The Truth Is You Are Made For More.
Discover the beauty of God’s design for your life.
Theology of the Body Cleveland is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
We equip teenagers and adults with an informed understanding of what it means to be human, rooted in the teachings of the Theology of the Body.
Why Choose TOB CLE?
At Theology of the Body Cleveland, we aren’t just another program. We’re a team of passionate educators, led by our Executive Director, Jen Ricard, who has dedicated years to understanding and teaching the life-changing truths of Theology of the Body.
With deep experience in schools and parishes, we know how to make these teachings come alive for young students.
We’re not just giving them information. We’re guiding them into a journey of lifelong faith. Every student deserves to understand the beauty of God’s plan for their life. We’re here to help them discover that truth.
Our Story
Jen Ricard, our Executive Director, once had questions. She wasn’t sure how to fit the Catholic faith into her life as a wife, mom, and dedicated youth minister. The Church’s teachings on difficult topics like contraception felt like pieces of a puzzle she couldn’t quite put together. Jen even debated quitting youth ministry because of her doubts.
One day, a priest told her something that changed everything: Christianity is not about figuring it all out and then joining. Christianity is a lifelong journey of seeking truth.
This new perspective led Jen to travel to Pennsylvania and the Theology of the Body Institute. There, she discovered the profound teachings of Pope Saint John Paul II, who explained human life, love, marriage, and purpose in a way that resonated deeply with her.
Jen’s journey turned into a calling. In 2019, she founded Theology of the Body Cleveland (TOB CLE) to bring these life-changing teachings to others in the Diocese of Cleveland.
Our Staff
Jen Ricard, Executive Director
Jennifer Ricard is the director and founder of Theology of the Body Cleveland. She completed a master’s degree in theology from St. Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology in Wickliffe, OH, and a certification from the Theology of the Body Institute in 2014. Jennifer and her husband, Frank, have been married for 30 years and have six children.
Erin Nugent, Associate
Erin Nugent graduated from Texas A&M University in 2022 before beginning her year as a missionary with the Culture Project in Pittsburgh, PA. After spending a year teaching students the messages of human dignity and sexual integrity, Erin joined the TOB CLE team in June of 2023.
Rafe Lewis, Associate
Rafe Lewis joined the TOB CLE team in June 2024. He graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2022 with bachelor’s degrees in Theology and Communications. His favorite saint is Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.
Board Of Directors
Steve Norton, Chairman
Steve first encountered Theology of the Body through Christopher West’s Good New About Sex and Marriage and he found it to be life changing. As his family grew, the importance of knowing who we are as men and women took on a greater meaning. When asked to serve, he couldn’t think of a better way to make a positive impact on the Diocese of Cleveland.
Dc. Keith Walcutt, Treasurer
Discovering this incredible teaching of Pope St. John Paul II has changed the way Deacon Keith sees and relates to all of God’s creation, the most important of which is the human person. It has enriched all aspects of his life, and he wants others to experience what he has experienced. Serving on the board of TOBCLE is just one way Deacon Keith can help ensure others have the opportunity to hear this life-giving message.
Dr. Beth Rath, Secretary
Beth has journeyed with Executive Director Jen Ricard since they both first learned about the Theology of the Body almost 20 years ago. As a philosophy professor, Beth found that some of the greatest obstacles to our faith—believing and living it–are philosophical. Chief among these obstacles is confusion about what the human person is. Pope St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body gives a true and beautiful account of man and woman rooted in the Sacred Scriptures that cuts through that confusion. Beth loves TOB CLE’s mission to share this vision for humankind with people of all ages.
Annette Klanac
Annette chose to serve on the board of TOB CLE because she is passionate about the teachings of St. John Paul the second. Annette attended three immersion courses with Christopher West and the more she learns about this beautiful teaching the more she wants to help share it with others.
Matt Jordan
For Matt, the Theology of the Body is the most practical and helpful set of ideas he encountered since getting serious about his faith almost thirty years ago. It’s not merely a matter of understanding sexuality and marriage better: it’s a vision of the whole Christian life that has inspired Matt to a deeper and richer walk with God. Every Catholic–indeed, every Christian–needs to hear the message being proclaimed by TOB CLE.
Christie Fleming
Christie serves on the board after years of working in ministry and seeing the need for theology of the body in forming young people and their families. She has seen first hand the impact that learning and living the truths of how we were created and how we are called to live can have on young people and help them to live their lives to the fullest, in Christ.
Gregg & Elizabeth Stovicek
Gregg and Elizabeth Stovicek are our only two board members who are married – to each other! They found their way to TOB separately before marriage (Gregg first encountered TOB while in seminary and Elizabeth studied at the TOB Institute) but their shared love for the teachings of St. John Paul II have been vital to the strength of their marriage. TOB continues to give them a shared language for how to love and receive each other, their friends and family, and also Gregg’s high school students and Elizabeth’s patients as an emergency physician. They were thrilled to join the TOB CLE board in order to help in spreading the Gospel in Northeast Ohio through the lens of the Theology of the Body.
Rick Costello
I serve on the board of TOB because I believe that Catholics need to learn about the important teachings of John Paul II. Additionally, the outreach to school students, parents, clergy and other lay faithful allows anyone to access the message in an engaging and enthusiastic manner from Jen or members of her team. Their enthusiasm is contagious and couples the intellectual content with a human message, which highlights that we were made for communion.
What We Do
TOB CLE exists to guide you through John Paul II’s profound Theology of the Body teachings with simplicity and clarity.
You don’t need a theology degree to grasp it—just an open heart.
We’ve reached thousands of people, from students to adults, through retreats, live speaking events, and workshops. And we do it with one goal in mind: to help you see the beauty of your creation and encounter Christ personally through it.
Why TOB Matters Today
Confusion is everywhere. People feel lost, unsure of their purpose. Theology of the Body provides clarity. It helps you understand who you are, why you were created, and what God’s design for love means.
Whether you’re a parent, a student, or someone seeking deeper meaning, TOB CLE offers programs that can transform your understanding of faith and life.
Take your next step on your journey to discover the truth about why God created you!