Joan is the middle child of five siblings born over the span of twenty-three years— a station in the family that has positioned her as a bridge between two generations. From an early age, Joan learned to listen, appreciate differences of opinion, negotiate, and bring people together for the greater good.
When Joan was in third grade she began skipping recess to stay in and help wipe down the blackboards. She loved being around her teachers so much that she would soak up just about everything they did—from correcting papers to preparing lessons. When she was ten, her father installed a large slate black board on their back porch so she could ‘teach’ her two young siblings and their stuffed animals. In high school she was awarded a “Future Teacher’s Scholarship” and she and her younger sister both went on to become educators.
Loyal, focused, insightful, and trustworthy, Joan is masterful at seeing through the lens of possibility and helping individuals and teams connect to their own potential. As a partner, she’s motivated by the ripple effect: she knows that when the right leader is in place, the community can be its best, and the quality of the education increases. In turn, students leave a school prepared to go out into the world and make it better.
