Sister Joan D. Chittister, a Benedictine nun for over fifty years, has been one of the Church's key visionary voices and spiritual leaders for more than thirty years. A prolific writer and international speaker, she concentrates on women's issues, human rights, peace, justice, contemporary religious life and spirituality in the modern world. Sister Joan writes a weekly web column for the National Catholic Reporter, "From Where I Stand" and is the author of more than thirty books. She serves as co-chair of the Global Peace Initiative of Women and is vice chair of the international and inter-religious Niwano Peace Foundation in Tokyo, Japan. She has served as president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, and of the Conference of American Benedictine Prioresses and was prioress of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie for twelve years. She is the founder and executive director of Benetvision, a resource and research center for contemporary spirituality located in Erie, PA.