Before joining Esperanza, Joanna served as the Director of Behavioral Health at another Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) on the West Side of Chicago, where she focused on improving access to behavioral health services in underserved communities. She was drawn to Esperanza by its mission to provide high-quality, accessible health care to everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances. Joanna earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She is deeply passionate about expanding access to quality mental health and substance use services within primary care, believing that mental health is essential to overall well-being and that access to high-quality healthcare is a basic human right. Outside of work, Joanna enjoys gardening, reading science fiction, and spending time with her family.