New executive communications director pleased to be of service
Cassandra Atchison had a great job, collaborating with people she continues to respect and admire.
But God made her heart restless.
“There was nothing broken or lacking in my work, but I began to recognize a kind of holy restlessness,” she recalled. “I’ve learned that when God stirs that restlessness, it’s often an invitation — not away from gratitude, but toward deeper service.”
She applied for the open position of executive director of communications for the Jefferson City diocese.
Bishop Ralph B. O’Donnell hired her, following a national search and a thorough interview process.
Her restlessness dissipated.
“Ever since I walked in the door here on my first day, it’s felt like home,” said Mrs. Atchison. “It feels like a natural fit.”
A wife, mother, lifelong Catholic, graduate of Helias Catholic High School and the University of Missouri, and former vice president of marketing for Modern Litho in Jefferson City, she brings familiarity, experience and an impressive skillset to her new role.
“The word ‘Catholic’ literally means universal — for everyone,” she said. “Thoughtful, faithful communication helps us reflect that reality: unity in diversity, truth spoken with charity, and a Church that is both ancient and alive in the world today.”
She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications with minors in psychology and Spanish, along with 15 years of experience in cross-channel marketing, print and digital media, branding, writing, market analysis and creative direction.
High stakes
One of Mrs. Atchison’s longtime spiritual guides is her uncle, Father Donald Antweiler, a retired priest of the diocese.
“I’ve come to greatly appreciate the beauty of the Catholic Church and the Catholic faith,” she said. “It means belonging to the Universal Church, rooted in Scripture and the Deposit of Faith.”
Transcending boundaries between the eternal and everyday life is an important part of evangelization.
“One of my deepest hopes in this role is to help translate the beauty and richness of our eternal faith into the language of the modern world — without diluting it.” said Mrs. Atchison.
“Evangelization happens when people can see how timeless truth speaks directly into everyday life,” she added.
As executive director of communications, she leads a five-member communications and information-technology staff, oversees the diocesan communications strategy and helps set the vision for it.
She is a member of the bishop’s cabinet of advisors.
“My role is fundamentally one of service — to support the bishop, our Chancery ministries, parishes and schools in sharing messages that are consistent, compelling and faithful to who we are as a Church,” she said.
This includes issuing press releases, answering media inquiries, promoting diocesan events and overseeing the production of The Catholic Missourian, development of multimedia content, the diocese’s social media presence and the growth of diocesan and parish websites.
“Every email, article, photo or campaign has an impact on real people we want to draw deeper into their faith and closer to Christ,” she said.
Heart of a servant
In an early interview for the communications position, Mrs. Atchison said her guiding principle is “to serve with a joyful heart.”
Only later did she find out that Bishop O’Donnell had chosen “Servite Domino in Laetitia” (“Serve the Lord with gladness”) from Psalm 100, as his episcopal motto.
“I took that as a profound affirmation,” she said. “‘Servite Domino in Laetitia’ beautifully captures how I try to lead — with joy, humility and a genuine desire to serve.”
She comes by her affinity for words and images honestly. Her parents, Richard and Karen Antweiler of Jefferson City, are both adept communicators and encouraged her to study media and messaging.
“I think they wanted me to have a skillset that I could apply to anything that I wanted,” she said. “Great communicators can affect and influence so many things in this world.”
She worked for a short time after graduation as a store manager in St. Louis and Columbia.
“I loved it,” she said. “I learned how to work with people, manage personnel, stay organized and serve customers,” she said.
She moved back to Jefferson City to accept a job at Modern Litho, a nationally-recognized commercial printing business.
“That’s where my love for marketing and communication flourished,” she said. “I realized that I cared a lot more about the conversations I was having with customers than I did the actual printing job itself. I wanted to be that line of communication and service.”
About 15 years ago, she established Modern Litho’s marketing department, serving as vice president of marketing before coming to the Chancery.
One of her mentors was Greg Meeker, the company’s retired owner and former vice president of sales.
“He showed me how you can stay true to Christian values in a business setting,” said Mrs. Atchison. “I saw him make hard decisions that I know most business owners would not make, but they were morally right, good for customers and ultimately good for business.”
He also showed her what servant leadership looks like in the marketplace.
“He is a very humble leader, focused on doing what’s best for his team and the people he serves,” said Mrs. Atchison.
With clients and coworkers, he listened more than he spoke.
“He wanted people to be truly heard, and to truly understand our needs,” she said.
Staying in touch
Mrs. Atchison enjoys working with Bishop O’Donnell and fellow Chancery employees.
She believes the bishop’s communication style and hers complement one another’s.
“He lets me do what I’m good at while I’m helping support him in doing what he excels at,” she said.
She’s eager to help determine what additional communications services the Chancery staff can offer to parishes throughout the diocese.
She remains an avid booster of the print medium.
“I love print,” she said. “In the modern marketing scenario, you have print, direct mail and digital communication. I got to see how those all work together for ministries, for nonprofits and other organizations to extend their reach through well-crafted messages and high-quality print materials.
“I’m passionate about The Catholic Missourian — about a print publication reaching the people of our diocese through their mailbox on a regular basis,” she added.
Experience has convinced her that having a print publication, coupled with a digital strategy, is effective for building community.
“I’m excited about bringing modern technologies to the forefront of our communications efforts, continuing to leverage productivity, efficiency and collaboration within the Communications Office, the various ministries and throughout the Chancery as a whole,” she said.
Nothing to fear
Mrs. Atchison and her husband, Brandon, have been married for 17 years. Their two sons, Liam (11) and Leif (8), are students at Cathedral of St. Joseph School.
“Even around activities and sports, we make sure that Mass is an important part of our weekend,” said Mrs. Atchison.
She enjoys spending time with her family, including their shared enjoyment of golf, tennis and swimming.
“I’m also a steadfast baseball mom,” she said. “I can’t wait for the end of March and early April to roll around.”
She’s a fan of the various “Star Trek” TV shows and movies. Her favorite characters are Dr. Spock, the analytical Vulcan on the starship crew in the original series from the 1960s, and Data, a logic-driven android from the 1990s “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”
“Both are analytical and logical,” she noted. “I appreciate that kind of approach to balance my pie-in-the-sky creativity.”
One of the core values she has helped promote throughout her career is optimism.
“It’s the idea that we look at things through an optimistic lens,” she said. “Obstacles are opportunities, and there’s always a sense of hope.”
Her favorite Bible verses are the numerous instances when the Father, Jesus, his followers or the prophets, say, “Do not be afraid.”
“I’m a detail person,” she said. “I want to be organized. I want to be on top of everything all the time. I tend to worry. There’s no productivity in worrying, so I lean on my faith.”
Her favorite hymns are “Here I Am, Lord” and “Eagle’s Wings” — one about serving God with joy, the other about trusting him.
Since becoming a mother, she has solidified her friendship with the Blessed Virgin Mary.
“I talk to her often,” said Mrs. Atchison. “Being a mom of two boys, that often includes, ‘Help me to raise faithful sons.’”
Mrs. Atchison is grateful for her community, her friends, her family and the opportunity to do something that feeds her soul as part of her professional career.
She asks for prayers for herself and the entire Chancery staff “as we continue to help evangelize the Catholic faith throughout the diocese.”
She’s convinced that the faith is strong in these 38 counties and that the next generation is going to “pick it up and carry it forward.”
“I have tremendous hope for the future of our Church in this diocese,” she said. “The faith here is strong, and I truly believe the next generation is ready to carry it forward — and I’m grateful to play a small part in that work.”
