Henning Institute Board of Advisors

Michael Lisanti, MBA - Teaching Professor

Director, Henning Institute 

Michael Lisanti is a Teaching Professor at St. Mary’s College of California having taught Latin and in the College’s Great Books program for over twenty years, where he was a recipient of the Brother O. Desales Perez award for Teaching Excellence in 2018. He has served as Steward, Vice President, and currently serves as President of the College’s chapter of SEIU 1021. A graduate of the College, Honors Finance, he worked as Financial Advisor, before moving to consulting, where as a Senior Consultant, he managed projects for clients such as Accenture, UBS Securities, Northrop Grumman, and Amgen before returning to St. Maryʻs College to teach. Formerly a Fellow of the Henning Institute, he is now the Institute’s Director.

Theodore Tsukahara, AFSC

Ted Tsukahara, an Affiliated member of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, has been involved with the John F. Henning Institute since its founding, first as a member of the Board of Advisors, and as Director for almost twenty years. He earned a B.S. in Economics and Business Administration from Saint Mary’s (1962), a M.S. in Quantitative Business Analysis from University of Southern California (1964), a M. A. (1967) and PhD (1970) in Economics from Claremont Graduate University.  In addition, he was a National Endowment for the Humanities Postdoctoral Fellow in Bioethics at The Hastings Center (1974). He was granted tenure by Pomona College (1974). He left academics in 1976 to work as a financial and strategic planning executive for a major energy company, transitioned into investment banking as a merger and acquisition specialist before returning to Saint Mary’s in 1992 to teach graduate business students. He transitioned to teach undergraduates and served as Tutor in the Integral Program of Liberal Arts until retiring in 2022. He was honored by the Faculty as Professor of the Year for Academic Year 2021-2022.

Christopher B. Lamson

Chris graduated from Saint Mary’s College of California in 1994, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance, and serving as ASMC Student Body President his senior year.   He later completed the Program for Management Development at Harvard Business School, further strengthening his executive leadership skills. Chris began his professional career at The Clorox Company, where he held a variety of roles of increasing responsibility over an 18-year period. From 2012-2016, Chris served as Chief Executive Officer of Cheyenne Products, a consumer durables home décor business.  He subsequently led various pet-oriented businesses for Central Garden and Pet.  In January of 2022, Chris joined Oil-Dri as Group Vice President for the Retail and Wholesale business and led the segment as well as the company’s business demand and strategic planning processes.  Beginning August of 2025, he assumed the role of Group Vice President of Business to Business and Strategic Growth Initiatives.  Chris is involved in various charitable causes including board service for Everhope (formerly the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter), and Anti-Cruelty (Chicago’s open door humane society), and has been recognized by Justin-Siena High School as a member of their alumni Hall of Honor. 

Janine Ogando

Janine Ogando is a corporate attorney at Berding & Weil in the business law general counsel department. She provides general counsel services to companies and community associations concerning contracts, day-to-day operations, risk, governance, and real property related issues. She also assists with litigation.

Ms. Ogando has practiced in real estate, construction, and business law for over twenty years. She has acted as general counsel for technology, manufacturing, and biotech companies and was partner with a premier California real estate law firm. Her well-rounded experience in both litigation and transactional experience gives her an unique perspective to best protect her clients.

Ms. Ogando received her Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. She received her B.A. from Saint Mary’s College of California. She worked as a Union laborer to help pay for her education. She graduated Magna Cum Laude and received the De La Salle Award and the Thomas Aquinas Award, the highest award at the college and in the Integral major, respectively. She has served as president of the SMC Alumni Association and on several SMC boards and scholarship committees at the College. She was a founder of the Integral Alumni Council. She also taught Business Law and Ethics as an adjunct professor in the SMC Business Department for several years.

James M. Wood

Jim is a graduate of Saint Mary’s College of California Integral Program Major (’70) and was Chair and Member of Saint Mary’s College Board of Regents (2011-2015) . While in College Jim was ASMC Student Body President, a columnist for The Collegian, and a member of SPAN that was organized to bring co-education to the college as well as other educational changes.

He attended the University of San Francisco School of  Law (’73) and began his practice as a  Litigation Attorney with over 35 years of civil trial, litigation management and pro bono experience as a partner in an AmLaw 100 global law firm and California based predecessor. Following retirement from Big Law Jim has devoted his time to providing pro bono legal services to clients with a variety of legal issues.

His honors have included the AIDS Legal Referral Panel Clint Hockenberry Leadership Award 2014 - named for ALRP’s first Executive Director and is “ALRP’s highest honor—given to individuals whose work reflects a lifetime of service to the HIV/AIDS community” and the California Lawyer Angel Award (2007) as one of the state's outstanding Pro Bono attorneys for representation of California school children with diabetes to ensure they received care throughout the school day.

Joseph D. Wright

Joseph D. Wright is an elevator mechanic with TK Elevator and an active member of the International Union of Elevator Constructors Local 8. A graduate of Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in San Francisco, he went on to earn his degree in the Integral Program at Saint Mary’s College of California and pursued graduate studies in Lasallian Spirituality at La Salle University.

Before entering the elevator industry, Joseph served as a Lasallian educator and was a Brother of the Christian Schools, an experience that continues to shape his commitment to faith, education, and the dignity of work. His interests include Catholic Social Teaching, systematic theology, and the practical wisdom found in the trades.

As a member of the Board of the John F. Henning Institute, Joseph is committed to advancing the Institute’s mission of promoting Catholic Social Teaching and fostering dialogue among labor, business, education, and the Church. He brings the perspective of both a skilled tradesman and a lifelong student of philosophy and theology to the Institute’s work.

Outside of his professional responsibilities, Joseph is a parishioner at St. Stephen the First Martyr Parish. He and his wife are currently enjoying the adventure of raising their young daughter.