Bringing to light
Through relationship building and analytical thinking, Johanna provides support, guidance and connection.
The basics
Johanna joined Upstart from an educational background where she worked to provide resources and support to marginalized groups and those in need. In her previous role, she worked to create the first Center for Basic Needs at the University of Tennessee, impacting hundreds of students and their well-being. She led the redesign and advancement of the campus’s food pantry, professional clothes closet, and a meals scholarship for over a dozen students. She thrives on working to create inclusive and equitable conversations to highlight voices that might otherwise be silenced.
Johanna has also worked extensively in recruitment and orientation positions at several institutions, including leading the recruitment process for a graduate-level degree program. Through her passion for connection, she enjoys developing rapport with those she comes in contact with and fostering a positive and productive team environment through a diverse lens. She received a bachelor’s in Physical Education from Florida International University and a master’s in Higher Education from the University of Tennessee.
How Johanna finds meaning and comes together with others
When her nose isn’t in a book, Johanna loves to be surrounded by her loved ones and her cat, Mason. Johanna finds meaning through shared laughs and stories, often over food and through taking care of the people she calls family.
