John Hallissy serves as the National Council’s 1st Vice President and Chair of the National Governance Committee. Previously, he served as the National Vice President of the organization’s Western Region. During his tenure as President of the Sacramento Diocesan Council President from 2008 – 2014, the Diocesan Council experienced growth, both in the number and in the vitality of its constituent Conferences, and also at its thrift store. In addition to his work with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, since 2013, John has served on the Board of the Catholic Schools Association of Sacramento, currently serving as Chairperson. The CSAS is an innovative governance program for Catholic Schools allowing lay leadership of Catholic elementary schools. John received an undergraduate degree in finance from the University of Notre Dame in 1987 and a law degree from the University of California at Davis in 1991. Since that time, John has practiced law in the field of civil litigation, primarily insurance defense in Northern California. John has an AV Rating with Martindale-Hubble, signifying a ranking by his peers for excellence in legal expertise and ethical standards. In 2002, John was elected by his peers to the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), a select group of civil trial attorneys. John is married to Carol Hallissy, who, before retiring, worked for 30 years as a registered nurse.