Joan Chittister is an internationally known author and lecturer, and the executive director of Benetvision: A Resource and Research Center for Contemporary Spirituality. She is past president of the Conference of American Benedictine Prioresses and the Leadership Conference of Women Religious. She currently serves as cochair of the Global Peace Initiative of Women, a partner organization of the UN. Her books include The Friendship of Women, The Gift of Years, In Search of Belief, In the Heart of the Temple, and Wisdom Distilled from the Daily. She lives in Erie, Pennsylvania.