On Feb. 27, 2023, Rachael Palmer (Kriger) joined Mary, Queen of Saints Parish after serving as a youth minister at Blessed Trinity Parish in Ocala, Fla., and St. Oscar Romero Parish in Canonsburg, Pa. She is a graduate of our parish’s Our Lady of Fatima School (Class of 2011) and served as the OLOF Varsity Girls Basketball coach for 10 years. She also served for four years as the school's Varsity Soccer co-head coach.

After graduating from Hopewell High School in 2015, Rachael earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English, in the area of Journalism, from California University of Pennsylvania; and a Master of Arts in Media Communication from Point Park University. In March 2023, she graduated with an Master of Arts in Pastoral Theology from St. Joseph's College of Maine. Rachael's media experience includes both newspaper and online publications. She also contributes regularly as a sports writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Beaver County Times and Pittsburgh Soccer Now. She is in her sixth season on the University of Pittsburgh women's soccer team broadcasts for home games, where she regularly serves as a color commentator.

Rachael is looking forward to serving our parish and our mission to evangelize by using all her background skills and gifts as she jumps into both roles, the Youth Ministry Director and Communications Director.

Rachael lives in Hopewell, Beaver County, with her husband, Luke. He is her ready 'assistant' in all things youth ministry. They are members of Mary, Queen of Saints Parish.