing extensively on Renaissance mystic writers; later, her passion for service inspired her to pursue a Master of Social Work.
Today, Silvia combines her cultural sensitivity, academic background, and lived experience to advocate for patient-centered care. In the past few years, through her work with KU Cancer Center, Samuel Rodgers, and now as Counseling Services Director at Keeler Women’s Center, she has helped shape more inclusive mental health practices and educational outreach. Her compassionate involvement in Grief and Loss
Group has deepened her understanding of the emotional and spiritual dimensions of healing, reinforcing her commitment to walking alongside those in mourning.
Her cross-cultural insight and commitment to service define her evolving role as a scholar and social worker. Dr. Byer also holds certification in Tobacco Cessation and Addiction from KU Cancer Center and serves as a Patient Research Advocate.
Fluent in Spanish, Italian, English, and French, she uses her linguistic and cultural expertise to support underserved communities. She will also be collaborating with the Northeast Kansas Archdiocese to support the Hispanic Ministry in their mission, further aligning her academic background with her commitment to social impact and inclusive outreach.
Case Manager
Sister Maria Nyugen is originally from Vietnam. In 1979, Sister Maria earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Benedictine College and joined the Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica in 1981.
In 1990, Sister Maria earned her Master’s degree in Social Work from St. Louis University, becoming the first Catholic nun to work at Barnes and Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri.
In 1994, she returned to Kansas City and worked for thirty years at Research Medical Center. Sister Maria completed the Souljourners Spiritual Direction program in 2016.
In 2024, Sister Maria joined Keeler Women’s Center as a case manager and spiritual director. Sister Maria still serves as a consultant to many religious communities nationally and internationally. Very active in the Vietnamese Catholic Church community, she continues to work with youth groups.