Joan graduated from Hofstra University with degrees in English, speech and theatre. Professionally trained by Sanford Meisner, Joan started her acting career more than 30 years ago and has appeared in some 300 commercials. She has worked with many actors, including Julia Roberts, Paul Newman and Eva Gabor. Other credits include professional theatre productions on and Off Broadway and daytime drama.

Joan has served as vice president of the Screen Actors Guild in New York City. In 1980 she founded Actors in Advertising, which grew into the School for Film and Television. She also founded Three of Us Studios, a successful casting facility. She is the author of Acting in Commercials: A Guide to Auditioning and Performing On-Camera. Esquire calls her the “Stanislavski of the 30-second spot.” For more information, visit www.sft.edu.