Karen Wittgen Cain Joins Treasurers Staff

For Karen Wittgen Cain, accepting a job with the Catholic Diocese of Evansville was like coming home.

Cain joined the diocesan staff in the Office of the Treasurer as Associate Treasurer on Nov. 19 – just days before Thanksgiving.

Cain comes to the diocesan staff from Ziemer, Stayman, Weitzel & Shoulders, LLP, where she served as a controller and office manager. Cain has more than 25 years of experience in accounting practices, analysis and financial reporting. Her career began in public accounting for small, local firms; then she spent 17 years at St. Mary’s Medical Center, now St. Vincent Evansville, working in accounting and compliance.

Cain replaced Scott Britt, who served as the diocesan associate treasurer for 27 years before retiring on Dec. 17.

“It’s been good,” Cain said of her position. “Scott’s a great teacher. He’s been very patient with me. I keep telling him it’s probably like watching somebody fold a map.”

Britt believes Cain’s background and knowledge of the church will be an asset for her job.

“Her parish experiences will help her to know what the people she deals with will need,” he said. “It will be a plus for her.”

An Evansville native, Cain grew up across the street from what is now Annunciation Parish’s Christ the King campus, where she attended grade school. Annunciation remains her home parish.

She recalled her mother going to Mass daily because of then-Bishop Paul. F. Leibold, who would unlock his back door for those who wished to attend Mass. Cain said you walked in the kitchen door and went to chapel.

“And afterward, (the bishop) would fix you breakfast,” she laughed and said. “So, I grew up having breakfast with the bishop. … And he would come over, get on the floor and play mouse trap with us. We always had very close priest friends and nun friends.”

Cain has been married to Jonathan for more than 18 years. The couple has one son, Nicholas, 16, who is a junior at Reitz Memorial High School. And they have two dachshunds: Brutus and Bailey.

Her hobbies and interests include playing golf, traveling and cheering on Notre Dame sports, and serving as the secretary of the Notre Dame Club of the Tri-State. She is a graduate of St. Mary’s College.

“I look forward to contributing to the mission of the church,” she said.