Joanne was born in California and raised in Taiwan, where she attended a private international school with an American based curriculum. Joanne then moved to Los Angeles for college and received her Master of Arts in Teaching at the University of Southern California. Joanne taught at an afterschool program in Los Angeles. She also worked as an Academic Interventionist for one year and taught as a Kindergarten teacher for two years in Chicago. Joanne moved to Seattle in the summer of 2024 and attended the Morningside Summer Institute. Outside of teaching, Joanne enjoys running, yoga, hiking, traveling, and eating.