Founders & Staff

Nick Howley


Founder, Chairman & Trustee
Nick Howley is the Founder and Chairman of Transdigm Group, Inc., (NYSE/TDG) a New York Exchange listed company. The company is one of the largest worldwide designer, producer and supplier of highly engineered aircraft components, systems and subsystems. Additionally, Mr. Howley is Chairman of Perimeter Solutions (NYSE/PRM), a New York Stock Exchange listed company and largest worldwide provider of wildfire prevention products and services. Nick is one of the founders of The Howley Foundation and a member of the Board of Directors.

Howley earned his B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from Drexel University and his MBA from Harvard Business School.

Howley is past national Chairman of the Cristo Rey Network Board. The Cristo Rey Network is comprised of 40 Catholic, college preparatory schools that serve more than 12,000 economically disadvantaged students across 25 states.

Nick's extensive charitable governance experience also includes service on the boards of Drexel University, Case Western Reserve University, The Cleveland Clinic, St. Joseph’s Preparatory School, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Washington and Jefferson College, St. Martin de Porres High School, Gilmour Academy as well as various public and private for profit boards.

Lorie Howley


Founder & Trustee
Lorie Howley is a cofounder of the Howley Foundation. She became the Executive Director of the foundation in 2001 and the President of the Board of Directors in 2014. In these positions, she has grown the scope of the organization from a few high school scholarships to an endeavor that includes programs in elementary, high school and college education.

Trained in ornamental horticulture, Ms. Howley worked in the Education Department at Longwood Gardens for 15 years. Located in Kennett Square, PA, Longwood Gardens is one of the premiere display and research gardens in the world. Ms. Howley developed and taught in programs at the post secondary and continuing education levels while there. This experience gave her insight into teaching and great respect for educators.

Lorie Howley studied at Cornell University where she received a BS degree in Ornamental Horticulture and a Masters Degree in Communication Arts.

Halle Martin


President & Chief Operating Officer
Halle Martin comes to the Foundation after a successful career in law with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, compliance, and corporate governance. Most recently, she served as General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Secretary for TransDigm Group Incorporated (NYSE: TDG), an $85 billion enterprise value NYSE-listed provider of highly engineered aerospace systems, sub systems and components to the worldwide aerospace industry. During her tenure, the company grew very substantially, completed acquisitions of over 50 businesses, and joined the S&P 500.

Halle previously served for over 11 years as a partner at Baker & Hostetler and possesses prior experience advising public and private company boards of directors and as a director of non-profit corporations.

Halle graduated with degrees from the University of Michigan and Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

Meg Howley


Executive Director - Philadelphia
Meg Howley is the Executive Director of The Howley Foundation in Philadelphia. Meg earned a B.A. in psychology from Hobart and William Smith Colleges. She received a Masters of Science in Psychology from Drexel University in 2009 and a Masters in School Psychology and Educational Specialist certification from Rowan University in 2011.

Meg completed her practicum working as a school psychologist in West Berlin, NJ. She completed her internship hours working with elementary students as a school psychologist in Gloucester City, NJ. Meg then worked in various preschools providing early intervention services to cognitively impaired students.

In 2013, she decided to take on the task of expanding The Howley Foundation. Since 2013, she has established the Foundation's presence in Philadelphia while simultaneously increasing the number of students receiving scholarships in Cleveland and expanding educational offerings outside of the traditional high school scholarship programs to grade school scholarships, post secondary programs and select special education programs.

PJ Reindel


Executive Director & Chief Administrative Officer
PJ Reindel is the Executive Director of the Howley Foundation in Cleveland, OH. He is the first non-family staff member of the Foundation, since becoming the Executive Director in December 2018.

Having grown up in Cleveland’s Old Brooklyn neighborhood, Reindel attended Our Lady of Good Counsel and St. Ignatius High School. He earned his BA in Theology/Religious Studies and MS in Organizational Leadership from Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, WV.

PJ’s career includes time as an educator at the K-8 and high school level, as an after school program leader, and as a Director of Summer School. An experienced administrator, he has held leadership positions in schools and nonprofit social service agencies in Wheeling, WV, Jersey City, NJ, and Cleveland, OH. Prior to joining the Howley Foundation, he was Director of Development at Ursuline College.

PJ is an active volunteer and coach at St. Dominic School and Parish and the Lyndhurst Dad’s Club.

Kriste Vedegys-Duhigg


Director of Post-Secondary Education
Kriste joined The Howley Foundation in 2024 after serving in various capacities at Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School since 2005. She began in Development and Alumni Relations and in 2009 moved to Guidance, where in 2010 she started the College Counseling program. In 2021 she took on coordinating the Howley College Scholars at VASJ.

Prior to VASJ, Kriste worked as the Graduate Program Manager for the Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University and at Case Western Reserve University in Conferences and Special Events.

Kriste possesses extensive experience in Student Affairs, having enjoyed knowing she has helped countless students create a roadmap for their future. She prides herself on encouraging students to go beyond their comfort level and trying something new.

Kriste holds a Master of Education in Adult Learning and Development\Counseling from Cleveland State University.

Personally, she loves Lake Erie and enjoys spending time with her family, including her husband Mark and their 3 children. She loves traveling, gardening, crafting, and reading.

Allison Busser


Operations Associate
Allison joined The Howley Foundation in March 2024 after serving as the Director of Development at MedWish International. Prior to her arrival at MedWish in 2021, she spent nearly seven years as the Alumnae Director at Saint Joseph Academy, an all-girls Catholic high school in Cleveland, OH. Before returning to her alma mater in 2015, she served as the Director of Disability and Accessibility Services at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY.

Allie is a graduate of Saint Joseph Academy and became familiar with The Howley Foundation during her time as Alumnae Director. In her role, she assisted with Howley Scholar Luncheons and worked closely with graduates who were Howley Scholars, including the first Howley Scholar. Throughout her professional career, Allie has been passionate about providing access to education and is excited to continue to support The Howley Foundation and their scholars through her role as Operations Associate.

Allie earned both her M.Ed. in Counseling and Human Development and M.Ed. in Educational Leadership at St. Lawrence University and her BA in Athletic Training at Otterbein College. In her free time, Allie enjoys spending time with her family, exploring Cleveland with her friends and taking advantage of any opportunity to travel across the world.