Get to know our staff of spiritual directors.
Fr. Daniel Barron, OMV
Executive Director of the Lanteri Center
Fr. Dan grew up in Traverse City, Michigan, where he worked at the local Carmelite Monastery and served daily Mass for their Jesuit chaplain. His love for Carmelite spirituality and Ignatian wisdom led him to enter the Oblates of the Virgin Mary in Boston in 1987.
Ordained in 1996, Fr. Dan worked in parish ministry for eight years (Alton, Illinois and Denver, Colorado). From 2002 to 2007 he was a spiritual director and faculty member at IPF’s summer program in Omaha. He is the co-founder of the Lanteri Center for Ignatian Spirituality in Denver, which has been offering formation programs in the ministry of spiritual direction since 2004. He served on the Oblates’ Provincial Council for ten years, and as novice master and formator for 5 years. In 2012, he was appointed Director of Spiritual Formation at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver, where he also served as the retreat master for the annual 30-day Spiritual Exercises for the seminarians in the Propaedeutic Year. He has been the writer/editor of the MagnifiKid! since it was first published in the United states in 2003.
In the Fall 2023, in addition to remaining an adjunct spiritual director at the seminary, he returned to the Lanteri Center as Director.
Lee McDowell
For 25 years Lee led formational ministries as a Women’s Ministry director, Bible teacher, and Director of Recovery Group Programs. She also served on the clinical staff of Southwest Counseling Associates and Missionary Care Services specializing in issues related to loss, grief, transition, relationships and Christian ministry. She has served on the Board of Trustees of Overseas Missionary Fellowship International, Women of the Harvest and is currently on the Board of a Christian University. Lee has traveled to numerous countries in South America and Asia to counsel and encourage missionaries.
Lee holds a B.A. degree from Wheaton College and a M.A. in counseling psychology from Denver Seminary. In 2005, she completed a Graduate Certificate in Organizational Leadership at the University of Denver.
Lee completed a three year formational program for the ministry of Spiritual Direction and giving the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola at the Lanteri Center for Ignatian Spirituality. She has served on the staff of the Lanteri Center as a spiritual director and director of retreats since 2007. She was received into the Catholic Church in 2008 after journeying with the Lord for 40 years as an Evangelical Christian.
Lee was married for 26 years to her late husband, Dr. Clyde McDowell, a pastor and the fifth president of Denver Seminary. She is the mother of three adult children and is grandmother to six young grandchildren.
Kay Davis
Kay was born in Denver and raised in Colorado Springs. She grew up in a large family that gave her a love of horseback riding, sports, adventure and her Roman Catholic faith—not necessarily in that order. Kay attended Colorado State University, graduating with a degree in Technical Journalism. She went on to paralegal school and worked for the Colorado Attorney General’s office in its Civil Rights Litigation section. In 1987, a new adventure took hold of her heart and she joined the Spiritual Life Institute, a diocesan institute of men and women who live lives of solitude and community steeped in Carmelite Spirituality. She lived at the Institute’s three monastic–wilderness centers in Nova Scotia, Ireland, and Crestone, Colorado, until 2008. At that time, Kay felt a new call to return to the city and bring the lessons learned from 20 years of monastic living to others—as well as learn from others!
Kay has a Masters in Spirituality and Certificate in Spiritual Direction from Creighton University. She also helps with spiritual formation at Holy Ghost Church in downtown Denver. In addition to still loving all the things she did growing up, Kay enjoys gardening and helping others to learn, to grow and discover their personal vocations. Kay considers it a great privilege to listen to and accompany others in spiritual direction.
Catherine Hubka
Born in New Jersey, Catherine moved to Denver with her family when she was ten years old. After studying art and cultural anthropology at Denver University, she spent a year in Florence, Italy, immersed in the art that she loves. After her studies, Catherine married and started a family. In her late twenties, she experienced the desire for a more personal relationship with Christ. She responded initially by becoming a catechist at her parish, teaching everything from First Communion to RCIA. With the arrival of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary in Denver in 2001, she entered into spiritual direction, a gift that has changed her life and set her on the path to becoming a spiritual director. In 2004, she was invited to take part in the very first formation class of the Prayer Partnering Program. She went on to complete the Program for Directors of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius in Daily Life.
After caring for her elderly parents in their last years, she was asked to join the staff in February of 2015. Catherine treasures the ministry of spiritual direction, teaching in the Lanteri Center’s programs, and serving as supervisor for new spiritual directors.
Jeff Cann
Jeff is a disciple, husband, and father who converted to Catholicism in April 2000. He is a devoted husband, married 30 years to Emily, and father of two adult children, Aidan and Grace. Jeff loves spending time with his family, especially traveling. He coaches soccer at Mullen High School and enjoys forming young men at this Catholic school in the Lasallian tradition. He graduated from the University of Wyoming, earning both a B.S. and M.S. in Botany, focused on plant biophysics, which led to a professional career of 30 years in technology. As an executive leader, he encourages, mentors, and leads people to a greater fulfillment in their professional lives.
In 2011, Jeff joined the men’s ministry at Queen of Peace parish and later led the That Man Is You program for 5 years. As he read Sacred Scripture, Catholic spiritual masters, and the Catechism, the Lord led him to develop his rule of life and discover Ignatian Spirituality. He then entered direction at the Lanteri Center.
As Jeff concluded the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius (2016-17) the Lord called him to his secondary vocation as a spiritual director. Upon completion of Lanteri School of Spiritual Direction (then a 3-year program) he was missioned in 2020. He finished Lanteri School of the Spiritual Exercises in 2021 within the Summer Residence Program. He rejoices at the privilege to help form spiritual directors through
teaching and supervision at the Lanteri Center!
Mika Rizzo
Mika Rizzo grew up in Texas as a Protestant and converted to the Catholic faith in 2014.
She moved to Colorado to attend college and subsequently enjoyed a 20+ year career in accounting/finance. Mika was drawn out of her career in the business world to become a Spiritual Director and was missioned in April 2022 through the Lanteri Center for Ignatian Spirituality. In 2024, she completed the Lanteri Center’s advanced program to lead exercitants in the Spiritual Exercises. She is married and has two children. She enjoys spending time with family, golfing, reading, walking with others in their faith journey, serving in her parish and deepening her own faith.