Meet Our Team

Chaplain

Fr. Gabriel “Gabe” Camacho was born in Tamuning, Guam in 1990. He attended seminary in 2009 in Guam when he was 19 years old. In December 2017, he was invited along with 12 other seminarians to New Jersey by Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R. of the Archdiocese of Newark, and entered the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Kearny.

He was ordained as deacon on June 27, 2020 on the feast day of Our Mother of Perpetual Help at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, and served at St. Mary’s in Plainfield for one year. He graduated from Lateran University with a Bachelor of Sacred Theology & Seton Hall University, M.A. in Systematic Theology in May 2021.

Fr. Gabe was ordained a priest on May 29, 2021 by Cardinal Tobin in the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark. St. John the Apostle Church is Fr. Gabe’s first assignment as Parochial Vicar.

Fr. Gabe is the Spiritual Director for St. John the Apostle School, and he oversees the music ministry for St. John the Apostle Church. He is also the Master of Ceremonies for Bishop Elias Lorenzo, O.S.B., Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Newark.

He enjoys various sports including basketball, volleyball, soccer, ultimate frisbee and spearfishing.

Campus Minister

Lucia began as the Catholic Campus Minister at Kean University in September of 2021. Lucia is a lifelong Catholic dedicated to working with college students to find their true, authentic selves. She holds a B.A. in both Theology and Psychology from Immaculata University, as well as an M.A. in Higher Education from Caldwell University. She is also embarking on a new journey with an inaugural cohort of women completing a preaching program this year, Proclaim.

Previously, Lucia has worked in Residence Life at military and Catholic colleges, with her experience consisting of student leadership development, student conduct and emergency response, and educational programming.

Lucia can be found at all KeanCatholics events - whether it is leading a Bible study, preparing for Mass, giving a talk, or simply hanging out in the back to be a listening ear for anyone.

In her spare time, she can be found binging true crime podcasts, comparing Taylor Swift’s lyrics to Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical Deus Caritas Est, reading, and seeing movies with her husband.

CN Club President

Mariana is a junior at Kean University majoring in Biology on the Pre-Med track. A lifelong Catholic and active member of a Brazilian parish, she is passionate about creating a welcoming space where others can encounter Christ just as she has. She draws inspiration from Jesus’ words to the Samaritan woman: “Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst” (John 4:14). With a deep love for Jesus and a strong devotion to His mother, the Virgin Mary, Mariana is always ready to offer a listening ear, a word of encouragement, or a prayer to anyone in need.

Student-Led Bible Study Leader and Catholic Newman Club VP

Reuben is a doctoral student in School and Clinical Psychology at Kean University. He is a convert to the Catholic faith: he was received into the Church in 2020. He has been leading Bible studies since 2021, helping fellow students to come to know the Heart of Jesus more deeply. He is eager to be a part of this team and be another resource for students who need guidance on their journey towards Heaven. Aside from his first love (Jesus), he loves LEGO (no, it's not only for children), puns, and ventriloquism! Whether you need help with getting into a habit of prayer or just need someone to make SpongeBob references with, Reuben is here to help!

Catholic Newman Club Secretary

CN Club Treasurer

Newman Club & Thomistic Institute Staff Advisor

Jacky is a New Jersey born, first generation Colombian American; she is fully fluent in English & Spanish. She received her B.A. in Biology from Kean University in 2012, and her M.S. in Health Care Management from Rutgers University in 2017. Though her passion is all things healthcare and well-being, she has spent her adult life working in higher education in various capacities. Currently, Jacky is the Managing Assistant Director for the Division of General Education & Interdisciplinary Studies (DGEIS) at Kean. She is also a proud instructor of the GE 1000 (Transition to Kean) course.

In her spare time, you can find Jacky spending time with her family, strength training, doing her nails, and binging thrillers & Hallmark movies. Jacky also loves traveling, spending time in prayer, and all things autumn, especially pumpkin everything.