I received my M.F.A. in writing from the Iowa Writers' Workshop and my B.A. in Literary and Cultural Studies from Hampshire College. After publishing my first book, I joined the full-time faculty at Penn State.

The most fulfilling part of teaching for me has always been meeting with students for 1-to-1 instruction. One of my students wrote about me to the department chair that "Joanna has become more than a professor: she has become a mentor and a friend. Above all things, her devotion to her students as individuals is invaluable...It is rare that you come across someone that talented who is also devoted to her students as individuals. She never hesitates to believe in her students, even when they cannot believe in themselves."

I have a lifelong love of learning. The subjects I'm most passionate about teaching are high school and college English, including AP courses, as well as creative writing at any level. I create personally tailored, fun exercises and activities. My goal? To help my students feel safe expressing themselves and gain confidence.

In my spare time, I enjoy reading, watching movies, traveling near and far, yoga, and people-watching. I'm a lifelong believer that through writing, we discover things we didn't know we knew.