Donna Orsuto, hails from Ashtabula, Ohio (USA), but has lived in Rome for nearly five decades. She is currently serving as the Director of the Department of Moral Theology and Spiritual Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University where she has been teaching since 1990. She has authored two books and numerous articles in the area of spirituality. She has lectured and given retreats in various parts of the world. Her research interests include the role of women in the Church and the intersection of spiritual and moral theology.
Orsuto is also co-founder of The Lay Centre at Foyer Unitas (www.laycentre.org). This centre, started in 1986 and located on the Celian Hill, is dedicated to creating community and offering formation and leadership opportunities for lay women and men studying at pontifical universities. Through its community of scholars as well as its local and international programs, the Lay Centre also promotes lay leadership and dialogue. She served as director from 1986 to 2024 and has happily passed the leadership on to the next generation. She now has the role of Senior Advisor at the Lay Centre and is a member of its board of directors.