Joanna Brown

Originally from North Carolina, Joanna was drawn to the natural beauty of the San Juan Mountains and moved to Telluride in 1998 with her husband Stuart and their four children. As an owner of Between the Covers Bookstore, an active member of local boards and volunteer at Telluride schools, Joanna fell in love with the community and people of this magical box canyon. A Mountainfilm and Between the Covers partnership was her introduction to the festival. She and her husband became supporters and annual attendees. Driven by two decades of Mountainfilm learning and her involvement with The Nature Conservancy, in 2015 Joanna embarked on a year-long volunteer assignment in Kenya to build business systems for BeadWORKS, a women’s social enterprise at Northern Rangelands Trust in Kenya. Seven years later, she continues to help diversify designs and expand their markets worldwide. She is passionate about the importance of women’s empowerment to social change, women’s health, children’s health, education of girls, the environment and climate change. In addition to her work with Northern Rangelands Trust, Joanna currently serves on The  Nature Conservancy Africa Council and is a member of the Africa Affinity Group for Women and Children. She enjoys engaging in all outdoor activities and exploring the mountains surrounding Telluride with her family, friends and dogs.