Meet the Staff

Sr. Walter Maher, CCVI, is Vice President for Mission and Ministry. She has been with UIW since 1972. Sr. Maher previously served as a General Councilor for the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. She has a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from St. Mary’s University, a Master of Arts in Library Science from Dominican University, and a Bachelor of Arts in History and English from Incarnate Word College.

As the Administrative Assistant, for Sr. Walter Maher, VP of Mission and Ministry, Gisela Mazuca finds herself coming full circle at the University of the Incarnate Word. After earning a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of the Incarnate Word and having worked for one of San Antonio’s major school districts for over 30 years, Gisela found herself back where it all began. Overseeing the main office and all its components, she is excited for the opportunity to work in higher education. She feels at home using her gifts to serve the Office of Mission and Ministry. Her hobbies include spending time with family, traveling and crafting.

Lena is the Director of Music Ministries and Coordinator for Liturgy and Media for the University Mission and Ministry. She holds a BM in organ performance from the University of the Incarnate Word and an MM in organ performance with a concentration in church music and education from Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ. In addition to her role at UIW, Lena currently serves as the Advocacy and Affiliation Forum chair for the National Association of Pastoral Musicians, a board member (placement) for the Alamo Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, and is a board member for St. Anthony Catholic High School. She enjoys the outdoors, cooking, and watching the antics of her little dogs. Her most profound service and love are to her family – husband, Bill, and son, Chris – also active professional musicians and music ministers.

As a life-long pastoral musician, Lena believes music ministry focuses on the connection between what we say, play and sing. As ministers of music, we not only have the privilege of enhancing the beauty already inherent in the Sacred Liturgy, but we make tangible the Gospel in our lives – sharing God’s love, passing on our faith, and being instruments of peace and justice in the world. Among her passions is mentoring the next generation of pastoral musicians.

Carmen Aguilera is the Liturgy and Music Assistant for Mission and Ministry. She is proud to say she is a two-time Alumna of UIW, earning her Bachelor of Arts in Music and Master of Arts in Religious Studies. As the Liturgy and Music Assistant, Carmen works alongside students, faculty, CCVI, and community volunteers to plan and enrich liturgical celebrations on campus. She is also involved in the National Association for Pastoral Musicians where she is a member of the Advocacy and Affiliation Forum. When she isn’t at work, Carmen loves to spend time with her husband and three dogs, playing board games or reading.

Bishop Trevor was born in Romford, Essex, in England. He and his wife the Rev. Dr. Emma Alexander, have three wonderful girls. Bishop Trevor retired from the U.S. Army in 1995. Bishop Trevor holds an undergraduate degree from the University of the Incarnate Word in Psychology (holding an emphasis on family) and Religious Studies, along with a Master of Arts degree in Pastoral Ministry from the Oblate School of Theology, a Doctor of Divinity Degree from St. Thomas Christian College and Seminary, Jacksonville, Florida, and is currently working on his Doctorate of Christian Counseling, Bread of Life Theological Seminary, in San Antonio, Texas.

Bishop Alexander is a Protestant Chaplain and Adjunct Faculty member at the University of Incarnate Word. Amongst his other accomplishments, he is the Senior Pastor of True Vine Church and the Southwest Texas Regional Bishop for the Kingdom Council of Interdependent Christian Churches and Ministries.

Bishop Trevor has published several articles on matters about the African American community and has presented in numerous conferences, locally, nationally and internationally. On February 15, 2016, he was inducted into the San Antonio Black Worship Hall of Fame. In February in 2018, Bishop was recognized by the University of the Incarnate Word, Black History Month Committee, with an Alumni of Distinction Ward.

Born in Livingstone, Zambia, Africa, to Catherine Chendamukanwa and Perry Kalaluka, Fr. Hector is the third born of six children (three males and three females). His family is very Catholic and shares a very close bond. Fr. Hector attended primary and high school in Zambia at Catholic schools managed by the Christian brothers, namely St. Raphael's High School. After High school, Fr. Hector worked with a faith-based non-governmental organization called Youth Alive Zambia-Livingstone Branch.

In 2005, he joined the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Lusaka, Zambia. After almost two years of pre-novitiate, Fr. Hector was sent to do his novitiate in Godfrey, Illinois, USA, and professed his first religious vows as a Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate on the 1st of August 2007 at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Snows in Bellevue, Illinois. After the profession of first vows, Fr. Hector continued with his Oblate Formation in Cameroon, Central Africa. He learned French and studied a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and religious studies there. In 2011, he returned to his native country Zambia for a one-year pastoral internship and then proceeded to Rome, Italy, for his theological studies at the Gregorian Pontifical University.

In 2015, Fr. Hector professed his perpetual vows in the congregation of the Missionary Oblates and subsequently got ordained and returned to Zambia for ministry. While in Zambia, Fr. Hector worked in parish ministries in Lusaka, Shangombo, and Lukulu missions. In 2018, he returned to the USA to pursue his post-graduate studies in the Contemporary Christian Spirituality Ph.D. program at Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas. His research area of interest is ecological spirituality, focusing on ethics and Catholic social justice. In 2021, Fr. Hector took up parish ministry and criminal justice chaplaincy in the Archdiocese of San Antonio, Texas. Currently, he is a chaplain at the University of the Incarnate Word and a part-time professor in the faculty of religious studies teaching environmental theology and ethics.

Fr. Benny Kupangula Lipalata, born on December 3, 1985, in Zambia, is a member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. He joined in 2006 and made his first profession in 2009 in Namibia. He began his priestly formation studies of philosophy at St. Joseph Theological Institute, in South Africa. In 2011, Fr. Benny went back to Zambia for his pastoral service internship in a parish and at a radio station. From 2012-2017, he continued his priestly formation in Cameroon, in French. As an Oblate, his ministry focuses on all the poor of Christ: the physically and spiritually poor.

Ordained in 2018, his first assignment was at a parish in Kalabo, Zambia. He ministered there and served as the Treasurer of the mission. Having had all his formation in Africa, Fr. Benny got the biggest surprise of his life, when he was asked to do ministry in the United States. His first assignment was in New Orleans, LA at the St. Jude shrine. The shrine is located on the edge of the French Quarter and serves the tourists, the homeless, and the locals.

In 2020, Fr. Benny was asked to go and serve the Native Americans in Minnesota. He administered parishes on the reservation, celebrated masses, taught catechism, helped with retreats for the youth, assisted in many community activities, and visited homes for the sick and the dying. Despite the harsh winters, Fr. Benny loved the mission so much and he received back so much love too!

In 2023, he came to the University of the Incarnate Word and currently serves as a Catholic Associate Chaplain working alongside the campus mission and ministry team. While the locations have changed, the purpose of his Oblate life has always remained the same, to evangelize, bringing and preaching God’s love to his people. However, ministering in the United States has had its unique challenges. “The people are very busy, they have not much time, even an hour mass on a Sunday becomes a problem. Could this be one of the reasons why faith has gone down? How would people understand their faith if the simple faith experience stories in the scriptures are not explained to them?” – Fr. Benny

St. Paul writing to the Romans tells us that faith comes from hearing it.

“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” Romans 10:14.

Fr. Benny is passionate about evangelization and is very happy to be at the University of the Incarnate Word, where the community is hungry for God’s word and eager to learn more about their faith.

David Javier Bayardo, MDiv, MATS

David J. Bayardo holds the Director of Mission Integration position at UIWSOM and has worked within the UIW Mission and Ministry department since 2019. David earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Saint Joseph Abbey and Seminary College in St. Benedict, LA, in 2007 and has been actively involved as a ministry and religious education leader ever since. 

Inspired by his passion to serve others and the Church, in 2014, David earned a master’s degree in divinity (MDiv.) and a master’s degree in theological studies (MATS) from The School of Theology at The University of St. Thomas in Houston, TX. Over the past ten years, David has served in didactic, ministerial, and administrative roles in Catholic parishes, schools, and institutions. He eagerly brings that experience and zeal for serving others through the inspiration of the Gospel to UIWSOM.

David is in his second year of earning his PhD in Christian Spirituality at the Oblate School of Theology. He plans to dedicate his research to Spirituality in Institutional Mission and Leadership.

David dedicates his service to the students, staff, faculty, and administration of SOM to honor, maintain, and advance the original mission of the University of the Incarnate Word and its indissoluble connection to The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.

Dr. Arturo Chávez currently serves as the Associate Vice President for Mission at the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) in San Antonio, TX. He develops, supports, and oversees the University’s DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs and initiatives. Previously, he served as the President of MACC, the Mexican American Catholic College – also in San Antonio, Texas. He helped transition MACC from a Cultural Center to a Catholic College that offers B.A. and M.A. degrees in Pastoral Ministry in partnership with UIW. The unique degree plans are offered bilingually to meet the growing needs of Latinos for higher education, especially for service in faith communities.

Over the years, Dr. Chávez has also served as a teacher, youth minister, a chaplain to the incarcerated, and a community organizer. He founded a nonprofit youth organization called JOVEN and was instrumental in establishing other faith-based partnerships to address the urgent needs of immigrants, formerly incarcerated people, and families who are poor, unsheltered, and disenfranchised. Nationally recognized for these efforts to combat racism and poverty, President Obama appointed him – along with 24 other national leaders – to serve on the inaugural White House Council for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships in 2009.

Dr. Chávez holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of Incarnate Word, a Masters degree from Oblate School of Theology of the Southwest, and a Ph.D. in Religious and Theological Studies, from the University of Denver and the Iliff School of Theology, with a focus on the relationship between religion and social change.