Sr. Dawn is a Rochester, Minnesota Franciscan. She joined the CTU faculty in 1999. The mandate of the John Family Chair, is to promote the Roman Catholic Consistent Ethic of Life, advanced by Cardinal Bernardin, thus, her research and teaching addresses a variety of issues. Her primary focus is environmental ethics through the lens of Franciscan theology, especially the effects of global climate change on poor people. Equal concerns include the religion/science dialogue, the ethics of power and racial justice, and fundamental moral theology.

In 2017 Sr. Dawn received the Franciscan Federation’s “Inspiration for the 21st Century Award” for her contribution to Franciscan theological education. She is a leading Catholic environmental ethicist, and in 2012 was acknowledged among the top twenty-five eco-theologians in The U.S. Heartland by The National Council of Churches of Christ Ecojustice Programs. Since 2015 she has served on the Encyclical Working Group of the Office of Human Dignity of the Archdiocese of Chicago, whose mission is the education and implementation of Laudato Si’.

Dr. Nothwehr has served the Catholic Theology Society of America, as a National Board Member, Convener of the Moral Theology section, and Co-Convener of the Women’s Consultation in Constructive Theology. She is Co-Convener of the Environmental Ethics and Theology section of the Society of Christian Ethics. Dr. Nothwehr has contributed to The New Theology Review http://newtheologyreview.org/index.php/ntr, CTU’s peer reviewed journal, as Editorial Board Member, Editor, and Co-Editor. She has also directed CTU’s M. Div. Degree Program and the Certificate in Healthcare Mission Leadership Program.