Two long-time finance ministry leaders in the Diocesan Pastoral Center (DPC) have taken on new titles and responsibilities while a third has expanded her scope of work from the Catholic schools to all diocesan entities, Diocesan Chief Financial Officer(CFO) Jorge Montenegro announced.
The moves are meant to foster greater continuity and connection among the accounting ministries of the Diocese, Montenegro said.
“I want to provide continuity in the [accounting] process and I want to make sure that the integrity of the transactions is not compromised because the duties of the different finance ministries are too segregated,” he explained.
Trang Pham, a 31-year veteran of the Finance Department who has served as Director of the Payroll Office, has been named Treasurer of the Diocesan Pastoral Center. She will continue to manage the data essential for the payment of diocesan employees, but she will also now monitor treasury activities of the Diocese that supply income for those personnel costs.
“After 31 years of dedication to the Payroll Services ministry I thought this would be my lifetime commitment,” said Pham. “I was pleasantly surprised to be given an opportunity to expand my horizon into the Treasury field. “
Norma Negrette, who has worked in the Payroll Office of the Diocese since 1991, will succeed Pham as the new Director of Payroll.
Meanwhile, longtime accounting ministry leader Peggy Koster has been named Controller for Special Projects of the CFO. Koster has worked in accounting ministry for the Diocese for 37 years, the last three as Controller. She had previously served as Director of the Diocesan Office of Accounting for 23 years.
A Controller works essentially as the lead accountant for an organization, making sure that ledgers accurately reflect both income and expenditure. Special Projects on which Koster will focus for CFO Montenegro include the DPC system for online approval of payments; budget account analysis program for the DPC and Financial Statements for the Diocesan corporation.
“It’s a new challenge,” Koster said. “I’m working on things I haven’t done before but I’m also able to pass down by knowledge of accounting to others in the [Finance] Department.”
Diana Silvas has worked for the past two years as Controller for the Catholic schools of the Diocese. She has also served as a resource to parish bookkeepers through the Parish Assistance ministry of the Diocese. With Koster nearing retirement, Silvas will transition to the leading role of Controller of the Diocese.
“I’m excited to expand my role at the Diocese and look forward to the new opportunities that God has brought into my life,” she said.
Silvas and Koster are working on a continued partnership to ensure adequate cross training is completed, Montenegro said, adding that their collaboration will promote a constant flow of information to diocesan financial boards and councils.
Also joining the accounting team at the DPC is Kaarla DeLeon, who has been named Assistant Controller. DeLeon comes to the Diocese from Sacred Heart Parish in Palm Desert, where she had served as bookkeeper for the past seven years.
Since becoming diocesan CFO in October of 2020 Montenegro has implemented new software for accounting (Sage Intacct) and payroll (ADP).