Katherine K Hirschboeck, Ph.D., conceived and developed The Circle of Life Journey Program with members of her parish's Christian Life and Consistent Ethic of Life committees in 2008.  She currently chairs the Consistent Ethic of Life Committee of Our Mother of Sorrows Parish in Tucson AZ.  As a JustFaith graduate and co-facilitator, Katie is passionate about Catholic Social Teaching and all issues surrounding Human Life and Dignity.  She served as chair of the Christian Life Commission of Our Mother of Sorrows Parish for 10 years and also co­founded the parish's Care for Creation Initiative.

Professor Hirschboeck is also an Emeritus Faculty of the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at the University of Arizona and former chair of the  university’s Global Change Graduate Interdisciplinary Program.  Her research and teaching expertise is in climate, hydrology, and environmental change. She served as a board member of the University of Arizona's St. Albert the Great Forum on Theology & Science and is one of 17 national Catholic Climate Ambassadors for the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change which supports and complements the work of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Environmental Justice Program which educates and motivates Catholics to a deeper reverence and respect for God's creation, and encourages Catholics to address environmental problems, especially as they affect poor and vulnerable people.