Maureen Pratt, Author and Speaker

Maureen Pratt is an award-winning playwright, journalist and author, as well as a sought-after speaker and patient advocate. Her biweekly column, "Living Well," is in distribution through Catholic News Service and has appeared in publications in the United States and abroad. Her articles have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Arthritis Today Magazine, Lupus Now Magazine, National Employment Business Weekly, and other national and regional publications. Her play, "In Good Faith," won the Best Play, State of Maryland Award, and her manuscript, "Dream Come True," won the 1999 Molly Best Inspirational Award.

Maureen's book, TAKING CHARGE OF LUPUS: HOW TO MANAGE THE DISEASE AND MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR LIFE (co-authored with David Hallegua, M.D.) has been awarded the Seal of Approval by the Lupus Foundation of America. THE FIRST YEAR-HYPOTHYROIDISM, has been approved for patient education by the Thyroid Foundation of America. Her latest title is PEACE IN THE STORM: MEDITATIONS ON CHRONIC PAIN AND ILLNESS (Doubleday, April 2005); this book has been approved by the American Association of Christian Counselors and received the Seal of Approval from the Lupus Foundation of America for use in patient education.

Maureen and her work have been featured on the Hallmark Channel's program, "New Morning," and in The National Catholic Reporter, The Tidings, Catholic News Service, and Guideposts Magazine. She has been interviewed on national and regional radio programs, including Relevant Radio, NEON Fish, The Bev Smith Show, American Catholic Radio, and Tu Companero Catolico.

As a lupus and hypothyroid patient, Maureen has joined with several regional and national organizations to raise awareness of the diseases and funding for research. She is an Ambassador for the Arthritis Foundation, Southern California Chapter, and served as a founding member of Lupus LA. When her health permits, she has also been a guest speaker at events, symposia and medical conferences sponsored by the Lupus Foundation of Illinois, Lupus Foundation Kansas Chapter, and the Lupus Support Network, among others. In 2005, Maureen was keynote speaker at DePaul University's first annual Conference on Chronic Illness and Post-Secondary Education, and spoke on "Spirituality and Living with Chronic Pain and Illness" at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois. She also served on the panel at the LFA's Lupus Public Policy Summit in Washington, D.C. Appearances in 2006 include the Crystal Cathedral's International Conference on Care and Kindness, and the Association of Professional Chaplain's national conference.

Recently, Maureen has developed a church-focused workshop on spirituality and living with chronic pain and illness. Her first presentation was co-sponsored by Saint Martin of Tours Parish and Pauline Books and Media. She has also presented her programs at the Our Lady of the Angels Regional Educational Congress, and is scheduled at three Southern California-based Regional Educational Congresses in the Fall of 2007. Contact Maureen for details.

A graduate of Georgetown University and UCLA, Maureen speaks French and Spanish. For 13 years, she conducted and sang with an African-American gospel choir in Los Angeles, and she has also been a civilian musician with the U.S. Army and a ranger for the National Park Service. She is a member of the Author's Guild and the Georgetown University Alumni Interviewing Committee.