Paula Schoof, a New Jersey native, studied pre-law political science at the University of Wyoming and earned a Masters in Law from Woodbury Law Institute in Vermont. Married to Mike for over three decades, the couple lived in Colorado and California before settling in Houston in 2010.

Leaving her law career for full-time ministry, Schoof worked with non-profits and mega churches. One of those churches asked her to launch "The Hope Justice Center" legal-aid ministry, which she did in 2020. Her journey led her to serve as Legislative Research Director for the Texas House of Representatives, and to pursuing a doctorate in biblical justice at Biola University.

Inspired by her doctorate, Schoof visited Rwanda to study its post-genocide reconciliation efforts, which spurred her to found a nonprofit supporting healing and restoration in Rwanda, Uganda, and Houston. Paula and Mike have two children, a grandchild, and share their Texas home with three pets.