Waukesha Catholic Memorial High School's new president is Donna Bembenek

Catholic Memorial High School's next president is Donna Bembenek, the Waukesha school's board of directors announced this week.

Bembenek will leave her role as national vice president of marketing communications for YMCA to take on the position. She is replacing The Rev. Paul B. R. Hartmann, who is returning to parish work after nine years leading the private high school and its 680 students.

RELATED: Paul Hartmann to leave Catholic Memorial High School

Bembenek has a marketing and business background, but does not appear to have school leadership experience.

Before her national role with the YMCA, she was senior vice president of external relations for the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee. She has a master’s degree in business administration from Alverno College and a bachelor’s degree in public relations and marketing from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Bembenek was educated in Catholic schools and sent her two children to Catholic Memorial, according to the announcement about her hire.

Bembenek will start on July 31.

Erin Richards can be reached at (414) 224-2705 or erin.richards@jrn.com or @emrichards on Twitter.