Joanna Patterson, Director of the Career Education Center at Alverno College, has spent over three decades of her professional life in diverse roles in the field of education. The last 20 years has focused on career education (counseling, teaching and program design), an area she finds significantly satisfying. Joanna has facilitated training on diverse professional development topics for academic and professional audiences in the Greater Milwaukee area. Joanna was the recipient of the Flame of Excellence, awarded by the Metro Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) for her work with MMAC scholars.