Katherine Pettus is the Senior Advocacy and Partnerships Director for the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC). She is a Benedictine oblate, holds a Ph.D. in Political Theory from Columbia University and a Master’s degree in Health Law and Policy from the University of California San Diego. Dr. Katherine attends UN organization meetings to advocate for improved availability and rational use of essential palliative care medicines as a component of the right to health. She addresses issues of global palliative care development and policy as an essential element of universal health coverage throughout the life course. Her focus is equitable inclusion of people with palliative care needs at the peripheries, such as older persons, prisoners, persons living with disabilities, indigenous persons, and those affected by humanitarian emergencies.