Joanna DiStefano, MS

Program Manager

Organization:

West Virginia University Health Sciences Center

Department:

Global Engagement Office (GEO)

Classification:

Staff

Event Planner/Executive Assistant

Organization:

West Virginia University Health Sciences Center

Department:

Administration

Classification:

Staff

Emphasizing a professional ethic of dynamic program development, conflict engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, advocacy, and long-term relationship cultivation, Joanna DiStefano is the Program Manager for the Global Engagement Office (GEO) at West Virginia University Health Sciences, where she facilitates international program support for five schools - Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Public Health.  Through this role she is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the department, which encompasses the promotion of global health initiatives at WVU Health Sciences, management and coordination of international agreements for academic programs, and maintenance of scholarly, clinical, and service-related activities in other countries for the Health Sciences community.

Through GEO’s sponsorship in January 2019, Joanna became a founding member of the WVU chapter of RESULTS, a grassroots movement that provides training and support to advance health, education, and economic opportunity by engaging in the democratic process to influence political decisions that bring an end to poverty.  Additionally, she serves on the WVU Health Sciences Cross-Cutting Programs Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  

Joanna is a 2014 graduate of Creighton University's Werner Institute for Negotiation and Dispute Resolution.  She previously directed career counseling at Glenville State College in Central West Virginia, where she advised approximately 1,200 students and taught on professional development topics, including conflict engagement at work. Joanna is a member of the Association for Conflict Resolution and the International Ombudsman Association.  She received her undergraduate degree in History and Political Science from Guilford College in 2003.