Gabriel Francis has been a IACA founding member since its inception in 1993. He was also a member of the IACA – National Coordinating Committee of the Vailankanni Oratory Project at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington DC. He worked in the Executive Committee, especially with the Young Adults Committee as well as the Special Events Committee. In 1993 he led a delegation of young adults from IACA to attend the World Youth Day in Denver where they all met Pope John Paul II and celebrated 3 days of prayer and fellowship. He emigrated from Mumbai in 1975 and currently lives in Rockville Maryland with Princess and his younger two sons: Jonathan and Nicholas. Gabriel’s eldest son Peter has a son and daughter and currently resides nearby in Sandy Springs, Md. During Gabriel’s free time and most weekends, you will find him surrounded with his two grandchildren. Gabriel works for Fedtek as a systems hardware engineer and had an extensive tenure with HP for 27 years. He loves to do handyman’s work and is willing to assist anyone that may require his talents. Gabriel also loves to travel and show out-of-towners DC and neighboring states. Gabriel is also a member of the Goan association and APCN (Asian and Pacific Island Catholic Network) Now he is the newly elected President of IACA for the year 2023-2024. Please welcome him and pray for him that he may carry out his duties with grace and humility through the intercession of Our Lady of Good Health Vailankanni.
Vice President – John Whittle
John Whittle is a founding member of IACA. He proudly represents the Anglo-Indian community. As a longtime member, he has been active in planning annual pilgrimages to the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and to the Basilica in Washington, D.C. He is best known for being the friendly face in charge of organizing the pilgrimage procession before the mass at the Basilica. He was the President of IACA from 2019-2020. He has been Vice President of IACA from 2020-2024.
Secretary – Caryll Pereira
Caryll was born in Bombay, India to a devout Catholic family that centered traditions and beliefs around the Church. She was fortunate to have the guiding influence of her two uncles who joined the priesthood, and an aunt who serves as a nun in the Vatican. It is because of her background that she has always been drawn to doing volunteering work in church activities. She holds a Bachelor degrees’ in Commerce and Law from the Mumbai university. She held down a job with Air India as an accounts manager, that gave her a global perspective in life. This also gave her an opportunity to see the world and she chose to migrate to the USA. Caryll moved to the US in 2007 with her husband Wavell, daughter Kim & son Jeremy. She has since been an active member of the IACA. She has been attending the monthly mass/rosary and Novenas. A regular at the yearly pilgrimage as well as the Christmas get together. Caryll looks forward to giving her service to propagating the devotion to Our Mother. Volunteering is the greatest expression of her faith and commitment to the values of the IACA, community and communion.
Treasurer – Roque Viegas
Roque Viegas has over 30 years of experience volunteering for non for
profit organizations. He currently works for the Center for Intercultural
Education & Development at Georgetown University as the Center’s
Director of Finance and Administration in charge of financial operations
and administrative functions including Human Resources, strategic
planning, and enterprise risk management.
Originally from Tanzania, and lived in Goa, India. Roque is currently
living with his family in Maryland.
Roque is also a member of the Goan Association and APCN (Asian and
Pacific Island Catholic Network).
Mariaselvam Chinnappan Faustina Archer Noela Francis
Emmitsburg Velankanni Project Committee
Agnelo Gonsalves Fred Semendy John Whittle Mariaselvam Chinnappan Joseph Croos [Treasurer]
Youth and Young Adult Committee
Sumati Patrick Carol & JohnLee Francis Anthonyraj
Editor
Jacinta Mascarenhas
Membership Committee
Dr. Valeri Semendy
Finance Committee
Joseph Croos Harold D’Souza Puthupparampil V Scaria
Special Events Committee
Joy Anitha Joseph Shalini D’Souza Carol & JohnLee Shalini Kapur
Social Work Committee
Sumathi Croos Rita Nathan
Public Relations Committee
Fred Semendy
Legal Advisor
Jennifer Anthony
Members at Large
T.C. Geevarghese Henry Gomes David Pavanal Jude Gomez Andy Swarna Iggy & Severina Dsouza Cathy Navis John Whittle Melanie Nathan Ed Peries Christopher Pereira
Executive Board and Committees
Executive Committee
President – Gabriel Francis
Gabriel Francis has been a IACA founding member since its inception in 1993. He was also a member of the IACA – National Coordinating Committee of the Vailankanni Oratory Project at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington DC. He worked in the Executive Committee, especially with the Young Adults Committee as well as the Special Events Committee. In 1993 he led a delegation of young adults from IACA to attend the World Youth Day in Denver where they all met Pope John Paul II and celebrated 3 days of prayer and fellowship.
He emigrated from Mumbai in 1975 and currently lives in Rockville Maryland with Princess and his younger two sons: Jonathan and Nicholas. Gabriel’s eldest son Peter has a son and daughter and currently resides nearby in Sandy Springs, Md. During Gabriel’s free time and most weekends, you will find him surrounded with his two grandchildren.
Gabriel works for Fedtek as a systems hardware engineer and had an extensive tenure with HP for 27 years. He loves to do handyman’s work and is willing to assist anyone that may require his talents. Gabriel also loves to travel and show out-of-towners DC and neighboring states.
Gabriel is also a member of the Goan association and APCN (Asian and Pacific Island Catholic Network) Now he is the newly elected President of IACA for the year 2023-2024. Please welcome him and pray for him that he may carry out his duties with grace and humility through the intercession of Our Lady of Good Health Vailankanni.
Vice President – John Whittle
John Whittle is a founding member of IACA. He proudly represents the Anglo-Indian community. As a longtime member, he has been active in planning annual pilgrimages to the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and to the Basilica in Washington, D.C. He is best known for being the friendly face in charge of organizing the pilgrimage procession before the mass at the Basilica. He was the President of IACA from 2019-2020. He has been Vice President of IACA from 2020-2024.
Secretary – Caryll Pereira
Caryll was born in Bombay, India to a devout Catholic family that centered traditions and beliefs around the Church. She was fortunate to have the guiding influence of her two uncles who joined the priesthood, and an aunt who serves as a nun in the Vatican. It is because of her background that she has always been drawn to doing volunteering work in church activities.
She holds a Bachelor degrees’ in Commerce and Law from the Mumbai university. She held down a job with Air India as an accounts manager, that gave her a global perspective in life. This also gave her an opportunity to see the world and she chose to migrate to the USA.
Caryll moved to the US in 2007 with her husband Wavell, daughter Kim & son Jeremy. She has since been an active member of the IACA. She has been attending the monthly mass/rosary and Novenas. A regular at the yearly pilgrimage as well as the Christmas get together.
Caryll looks forward to giving her service to propagating the devotion to Our Mother. Volunteering is the greatest expression of her faith and commitment to the values of the IACA, community and communion.
Treasurer – Roque Viegas
Roque Viegas has over 30 years of experience volunteering for non for profit organizations. He currently works for the Center for Intercultural Education & Development at Georgetown University as the Center’s Director of Finance and Administration in charge of financial operations and administrative functions including Human Resources, strategic planning, and enterprise risk management. Originally from Tanzania, and lived in Goa, India. Roque is currently living with his family in Maryland. Roque is also a member of the Goan Association and APCN (Asian and Pacific Island Catholic Network).
President Elect – Dr. Patricia Gomez
Devotion / Liturgy Committee
Mariaselvam Chinnappan
Faustina Archer
Shanthi Antonyraj
Velankanni Pilgrimage Committee
Mariaselvam Chinnappan
Faustina Archer
Noela Francis
Emmitsburg Velankanni Project Committee
Agnelo Gonsalves
Fred Semendy
John Whittle
Mariaselvam Chinnappan
Joseph Croos [Treasurer]
Youth and Young Adult Committee
Sumati Patrick
Carol & JohnLee
Francis Anthonyraj
Editor
Jacinta Mascarenhas
Membership Committee
Dr. Valeri Semendy
Finance Committee
Joseph Croos
Harold D’Souza
Puthupparampil V Scaria
Special Events Committee
Joy Anitha Joseph
Shalini D’Souza
Carol & JohnLee
Shalini Kapur
Social Work Committee
Sumathi Croos
Rita Nathan
Public Relations Committee
Fred Semendy
Legal Advisor
Jennifer Anthony
Members at Large
T.C. Geevarghese
Henry Gomes
David Pavanal
Jude Gomez
Andy Swarna
Iggy & Severina Dsouza
Cathy Navis
John Whittle
Melanie Nathan
Ed Peries
Christopher Pereira
Prior Executive Board and Committees