Growing up in New York's Hudson Valley, Joanna spent her childhood scribbling poetry, short stories and sci-fi romances. Upon graduating from college, she knew that she wanted to write for a living but was unclear how to earn a paycheck doing so. She ignored her father's repeated suggestions to become a journalist. Instead, Joanna took a job at a PR firm in New York City as an assistant; she stuffed gift bags for events; she cold-called editors at glossy magazines; she ate out a lot and wrote very little. After two years, she conceded that her father had been right.
In 2002, Joanna moved to Boston to pursue a master's degree in print journalism; she supplemented her course load by writing for The Dig (an alternative weekly), The Beacon Hill Times (a hyper-local neighborhood paper) and The Boston Globe (a feather in her cap). At night she played drums in an indie-rock band.
Returning to Manhattan in 2004, Joanna enjoyed a six-month period as an executive gypsy, learning the ins and outs of magazine publishing before landing at PARADE. She lucked out when then-assistant copy editor Marisa Kula ran off to Portland with then-frontman for The Shins James Mercer. Joanna was offered Marisa's old position and worked her way up from there.
From 2007 to 2011, Joanna was responsible for coordinating all food‐related editorial in PARADE, including the Simply Delicious column by Sheila Lukins; 123 Bake by Dorie Greenspan; and Cook It! by Bobby Flay. In addition, Joanna oversaw PARADE's special food‐themed issues "What America Eats" and "Home for the Holidays" as well as stand‐alone stories with celebrity chefs such as Tyler Florence, Alice Waters, John Besh, Tom Collichio, Giada DeLaurentiis, Padma Lakshmi, Daisy Martinez, Paula Deen, and Lidia Bastianich, among others. With the advent of dash, PARADE's monthly food magazine, Joanna developed creative ideas for easy, affordable and delicious recipe menus, and synthesized content from sister Condé Nast brands Bon Appétit, Gourmet and Epicurious.com.
Outside the food beat, Joanna brought her passion for music to the “Parade Picks” column and PARADE’s many music covers, interviewing legends such as Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Heart, Cyndi Lauper, Hall & Oates, Carrie Underwood, Zac Brown, Ozzy Osbourne and Jay‐Z.
Her writing has appeared in The Boston Globe, Every Day With Rachael Ray, Food Republic, Flaunt, Park Slope Patch, The New York Post, Nylon, Surface, Tokion, and Zink. She is currently working on a book project.
