Aflutist and small-town girl from Iowa, Joan has dreams of making the world a better place. She shares her life story, hopes and lessons learned with others in her memoir. Some tragic and some magic, she learned through her journey that overcoming great challenges is possible and we can make a difference one person at a time.

Following her retirement from twenty-five years in public service, Joan became a writer and is an award-winning author. She describes her writing as rich with wisdom for living life, inspirational, and full of messages. As an author and speaker, she is dedicated to inspiring others to live their best life and brings with her a message of hope and encouragement to everyone, regardless of their circumstances.

Joan has a BS Degree in Education and is a certified alcohol and drug counselor with the State of Oklahoma. She spent her career in public service, working as an advocate for the protection of children and strengthening families. She has served as a member of the District Attorney’s Task Force, Child Protection Coalition, Oklahoma State Tribal Group, and Child Trafficking Task Force. She was on the board of the Tulsa Advocates for Protection of Children and has been a frequent speaker in the community. She is available for public speaking, tailored workshops, and book readings.

Joan Sandergard

Joan Sandergard is a passionate advocate for children and for those struggling with drug and alcohol addictions and is the author of “The Girl from Madison County.”