Dr. Newton is a Professor of Theology and Director of Graduate Theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville.

William Newton worked for ten years in scientific research before turning to the study of theology.  From 2005 to 2012 he was assistant professor of Theology at the International Theological Institute in Trumau, near Vienna, Austria. From 2013 to 2017 he was chair of faculty at Franciscan University’s Gaming semester abroad program before moving to the Ohio campus in 2017.   He has published in numerous journals including: Anthropotes, Josephinum Journal of Theology, The National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly, The Linacre Quarterly, European Journal for the Study of St. Thomas Aquinas, Homiletic and Pastoral Review, Crisis Magazine, and The Catechetical Review. He is originally from England. He and his wife Claire have five children.

EDUCATION:

• John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family, Melbourne, Australia (2005 – 2008)
  • PhD in Theology. Thesis title: “Gaudium et Spes 22 §1: a commentary from the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas.”
• Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium (2011 – 2012)
  • Licentiate in Sacred Theology (and Master of Arts in Advanced Studies in Theology and Religion) (magna cum laude). Dissertation title: “An Evaluation of the Contribution of Martin Rhonheimer to the Debate on the Moral Status of Craniotomy.”
• International Theological Institute, Gaming, Austria (2002 – 2005)
  • Masters in Theological Studies (summa cum laude).
  • Dissertation title: “The universal significance of the evangelical counsels.”
• University College London and Imperial College London (1991 – 1992)
  • Masters of Science in Remote Sensing (with distinction).
  • Dissertation title: “Approaches to automatic change detection of forests using optical satellite imagery.”
• International Language Institute, Cairo (1990)
  • Teaching English as a Foreign Language Certification.
  • I taught English in Moscow from December 1990 to June 1991.
• School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London (1987 – 1990)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Geography with Special Reference to Africa and Asia (1st class honours).
  • Dissertation title: “A study of small scale private industry in Hubei Province, China” (included two months field work in China).
• St. John the Baptist R.C. School, Woking, England (1981 – 1986)
  • 3 Advanced Level certificates (Geography A, Biology B, Physics B) and 13 Ordinary Level certificates.
  • School captain 1985-1986.

Director of Ruah Woods Psychological Services

Dr. Sodergren holds Masters and Doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from Divine Mercy University’s Institute for the Psychological Sciences (IPS), the only graduate school in existence devoted to integrating the best of psychological science with a Catholic view of the human person. His doctoral dissertation, completed in 2009, was entitled “Attachment and Morality: A Catholic Perspective.” Dr. Sodergren established Ruah Woods Psychological Services in 2011. His previous clinical work was with the Alpha Omega Clinic in Bethesda, MD and with Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska.

Dr. Sodergren is trained in child, adult, marital/family, and group therapies as well as psychological testing, including vocational assessment for candidates to the priesthood or religious life. He is certified in Relationship Enhancement® couples therapy and has received advanced training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy. He is an active member of the Catholic Psychotherapy Association and is a frequent speaker for professional and lay audiences on topics involving the integration of psychology and the Catholic faith. For 13 years, he co-taught a course on psychology and neuroscience as an Adjunct Professor at the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Washington, DC.  In 2022, Dr. Sodergren contributed a chapter on the “Psychology of the Sexual Difference” to the book Sexual Identity: The Harmony of Philosophy, Science, and Revelation published by the St. Paul Center.  He previously contributed a chapter on forgiveness in marriage to the book Torn Asunder: Children, the Myth of the Good Divorce, and the Recovery of Origins. In 2023, Dr. Sodergren received the Mother of Good Counsel Clinical Excellence Award from the Catholic Psychotherapy Association.

He and his wife Ellie have been married 23 years and have five children.

Paul W. Hruz, M.D. Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Dr. Hruz is an academic pediatric endocrinologist (hormone specialist) and tenured physician scientist with faculty appointments in both Pediatrics and Cellular Biology and Physiology. Dr. Hruz has over 25 years of clinical experience in caring for children with endocrine disorders including disorders of sexual development. He has authored over 60 peer-reviewed manuscripts, scientific reviews and book chapters.

Experience

• Washington University School of Medicine: 19 years 9 months
  • Associate Professor of Pediatrics Sep 2011 – Present
    Dr. Hruz has clinical interest in a wide range of endocrine disorders, with a special interest in diabetes mellitus. Dr. Hruz’s research interests include intermediary carbohydrate metabolism, glucose transporter structure and function and mechanism of insulin action. Currently, the mechanism(s) by which HIV protease inhibitors cause serious adverse metabolic effects including peripheral lipoatrophy, visceral adiposity, hypertriglyceridemia, and insulin resistance are being investigated.
  • Director, Divsion of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Jun 2012 – 2017
  • As Chief of the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes at Washington University, Dr. Hruz leads a nationally recognized team of clinicians who provide comprehensive consultative services for all children with disorders related to endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism. Dr. Hruz also serves as the director of the Division’s Fellowship program which is training future academic leaders in the growing field of Pediatric Endocrinology. Building upon the longstanding history of…Show more 
  • Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Jul 2003 – Sep 2011
• As a physician scientist, my professional goal is to improve the lives of children and their families affected by diabetes and other pediatric endocrine diseases. This goal is achieved through active participation in cutting edge medical research, patient care, and medical education.
• Instructor of Pediatrics Washington University in St. Louis Jul 2000 – Jun 2003
• Greater St. Louis AreaAs a physician scientist, my professional goal is to improve the lives of children and their families affected by diabetes and other pediatric endocrine diseases. This goal is achieved through active participation in cutting edge medical research, patient care, and medical education.

Education

• Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship 1997 – 2000
• University of Washington Pediatrics Residency 1994 – 1997
• Medical College of Wisconsin PhD MD Biochemistry, Medicine 1987 – 1994
• Marquette University BSChemistry 1983 – 1987

Mary Rice Hasson, J.D., is the Kate O’Beirne Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C., where she co-founded and directs the Person and Identity Project, an initiative that equips parents and faith-based institutions with resources to promote the truth about the human person and counter gender ideology. An attorney and policy expert, Mary has been a keynote speaker for the Holy See during the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, addressing education, women and work, caregiving, and gender ideology, and serves as a consultant to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family, Life and Youth.

She speaks frequently at national conferences, universities, and in dioceses across the country, and has testified before the U.S. Senate, in state legislatures, and the Australian parliament on parents’ rights and transgender issues.

The co-author of several books on education, Mary’s writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, National Review, First Things, the National Catholic Register and Our Sunday Visitor, among others.

A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and Notre Dame Law School, Mary is married to Seamus Hasson, and they are parents of seven grown children and grandparents of four.

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A note about the Person and Identity Project (PIP): The Person and Identity Project aims to equip parents and faith-based institutions with the facts, resources, and expertise to promote an authentic vision of the human person and to counter gender ideology.  PIP experts speak, write, and conduct workshops on gender ideology for churches, schools, parents, and faith-based organizations. See personandidentity.com

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A note about the Catholic Women’s Forum: The Catholic Women’s Forum takes its inspiration from Pope St. John Paul II, who wrote that women have “the task of assuring the moral dimension of culture…a culture worthy of the person,” (Christifideles Laici, 51). The Catholic Women’s Forum provides a network for Catholic women scholars seeking fellowship and to influence the culture, and offers a forum for Catholic women to share faith, inspiration, and resources. See catholicwomensforum.org.

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Recent publications:

Appellate brief in the 9^th Circuit supporting challenge to Washington law effectively mandating “affirmation only” therapy for minors, December 16, 2021.

“Bringing the Christ of Christmas to a Lost Generation,” Legatus Magazine, Dec 1, 2021

 “Erasing Females in Language and Law,” Journal of Christian Legal Thought, Christian Legal Society, Oct. 21, 2021.

“Is It Emotional Abuse For Parents To Deny A Child’s Transgender Claims?” National Review Online, October 17, 2021.

“Time for an Exodus from Public Schools?” Our Catholic Mission, Cardinal Newman Society, October 8, 2021.

“The Equality Act and the End of Females,” Newsweek, February 24, 2021.

“The Pope is Catholic After All,” co-author with Tim Busch, The Wall Street Journal, February 13, 2020.

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Books and Book Chapters:

Chapter author, “Sexual Identity, Gender Ideology, and Religious Freedom: The Tug of War over ‘Who We Are,’ – Schools as Battlegrounds,” in the Handbook of Church and State, Shannon Holzer, ed. (New York, NY: Palgrave, expected publication fall 2022)

Co-author, with Theresa Farnan, PhD, of Get Out Now: Why You Should Pull Your Child From Public School Before It’s Too Late (Regnery: 2018)

Chapter author, “What About Sex: Habits of Heart for a Fulfilling Sexual Relationship and a Happy Marriage,” in Venus and Virtue: Celebrating Sex and Seeking Sanctification (2018).

Editor, Promise and Challenge: Catholic Women Reflect on Feminism, Complementarity, and the Church (Our Sunday Visitor: 2015)

Co-author, with Michele Hill, of the report, What Catholic Women Think About Faith, Conscience, and Contraception (EPPC 2012)

Co-author, with Kimberly Hahn of Catholic Education: Homeward Bound (Ignatius Press: 1996).

Theological Consultant for Ruah Woods Institute

Joan Kingsland, SThD, has been a member of the Society of Apostolic Life, the Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi since 1993. She earned licentiate and doctoral degrees in moral theology at the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and the Family in Rome, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree from Thomas Aquinas College, and a Master of Arts degree from the Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies at the University of Toronto. She taught moral theology and Catechetics at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Cincinnati from 2016-2018, moral theology at Mater Ecclesiae College in Rhode Island from 2006-2015, and Catholic Faith Formation, grades 5-10 at the Highlands School in Dallas, Texas from 2002-2006.

During the academic year she resides in Rome and teaches the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church at Regina Apostolorum Seminary, and is contracted by Ruah Woods as a Theological Consultant on curriculum, courses, educator training and many other projects. In the summer returns to Cincinnati to work in person at Ruah Woods and help in providing training for teachers K-12 to teach Theology of the Body to their students.

Executive Director for Ruah Woods Institute

Courtney Brown received his MA in Theology at Holy Cross College & his BA at Franciscan University. Courtney has spent twenty years in the field of education teaching & leading. He served as both a Catholic elementary school principal as well as a Catholic high school principal. Courtney is currently working on his Doctorate in Interdisciplinary Leadership from Creighton University. With Ruah Woods, he has taught Theology of the Body to junior high & high school students, but presently helps with educator training & TOB Campus course development among his many responsibilities within a non-profit ministry. He has a passion for educating the whole human person and sees discipline (teaching) as a formative process in virtue. Outside of work, Mr. Brown is likely to be fishing, running, and hiking with his wife and eight children.