Guided by Faith, Committed to Excellence: Q&A with President Tom Mlada

See the complete article in the Summer 2026 edition of Examen

President Tom Mlada begins his leadership of Pius XI Catholic High School with a deep

commitment to our Catholic mission, a respect for our rich legacy, and a bold vision for

excellence moving into the school’s second century.

Ask new President Tom Mlada to describe his hope for Pius XI Catholic High School in

one word, and he doesn’t hesitate: Excellence.

Grounded in a deep belief in the transformative power of Catholic education, Tom

brings a wealth of leadership experience and a heart for service as he prepares to

lead Pius XI into its second century.

For more than a decade, Tom led advancement, stewardship, marketing, and

communications at St. Monica Parish and School in Whitefish Bay before serving two

terms as mayor of Port Washington (2012–2018). He later advanced the missions of

two regional environmental organizations in executive leadership roles and most

recently returned to Catholic education as athletic director at Dominican High School.

“Looking back upon my professional journey, I definitively see God’s hand in moving

me and preparing me for this opportunity,” remarked Mlada. “It’s been a really

remarkable journey—interesting, fun, engaging, inspiring, fulfilling. I really do believe

God has made it all possible; I’m humbled to know He has brought me to this moment

and this place.”

With Pius XI poised for an exciting new chapter, we sat down with Tom to learn

more about his faith, leadership philosophy, commitment to family, and vision for

the future.

In your view, what makes Catholic education distinctive and valuable today?

I believe today more than perhaps ever, Catholic education provides a foundation for universal faith, community and a fabric for value-based living. In an ever-changing

world that can indeed so often feel volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous, Catholic education instills a Christ-centered vision of life and commits to education and formation

of the whole person.

What are your priorities for your first year as President? Build upon the foundation of academic excellence, identify new opportunities to enrich the full educational experience, celebrate more broadly our Catholic identity, and ensure the continued financial strength of the community as we move into our second century.

What have been your first impressions of the Pius XI community?

Welcoming, proud, passionate, and energized!

What are you most looking forward to experiencing during your first year at Pius XI?

Being a full and active participant in the school community; meeting our staff, students, parents, alums, and benefactors; and beginning our collaborative efforts on the important

work ahead.

How has your faith influenced your personal and professional life?

I really do try to have faith serve as the foundation of my personal and

professional life. We have such an all-good, all-loving, all-merciful God—how blessed are we! As I have grown older, I have grown in my faith, and my desire to trust in and surrender to Him and His plan for me. How could I possibly script it any better?

Are there particular values or teachings that guide your decision-making?

I believe character and integrity have to form the basis of every decision, ensuring that as both individuals and, in the case of Pius XI Catholic High School, we stay true to and aligned

with our mission and identity.

Is there a saint, scripture passage, or prayer that has been especially meaningful to you?

It is super tough to narrow down to just one, but I’ll offer one of each!

Saint: Maximilian Kolbe, whose bravery, selflessness, humility, and charity were truly immeasurable.

Scripture passage: Jeremiah 29:11, which represents such a profound message of hope and love in the plans God has for each of us.

Prayer: I love both the Litany of Trust and the “Prophets of a Future Not Our Own,”

the latter of which is often attributed to or connected with Oscar Romero, another favorite Saint of mine.

Tell us about your family.

I’ve been blessed to be married for 27 years to an extraordinary woman, Kathy, who has led the charge on raising four wonderful children: A.J., Olivia, Evelyn, and Aubrey. We lived in

Port Washington for about 20 years, before moving to Grafton seven years ago. I was born and raised in Sheboygan; Kathy and I met at St. Norbert College, where we both earned our undergraduate degrees.

What are some of your interests or hobbies outside of work?

Outside of sharing time with family and friends, I love to run, hike, landscape, and just be generally active outdoors. I can’t speak of daily Mass as a hobby, because that is an essential part of my life!

How do you like to spend a free Saturday?

With coaching girls’ basketball teams the past 25 years and other weekend family-related activities, my Saturdays have been pretty busy for most of my adult life, in good ways. On

the occasional free Saturday, I love working and recreating outdoors. Fresh air and sunshine are such powerful medicines, just so stress-relieving and invigorating. And outside

of being at Mass, there isn’t much that I find to be more connective with God than being out in His Creation.

What brings you joy?

The easy answer is the simplest and probably the same for most people: sharing time and creating memories with family. I have found the older I get, the more joy I find in the simple

things in life: a campfire with friends, a morning cup of coffee by the lake, a walk on the trails with the dogs, or a visit to a Church I’ve never been before. The Packers beating the Bears

and the Brewers beating the Cubs will always bring me great joy, too (which I do remind my Illinois-born wife).

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Phew. Tough one. My Dad and Mom were two of the wisest people I have ever or will ever know, both such a blessing and “north star” in my life. They shared plenty of sage advice

over the years before they passed away in 2020 and 2012, respectively. I’ll offer three from them that always resonated with me: (1) “When you go in search of honey, you’ve got to

expect to get stung by some bees.”; (2) “There is no such thing as a dress rehearsal in the way we care for creation.”; and (3) “Remember...she was my wife before she was your

mother.” (the latter of which I may have heard once or twice from Dad when I may not have been on my best behavior with my Mom).