Meet Our New Executive Director

By Danielle Lankford, Guadalupe School Communication Specialist


As you may know, our Executive Director of ten years, Vicki Mori, has announced her retirement from Guadalupe School this year. However, so we can continue to utilize her vision and knowledge of our organization, she will take a place on the Board of Directors after her retirement. 

At this time, we are proud to announce that Richard L. Pater has been selected as our next Executive Director. Mr. Pater says that although Vicki's shoes may be small, they will be a challenge to fill; but we have confidence that he will lead the way to many more years of success.

Here’s what you should know about our new Executive Director:

What is your educational background?

I earned a Honors Bachelor of Science degree in Economics with a Business Minor and a Research Scholar designation from the Honor College at the University of Utah, and I earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the David Eccles School of Business, at the University of Utah.

 Tell me about your management consulting career.

Management consultants are hired when a company has a problem that they lack the internal expertise to solve. They would hire me to prepare a strategic plan to address the problem and sometimes retain me to implement that plan.

 Tell me about where you grew up.

I had a fantastic childhood. I was born in Utah and spent my winters here, but my family went to California for several months every summer. I got to spend winters in the snow and summers at the beach. What child wouldn’t have loved that? Salt Lake was always our primary home so I went to school and began my career here.

 What do you think sets Guadalupe School apart?

I think there are a couple things. First, our staff is incredibly dedicated and talented and really focuses on the needs of our families, and second, the way we interact with our students allows us to not only meet learning needs, but also to create a nurturing environment where students see that there are many opportunities they can pursue through education.

 What have you enjoyed about working here?

I think that we are really opening doors for so many of our families. When you walk down the halls or meet our students and parents, you recognize their potential in so many ways. Knowing that we are helping change lives and make a difference every day, makes being here so rewarding.

 What would you like parents to know?

Although the building is new, our commitment hasn’t changed. This coming year will mark our 50th anniversary as an agency.  We began with a focus on our families and now, some fifty years later that remains the focus today. We will continue fulfilling the vision that began all those years ago, and I am dedicated to the vision, mission and to the families we serve.

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