Pastoral Associate
732-741-1714 x220
claireh@nativitychurchnj.org

As Pastoral Associate, Claire works closely with Fr. Chris to minister to the Nativity community. She plays an active role in parish administration including pastoral planning, budgeting, marketing, and event implementation. She fosters the faith life of the community as a cantor, Religious Ed teacher, Eucharistic Minister, and as advisor to all Ministry chairs. Additionally, she plans all Baptisms and Weddings.

Claire has a BA in history and music from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA in marketing from Monmouth University. She is certified in Social Marketing (Hootsuite, 2021), Nonprofit Management (Brookdale Community College, 2022), the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (University of Notre Dame – McGrath Institute for Church Life, 2023), and Catechesis – the Methodology component (Diocese of Trenton, 2023).

Prior to joining the staff at Nativity, Claire held marketing and project management positions in the financial services and healthcare communications industries. She is past president of the Little Silver Schools PTO, the Red Bank Regional High School Buc Backers Foundation, the Notre Dame Club of the Jersey Shore, and currently serves on the Executive Board of the Monmouth Civic Chorus.

Claire lives in Little Silver with her husband, Matt Izzo, and their three children.

For 20 years, Claire ministered as a cantor alongside her father, Deacon Jay C. Harbeck. Jay was ordained a permanent deacon by Bishop George W. Ahr in Trenton in 1978, and served in that capacity for 35 years at Nativity, Holy Cross (Rumson), and Holy Cross Mission (St. Helena Island, SC). Jay passed away in 2013.