Celeste Mueller serves as Vice President, Ministry Formation for Ascension, a Catholic health system headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.  Celeste leads a team of formation leaders and facilitators, educators and practitioners who function as an internal and external consulting group:  designing, developing and delivering spiritual and theological formation programs, services and resources to serve Ascension leaders, clinicians and associates and through Mandorla, to serve organizations, groups, communities and individuals beyond Ascension.  She also serves as designer and faculty for the Ascension Leadership Academy and leads Ascension’s Formation Facilitator Certification Program.

Celeste’s current research and writing interests include advancing the professional competence in formation as a multidisciplinary art and science,  and formation for virtuous leadership

Prior to joining Ascension, Celeste was Assistant Professor of Practical Theology at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis.  She founded and directed the Vocare Center which was established to strengthen the capacity of leaders to transform society according to the gospel.  

Celeste has taught Practical Theology, Scripture, and Systematic Theology at Aquinas Institute and St. Louis University as well as at the secondary level.  She has served parish ministry in catechetical and faith formation programs, and urban ministry in programs for at-risk youth, transitional housing, and in jail ministry. Celeste holds a Doctor of Ministry in Practical Theology from Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, an MA from Aquinas Institute of Theology, and a BA in philosophy and theology from the University of Notre Dame.