In honor of Women’s History Month, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee has compiled biographies of notable women in our parish. We are so grateful for their continued talents, care, and attention – they make our community a better place every single day.
NETTIE SEABROOKS
Nettie Seabrooks, mom, grandmother, sister, and friend, is a long-time registered member of Ss Peter and Paul Jesuit Church. She has served on the parish Board for many years where her knowledge, experience and guidance helped the Board and Finance Council. Nettie also was a member of the Finance Council of the Detroit Archdiocese and a Board member for the Capuchins and the Pope Francis Center. Nettie is one of the women that has and continues to pave the way for women. Her generosity to others is legendary and she continues giving to Detroit’s youth through her UD Jesuit scholarship support!
Ms. Seabrooks earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry degree from Marygrove College, a Master of Arts in Library Science degree from the University of Michigan, a Master of Arts in Art History degree from Wayne State University, and honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from both Marygrove College and the University of Detroit Mercy.
Nettie has risen to the top in every enterprise she has tackled. Her successes have come from hard work and by anticipating the next step or need and, most importantly, by following her personal motto: “Integrity in everything I do is basic to everything else. Also, I stand on my word.”
She had a distinguished business career that included 31 years at General Motors where she was the first African American woman executive at the company. At GM, Nettie had to overcome the racial and gender barriers of the time to become the second black person hired to work in GM’s Headquarters. She worked tirelessly and effectively and rose from Assistant Librarian to Director of Government and Civic Affairs for GM’s North American Passenger Car Platforms group. Ms. Seabrook’s efforts were noticed nationwide, and she became the subject of a case study in the book “Influence Without Authority”, a 2005 business textbook by Allan R. Cohen and David L. Bradford. The chapter is tellingly titled, “The Career of Nettie Seabrooks and Influence Against All Odds” where the authors emphasize her proactive approach to her work at every level, while always keeping in mind the interests of the corporation and the community. The Michigan Women’s Foundation called Nettie Seabrooks a “Trailblazer in corporate America; accomplishing many firsts for women and minorities as a leader in the public and private sector.” She received the foundation’s Women of Achievement & Courage Award in 2002.
In 1992 when Dennis Archer was elected Mayor of Detroit, he recruited Nettie and requested her to join the Administration and help Detroit. Willing to change courses to help the city, Nettie agreed and served as Deputy Mayor, Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer, the first woman to take on these responsibilities. When Archer decided not to seek re-election, Nettie was the gracious staff member that helped the city transition to a new Administration. For her work on the public sector, Nettie Seabrooks has been listed as a noteworthy government executive by Marquis Who’s Who.
Nettie retired from the Detroit Institute of Arts on June 30, 2012, where had she served since 2002 as the DIA’s COO and Executive Advisor to the Director. She continued her service to organizations including board positions for the Detroit Medical, the Karmanos Cancer Institute and the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy.
Nettie has been tireless in her efforts of inclusion and has herself broke barriers and shattered ceilings to inspire, uplift and open doors for others. She continues to support others and her legacy will continue to be felt by many generations to come!
ANNE WIDLAK
As an alum of Georgetown University, with both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in English, Anne Widlak (nee Donnelly) was drawn to Ss. Peter and Paul in the mid-1990s precisely because it was a Jesuit parish in the City of Detroit. She has been a dedicated parishioner since then and has been an active participant and always ready to help the parish community in any way possible.
Though Anne hoped to be an English professor, she found a position for the American Red Cross in Detroit but soon found the calling to a career in law that allowed her to write and express herself. Anne
earned a law degree from the Wayne State University School of Law and became the fourth generation of her family, and the first woman, to practice law in the City of Detroit. Her great-grandfather and grandfather were real estate and railroad lawyers, and her father, John Donnelly, was managing partner and employment lawyer at what is now Clark Hill PLC.
Anne did not start out in employment law. She practiced commercial law for seven years before getting a “baptism by fire” at Macomb County Legal Aid, representing mostly domestic violence victims in divorces for two years. The experience had a lasting effect on her career and life.
Prior to her retirement, Anne was a partner in Nemeth Burwell, a woman-owned Detroit law firm and rose to prominence in the legal community. In 2022, she was named to the Michigan Super Lawyers list for her tireless work on cases in employment and labor law where she successfully defended cases in state and federal courts involving workplace harassment, discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, and other protected categories; violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act; wrongful discharge; and intentional interference with an at-will employment relationship. She was selected as one of only 25 attorneys in Michigan to be named a “Leader in the Law” for her professional competence and integrity. Widlak has also volunteered for many years as a chief judge on a hearing panel of the Michigan Attorney Discipline Board.
She has been an active community volunteer in leadership roles, most recently as Vice President of the Board of Trustees of University Liggett School. At Ss. Peter and Pail’s Anne has served for many years as a lector and currently serves on its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee as well as the Intercessory Prayer ministry.
CAROL GOLL
Carol Goll, a retired Urban Renewal Specialist, AND has dedicated her career to helping those in need, whether through providing social services, housing, or teaching. Carol began their career as a teacher before moving on to work for the City of Detroit in various capacities. She worked 34 years as a manager for the City of Detroit on a wide variety of activities, including coordination of programs for homeless people and senior citizens and financial management of neighborhood development and Empowerment Zone projects.
Carol Goll earned their Master of Arts in Public Administration from the University of Detroit and also holds a Bachelor of Arts in English, and Secondary Education from the University of Detroit. Carol Goll is a summa cum laude graduate of Servite High School and is certified by the State of Michigan in Michigan Secondary Teaching Certificate. Carol has also served on the Boards of nonprofit organizations, she was a founding member of Oasis Detroit, Cass Community Social Services Board and currently sits on the Volunteers of America-Michigan Board.
As a parishioner of Ss. Peter and Paul for over 40 years, she has been active as a parish council member, finance committee member, and treasurer of our St. Vincent DePaul Conference (later the Alms committee). Carol initiated the parish Christmas Giving Tree project. Presently she is a choir member, lector, DEI committee member, helps count the weekly church collection, leads several Bible studies, and has been the “go to” historian for the 175th Anniversary committee!
IN MEMORIAM
Alice Lamont – Parishioner, Eucharistic Minister through 2022, Tenured Wayne State University English Professor
Anne Duconge – Parishioner and volunteer through 2014, Motown Public Relations, Sales, and writer with Willa