Joann Brown has spent more than 30 years in academia at FIU. She was the founding Chairperson of the Communication Arts Department. She served as the Director of Assessment and Retention for the College of Architecture + The Arts and served as chair of the University Core Curriculum Oversight Committee from 2008-2022. In addition, she continues to participate on numerous committees related to student success and teaching excellence. Currently, she serves as the Assistant Director in the Academy for International Disaster Preparedness where she launched their undergraduate degree in 2020 and teaches Crisis Communication and Leadership at the graduate and undergraduate levels. For the School of Communication, she teaches intercultural communication & diversity as well as communication theory. In a partnership with a nonprofit organization, Exchange for Change, she shared her expertise with inmates at Everglades Correctional Institution in Miami with personal coaching sessions and traditional classes. She has authored/co-authored three textbooks: Intercultural Communication (2013), Speaking with Confidence (2013), and Speaking Intelligently (2004). Ms. Brown is an experienced and much sought-after public speaking and leadership coach. She has conducted many seminars at Florida International University and throughout the country for public and private organizations as well as the first-responder communities on subjects ranging from overcoming speech anxiety, understanding cultural biases in communication, team building, understanding emotional intelligence, and leadership development.