Board of Pensions promotes three Directors to Vice President roles

Karen Butow

The Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has promoted three leaders across the agency to Vice President roles. Karen Butow, Vice President, Investments; Anne Marie Mazzone, Vice President, Financial Systems & Operations; and Teresa Sontarp, Vice President & Controller, assumed their new roles effective Jan 1.

“Karen, Anne Marie, and Teresa all consistently demonstrate exceptional leadership on their respective teams,” said the Reverend Dr. Frank Clark Spencer, President. “The Investments and Finance teams are critical departments of our agency that support our financial health and growth, and their elevation to Vice Presidents are well-deserved.”

Anne Marie Mazzone

As Vice President, Investments, Karen Butow maintains a strong investment risk and governance practice, building robust and scalable data and analytics capabilities, and supporting investment operations to run accurate and efficient processes. In her role, Ms. Butow connects risk management, data, and operations to support the Board’s Investment team strategy.

“Karen’s expertise has been essential to our team, allowing us to make data‑informed decisions that result in strong risk-adjusted investment returns for our plan members,” said Donald A. Walker III, Executive Vice President, Investments. “The Board is grateful for her leadership and her commitment to faithful stewardship.”

Anne Marie Mazzone, Vice President, Financial Systems & Operations, ensures the accurate and timely payment of authorized benefits, payroll, and expenses; the accurate receipt of funds; and the reconciliation of third‑party transactions to the financial records. She also acts as the lead business user for financial systems.

Teresa Sontarp

Teresa Sontarp, Vice President & Controller, oversees the Board of Pensions’ financial reporting to ensure compliance with evolving generally accepted accounting principles. She manages federal and state income tax reporting and compliance and designs effective internal controls to support accurate financial reporting. Ms. Sontarp also develops anti-fraud strategies, ensures adherence to applicable laws and regulations, and oversees the preparation of financial reports for Board of Directors meetings.

“Both Anne Marie and Teresa have significantly strengthened the Finance team’s operational effectiveness,” said Staci M. Wilhelm, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer. “Through their leadership, they uphold the standard of excellence that the Board commits to those we serve, ensuring our financial operations are accountable and aligned with that commitment.”