DIRECTORS

Joanna James is a multi-award winning filmmaker, founder & CEO of Zoel Productions a New York City based media production company, women's rights activist who founded the non-profit MAPP and wife and mother of three little girls. Joanna has a passion for storytelling, as the director, producer and editor of Vanity Fair's Best Documentary by a first-time filmmaker and PBS National Broadcast A Fine Line, which explores why less than 7% of head chefs and restaurateurs are women. Also an award-winning journalist, she started at The Boston Globe, later covered the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens and was awarded Best Environmental Reporting by the New England Press Association. She has written guest columns in Food & Wine and Thrive Global, and has spoken about women leadership, equity and inclusion at Harvard University, Google and PepsiCo. Joanna has been featured for her work on Oprah Magazine, Forbes & The James Beard Foundation. When Joanna isn't editing her next film or rallying support for women leadership, equity and inclusion through MAPP, you may find her gardening, changing diapers, yoga or drinking wine (not necessarily in that order).