Never having formally studied English or creative writing past high school, Joanna Lee instead focused on the sciences, earning her MD from the Medical College of Virginia in 2007 and a further Master's Degree in Applied Science (neuroscience) from the College of William and Mary in 2010; her writing life focuses particularly on the overlap of creativity and healing. Joanna's poetry has been published in a number of online and print journals, including Rattle, Caduceus, Floodwall, and The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, and has been nominated for both Best of the Net and Pushcart prizes. A leading force behind Richmond's River City Poets, Joanna teaches workshops and makes possible a wide range of literary happenings from Shockoe Slip to South of the James. She is currently serving as Board Chair of the James River Writers, and lives in Richmond's Northside with her fiancé John and their cat Max.