Daniel F. Curtin

Daniel F. Curtin is a native Washingtonian and has served Catholic education as a teacher, counselor, and administrator at the secondary, archdiocesan, and national levels. He is a member of Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, Falls Church, Virginia where he serves as Chair of the Pastoral Council.

Mr. Curtin began his teaching career at Mackin Catholic High School, Washington, D.C., in 1964. He spent 21 years at Mackin, including nine years as Principal (1976 – 1985) and was the first lay principal of any school staffed and sponsored by the Brothers of Holy Cross in the United States.

From 1985-1999, Mr. Curtin served on the personal staff of the late James Cardinal Hickey as Secretary for Catholic Education for the Archdiocese of Washington. In this capacity, Mr. Curtin was the Cardinal’s representative in all areas of Catholic schools, religious education, youth ministry programs, and campus ministry programs at five public universities as well as other educational works within the Archdiocese of Washington.

From 1999 to 2011, Mr. Curtin served as the Executive Director of the Chief Administrators of Catholic Education (CACE) of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA). In this position, he worked closely with Catholic higher education, diocesan educational, and catechetical officials across the United States around professional programs and services.

Among his other various roles in Catholic education, highlights include serving on the Board of Directors of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (1985-1991). He was a member of the Middle States Commission for Secondary Schools and chairperson of numerous evaluation teams. In 1989, Cardinal Hickey appointed Mr. Curtin acting president of Archbishop Carroll High School, Washington, D.C. with the task of reorganizing three archdiocesan high schools into one co-educational institution.

For 12 years, Mr. Curtin served on the Mount Saint Mary’s University Board of Trustees and was elected chair of the board from 1999-2001. Mr. Curtin is chair of the Rector’s Council at Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg, Maryland. He serves on the Advisory Committee for the Center for Catholic School Effectiveness at Mount Saint Mary’s University. He also served on the Advisory Board for The Journal for Catholic Education at Boston College. Mr. Curtin also serves on the Bishop McNamara High School Board of Directors, Forestville, Maryland, and was elected Chair from 2007-2011. He also served on the Board of Directors of St. Edmond’s Academy, Wilmington, Delaware, and Corpus Christi School, Falls Church, Virginia. In 2011, Cardinal Donald Wuerl appointed Mr. Curtin to the Religious Education Advisory Committee of the Archdiocese of Washington. Mr. Curtin is an Adjunct Instructor in the Catholic School Leadership program at Marymount University, Arlington, Virginia.

Mr. Curtin has received numerous awards including the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice award from Pope John Paul II in 1983 in recognition of his work on behalf of the Catholic Church. In 2011, he received the Benemerenti Medal from Pope Benedict XVI for outstanding and meritorious service to the Holy See around Catholic education.

Mr. Curtin holds degrees from Mount Saint Mary’s University (B.S.), Emmitsburg, Maryland; George Mason University, (M.Ed.) Fairfax, Virginia; and the University of Notre Dame (M.A.), Notre Dame, Indiana. In May 2002, Mr. Curtin was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from Mount Saint Mary’s University.