Joann Slead has a remarkable life. As a child she grew up on a farm in Kansas with a passel of cats, dogs, horses, pigs, chickens and cattle. As children, she and her brother tried to ride the pigs like they were bucking broncos, but inevitably they fell into some deep mud, much to their mother’s chagrin. After graduating from the local high school of about 100 students, she went to Kansas State University (KSU) in what is now known as the Little Apple, Manhattan, Kansas.
After KSU she went to the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles where she obtained her Master of Arts degree in Political Science. During her time there she was the Undergraduate Political Science Advisor and was Adjunct Faculty in both Political Science and Public Administration. Toward the end of her time at USC she became a Christian.
After USC she took a job as a relief worker at World Vision International, a large Christian non-profit relief and development organization. They sent her to locations in Asia, Latin America and Europe, but Africa was where most of her travels took her.
Joann began a sole proprietorship business in 1996 providing services to non-profit organizations. Her portfolio includes countless technical documents for her clients, including major contributions to several books, design and teaching of master’s degree classes on essential aspects of relief and development programs. During this time she has also served as speaker at several other non-profit organizations and churches.
Now Joann has elected to spend more of her time on things she enjoys, including writing children’s books, telling stories and as a novice watercolor artist.
Her book, The Secret Life of Bears, is modeled on Joann’s own life with God. There was a time when she longed for someone good in her life, but there seemed to be no one. Then Jesus showed up and showed her that he is THE GOOD. He is LOVE. His devotion to her and his leading over many years continues to amaze her.