Team

CEO & Board Chair

Josephine Grillo Sullivan

In 1982, Josephine Sullivan, after the birth of her daughter Christina, became affiliated with The Institutes for the Achievement for Human Potential located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Hope was to retrain her severely brain-damaged baby’s neurological pathways. With over 100 volunteers from various churches, schools, and groups, she organized and implemented a sixteen hour a day program in her home that she maintained for four years. The program included “patterning,” designed by the institutes Doman-Delacato technique and NASA, that had promised in neurological retraining pathways. Most of all, the program brought Hope. Josephine was an innovator and sought to assist her daughter by inventing an orthotic device that designed to support her daughter’s head, neck, and upper torso—improving respiration and her quality of life.

Josephine, with her family, worked with Senator Chris Harris and Toby Goodman as a Legislative Advocate for the disabled’s rights, which took six years and three legislations to pass. In 1999, Senate Bill 731 passed and signed into law by the then Governor George W. Bush.

In 2017, Josephine was active in developing a guide to identifying terminology as it related to traumatic brain injury in acute care settings in the United States, with members in attendance from around the world at the Galveston Brain Injury Conference.

In 2018, Josephine selected to serve on the United States Tennis Association, Texas, as a Developmental Committee Member for Adaptive and Wheelchair Tennis. She is also a Sponsor through the foundation for the Galveston Independent School District and Special Olympics TX Unified Champion School Banner Program. Josephine is a Certified and Trained Special Olympics TX Coach in Adaptive Sports.

In 2015 Josephine created the Galveston Island Tennis League as Coordinator and in 2020 currently serves as Director of the Gulf Coast Tennis Association. Galveston IDS/ESL Committee member: Galveston Community Tennis Association, Board Chair, and Director.

Josephine is involved with her community as a Reader and Eucharistic Minister of her strong Catholic Faith. Josephine is also a volunteer at the University of Texas Medical Branch, working with Moody Neurorehabilitation and Tideway Traumatic Brain Injury residence. Josephine is a native Galvestonian and is a 1980 graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University. She completed her undergraduate degree with a Bachelor of Science in Health & Education.

In 2017, she founded, along with her family, The Christina Sullivan Foundation, in memory of her loving daughter.

Chief Operating Officer

Craig Sullivan

Craig Sullivan is a graduate of the University Texas of Arlington, having studied Business Administration with an emphasis on pre-law. Craig demonstrated a passion for entrepreneurship and started his first company at the age of eighteen, and by age twenty-one, he had started three new business ventures. Craig held an instrumental role in taking over and revitalizing the development of a “deposit processing teller system” for some of the largest banks and retailers in the United States. Additionally, he negotiated with manufacturers in Japan for coin sorting and bill counter equipment to utilize with the software.

Craig, along with his family, worked alongside Senator Chris Harris and Toby Goodman as a Legislative Advocate for the disabled’s rights, which took six years and three legislations to pass. In 1999, Senate Bill 731 passed and signed into law by the then Governor George W. Bush.

Craig is a Eucharistic Minister and a member of Holy Family Parish. Craig also volunteers at the University of Texas Medical Branch, working with Moody Neurorehabilitation and Tideway Traumatic Brain Injury residence.

In 2017, he founded, along with his family, The Christina Sullivan Foundation, in memory of his loving daughter.

Chief Financial Officer

Christian Sullivan

Christian Sullivan is a graduate of Texas Christian University, located in Fort Worth, Texas. He completed his undergraduate studies with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with an emphasis on Experimental Psychology. Christian has presented research at the South Western Psychology Association in San Antonio, Texas SPSP Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Long Beach, CA. When Presented with a Mortality Salience Presented at CO3, Comparative Cognition Society, Melbourne, FL Research on Occasion Setting utilizing virtual reality technology. Christian was the youngest Texan to testify to the Jurisprudence Committee as part of the passing of Senate Bill 731 for the rights of the disabled working with his family, Senator Chris Harris and Toby Goodman on Texas legislation, and in 1999 Senate Bill 731 passed and signed into law by the then Governor George W. Bush. Christian was honored to receive a United States Trademark for the foundation’s logo. https://thechristinasullivanfoundation.org/about-our-logo/In 2017, he founded, along with his family, The Christina Sullivan Foundation, in loving memory of his sister.

Board of Director Member

Robert Mihovil

Robert Mihovil is a Galveston/Houston freelance photographer. His work has achieved national recognition through its use in news and general interest publications, advertisements, annual reports, illustrated brochures, membership directories, political campaigns, travel guides, and web sites. A graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, Robert majored in photography and received a Bachelor of Journalism degree in 1980. After graduation, he worked as a staff photographer for five years at the Galveston Daily News. Upon leaving the newspaper, Robert established his photography studio, where he continues to cover assignments for a diverse clientele. An active member of the Galveston community, Robert is the Program Chairman, Crime Watch Director, and past President of the University Area Association neighborhood. Robert serves on the Community Advisory Board for the Galveston National Laboratory at UTMB and Texas A&M Sea Camp. He has been an usher at Sacred Heart Church for 30 years and is a member of the Galveston Chamber of Commerce.

Board of Director

John Catanzaro

Originally from the Panama Canal Zone, John Catanzaro graduated in 1988 from Texas A&M University at Galveston with a BS Degree in Marine Engineering. At graduation, he earned and was sworn in as an officer in the United States Naval Reserve and as an Engineering Officer by the United States Coast Guard as a US Merchant Marine Officer. For over 25 years,

Mr. Catanzaro has sailed and worked around the world as a Chief Engineer responsible for the maintenance, operation, repair, safety, and security of large oceangoing ships. For over 25 years,

Mr. Catanzaro served and achieved the rank of Commander in the US Naval Reserve. His naval career supported a variety of activities from Naval Engineering support to the Fleet to Maritime Security, Anti-Piracy, Counterterrorism, and Intelligence Analyst. Mr. Catanzaro has also been active as a General Contractor for residential construction, Engineering Consultant, and Professional Witness.

Retirement from the Maritime Industry, he spends his time as a Multifamily Real Estate Investor. However, most of his time consumed as an active Boy Scout Leader with an emphasis on vocational STEM education. He shares his skills and hands-on experience in engineering and technical fields such as welding, electricity, electronics, aviation, and metalworking. He has been a coach too much local youth baseball, basketball, and tennis organizations.

Board Advisory Committee Member

Connie Schnitger

Connie is a retired nurse who worked at Petrosky Elementary in Houston, Texas. She studied at Wesley School of Nursing in Wichita, Kansas. Connie’s dedication to the Christina Sullivan Foundation started in 2017 as a volunteer. Connie’s caring, compassionate and unwavering commitment giving over 300 hours working with children and adults with intellectual and physical challenges through the Foundations Recreational Therapeutic Adaptive Unified Sports and Fitness Programs. She is now a Certified SOTX Golf Coach for the Foundations Adaptive Sports Programs. She assists in event planning for the Foundation Fund Raisers throughout the year and is an intracule part of the Foundation’s Board as a Board Advisory Committee Member.

Board Advisory Committee Member

Bob Amador

Bob Amador is associated with the University of Texas Medical Branch in Logistics. His dedication to the Christina Sullivan Foundation started in 2018 as a “Buddy” volunteer. With over 200 hours working with children and adults with intellectual and physical challenges through the Foundation’s Recreational Therapeutic Adaptive and Unified Sports and Fitness Programs. He is now a Certified SOTX Aquatics and Tennis Coach for the Foundations Adaptive Sports Programs. Bob assists in event planning for the Foundation Fund Raisers throughout the year and is an intracule part of the Foundation’s Board as a Board Advisory Committee Member.

Branding Ambassador

Henry Cox

Henry Cox was born with one arm 75 years ago. He is living proof that people with disabilities can overcome the challenges in life and succeed. In Lincoln, Nebraska, he received the 1987 USTA Community Service Award winner. Henry managed and taught tennis professionally at the Woods Tennis Center and the head professional at the Lincoln Country Club. Henry attended Nebraska Wesleyan College, where he was a member of the Sports Hall of Fame and is the prime motivating force behind a resurgence of public tennis efforts in Lincoln.

He was instrumental in creating the USTA Schools Program in that city and supervised summer follow-through programs. He has also developed a traveling team for the tournament-level juniors in Lincoln and started the booster programs at Nebraska Wesleyan and the University of Nebraska. As if all that wasn’t enough, Henry also volunteers his time to serve as the Second Vice-President of the Nebraska Tennis Association.

He was Awarded in 2020 the first USTA Texas Henry C. Cox Adaptive Tennis Award that honors an individual or organization that has been instrumental in the development of adaptive tennis through playing, coaching, sponsoring or promoting tennis for those with disabilities abilities. His fifty years of experience and dedication towards inclusion for all athletes is an immeasurable gift to The Christina Sullivan Foundation, and those served as Branding Manager.

Spiritual Advisor

Father Jude Ekenedilichkwu Ezuma

Fr. Jude Ekenedilichukwu  Ezuma was born on February 10, 1979, in Lagos, Nigeria, to Michael and Philomena Ezuma. Fr. Jude began his Seminary Formation in 2000 with the Josephites until 2006 when he was called to join the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston to continue his discernment to the priesthood.

Fr. Jude was ordained on June 4, 2011, as a priest for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart and was immediately assigned as the Parochial Vicar at the Co-Cathedral for three years, serving the people of God with great joy. He then served as the Parochial Vicar at Holy Family Parish in Galveston Bolivar.

In 2015, he returned to Houston to serve as secretary to Daniel Cardinal DiNardo. He was assigned to be Pastor of Holy Family Parish, Galveston Bolivar, on July 1, 2017.

Father Jude’s guidance for The Christina Sullivan Foundation and the family after their daughter and sister’s passing became the onset of his work for the Foundation today. To Josephine, he said, “If you just listen, Our Heavenly Father will guide you on your next journey. She listened, and heard his guidance that spiritually lead her to the Growing Foundation Family “Bringing People Hope and Inclusion.”