Staff and Leadership

Fr. Stephen Smith, Pastor

Fr. Smith graduated from the Pontifical College Josephinum in 2016 and was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Columbus by the Most Reverend Frederick F. Campbell, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Columbus on May 28, 2016. 

His first assignment was at the Scioto-Jackson county consortium of parishes serving St. Peter in Chains, St. Monica, Holy Redeemer, St. Mary and Holy Trinity as well as Notre Dame Elementary and High Schools. 

In 2018, he moved to St. Joan of Arc in Powell, Ohio serving as Parochial Vicar for 3 years before being named Pastor of Church of the Ascension in July 2021. 

Fr. Smith has three sisters; two live in Ohio and his youngest sister and her family live in Western Montana. Father has 6 nephews and 5 nieces. His parents live in South West Florida and Father enjoys visiting them especially during the colder months in Ohio.

Fr. Smith enjoys gardening, fishing, hunting and pretty much any outdoor activity. 

Fr. Smith has a passion for teaching the faith and calling others to respond to the call of God. He is excited to welcome you to our growing parish!

Please be sure to introduce yourself to Fr. Smith after Mass!

Schedule a meeting with Fr. Smith

Contact Father Smith

Fr. Jesse Chi Chick, CFIC, Parochial Vicar

Rev, Father Jesse Chick, Belongs to a Religious order called; Congregation of the Sons of the Immaculate Conception (CFIC). He was born on 05/02/1977 at Mbengwi, Momo Division in the N.W. Region of Cameroon. He is the fifth child out of the seven children God gave to James Chick and Helen Arabeng, his parents.

He became aware of his vocation to become a priest at the age of five, and after his secondary education, joined the CFIC in 1989. He then went through the formation process of aspirancy, postulancy and novitiate and made his first religious profession on September 22nd,2002. After novitiate, he had four years of philosophy, an apostolic year, and four years of theological studies and was ordained priest on April 9th,2010.

As a priest and missionary Rev. Father Chick has served his congregation in the following capacities: Vocation director and formator of religious seminarians in Cameroon and Nigeria, Curate of Queen of Peace parish in Njimafor, Bamenda, in the North West region of Cameroon. Pastor of Our Lady Mother of Mercy Parish Abijo in Lagos Nigeria.

In 2017, Fr Jesse was invited to the United States to serve as a hospital chaplain. And since then, he has been working as a hospital chaplain in Mount Carmel’s health system, including Riverside Methodist hospital, up to his recent appointment as vicar of the Church of Ascension, Johnstown Ohio.

Fr. Jesse loves preaching the word of God, playing soccer, cooking and driving. Fr Chick would like to learn hunting, fishing and farming.

Contact Father Jesse

Deacon Byron Philips, Permanent Deacon 

Deacon Byron Philips was ordained to the Permanent Diaconate by the the Most Reverend James A. Griffin, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Columbus on February 3, 2001. Since then, he has served in many capacities in the Diocese of Columbus. First for Church of the Resurrection in New Albany from 2001-2013 as a Deacon as well as being on the business staff. In 2013, Deacon Byron moved to serve St. Christopher in Grandview until his appointment as deacon at Church of the Ascension in 2020. 

Deacon Byron has also served as an Adjunct Instructor at the Ohio Dominican University from 2008-2010, Adjunct Professor at the Pontifical College Josephinum from 2006-2011, Director of Apostolic Works at the Josephinum from 2010-2012 and a Faculty Member at Bishop Watterson High School from 2011-2017.

Contact Deacon Byron

Kathy Bartolomucci, Secretary and Bookkeeper

Kathy was born and raised in Apopka, Florida.  She moved to Ohio in 1984 and began working for the Diocese of Columbus that same year as the secretary/bookkeeper for Fr. Reichert at Holy Name Church in the Clintonville area.  She went with Fr. Reichert when he was  transferred to St. Mary’s Church in Groveport and also when he was transferred to  Church of the Ascension in Johnstown in July of 2003.  She continued to manage the office for Msgr. Cody and Fr. Ghiloni until Fr. Smith was assigned to Ascension in 2021.

Kathy has a daughter and a son and five grandchildren who bring her great joy! Please don’t hesitate to call if you need anything.

Contact Kathy

Valerie Tanner, Music Director

Valerie Tanner has worked in various catholic churches in the Diocese of Columbus and has been the Music Director at Church of the Ascension since January 2018.

Her early ambition was to travel the world performing opera; God, on the other hand, had other plans. Her Mother convinced her to become a cantor in the 7th grade in exchange for voice lessons. Mother knows best because once she started, she never stopped!

For 25 years, Valerie taught private voice lessons in southern Ohio and at the University of Rio Grande. She continued working as a Music Minister and always incorporated her students into her church work. Her students were soloists, choir members, and pianists. 

In 2015 Valerie committed to Music Ministry full-time and hasn't looked back since. Praying through song and using our God-given talents to worship is at the heart of Valerie's ministry. All are welcome to join!

To sing is to pray twice. ~ St. Augustine

Contact Valerie

Mary Nelson, Youth Minister

Mary and her husband Randy live in Westerville with their 3 daughters: Maura, Fiona and Cara. Mary grew up on a small farm in NW Ohio and loves being outdoors. When weather is nice she and her family can be found hiking, taking trips to the playground or zoo.  

Mary’s goal in ministry is to allow youth a place where they can relax and be 100% themselves with no pressure from peers, while facilitating faith-based discussions that relate to their everyday lives. She looks forward to watching this program grow and becoming part of the parish family. 

Contact Mary

Kelly Pertee, Director of Parish Youth Catechesis (PYC)

Kelly Pertee grew up in the Church of Ascension.  She is a graduate of Ohio Dominican University with a degree in Theology and Environmental Science.  During college, she was a student missionary with Saint Paul's Outreach.  After college, she did a year of mission work with Saint Paul's Outreach.  She then headed to Washington D.C., where she was a missionary with A Simple House of Sts. Francis and Alphonsus serving the poor in project neighborhoods.  Later, she served with A Simple House in Kansas City, MO.  Afterward, she moved back to Johnstown to take care of her family.  She has served as the  Director of Parish Youth Catechesis for 11 years.

Contact Kelly

Carrie Suess, Director of Adult Faith and Growth

Carrie was born and grew up in suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but has spent the last 15 years in Johnstown. God has graced her with talents including the visual arts and an insatiable curiosity for truth. Carrie’s love of God and His creation has translated into an enjoyment of science, nature, theology, Catholic apologetics and God’s beauty all around us. 

Carrie is a revert to Catholicism, a defender of the catechism, as well as an on-fire soul for evangelizing the fallen away and the lukewarm and here’s why: Her experience in her youth with lukewarm church leaders repelled her from Catholicism and nearly Christianity altogether. 

Jesus gently (and sometimes miraculously and mysteriously) kept Carrie in His fold. She experienced the Holy Spirit drawing her back through many faith communities until she wound up back home at the church founded by her Savior, the Catholic Church. 

In her journey she has sought out answers to many questions the church goers of her youth could not answer. She has learned much in her journey but is always ready to see where her deficiencies lay and her ignorance betrays her. She has both a scientific and creative mind battling to reveal an amazing God to everyone she can! Carrie embraces many of the joyful ways our Protestant brethren praise and worship and she respect their ability to know and recite scripture. 

However, she also reveres the Church as Christ’s creation and commission. Carrie understands the history of the fathers and the rich traditions that have come from Jesus and were instituted by the apostles, our first priests, and Peter, our first Pope. Respect and faith in our rich faith tradition has swallowed her heart. 

Carrie hopes that she is humble enough for our creator to allow her to be the vessel by which our faith community will find growth and inspiration to be active and missionary brothers and sisters for His glory!”

Contact Carrie

Jeff Thomas, Director of Communications

Jeff graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor's degree in communication in 2007. That same year he was received into the Catholic Church. Since then Jeff has been active in the church and working in communications professionally for major corporations in the Columbus area. After spending some time at St. Patrick Church and Holy Family Church, Jeff and his family settled in Johnstown and Church of the Ascension. 

Jeff has a passion for marketing and communications. He enjoys finding new and engaging ways to communicate what's happening in the church and opportunities to grow in the faith. In the summer of 2021 Jeff began leading the communications ministry for Church of the Ascension. If you're interested in marketing, communications, community outreach, social media or simply creating stronger connections between people and their faith, please introduce yourself. 

Contact Jeff

Jim Stafford, Maintenance

Jim Williams, Maintenance

Maureen Keebaugh, Office Assistant

Kathy Stafford, Office Assistant

Bob McCormick, Janitorial