Joanna Garcea

Joanna Garcea writes children’s books inspired by her own grandchildren and her experiences in education. Her love of writing is rooted in a life spent bringing people together around learning, leadership, and new ideas.

A former mayor of Umatilla and a graduate of Leadership Lake County, Joanna holds a master’s degree in technology and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Central Florida. In 1992, she was selected as a teacher fellow for UCF’s inaugural Central Florida Writing Project Summer Institute, part of the National Writing Project. There, she joined fellow educators to write, share classroom practices, and strengthen the teaching of writing.

Today, her children’s books bring together her experience as an educator, her dedication to writing, and the inspiration she finds in being a grandmother.