Joan was raised in Fairfax County, and earned a bachelor’s degree in photography from the Corcoran College of Arts and Design at George Washington University. Alongside a career in newspaper publishing, Joan found her passion advocating for students with learning disabilities. She is a co-founder of Decoding Dyslexia Virginia, and advocates at a state level and one to one with parents. She has been a City of Fairfax representative for the Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities, and a Fairfax County Special Education PTA representative and co-chair.

She has two sons studying at Virginia Tech, and is a member of the International Dyslexia Association and CHADD. Joan joined the office support team at Mindwell in 2016. In her free time, she enjoys connecting with family, friends, and canines.