Catherine (Draeger) Pederson, Ph.D. is a relational leader, strategic thinker, and strength-based consultant with over 17 years of experience empowering people to make a difference in their community. She is the CEO of Loving Venti, LLC. and a Nonprofit Consultant and an Adjunct Lecturer at UW-Milwaukee in the Helen Bader School of Nonprofit Management. She has had experience with various small-to-medium sized nonprofits committed to our community from being the Executive Director of Wisconsin Inmate Education Association, whose mission is to transform our prison system from the inside out by educating inmates to become peer counselors, and the Executive Director of Friedens Community Ministries, the largest food pantry network in Milwaukee. Recipient of numerous awards, including the Ten Outstanding Young America's (TOYA) award in 2015 from the United States Junior Chamber (Jaycees) and the Philanthropic 5 recipient in 2016 from United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County. She earned her PhD in Leadership, Learning, and Service from Cardinal Stritch and a MA in Christian Studies with an emphasis in leadership from Trinity International University. She lives in Washington Heights, Milwaukee, WI.